Drifting @ MindSay

"The name: It's plural of mine. I thought 'Mine's' would be better than answering, 'Niikura'. I designed the logo myself. I like simple and cool designs. I like simple cool designs, that's why my cars aren't always decked out. "

You may or may not know the name Niikura Michizo, but you definitely know the name Mine's. Born in 1952 in Hayama, Japan, Michizo is the man responsible for the Japanese tuning house that has developed some of the fastest GT-Rs in the world. Niikura-san's long love of the GT-R began in his teens when his father gave him a hand-me-down Skyline—nice dad, huh? His first “new” car was a Celica GT-S.

While in high school he maintained a huge interest in motorbikes as well as cars. It was at Isho College that he'd further develop into a forward-thinking engineer and tuner. Almost right after college Michizo joined Bridgestone and there he remained for 12 years, moonlighting the last few years to start up Mine's. Rather than blowing the money on sake and women, he wisely invested his earnings at Bridgestone to buy the necessary equipment to make sure that his shop would be more than just a lift and an air compressor.

"The name: It's plural of mine. I thought 'Mine's' would be better than answering, 'Niikura'. I designed the logo myself. I like simple and cool designs. I like simple cool designs, that's why my cars aren't always decked out. "

You may or may not know the name Niikura Michizo, but you definitely know the name Mine's. Born in 1952 in Hayama, Japan, Michizo is the man responsible for the Japanese tuning house that has developed some of the fastest GT-Rs in the world. Niikura-san's long love of the GT-R began in his teens when his father gave him a hand-me-down Skyline—nice dad, huh? His first “new” car was a Celica GT-S.

While in high school he maintained a huge interest in motorbikes as well as cars. It was at Isho College that he'd further develop into a forward-thinking engineer and tuner. Almost right after college Michizo joined Bridgestone and there he remained for 12 years, moonlighting the last few years to start up Mine's. Rather than blowing the money on sake and women, he wisely invested his earnings at Bridgestone to buy the necessary equipment to make sure that his shop would be more than just a lift and an air compressor.

After Bridgestone you established Mine's. What concept did you have in mind?
Simple is best. A well-balanced car that stops, turns and can go fast. Another thing, I like to do things that my competitors don't and can't do. I like to do things fast. I like to build [my products and cars] quickly and be on time. I hate to be slower than anyone else. Tuning doesn't have regulations like motorsports, but my thing is to be faster than the cars that are fully decked out like motorsports cars. The parts I develop are for my customers, but they also have to function and be good for the car. I want to keep my parts as realistic attainable tuning parts for consumers. It's easy to build a bigger displacement engine, but how many people do that? Which leads to keeping it simple.

I learned a lot in my younger years. I had been involved with motorsports and worked with them when I was younger. I wanted to learn; the whole experience was a learning process. Teams are just there to win. I wanted to absorb what was available to me from motorsports. And I've put what I've learned in that experience into my tuning and products. From R32 to beginning of R34 I was prety much went to every race in the Super Taikyu series.

You must have become very familiar with the series, but also the development of racing and products. How do you use R&D to develop your products?
To develop my parts I would actually get into races and test my products. I do a lot of tenstive on-track testing privately. Testing, R&D you don't necessarily have to go full throttle for a race distance. That's not what's needed for R&D. What I've striving for is not the ultimate speed or quickness or time. It's actually drivability, or driving pleasure. It has to do with feeling comfortable while you're driving, what the driver feels. You Have to feel good, safe about the feel of the vehicle. That's a lot deeper than just speed or horsepower.

Tell us about the GT-R legacy and why you've chosen to continually developer the Skyline.
Long ago it was known as a very good car and the one to tune. And that's what I was attracted to. I was attracted to the potential of the GT-R and because it was difficult to tune. For the US, I'm really looking forward to releasing parts for the Z and the new 2008 Nissan GT-R. I want to open a shop in LA and have that be my US headquarters. Sometime next year.

Hey guys! Today was the third day of school.

I know I havent been updating recently. This is because I have an hour-long busride home, I get home at about 5:00, and only get time to myself after 7.

Well, heres an update:

My new school is great. I love traveling to the city every day, and I love walking all around Manhattan, seeing the buildings and just being in the school.

I'm actually taking my schoolwork seriously ( ).

And believe it or not, I (the one who can never make friends) has made 5 really cool friends, and we all have the same lunch period. It's wierd, because one of them acts hyper like Cristina, ADD and all.

But... I was talking to Cristina and Punky the other day, telling them about the people I'd met. And suddenly, Punky made the comment: "She's replaced us!"

I want you guys to get something straight: I could NEVER replace you! Even though one new friend may have ADD, that doesn't make her Cristina. She doesn't have your crazy quirks, and she's not an Oompa Loompa.

I love you guys to death, you guys are my homies. You always will be! There is no one in the world that could take your places! I mean, I can't exactly draw a How-To-Abuse-Your-Flying-Monkey comic with THEM as my inspiration!

Bottom Line: I'm going to try my hardest (and I mean really try) to stay friends with you guys. It's only been 3 days into the new school year and I already feel severed from you guys... It feels like we were quints in Maratime's womb, and suddenly someone cut the cord.

I dont want to drift away from you guys... I dont want to replace you. I dont want to forget you. I dont want you guys to be just another page in the scrap book, just another yearbook, just another face in the crowd...

Yes, Justin, I am quoting Mike DeVito in this blog post.  lol

Tonight was pretty outta control to say the least.  I went to the car show with Mike D in his nasty Nissan 240SX and met up with the regular cool cats.  As soon as we pulled in I saw Lor and Megan walking down the hill (i wish i woulda talked to them a little more and said something else), then we proceeded to find everyone else- Mark, Justin, Frank, Renee and a few random others.  We checked out the cars, watched (and took video) of a few of the cars leaving, all the basic bullshit that you'd normally find me doing.  After we all decided to leave, Frank and Mark headed off in Frank's TC while Mike and I took off again in his whip.  We did a little drifting here and there, a few 80mph blasts on the way to CVS and Wades, then we stopped at his house and dropped off all the stuff we picked up.  After that we did two 100mph blasts back to Gananda and traded vehicals at my place, only to go to Marks and drive back 10 minutes later.

After we finally decided what we wanted to do, we all met up at my house and drove out to Frank's where we had one very strange "bonfire".  In short, Mark took gasoline, put it in a sport water bottle, and sprayed it down the fire shute to the flames, where the small, innocent flames shot up 6 feet and blew out the stack.  At one point the flames went out, so Mark doused everything in gasoline and ran like hell.  Frank threw a match in and proceeded to lose half of an eyebrow while we all laughed like hell.  At one point Franks mom came out and asked us what the hell it was that we were using, to which he replied "Water... that God blessed!".

As you can probably guess, Mike D and I were in tears because of that one.

After the fire finally died out, Mark squirted gasoline all over in a weak attempt to try to get it going again, but with no avail.  Frank threw a match and insanity insued.  The gasoline managed to get ALL OVER the patio and the firepot, so the entire thing lit up and advanced towards us and we all laughed and giggled like schoolgirls.  Finally we put it out with the hose (which i stepped on and ended up spraying Mark hahaha) and started a mini-fire- first it started out with us cooking marshmellows with a lighter, then it turned into burning sticks, then it advanced to a burning pile of paper towels.  Mike kept saying "Lets Race Him" from the Chappell show (still was funny) and we all laughed like idiots... I have to say it was all pretty goddamn funny.

Finally we all decided that we were hungry as hell and watned food, so we headed out to McDonalds by P&C.  Frank lead us in the Taurus, Mike,Mark, and myself were with in the 240SX with Wheelman Mike D driving, and Justin followed in his Ranger 4x4.  To put it lightly, we fucking FLEW through Gananda.

Frank was leading us till we got onto the parkway, then Mike was in full throwdown mode.  He dropped it into 3rd and blew past Frank with ease, then he whipped around the corner at Long Acres and we were well on our way.  About the time we got to my house, my phone rang and Justin was on the other end.  When i answered the phone, my whole body went cold.  What i heard was a histerical Justin as he said:

"Chris where the hell are you guys? Chris I need you guys to get back here!  I fucked up my truck!"

Needless to say, I gave the word and we made record time back to Long Acres where we found Justin.  Much to everyone's relief, he was ok and the damage wasnt that bad at all.  Mike drove me back to Franks to get my truck, then I went back to see what happened.  When i got there i almost went into the ditch too, and, thank God for 4wd, i managed to pull out of the ditch before i got totally sucked in.  I ran over and checked on Justin and his truck, thankfully he was ok (just a little shooken up, tougher than nails i tell you) and the only casualty was a popped tire.  I went back to my house and grabbed a jack, tire iron, some 2x4's, and a flashlight out of my truck.  Once i got back, we all pitched in and loosened the lug nuts, got the truck off the ground, retrieved the spare, and changed it in an (almost) record Nascar time.

After it was all said and done, we got the spare changed, Justin managed to 'wheel out of the field in 4wd, and we all went our seperate ways for the night.

I dont think i really have to say it, but i think this is a night i wont ever forget.  Being around friends like Justin, Mike, Mark and Frank was so much fun we really didnt worry about anything.  Even after the whole mishap in the field and everyone scrambling to get back to help the Big Man out, as soon as we found that our buddy Justin was ok it was all a matter of changing a tire and getting home.

Here's to good friends, high octane, and fond memories.

...And, well, maybe a few not-so-fond memories and battle scars to prove it.

~O~

Cal and I were talking about squealing around corners in cars and I'm not allowed to do it in my car, but when we were in the conversation I said, "Well, my front tires don't squeal when I go around corners, it's usually my rear tires, and--oh...dammit."

*Several smacks from Cal*

    wow, its 5pm and i really havent done much today.  actually ive done alot, it just doesnt seem like it...lol.  ive basically been reading all day.  my fav author is john steinbeck and i have a stack of his books.  some of read, some i havent, so i decided to dive in.  i read "of mice and men" this morning.  i really like the book.  the firendhsip of george and lenny is great, and the dream of owning your own land, being your own boss is universal.

    next i started a book called "the red pony."  i had not read this book before, but its been great.  its a colleciton of 4 stories all about the same group of characters.  ive still got the last of the 4 stories to go and though the stories arent fairy tales w/happy endings, necessarily, they are real.  thats one of the things i really love about steinbeck, hes characters are not perfect, but real.  cathy ames in "east of eden" is absolutely pure evil and totally wonderful.

   anyways, thats been my day.  the cards are still stuck out on the west coast and their game doesnt even start till after 1030...grrrrrr!!!! so ill definitely finish my second book of the day before the game.  i just love the way a book smells, the wonderful feeling of finishing a good book, its soo much betterthan tv or movies.  oh well, im certainly a nerd...woo-hoo!!!