Hamilton hits FDSEA Hard!!!

Hamilton hits FDSEA Hard!!!

Posted on by Konig Gfx

**** GUEST BLOG – BY NATE HAMILTON****

FORMULA DRIFT SEATTLE – PRO Round 6 | August 4th and 5th

Photo: provided by @CoreyDenomy + @Max_fuerst + @Valtersboze

Here we go again, another Formula Drift Recap presented by Konig Wheels, at your fingertips. ha! I want to start this recap by saying, thanks if you are reading this

This recap will cover Formula Drift, round 6.

hypergram

Seattle, Evergreen Speedway. My first impression…. this track is FAST. I know what you’re thinking…Atlanta is also fast. But it’s different… this track we enter fast and then go faster. Such a Rush! Teams clocked speeds of upper 80’s coming off the exit of the bank.

Evergreen Speedway

Thursday schedule, two practice sessions. The first session was basically a shake down. Remember I missed the 2016 season being in Pro2, this makes for some quick progression keeping up with the Pro1 class. Luckily, with my spotter Matt Perkins, I was able to make sense of the line and get comfortable.

Nate Hamilton

Thursday’s practice, for the most part, is especially fun, running with some of the best drifters in the world.

Friday morning, Qualifying is my main focus. Personal goal, try and qualify 11th or better. Reason being, my highest qualifying result is 13th to this day.

Qualifying results: Run1 = 79 Run2= 84
Overall Qualifying I landed in 15th position battling the 18th position which is Justin Pawlak. Not the result we were looking to accomplish but I feel great about my battle with Pawlak.

Nate Hamilton

Saturday Main Event, two goals, beat Pawlak and then beat Ryan Tuerck. This is the part of the story that hurts to type…

Nate Hamilton

You know that feeling when you don’t make many mistakes, but the mistake you do make is a big one… Welp, that sums up my battle with Pawlak.

240sx

This photo above is not a good look. Argh! I made a mistake and was late on the throttle… With the grip added to the car, this can result in a huge correction. In the wrong place, this is a front end collision to the wall. OUCH!

I do have a great team on my side and my right-hand man Bub Robarge, Is hard at work at Enjuku Racing getting this issue straightened out, literally. ha!

240sx

Huge thanks to everyone checking out this Konig Recap. I have a great group of Family/Friends/Sponsors surrounding me and thru the good times and bad times I am thankful for the opportunity to pilot this Nissan and I can’t wait for another opportunity compete and make my dreams a reality. Until Next time, Much love.

The Konig team is ready for Formula Drift Round 6!

Posted on by Konig Gfx

FORMULA DRIFT SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – Round 6 | August 4th & 5th
As Formula Drift descends on Seattle, WA this weekend for round 6 (round 3 of pro2), Konig sponsored drivers from all over the country are making their way to the city of coffee and rain. Hopefully it wont rain this weekend because we’re excited to see what will be served up at Evergreen Speedway. With this season only a few events from the end, we thought we would give you a quick rundown of some of our FD drivers.

THE KONIG FORMULA DRIFT TEAM


Nate Hamilton has returned back to FD Pro and has really shown his skills and maturity in the sport. This season as proven to be almost a graduate course for Nate. He has had more top 16 finishes this season then in his entire career. It just seems that Nate gets better and better at each event. That has shown through his confident and aggressive driving. Currently in 16th place the last two events this season are going to be defining for Hamilton. Of course it will be his best professional season in Formula Drift but it will also be an incredible benchmark in his professional drifting career. We’re super proud of Nate and are excited to be part of his program. Go get’em Nate!

Nate is running Konig Hypergrams in 17×9 et 25mm front and 18×9.5 et 25 rear. The Konig Hypergram is Flow Formed.


Kevin Lawrence is for sure a rising star in the Formula Drift series. With his most recent win at FD Orlando, Kevin and the Enjuku Racing team are pushing for another “W” in Seattle and are chasing that championship. Kevin is an extremely knowledgable and all around great person. He is the definition of a true enthusiast not to mention has one of the coolest cars in FD pro2 with his right hand drive RB25 powered S14. Kevin is making that journey across the country and looks nothing less than ready and prepared to come out on top! Kevin is currently in 5th place.

Kevin is running Konig Hypergrams in 17×9 et 25mm front and 18×9.5 et 25 rear. The Konig Hypergram is Flow Formed.


Travis Reeder is a 100% the one to beat on the PRO 2 track! The battle for the series at this point could be a face off between two Konig sponsored drivers, Reeder and Lawrence. Travis placed 2nd in Orlando to Kevin Lawrence but took the win in Atlanta. He is currently in 1st place in the pro 2 rankings. Travis and his 240SX are on Konig Ultraforms and are coming into Seattle armed and ready to take out the competition!

Travis is running Konig Ultraforms in 17×9 et 25mm front and 18×9 et 25 rear. The Konig Ultraforms is Flow Formed.


Kelsey Rowlings is an exciting driver to watch and definitely ready to show the field what she’s made of. Kelsey’s driving style is super agressive which makes her the one you can’t keep your eyes off. She’s struggled a bit the first half of the season but not due to lack of effort or skill. Seattle could really be an exciting breakout event for her. Its refreshing seeing a women driver in professional drifting but be very clear, Kelsey is as solid of a professional drift driver as anyone in pro 2. Make sure to keep your eyes on her, because she really is an incredible driver!

Kelsey is running Konig Hypergrams in 17×9 et 25mm front and 18×9.5 et 25 rear. The Konig Hypergram is Flow Formed.


Donovan Brockway and the Red Baron team are like no other! His turbo E30 BMW, nicknamed “theBeast”, throws more smoke than you can imagine and the platform is one of the sickest in FD. Brockway is another one of those extremely aggressive drivers. They have been working out the kinks the first half but its looking better and better every event. When they put it all together Donovan is going to pop in to action in a major way! Follow Donovan and the Red Baron team as they prepare to move up on the rankings in this round of Formula Drift Pro 2!

Donovan is running Konig Rennforms in 18×8 et 35mm front and 18×9 et 35 rear. The Konig Rennforms is Flow Formed.


Alec Robbins and the Koruworks team are getting the 350Z on Konig Hypergrams ready for the FD Seattle! If you follow pro-am drifting last year and a bunch of grassroots drifting events you will know this dude can drive. Pairing him with one of the coolest shops on the East Coast (Koruworks) is a killer combo. Alec is currently in 15th place and is looking to show the field whats up! Unfortunately he wont be driving in Seattle due to mechanical issues, however look for him at Gridlife and back at FD Texas.

Alec is running Konig Hypergrams in 17×9 et 25mm front and 18×9.5 et 25 rear in BRONZE. The Konig Hypergram is Flow Formed.


Adam Knapik had a rough start to the Formula Drift season. It seemed like anything that could go wrong…well…went wrong for Adam. Blown engine, crazy electrical problems, etc, etc. So this round is definitely one of redemption for Adam and his team! Gearing up the V8 powered 240SX on Konig Rennforms, stay tuned and be ready to see Knapik lace up the track this time around!

Adam is running Konig Rennforms in 18×9 et 23 all the way around. The Konig Rennforms is Flow Formed.


Matt Vankirk is now part of the Konig family and we are super excited to have him. With a ranking of #4 on the PRO 2 board with 105pts, which is only 2 points away from 2nd place, it’s obvious Matt and his team are aiming for the top spot! MVK took second place at FD Atlanta right behind Travis Reeder. Who knows how that battle would have ended up as a mechanical issue forced MVK to shut the car down just as he entered into the first battle between him and Reeder. This event will be a test to see if MVK, Lawrence or Reeder will be the top Konig sponsored Pro 2 driver. Super exciting! Be sure to check out Matt’s 240sx on Konig Hypergrams!

Matt is running Konig Hypergrams in 17×9 et 25mm front and 18×9.5 et 25 rear. The Konig Hypergram is Flow Formed.

Nate Hamilton Recap Formula Drift: Montreal, Canada!

Posted on by Konig Gfx

**** GUEST BLOG – BY NATE HAMILTON****

FORMULA DRIFT MONTREAL CANADA – PRO 1 Round 5 | July 14th and 15th

Photos by: @coreydenomy

Nate Hamilton here, this recap covers my 5th round of Formula Drift. This event marks 5/8 our season is over half way complete.

This was my second trip to Canada. If I remember correctly, the first time was in 2012, with XDC. 5 years later I am finally able to return.



Being that this was basically my first time running this track layout.. it took me a few laps to catch on. Thursday’s conditions, dry and sunny.

Friday morning was a whole other animal. With no sun in sight and the rain pouring down we had a practice session before qualifying.

At this point I was still trying to figure out the track… lol 
Qualifying came quick and I was slightly nervous.

First run, with conditions half wet half dry… I scored a 61. Not the best. But a score. The second run, the track was drying out, I knew I had a score so I tried to remember my laps on Thursday, I landed an 82. Putting me in 13th overall for qualifying.

“Michael Essa vs Nate Hamilton” the headlines read, ha! I knew this was going to be a challenge and some would have counted me out on this battle. Essa is a champion and a real competitor. But I was focused and knew I would win! We had an insane battle, he lost his tire. We pushed harder as the crowd got way into the battle. I won, man it’s a great feeling to know you can do something and then actually accomplish it.



“Fredrick Aasbo vs Nate Hamilton” ok, ok! For sure I’m the underdog in this position. But, anything is possible. I kept my focus before the battle staying calm and collected. As soon as we left the line I realized I could have used a bit more grip in the car. I struggled with my timing coming out of the first outer zone and one mistake can cost the battle. Hats off to Fredrick, he is a true sportsman and it was a great learning experience to battle him in the top 16!



Results – As the event ended and my results rolled in… I kept my same position and closed the gap by gaining some valuable points in the championship race. We are 20 points away from Chris Forsberg and I cant be more stoked for Seattle Round 6!

2017 point standings: Pro1
Round 1: 22nd – Top32 Finish  
Round 2: 20th – Top16 Finish
Round 3: 17th – Top16 Finish
Round 4: 16th – Top16 Finish 
Round 5: 16th – Top16 Finish 
Round 6:
Round 7:         
Round 8: 

Huge thanks to my entire team and team of sponsors. It’s 100% a blessing to be in the position I am in today and I won’t forget these moments.

Nate Hamilton is a Konig Sponsored Professional Drift driver that competes in Formula Drift Pro Series. Nate runs as part of the Enjuku Racing team and drifts on Konig Hypergrams in 17×9 et 25mm front and 18×9.5 et 25 rear. The Konig Hypergram is Flow Formed.

Make sure to follow Nate on INSTAGRAM!

Nate Hamilton recaps Formula Drift New Jersey

Posted on by Konig Gfx

**** GUEST BLOG – BY NATE HAMILTON****

FORMULA DRIFT WALL, NJ – PRO 1 Round 4 | June 2 and 3

Photos by: @coreydenomy

Whats going on everyone, Nate Hamilton here! Today I am writing about my experience from Wall Stadium, in New Jersey.

Coming from the Pro2 class, this track was not on our 2016 Pro2 schedule.. with that being said, I’m especially excited to get behind the wheel. This track is one of my favorites, purely for the wall riding and gnarly bank drop into the infield also the sweeping outer lines, this track is challenging but rewarding once you get it.

Thursday’s practice ended stronger than it started. Right from the start, I realized I had the “wall” section figured out, but my timing on the lower infield section was slightly behind the curve of the others.



Our team is always looking for grip. Bub Robarge is always saying “It’s easy to take grip out, but a challenge to find it.” Thursday’s practice we swapped spring rates, made a gear change, and went thru our rebound setting on the BC Racing Coilovers.

After our adjustments and a full day of practice, we are moving in the right direction and I feel ready for qualifying.

Being that this is a Konig Blog. ha, I’m going to give a quick shoutout to my dude, Scott Weiss. We signed on with Konig in 2016 and he has been right there if we needed anything. I just wanted to say it was awesome to see you at the event, thanks again Scott and I’m excited for the projects ahead.

Game Time: Friday’s qualification!

Run #1 = 87
Run #2 = 81

Friday morning I felt good vibes and I knew the goal for qualifying, My first run.. the judges gave me an 87! I found the wall and lost another bash bar and my infield section was committed. I felt that was a fair score.
The 87 put me in 13th position.

the Top32 bracket was released, I would battle Pat Goodin in the Top32.



Next, Top16 opening ceremonies. Out of 4 rounds, this would be my 3rd consecutive Top16. Making my mom proud and sh*t, haha!  

This is a personal best, I appreciate everyone’s support as you reach out and cheer me on, I can’t thank you enough. More to come, we are building and getting stronger each race.

Next, I would battle Kristaps Bluss. For the record, it’s our second time to battle and I really don’t want him to win again. lol

Kristaps Bluss Wins! haha, I ended the battle on the first turn, dang! The front end pushed as I recall getting back into the throttle just a hair late. Bummer, I took myself out. Lesson learned and moving forward!

Wrecking and losing a battle is never how you want to end the race. But we took home some positives. My personal best qualifying score with 13th. Also, my 3rd Top16 in row this season, just missing Long Beach.

We are halfway through the season and an update on my current point standings are… 

Round 1: 22nd – Top32 Finish
Round 2: 20th – Top16 Finish
Round 3: 17th – Top16 Finish
Round 4: 16th – Top16 Finish
Round 5:
Round 6:
Round 7:
Round 8:

Alright, thanks for reading. I’m headed back to the shop, time to fix the car and start getting ready for Canada!
Thanks again to everyone making this happen: Enjuku Racing/ Hankook Tires/ BC Racing/ Competition Clutch/ Vibrant Performance/ Konig Wheels/ Formula Drift/ Molly Water Co./ HJC motorsports/ Alpinestars and the entire crew and crews family!

Nate Hamilton & Enjuku team ready FDNJ!

Posted on by Konig Gfx

Everytime we go out to any motorsport event its always impressive to see the behind the scenes. How much work it actually takes to run a program and to get a vehicle dialed in for competition is beyond impressive. More then that it is something that as an enthusiast you loose thought of because you’re only able to see the final show.

Watching the Enjuku Racing team is certainly no exception. So first lets give you a glimpse into what that actually looks like. On first sight you can literally feel the energy and intensity as everyone is working hard on the car in the final moments before the practice session starts. Right before the start of practice, walking into the Enjuku tent, the cars are clean, already race ready, setup with fresh tires and all fueled up. Hamilton is suited and moments away from jumping into the car to start the long process off tweaking the cars.

Over the next 5 hours all of the FD drivers would get maybe 10-12 runs give or take. At first, after runs the cars would end up back in the pits having changes made. Changing out gear sets, swapping tires, adjusting suspension, adjusting tire pressures and occasionally taking a quick break to hydrate up and have a quick conversation with team members and spotters about the strategy of how to attack that given track.

To be honest, its incredible to watch how dialed Nate and the Enjuku Racing crew are able to become in just a short amount of time. But by the end of the day on Thursday, the car looked ready, Nate had great lines and was looking aggressive and confident.

Friday’s qualifying proved to be no different. Nate’s First qualifying run was an 87, which would be his highest run. That score was solid enough to place him 13th and positioned to square off against Pat Goodin today in the top 32! We wish Nate and all of the Enjuku Racing team the best of luck. Make sure to tune in today on Youtube (NETWORK A account) or Formula Drift Live Page to watch Hamilton take on Goodin at 1:30pm EST!

Nate Hamilton’s road to Atlanta…

Posted on by Konig Gfx

Once again our boy Nate makes top 16. The thing about Nate Hamilton is you can honestly watch his driving and see how much he loves this. He driving is getting better and better in Formula Drift Pro, but thats not what is so special. The special part is you can watch Nate Drift and just feel how much passion he has for the sport. As his seat time increases so does his comfort level. Has his comfort level is increasing his driving keeps notching up. Watching Nate in his match against Castro you could just see Nate driving the hell out of the car…control, comfort and confidence, its great to watch. Make sure to check out his recap below and then check them out for Round 4 in Wall NJ coming up First weekend in June!

**** GUEST BLOG – BY NATE HAMILTON****

FORMULA DRIFT ATLANTA – PRO 1 Round 3 | MAY 12 & 13

Photos by: @CoreyDenomy

Round 3 of Formula Drift continues with one of the fastest tracks of my season, ROAD ATLANTA.



This track is gnarly, I knew coming into this event I would need to be focused. Once we arrived and loaded in, the first thing on the schedule was Thursday’s practice. My goal was to be consistent and build momentum run after run.



After having a good session on Thursday, Fridays Qualifying was the only thing on my mind.

My first run scored a 79, the second run came in at 81. This resulted in a 17th position overall for the Pro1 qualifications. I was set to battle Jhonnathan Castro in the TOP32!

With a healthy motor and a clear mind, I was able to Win the battle against J. Castro! This would be my second TOP16 performance in a row.

After everything was said and done, we ended our event in the Top16. I have steadily been moving forwards in the overall points standings. We are headed to Round 4 in 17th position overall.
I can’t thank my entire team and sponsors for all the love this season.

Nate Hamilton is a Konig Sponsored Professional Drift driver that competes in Formula Drift Pro Series. Nate runs as part of the Enjuku Racing team and drifts on Konig Hypergrams in 17×9 et 25mm front and 18×9.5 et 25 rear. The Konig Hypergram is Flow Formed.

Make sure to follow Nate on INSTAGRAM!

Nate Hamilton’s Recap of Formula Drift Orlando!

Posted on by Konig Gfx

Enjuku team making us proud this weekend! Our boy Nate Hamilton making it to top 16 in Formula Drifts Orlando speedway round 2! In this guest blog by Nate, he breaks down the 2 day event from top to bottom! Enjoy…

**** GUEST BLOG – BY NATE HAMILTON ****

FORMULA DRIFT ORLANDO – PRO 1 Round 2 | April 28th & 29th

Photos by: @jessieabi_k



– Team Update



Our full team assembled (#TeamEnjuku) consists of 7 dedicated hands. During a normal track day, we have two cars our guy’s service, between Kevin and myself…who knows what can happen. lol Also along for the ride, our media guys Corey and Max.

Arriving at 8:30 am isn’t that bad when you get to go drifting!! Our mornings start with unloading the rig, setting up our tents and tools. After that, we check bolts/alignments making sure everything is ready for the track.



Lastly, we make sure to add some fresh tires. In my case, Blade just mounted two Hankook RS-4’s. Shoutout, BLADE!  

– Practice 

This track feels like my backyard. I’ve had my share of laps here, this makes Thursday’s practice pure fun!

Chasing everyone was my goal.

– Qualifying 

Qual run 1 – 77
Qual run 2 – 84 

After qualifying…Formula Drift provides our scores and the Top 32 bracket.
My results = 17th position, I would battle Rad Dan in the TOP 32.

I took the WIN and advanced into Top16, next I would battle Dai Yoshihara!!!
This was my first appearance in Formula Drift Pro1 Top16! 

The easiest way to describe my battle with Dai.. FULL THROTTLE! I actually was so focused on putting the pressure on I ended up hurting my own line.
Almost making contact coming out of the bank was my only error. 

Respectively, Dai took the win and my weekend was coming to an end.

At this point…my tires are burnt, I have a smile on my face. The cars in great shape, our team felt solid about my showing. We are moving forwards, gaining two valuable positions in the overall standings. I will leave Orlando in 20th position overall in the championship.


Huge thanks to my Team: Ant & BUB, I couldn’t do it without you guys. No matter what the situation they have a solution and pull off the impossible to keep me behind the wheel and ready for battle.

All the family, fans, and sponsors that make this possible. I feel so humbled at everyone’s efforts, I will drive like a maniac in Atlanta for you guys! You have my word! 

Thanks, everyone! KONIG WHEELS, HANKOOK TIRES, BC RACING, ENJUKU RACING, COMPETITION CLUTCH, VIBRANT PERFORMANCE, GARRETT TURBOS, GRAPHICS DIRECT, WISECO, ALPINESTARS, MOLLY WATER and HJC HELMETS.

See you guys next week in Atlanta, Thanks again KONIG!

Nate Hamilton at Super Drift

Posted on by KONIG

Check out this video that Enjuku Racing just pumped out covering Nate Hamilton at the Super Drift event which took place the week after the Formula Drift Long Beach. This Super Drift event was part of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach weekend and featured some of the best Formula Drift drivers. The cool part about the event was that it took place on the same course as FD Long beach and provided some additional seat time for Nate to prepare for Formula Drift Orlando. The video is on point and provides an great look at the behind the scenes. Check it out!

Enjuku Racing Original Series Kicks Off

Posted on by Konig Gfx

Our friends over at Enjuku Racing have been working on something cool. They have been documenting and producing their own video episodes from the beginning of this season. They take you behind the scenes on their journey from receiving product and building their drift cars right through to the events they attend and compete in.

We are proud to be partnered up with Enjuku Racing and their drivers (Nate Hamilton, Kevin Lawrence, Josh McGuire, and Road Racer Savannah Little *more on Savannah coming so soon!* ). So sit back and enjoy the first of their new episode featuring Nate Hamilton as he preps for Import Alliance with his Blue Nissan S13 Demo car in this initial episode.  Nate keeps his demo car up to par with help from his sponsors such as Fortune Auto & Konig Wheels.  

We have placed their videos into this post right below. Make sure to check out their YouTube Channel for more awesome videos and if you’re looking for parts or Konig Wheels (HINT HINT), they are a great source!!!

ENJUKU RACING WEBSITE

Stay tuned for more coming soon!!

Nate Hamilton Formula Drift Orlando Pro2 Round 2 Recap

Posted on by Konig Gfx

**** GUEST BLOG – BY NATE HAMILTON ****

Family, Friends, Team members, Employees, Acquaintances, Sponsors all coming into town to support and create the environment we race in. Round 2 of Formula Drift was hosted in my current home town, Orlando Florida. Its safe to say its one of the most important rounds of our Pro2 season.

here we go:

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As a team our goal was simple, prepare and create positive results. We worked hard in-between Round1 and Round2, making sure I’m comfortable, fixing and adapting issues we ran into at Round1 Road Atlanta. Our crew Chief, Bub Robarge knows the importance of comfortability for Kevin and myself behind the wheel. Its our job to put on the best show possible for our fans and sponsors. We went into this round with confidence.

nat-fdorl-2

Day One: Thursday, Practice and Qualifying

Practice was progressive, smooth lines and consistent laps. The car was on point and I was ready. After two practice sessions we ran into qualifying, I landed myself in 4th place with score of 83. Thanks to my dude, Ant Rupchand for guiding me on line and angle.

nat-fdorl-3

Day Two:  Friday, Main Event

Friday, the day we get to show everyone our focus and hard work. This is the busiest day of the weekend for us. All the eyes are on Pro2 competition. With the help of Fortune Auto and Matt Purvis we had everything in place for my first battle in the Top16.

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My first battle was underway, I would be competing against Dan Burkett. I felt calm and ready for this battle, I felt I had the speed to follow him and stick it to his door. Being that I qualified higher than Dan I would lead first.

This is the part of the story I hate, ha!

I took my lead run and had “a clear advantage” said Ryan Sage representing the Formula Drift’s judging panel.

Although once I completed my run it was clear I had a de-beaded rear tire.  For those who don’t know what that means, its the basic idea that our tire’s mounted on our rim and on certain tracks or rare occasions we can bust the bead from the tire causing all the air to release from the tire. Meaning we have no air pressure and the tire is able to fall off the rim. Our team did what was natural, we used our 5 min competition time out. We brought the car back to the hot pit and thats when we got hit with a swift kick of reality. My Falken Tire de-beaded coming off the bank, I finished my run strong, but unfortunately once you de-bead a tire in competition your day is done. You are NOT allowed to air the tire back up, You are NOT allowed to change the tire, You are also NOT allowed to run a de-beaded tire for safety reasons, literally there is no option.

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This single mechanical error caused my entire weekend to end way to soon. We had the momentum building and we had the consistency to really earn some points at this event. Unfortunately this was out of my hands and I was knocked out. Another event, another hard lesson learned. We are really pushing to report good news to you guys, but sometimes motorsports can be a tough game.

I personally want to thank everyone inside our camp for all the hard work it takes to prepare these machines for drifting. Huge thanks to my Family/Friends for lifting me up as I keep working thru a seemingly hard season. We can’t forget the Enjuku Media team, Corey Denomy and Jessie Ann for all the great content being created. Thanks again everyone, Lets make it happen in Texas.

Photo credit: Jessie Ann