Over the next few weeks we will bring you a new series called, 2010 NST Driver Q&A.  This session is with our good friend, and 2010 NST Driver, Aaron Losey.  Aaron is one of the oldest Texas drifters (one of the early adopters of the LS1 swap into an S chasis) and has a great deal of experience in drift series such as XDC, D1 USA, and NOPI.  Enjoy!

.

How long have you been driving?  What types of competitive driving? How long have you been a drifter?
I have been drifting since 2004, after my wife took me to watch a Formula D event in Houston for my birthday.  I had a blast and the sport looked approachable and really fun, so that week I went out and picked up an e36 M3 to drift at an upcoming Daily Drifter event.  Before all that I had a shifter kart, a trail jeep, and an Evo 8 I was planning to rally that was being used for auto-x.  I rode a bunch of motorcycles including my ZX-10.

What was the first car you ever bought?  Why did you choose that car and how long did you own it?
First car I ever purchased was my 1993 Jeep Wrangler.  I still have it, and it is a beast.  That was back in 1998 I think.

Tell us about your current drift car and its setup?  Future plans for the car?
My current drift car is a built S13 with a V8.  The car is fun, and has seen its share of abuse.  The car has been around for ever, and will probably be aroundnfor a lot longer.  It should be dragged out back and shot though.  I love her though: )

You just finished the 2010 Xtreme Drift Circuit, how would you rate your overall performance and experience in the XDC?  What was the most memorable event/moment for you this season?
The XDC series didn’t go well for me this year.  I was plagued by car issues all year, which really sucked.  I think I qualified 4th in Jersey and then got taken out by a broken car.  In Texas I qualified decently and finished between 5-8 somewhere.  In Arizona I qualified pretty well for having a super broken car, and then finished somewhere between 8-16.  All and all I am spoiled by normally finishing great where ever I go, so anything outside of the top 3 is disappointing, but luckily I have so much other stuff going on in drifting it doesn’t really bother me.  I have been concentrating on making Texas drifting awesome, and I feel I’m doing a great job there.  I’m very proud of Texas drifting right now.

Did you compete/participate in any other events/series in 2010?  If so, what was the highlight of the year for you, outside the national tour?
We did some demo stuff and I host a lot of events.  I have a lot more fun doing grass roots events, and the highlight of my year was probably running the drifting portion of Import Reactor.  I got to drive around construction equipment, move 20K LB barricades into place, and be a part of an awesome event.  The Import Reactor dudes put on a sweet event, and I’m really glad I was able to be a part of that!

Tell us about your experience as part of the NST “Green” Team this season.  What stood out the most?  What would you like to see moving forward?
Being a part of the NST green team was a lot of fun.  We have all been driving together for years, but it was fun to run under the same banner and be seen as a team.  I like all the other drivers a lot, so we were a good fit.  It gives you a sense of camaraderie.

Tell us about some of your other sponsors, supporters, and crew.  Who are they and how do they assist you and your team?
Derrick Rogers builds my cars, so he gets a huge thanks for that.  Mikespeed has been letting my car sit at his shop lately, so that is a big plus too.  SPEC provides the clutches for my kicks, and Stance the coilovers.  All the Sponsors I have right now are only on my car because I’m proud to run them, and I really like their companies and products.

What are your plans for next year?  What do you see as your biggest challenges moving forward?
My biggest challenge is putting on the Lone Star Drift Series next year in Texas without going broke.  I’m going for big prize money, awesome driving, and fun events.  I would love to drive a national series next year, but I’m not sure if we will be doing that.  We will see.

What are your strongest assets that you can bring to the table for potential sponsors for next season?  What type of assistance are you most in need of?
My biggest asset I can bring to companies is I am both a driver and event organizer.  Not many people can combine those things.  It is also a double edged sword, because I can’t fix my car fast enough, and it drives in way too many events.  My car probably has been through more tires and more events than any other car in the USA.  I’m not kidding.

How much of your life do you devote to drifting?  If you weren’t so committed to drifting, what else would you see yourself pursuing as your ideal career?
A few years ago drifting was a weekend thing.  Then it started to spread.  Last year I spent probably 14 weeks on the road and 35 weekends drifting.  I probably drove more than 40 days last year, at least.  This year I have probably done something similar.  But add more marketing and organizing.  I organize or host drift events for probably 20-40 hours a week.  I have no idea how, I get distracted easily and mess around a lot.

Anything else that you’d like to add for your friends and fans who may be reading this?  Any shout-outs?
Thanks to everyone who helped out this year!  Too many to mention.

NST – NonStopTuning
http://www.NonStopTuning.com