American All Stars – ROVA DRIVE

70 Years At Natural Bridge

June 16, 2024June 16, 2024 Missed Gear

The namesake has been around a while. A few million years… Give or take a month or two…
Or more…

Racing has been going on for slightly less time than that. In geological terms it’s a flash but in the terms of laps and wheels it’s quite a while.

My first time to Natural Bridge Speedway for the 2024 season had me cross paths with a couple of guys that have been around there since the beginning. These two, with some friends along, were in their spots in front of the main concession and control building on the front straight.

John Emore had a batch of fries and some history. He spoke about coming there for the first race when he was about 8 years old. That was 70 years ago in 1954. The track was longer then and extended beyond and around some trees that are still there. The faint, but grown in, exit of turn four is still just visible. John pointed it out as his friend, Harry Johnson, confirmed the spot. Harry used to turn racing laps there, back in the day. Now they support the track and the racing that is on now.

John Emore (left) 70 years of coming to races. Harry Johnson (right) a featured racer in the “good old days”

It’s Friday, June 14th. It’s the first night of a two night event featuring the American All Star Pro Late Model series. The main AAS event is set for the Saturday. Friday featured the regional Sportsman and Late Model with open practice for the AAS teams on site.

John Emore, Harry Johnson and the other fans were treated to a show Friday evening with a full field in the two mains. Practices, qualifying and heat races started the evening.

For the facility, improvements continue. A new Victory Lane is on the fan side of the exit of turn four. The grounds had a new grooming and the parking and “outside” pit areas have been expanded. The 2024 management has been pushing forward with organization, promotion and event progress for fans on site. The entire facility has a look of detail.

If pressed, we could nitpick at some details. The fan experience is, of course, the focus and continues to be the priority. For the teams and drivers, the infield could use a supply of paper towels in the restrooms… And maybe a hosing down before race weekend…? Let’s be real… A reliable set of restrooms is a must for teams that are there all day and into the evening.

Infield concessions…? Just curious…

Yes… Nitpicking. The overall experience at Natural Bridge Speedway continues to push forward from being close to collapse just a few years ago. The people that have stepped up over the past few seasons have pushed and pulled the facility forward and have given the fans, and the teams, a place to enjoy and compete with a good show. Just ask John and Harry… They’ll tell ya!

I was just there for the Friday. The expanded features of Saturday had plenty of buzz leading in and all indications point to another successful evening.

Day One – Bridge 57 Weekend – Friday, June 14, 2024
Sportsman Top Five: Bryce Viar, Michael Ayers, Bryce Smith, Matt Duggins, Norman Dudley Jr
Late Model Top Five: Justin Williams, Logan Roberson, Joe Leavell, Billy Beachler, Jesse Quick

PHOTOS from Friday, June 14, 2024

Roanoke Drifting In Jappalachia

It is a fine thing when conditions lead to continuity. This particular continuity is also an automotive conundrum in several ways considering the current condition of the existence of the automobile. What….?? The trend that has taken hold, especially here in these United States, is the popularity of the SUV, the crossover variations of five door hatches, the automatic transmission and front wheel drive. All of these would point to a humorless and drab driving culture of A to B with a soccer game or a grocery store on the agenda. The days of fun behind the wheel are drying up. Or are they…? There are a handful of new rear drives out there. Of those, fewer still have a manual transmission. This leads to the continuity of cars of the past being rebuilt and re-born by people who seek the slides and the sideways. Yes, America, drifting may be the saving grace of the manual, rear wheel drive car. On a warm Wednesday tucked in the back corner of an industrial park I was there to bear witness to a mixture of car cultures. The recipe was a good mix of classic British “Top Gear”, American Motor Trend “Roadkill” and a heavy helping of the Japanese origins of drifting. The cars were budget sourced from the pre-owned market and rapidly made “drivable” over the past several days. Now they were here in this slightly barren environment to be compared on a mapped rally / drifting course by (can you guess…?) the same “tame” racing driver. For the sake of a little background… This group of guys have a mission which is building on their combination of talents. What is the mission…? Loosely defined it is a mixture of Japan’s origin culture of drifting and the extreme styling of it with the back roads mountain attitude of American muscle cars. They call it “Jappalachia”. There have been trips to Japan with driving study in the origins of the legendary Daigo Saito drifting style. Japan is distinguished as the genesis of drifting even as the sport has expanded worlwide. The “Jappalachia” handle has been vetted during these visits with positive approvals. The drift is no stranger to these men. A recent visit to NASA Haltech Hyperfest at Virginia International Raceway had a Nissan going tandem on the drift pad competition. On this Wednesday, they have two cars ready to take on the course. These are not their “pro builds” but side projects for the practice and fun of it. One is a late ’80s Corvette and the other is a Nissan 240sx (’89…? ’90…? give or take…) Both of them had less than “garage kept” history. Both put up sideways and dusty shows. I think the Corvette took the time even with bottom scrapes, fuel delivery issues and a lost ass bumper. It was also driven after the 240 so one could say the previous lap in the Nissan gave a nudge of “practice” to the ‘Vette. The “real” cars involved…? These guys are looking ahead to extreme builds in their shop. They are working up another C4 series Corvette and a 3rd generation Ford Mustang. The cars are being treated as homage to the extreme Kaido or Bosozoku style of Japanese drift builds. Big fenders, shovel forward in front of the wheels and wide body wings over the back. These are American muscle cars treated with anime angles. Engines are being built. Chassis and suspensions are being tuned and going into place. A rough timeline has turns on the calendar for the newly re-opened Southampton Speedway later this year as that track is running a drift schedule. This is Jappalachia. Connections…? Roanoke, Charlottesville, Japan, backgrounds in design, mechanics, fabrication, travel… They have formed a friendship from chance encounters, childhood history and love of fun in cars. The “tame” racing driver…? 2016 F4 Champion / 2021 EFO F3 Champion – Cameron Das, visiting from the UK with friends connected through common and crossed paths. His 2016 F4 is in the Jappalachia shop. 2016 USA F4 Champion, Cameron Das, with the season winning car in the Jappalachia shop Das is currently doing a social media series of video showcases of kart racing and tracks. Cameron Das: YouTube InstagramTay Whiteside – Lift Arc StudiosGresh Chapman (Instagram): Jackson WalkerConnor Shupe Visit the Jappalachia Website Photos – A visit to Jappalachia – Industrial Drifting *The dog is “Pickles” – an Alaskan Malamute. He’s a sweetheart in a sweet spot.
Movie Truck Throwback

Hanging out with long time friend from stage and screen who happened to be in a famous truck movie by Stephen King
RoVA-Drive Showcase: Benoit Pigeon

Elite commercial photographer has a fast eye for drag racing
RoVA-Drive Showcase: Bryan Reedy

Late Model Driver (#17) based in Roanoke

Tag: American All Stars

70 Years At Natural Bridge