After having fun pulling the e-brake in my family's station wagon, I discovered there was an actual sport for sliding around! I learned about drifting through videos, magazines and Initial D, picked up my first car - an SR-5 AE86 - and started figuring out how to drift. After going to my first Formula Drift event in 2007 I knew exactly what I wanted to be: a professional drifter. That year I upgraded to a GTS AE86 (later used to convert my old SR5, which I still have) and started a meet & drive which spawned my car club, Touge Spec. In 2008 I began racing on track; I drove my beat-up hachi in 21 assorted events that year; 14 drift events, 6 autocrosses and 1 rallycross. I placed 3rd drifting at Smackdown, scoring higher by myself than the combined efforts of most of the other teams. In 2009 I blasted into competitive drifting, driving 16 events in my new SR20-powered 240SX. In round 2 of the Evergreen Drift Championship Series I placed 2nd; it was my first competition ever. I was able to finish the series in 4th overall, even while overcoming various issues throughout the season. Smackdown proved once again to be a strong point for me in 2009; I placed 2nd in drift among a much stronger field of top Northwest drivers. In Las Vegas I received a Formula Drift ProAm National Championship invitation by placing 4th in the ProAm qualifier, even while extreme coolant temperatures warped my engine and blew a hole in one piston! At the 2009 ProAm National Championship I placed one spot lower than I needed to earn my professional license. In 2010 I built a new relationship and car with PSI (Portland Speed Industries) through a rough ProAm season at Evergreen Speedway and various XDC events. After a rough second half of the 2010 season and a tough win at Evergreen Drift ProAm Round 1 in 2011, we realized we needed to upgrade the transmission, rear end and fuel system. Gremlins from the changes plagued us throughout the season, but I was able to finish 3rd overall to earn my Formula Drift Professional License!