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Full Name: Steven Elliott Johnson
Age: 19 (almost 20 )
Residence: Raleigh NC
# of Years in motor sports: 2
Automobile: 1986 Toyota Corolla GTS Hatch with a stock 4AGE

Modifications
Suspension:
Ground control coilovers up front (6Kg/mm spring rate)
rear TRD japan springs (5.1Kg/mm)
KYB AGX shocks all around
T3 camber plates with their upper hat system
Cusco front strut tower bar
Battle Version NCRCA's
T3 pan hard bar
manual steering rack with PS nuckles
Engine:
K&N cone filter
TRD 4-2-1 header
basically stock!!!
Interior/Cosmetic:
completely gutted interior
no sound deadening heat AC etc. not even a radio
Exterior/Cosmetic:
JDM kouki front bumper
custom dented rear 1/4

When and how did you get into drifting and/or other motor sports?

I used to slide the corolla around dirt roads all the time long before I knew there was any thing worth while to do to the car. Then through some friends at school I learned about lookout drift and went to my first event Nov. 15th 2003 with a bone stock SR5 with a welded diff and was hooked ever since. Since then I completely converted it to a GTS (the important stuff) and all the mods listed above, and have been to most of the drift events held by lookout. I have also auto crossed and I also rally cross my daily AE86 coupe sorta going back to the gravel road days!

What was the first car you used for drifting?

The first car I ever actually slid was my friends 1980 Toyota Corolla wagon on the gravel round about in his drive way, but the first and only car I’ve ever seriously drifted with was my 86 corolla

How did it work out for you?

It worked great after I converted it to a GTS.

What was your most practiced technique?

Clutch kicking and weight transfer for the standard stuff and a little hand brake to initiate tighter hairpins on occasion but I really don't like using that one just because of the misconceptions.

What is it now?

I still drive a corolla so I clutch kick all the way!!!

Where are you looking to improve?

Most of all I’d like to work on tighter more technical stuff even though speed is a lot of fun.

What types of events have you participated in?

Drift
Auto cross
Rally cross

What type of events have you competed in?

I have never competed though with time and money permitting I’d like to, maybe once next year

What do you find challenging?

A tighter more technical courses. When I first auto crossed I was really slow. My first time out, my times dropped by ten seconds by the end of the day. I needed a lot of work in that area and still do.

Who are your influences?

The driver I feel influenced the most by is Charlie Tyson. I love seeing a corolla tear it up the way he does and of course friends influence me a lot too. Friends make up most of the fun!!

What modifications would you like to have in the future?

I’d like to have a roll cage or at least a 4 point bar in the car before too much longer though it will be a bit longer on that prolly. I also need a new seat to replace the old torn up shaky old GTS seat I currently have and most of all I’d like to build a nice NA 4AG for the car. A stock motor works well but it can only do so much.

What are your future plans in drifting?

I’m going to school and am slowly gearing more toward that route so I’ll probably be making it out to fewer events but I’ll still be out there as long as I can afford to tear up my tires!

Your thoughts on the future of drifting?

Drifting is progressing really fast recently and more people are catching on to it. Some good, some bad. Some are jumping on the "band wagon" and are giving the sport a bad image. I’ve seen S14's in NC with drift stickers on them with dents all over the place and CB antennas on the car driven by rednecks. Some despise it but people despise NASCAR too and look at it. I don't think it's going to slow down anytime soon but given American lawyers I doubt it'll be as big as it could be. We need more specialized tracks and that's exactly what I don't see happening anytime soon, if ever. Other than that it's a blast and i hope it stays that way for a while.

Anything else you would like us to know about you?

I’m sure this has been said before but here it goes...

I’m single...