Full Name: Touger Xiong
Nick name: Tonzer, Tarzan, T-man
Age: 18
Residence: Spokane, Washington
Web Site URL: http://members.asianavenue.com/genki_86
# of Years in motor sports: 2 1/2yrs
Automobile: 91 240sx Coupe basemodel, ka24de motor
Modifications
Suspension: KYB 5way adjustables, "cut" sportline eibach springs, camber kits
Engine: stock ka24de, stock VLSD, exedy clutch
Interior/Cosmetic: I like to keep it Stock...
Exterior/Cosmetic: kicked dent!...other then that..stock
Any sponsors? nope but thinking about it...hope that opportunity comes by.
When and how did you get into drifting and/or other motor sports?
I was 12yrs old and started out in the Honda scene with my older brother and his friends. They were street racers. Honda's were all they thought of, when things were about imports. As I turned 13, I saw Drifting for the first time. We had an exchange student from Okinawa, Japan Come to stay with us for a year as our host brother. He showed us videos of Drifting and as we watched it and thought it was only for Crazy Drivers. I started to fall in love with drifting. Did a little street racing and a little Drag racing, but when I seriously got into Drifting, I got into drifting. But I was doing both Sports at the same time. But now it's just about drifting.
What was the first car you used for drifting?
My first car I ever drifted was a 91 4dr Integra. Believe me or not but had fun with the Integra for a while before I had the 240. But I wouldn't trade the 240 for nothing now.
How did it work out for you?
It went great! I didn't expect myself to start drifting a Fwd cars. FF drifting was hard but a loss of Traction in the rear constantly pulling my ebrake keeping it balanced made it kinda fun when you understand. Knowing the loss of traction, and sliding feeling gave me a clue of how it felt to slide, messing around works as well. Back when I drifted Without LSD, I would touge around the mountain passes Near Spokane. I'd almost skid around the hairpins and be scared to try to slide. There were times were the rear would just whip out and I would just some how have the instinct to just motion the drift and catch the steering wheel into position. But after a while when I got the LSD in the car, and after bout 6 months of constant runs. I made it out and about sliding around the mountain. Yeah LSD, it helped a lot. It was like a stress relief for me. But still yea, everyone thought I was crazy but I wanted to get better and no ones gonna teach and everyone thought I wanted to die.
I gotta learn on my own and my friends would just talk about how drifting is just crazy and no point of getting sideways, but after the years go by and the other drift guys are with me. My drag racing friends want to start drifting too...lol...
What was your most practiced technique?
Three most I always do is feint drift, E-brake, and Heel toe.
What is it now?
It's been better with the setup I have now. I use the Clutch kick a lot of times and since I only have a stock ka24de its hard to keep constant Drifts at 35-50mph so I have to pop the clutch a lot where as of right now just put a new exedy clutch in couple weeks ago. A fun technique that I've been getting down to is the braking drift. I've been practicing that for about a while now and I've gotten the hang of it but anything to make me slide through the corner and out of it. It will be done!
Where are you looking to improve?
I know I still have a lot more to improve, but at where I am. I wanna work on kansai drift and improve on the braking drift. I also want to see more drifters and see face to face how they're techniques are. I mountain touge like the Drifters in Japan but our trails are way bigger like four lanes but there's never people going up and down it and we have CB radios. So I always want to improve my line angle, but I got the hang of it! I want to perfect it to the point where I get 10's out of 10's. But not everything’s perfect. But I've been through a lot to where I am today. I'll give some people a hint. I fell to a ditch and extra. Yes! Experience is always the lesson of what mistakes makes you better.
What type of events have you competed in?
No Drifting events but drag race competitions back in 2002 but how bout mountain Drift Races? jk but I do get the habit of wanting to touge or Drift race with someone...wink!
What do you find challenging?
Challenging to me is the Pressure, of when you know you’re doing something wrong or your suspension setup. Finding your Comfort zone to Drift. It's been 2 1/2years drifting with a low hp car. And I still surprise people with how I drift, but planning to do a sr20 swap soon for more traction loss to keep getting sideways and what will be a challenge is I want to high-speed drift. Also break Traction at high speeds with more horsepower, but with more hp will be more suspension tuning.
Who are your influences?
Anyone who drifts. If I see someone drifting, it will give me the blood pumping vain popping emotion to where I want to drift. I am influenced on Drifters of all, beginners, amateurs, professionals. Especially Drift king Keiichi Tetsuya & Ken Gushi he’s a youngin like me that shows a lot of the older guys what’s up! My Friends & Family from in town and everywhere, and people who know about me all support me. I go out of Town and people hear bout me from friends and family members they know. Thanks for everyone and Drifters keep on Drifting because when you girls/guys that drift? Influences me to learn more and to receive and give knowledge. Cause its all about respect!
What modifications would you like to have in the future?
At least a sr20det with a couple mods and full Drift Tein suspension kit and Apexi n1 cat-back, Kazz LSD, and little bit this and that just for me to slide like as if the Dry roads were like the rainy days. When I didn’t have LSD.
What are your future plans in drifting?
Try to make it big out there in the nation but that’s one in a million. Be one of the best out there, but for me. Like what I tell people I'm all about skills when it comes to the Import scene. But Respect is all I need and what ill give. Inspiration is what makes me believe. There is a lot of competition out there, but I'd rather go drift battle instead of Drag race. But where I'm from it is dangerous but I have my stories that made me improve a lot. I use to drag race when I first had my first car (Integra) but Drag racing is just not my thing anymore. I will keep going sideways with life as it sits. And now looking to go to events instead of being on the streets and the mountain trails a lot because my illegal times from the street is gonna go for the DDay events and Drift Competitions around the world to learn more then no just from my town but everywhere else. Even try out for the D1 one day if it comes down to it.
Your thoughts on the future of drifting?
Surely, when I'm done with college and try to get sponsored and go to the big competitions of like d1 and all. I feel ready for it, but I'm still young and have more to learn then just where I am at now. A lot of people say I'm probably one of the best in the northwest but I don’t know. That's why I want to come out to the events and see where I stand. More to come to keep Drift411 tuned in of where I stand soon. Just Trying to live a life and achieve goals.
Anything else you would like us to know about you?
I'm a Singer when I don't or hear bout cars, and a Freestyler, but other then that a freestyle dancer and lilo bboy.....and I also like to dance battle. I'm all about the Drifting though when it comes down to it. All my friends all support me because I'm the only Drifter that’s not a Drag racer and they see me as a guy who goes for what he wants. Not with the crowd and one of the youngest drifters that know I have Potential. But I want to find out where I stand if I do have what it takes. Thanks to Ken where ever you’re based at in New Mexico. He's helped me out on a lot. I listen and I look and learned from him if he never noticed when we went drifting back then. Also so many of my friends support me so much; they all do JDM Poses for me
