What’s happening Speedhunters! Get ready to have your minds blown because this year, I’m cranking things up to eleven and hitting the Formula D circuit harder than ever before. After months of intense work and upgrades, I’m thrilled to announce that I’m not just participating – here I am, ready to rock you like a hurricane this Formula D season!
Matt Field's Nissan S14 ready for Formula D season, showcasing new livery and Nitto tires
This year marks a significant step up as I’m incredibly stoked to be driving the full Formula D season. And it’s not just any season; it’s with my trusty S14 from last year, but now sporting some seriously cool and impactful changes. The biggest news? I’m now officially a Team Need for Speed driver and rolling on Nitto tires!
Close-up of Nitto tire on Matt Field's S14, highlighting Team Need for Speed partnership
These partnerships with Need for Speed and Nitto are game-changers, elevating my program from grassroots to a whole new level. I am immensely grateful for their support, and honestly, you should be hyped too! This backing means I can push the limits even further, delivering more intense and frequent action throughout the season. Beyond Formula D, I’ll still be tearing it up at All Star Bash and other grassroots events, keeping the drift spirit alive and well.
Matt Field announcing his Formula D season participation with Need for Speed and Nitto Tire sponsorship
First up, let’s talk about the visual transformation – the livery change for this year:
This isn’t just a minor tweak; it’s a complete overhaul that demanded serious effort. I wanted something that screamed excitement and energy for this year, something that truly embodied the power we’re bringing to the track. So, we injected a heavy dose of rock and roll into the classic Need for Speed theme, and this wild design is the result.
What do you think of the new look? Personally, I think it resembles a fierce predator ready to pounce, or maybe a rockstar commanding the stage. It’s aggressive, it’s bold, and it perfectly captures the energy we’re bringing to Formula D this year.
Front view of Nissan S14 with rock-inspired livery, highlighting the menacing and ready-to-attack aesthetic
Now, let’s dive into the heart of the beast – the motor upgrades. Last year, to be frank, my car was lagging behind in power compared to the FD competition, which definitely held me back. This year, while sticking with the reliable KA24DE, we’ve implemented massive improvements to unleash its full potential. We’re talking a Jim Wolf Technology rod/piston setup, Jim Wolf C78 prototype cams, a JSP turbo manifold, Part Shop MAX piping, and a GT3071 turbo with larger housings than last year’s setup. To handle the increased power, the car now features an OS Giken 1st-3rd gear set and twin plate clutch, along with a Jordan Innovations wiring harness for reliability. The engine assembly was expertly handled by Big Tom (Tommy Roberts’ dad), and let me tell you, it absolutely rocks. We’ve truly cranked this motor up to 11 for this season. Trust me, the power is something else – girls love it.
P.S. Just to clarify, the dyno reading is horsepower at the hubs, not the flywheel as initially stated on the chart. Tuning expertise was provided by Jim Wolf Technology.
So, now that you’re caught up on the major enhancements, let’s take a visual journey through some snapshots from the build process. Apologies in advance for the photo quality – I’m no Linhbergh when it comes to photography!
Here’s the front end completely stripped down with the motor pulled out. This was post-FD team drift last year after a pretty significant crash. My goal was to avoid having to scrap the whole car and start over. I really appreciate being able to use extensions and work on my car standing upright, maybe even enjoying a smoothie while I’m at it.
…and this is the heart of the beast, my motor, just before we dropped it back in. Looking pristine and powerful, ready to unleash hell on the track.
Doesn’t my car look awesome stripped down? This dent here used to have a name, we called it “Thor.” Battle scars are part of the game, right?
Funny story – one time at All Star Bash, the floor got so scorching hot from the exhaust that the bathroom rug I was using as a floor mat actually caught fire! Lesson learned. Now, we’ve got proper heat shielding to prevent any future impromptu floor fires. Safety first, folks!
I fabricated this custom gauge cluster at JSP. My tachometer still goes in the factory location for easy visibility. Functionality and clean aesthetics are key.
Here’s the front end coming back together. And yes, that’s my garage – organized chaos, we’ll call it. Where the magic happens, right?
Here’s a glimpse of my old wiring harness. What an absolute nightmare! Spaghetti junction doesn’t even begin to describe it.
And this is the glorious replacement – a brand new wiring harness from Jordan Innovations. This beauty uses circuit breakers instead of fuses, which is a huge upgrade in reliability. I even had him wire up the fuel pump separate from the ignition so I could label them “sex,” “drugs,” and the starter “rock and roll” – just to get me in the zone before hitting the track, haha.
I upgraded to some new rear fenders: BN Sports! The rest of the body kit is DMAX. Gotta get that aggressive stance and make room for wider tires to put the power down.
I’m seriously excited about my new exhaust manifold from JSP. This is John Russakoff’s shop. He’s not just a fabricator; he’s also one of my favorite FD drivers. Support your fellow drifters!
This is my wastegate dump tube. Yes, that’s a megaphone, haha. Basically, whenever I’m working on my car, I’m always thinking, “What’s going to rock you the hardest?” Instead of asking “Is this too much?” I now ask myself, “Is this enough?” I haven’t seen anyone else use a megaphone like this before. And yes, I have one on the exhaust too. Go big or go home, right?
Here’s the piping all fabricated by Part Shop MAX, and a shot of the completed engine bay. Everything neatly in place, ready to scream.
…gauge panel and e-brake stuff. Cockpit essentials for maximum drift control.
Same Gram Lights as last year, but now in 18-inch for the rear! I switched to these from the lipped VSXX wheels right before Irwindale last year. I sacrificed some lip, stretch, and perfect fitment for these, but overall, these have way more impact and performance. Function over form, sometimes.
Also had some issues with my spline-type lug nuts last year, so I upgraded to some new, more reliable ones. Details matter!
This is Clark from JWT tuning my car. I love that he has to cover his ears now while tuning – that’s how you know it’s getting serious!
These are some photos from my first test day. Finally, time to put all these upgrades to the test and see what this beast can do.
My friend/main pit crew guy Max, getting super jacked on an energy drink. We went through a lot of these this weekend – keeping the energy levels high is crucial.
Me, probably sitting in LA traffic. The glamorous life of a race car driver – sometimes it’s just like everyone else’s commute.
These are my gloves. The left one is actually JTP’s glove, and I wear it because he is my favorite drifter, and I want to drive more like him. A little inspiration on my hand every time I’m behind the wheel.
Set up at the track. Willow Springs oval, ready to dial everything in.
…at Willow Springs oval. Putting in laps and getting comfortable with the new setup.
Kinda cool photo where you can really see the layout of HTM in the background. Context of the playground.
Some pictures from the balcony: Getting some different angles on the action.
Love the Nitto NT05 smoke! These tires are gripping and ripping – exactly what I need.
Great first day… Positive vibes and promising performance.
So, that’s been my life over the past month. It’s been a wild ride of upgrades, modifications, and testing, all leading up to this moment. I’ll be posting regularly on Speedhunters now, and be sure to check out my new website, driftparty.com (give it a look!).
I’m genuinely pumped for this year and especially for FD round 1 at Long Beach! Come out and see the hurricane in action. See you there!
Matt.
