MDU Streets of Detroit RECAP

As we approached the city of Detroit we could see building clouds in the distance. All I could think was please Mother Nature, unleash your fury tonight so that we can have a rad day of Drifting tomorrow. The one event a year that I look forward to the most was upon us: Midwest Drift Union Streets of Detroit.

Upon the sunrise it looked like we would be blessed with good weather for the day ahead. We loaded our cooler, gathered our gear and headed out to Roosevelt Park. Years ago there would be hundreds of passengers waiting to start their journey via train around the country. Today….we would be ripping some of the most badass cars around the surrounding streets of the old Michigan Central Station.

It had been weeks since round one and as we explored the pits it was like a mini reunion seeing our drift bros from around the country once again. The sound of engines starting, tires changing, and trailers unloading filled the air. The day was about to begin and the energy was rising.

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MDU staff yelled up and down the pits that it was time for the drivers meeting where the tempo would be set for the rest of the day. I was so stoked to see some old faces like Geoff Stoneback and Matt Walin made it for some street drifting and even more stoked to see an old face but a new car sitting all pretty in the pits. Dirk Stratton had unleashed the pure American soul of muscle with his new Corvette build….All I knew is the recipe was there to make this the greatest Streets of Detroit event yet!

The course was pretty much the same as years past, but there was a new water barrier added around the sweeper. The spectators would have to sit back a bit further as well, but overall Detroit offered the best spectator experience on the whole circuit minus maybe Street Life Tour with their bleacher seating. The new water barrier made me rather excited to see some wall runs. We would later see some sick ones….especially by Mr. Stoneback…who I will talk about later.

The meeting was over, the drivers were lining up the cars and the media took their positions. The day was about to blast off and the crowds were ready. Practice took off with literally no hiccups. It seemed every driver was on point. That is until Israel Nava decided to take out a tree….but I guess we can forgive that hiccup. Nick Swan might not seeing as he is still waiting on the bill for said tree. The curbs, as always, were relentless although they didn’t take many prisoners. A few love taps here and there, but all in all I think all wheels survived the day.

As the day continued the field got rowdier. I knew that qualifying would be relentless. Every driver was going to have to earn their place. Especially with Shane Walley, Dirk Stratton, Riley Sexsmith, and new MDU driver Rob Carleson throwing down some solid runs all day. Most of the time I can at least predict a solid top 3 by the time qualifying is done, but not that day….there were just too many drivers going hard.

Qualifying produced some results I wasn’t quite expecting I will admit, but all of my top drivers for the day ended up on the list regardless. Newcomer Rob Carlsen took first place followed by St. Louis driver Andrew Lewis and Dirk Stratton rounded out the top 3 with his much loved Corvette. Full results are below:

Rob Carlsen
Andrew Lewis
Dirk Stratton
Mike Feiock
Rolando Alfaro
Steven Fishel
Matt Waln
Austin Matta
Riley Sexsmith
Devin Callahan
Shane Walley
Nick Thomas
James Blair
John Hutchinson
Sam Henry
Ricky James

The stage was set and it was time for the competition to get underway. We were treated by one more show run by Geoff Stoneback, MDU Veteran and FD Rookie of the Year 2014, and by golly it was a good one. He ripped the hardest run all day, riding the wall and blowing through both rear clips causing his trunk to explode off and only hang on by his electrical wiring. The crowd went absolutely INSANE. It was such a treat to see Geoff return to the Midwest.

Up first was Rob Carlsen in his “s16 Fighter” vs Ricky James with James taking the win. I for one think his shiny car distracted Carlsen….just kidding of course.

Next up was Austin Matta vs the Canadian Subie of Riley Sexsmith. Matta came into the event sitting in 5th place showing some killer driving at Round 1 at Grissom AFB. Sexsmith took the win though as the driver with the most Detroit experience of the two.

Nick Thomas and Rolando Alfaro would take the field next. Both drivers seemed to have solid practice runs all day and I expected it to be a close battle. Sadly this was not the case ending with a spin from Rolando causing Thomas to take out STL driver Alfaro in the end cutting his day short.

MDU/FD veteran Mike Feiock took his place beside James Blair for the next top 16 run with Blair coming out on top.

Which now brings us to Detroit local Shane Whalley and Steven Fishel. I could only root for Shane in hopes that somehow he would go up against Stratton at some point in the bracket…Sorry Steven, but I could only imagine the hype. Shane took the win in the end.

Funny enough we would find out if the run we had been hoping for all day would come to be as Dirk Stratton battled John Hutchinson for a spot in the top 8. And what do you know….2 GM beasts would meet on the smoky battlefield in the next round of skirmishes. Stratton took the win.

Next was Devin Callahan and Matt Waln with Waln taking the win in his BMW E36.

And the final top 16 battle would take place between Andrew Lewis and Sam Henry with Henry eliminating FD hopeful Lewis from the competition.

Sexsmith would take out his opponent Ricky James , Nick Thomas advanced over James Blair and Henry defeated Walin taking their places in the top 4…which brings me to the battle dreams are made of….

Streets of Detroit….two iconic American cars…Detroit muscle…LS powered machines…who could ask for anything more? Shane Whalley and Dirk Stratton took to the start line and let it rip. After a hard fought crowd pleasing battle Whalley claimed victory over Stratton as the crowd pleaded for a one more time just to see it happen again.