Round 5: Las Vegas, and Brakes that Worked Too Well

“We had to skip Round 4. After all the valvetrain failures, the budget for a new motor wasn’t there in time, so we regrouped and put everything into being ready for the season finale in Las Vegas on October 17.

“The all-new 6.3L high-compression motor fought us on tune up before qualifying, which put us in a death match just to get into the Top 32. In that battle, I made contact with the back of the lead car in a section where I expected them to stay on throttle. That probably didn’t help with making over 800whp now.

“Vegas gave us a problem most drivers would love to have: the front brakes were working too well. With that much bite from the Bluestuff pads, the front tires were the limit, not the brakes. We had to add more front grip to the car to keep up with them.

“That’s a good place to end a development year. When you’re tuning the chassis to match your brakes, you know the brakes aren’t the weak link.â€�

Same Pads, All Season

“That kind of peace of mind is something most drifters take for granted, and with our crazy season, we sure did. It wasn’t until we sat down to list what went well this year that we noticed ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ was first on the list. Zero issues, and we checked the pads at every event. We ran the same pads all year on all four corners. In the past, we needed new pads halfway through a season, especially in the rear.â€�

Looking Ahead to 2027

“I’m working to come back to Hotpit in 2027, with a list of things to refine and polish this off-season. We know we have the program and the car, so we don’t plan to change much on it.

“What I need now is seat time and to get my mind right behind the wheel. Right now, building, maintenance, logistics, and driving all sit on my shoulders. Balancing those better is the biggest upgrade I can make for next year.

“One thing that isn’t changing is the brakes. We’ll run the same ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ setup in 2027: Bluestuff pads with GD Sport rotors at all four corners. We love the light weight, the feedback, and the feel. From a program standpoint, it’s a win too. One rotor fits both the front and the rear, which means a smaller spares bin to haul to every event.

“A huge thank-you to ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ for standing behind Mulletsport again this year. We’ve been working together for several years, and ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ has given us a great foundation to build on. When the engine and transmission kept letting us down, the brakes never did. That’s exactly what you want from a partner.â€�

Photo Credits: David Kerny, Colin Lake, Sam Toutenburg

“The first run was conservative. The second… not so much. An overly aggressive entry led to a rough introduction with the wall on the bank.

“Luckily, we had an hour break before the next two-hour practice session. The team tore apart the damaged rear end and zip-tied the car back together just to get me back out there.

“After watching the other drivers run, I made some changes: lower tire pressure, dumped the shocks, and cranked up the boost. Next lap, I felt comfortable in the car. Practice turned into a learning session—timing, references, and figuring out the line. I struggled to put together a clean lap, but I still felt confident going into qualifying with a conservative approach.

“Fresh tires warmed up. Time to go. Starting in second gear proved to be the fastest run-up to the bank during practice. I launched the car, rolled into full throttle, shifted into third—POP. Already committed to the entry, I grabbed a quick handbrake to angle the car into OZ1. That sucked the car straight into the wall. Hit one.

“With zero boost, I stood on the throttle expecting the car to drive away from the wall. Instead, it floated hard back into it—breaking a wheel and rear knuckle. What I didn’t realize at the time—and live on YouTube—I attempted to salvage the run.

“Embarrassed and frustrated, I parked the car in the pits, assuming our weekend was over. That thought apparently never crossed my team’s minds. They ripped off the damaged ECS Tuning wheel and disassembled the right rear suspension down to the subframe. Turns out a bushing took the brunt of the impact and simply ejected itself. Amazingly, the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ brakes were one of the only things completely undamaged.

“With some Liqui Moly high-strength thread locker, a lot of hammering, clamps, and zip ties… We had a car again.

“Qualifying wrapped up with several cars not making the show. Unfortunately, we ended upÌý31st qualifier in a 31-car field.

“My mindset completely reset during the autograph session. The fans were beyond excited to meet the drivers of these crazy cars. They didn’t care about the qualifying order—they were just pumped to be there.”

“I carried that energy straight into Top 32. Facing the #3 qualifier, I knew it was time to step up. Fresh tires, my normal warm-up routine, and I pulled to the line.

“Immediately, something felt off. The tires unloaded and I watched the lead driver pull away. Calm and collected, I stayed behind him, knowing I could close the gap on the bank.

“I eased into the entry, set the car, and rolled into the throttle to catch up. Then the car snapped around like I’d hit a banana in Mario Kart. The weight of the entire weekend hitting me all at once, I failed.Ìý

“My wife and spotter Hailz came over the radio: “Just focus on this lap. You got this. Just drive.â€� That’s when it clicked. The temperature had dropped massively and the tires simply weren’t warm enough. At this level of competition, everything matters. With a turbo V8 powerplant, fixing that was easy. I stood on the throttle and did a rolling burnout back to the line.Ìý

“Pulling to the line in the lead run, everything went quiet. Just another lap. A light flick into OZ1, let the car settle, then hammer down. This time, the car hooked up perfectly and I was along for the ride. Flat-footed, the car followed every input and I laid down our best run of the weekend.

“When I pulled off track, it hit me: this wasÌýRound 1 of many to come. I gave everyone on the team a big hug and thanked them individually and as a group. We learned aÌýton!

“I may have years of drifting experience and a few seasons in FD, but this was theÌýfirst professional-level competition event for everyone on my team. They won the weekend.

“I’m incredibly excited for Round 2. No major changes planned—just repairs, prep, and getting ready for the next competition. We have slush coming up next weekend and a few local events to get my driving polished up and ready for a strong showing at round 2.�

“Wanted to send a quick update on the Drift Across the World project.

“The Australian leg is complete and I am currently in Malaysia, about to cross the border into Thailand. Which is crazy to think I am in Southeast Asia!Ìý

“The project has also generated over 200,000 followers and 20 million views on social media and continues to grow, while raising over $4,000 for much needed funds for Make-A-Wish International.”

“Everything was on-track to have a fully prepared event. ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ sent us out a care package of ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ swag. The trailer was packed up. Just one last nut and bolt check and fluids change before race day. Thursday night, we found excessive metal in the oil filter, causing the team at Haus of Euro to dive into the engine 48 hours before Fuel Fest Phoenix 2025. We found the new triple-disc clutch was being overextended by the slave, resulting on premature wear to the thrust bearing in the engine. We sourced parts for delivery on Friday morning. The team reassembled the engine and was buttoned up on Friday afternoon.

“We loaded up Friday night and headed straight to the track Saturday morning. Unloaded the car and set up our hot pit for ride-alongs. The plan was a few light laps. After the year I have had, my ambitions of driving got the better of me. Full send lap 1. Car was dialled in and planted. Logs on the motor looked spot on. So, we started taking passengers in lap 2! The track layout was a fast entry, into a tight transition, flowing into a straight with a Manji right before a long wall ride in front of the crowd. With the new turbocharged V8, lighting up the tyres is no longer a problem. Slowing the car down is now more needed than ever!”

“Still on stock A4-sized brakes all around to keep the weight as low as possible on the S4, along with a non-booster braking system, the pad and rotor combination is hyper-critical on placing the car on the right line. Transitioning on the throttle, headed right at a concrete wall in front of 5000+ people, I had all the confidence to stand on the throttle and rest my left foot on the brake pedal. Slowing down the front of the car precisely to ride the wall and keep the rear tyres smokin’.

“I love my Bluestuff pads! Complete confidence in the bite of the brakes throughout the run.

“Sadly, we had an oil cooler failure late in the night, causing us to retire the car. We repaired the car and loaded it back in the trailer. Bright and early, we were back on the road headed to FCP Euro in Mesa, AZ, for their morning motoring meet. Featured in the Liqui Moly booth, we received a wild response to the car from the euro community, a lot of head scratching followed by the biggest of surprises when following the charge piping through the car into the trunk, revealing the massive turbo. What a weekend!�

With car and driver reunited Down Under back in September, the journey has now officially begun, with Howard making his way through the vast outback of Australia and most recently arriving in Bali, Indonesia.

Howard is relying on ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ components for the stopping power on his trusty steed, as he drives, drifts and lives in the car over the huge journey ahead of him. He’s running Bluestuff pads, USR discs and braided brake lines – a strong and reliable setup that should help him navigate the hugely varying and demanding terrain that lays ahead of him.