Nitto Off-roading Champs Unleash Jeep Fury in Latest Video
JK-Forum reports from the L.A. premiere of Hangtime, featuring Team Nitto.
In collaboration with Driving Line and Nitto, pro drifters Vaughn Gittin Jr., Chelsea DeNofa, and Matt Powers linked up with fellow Nitto teammates Cody Currie and Loren Healy to produce the high-octane drift video, Hangtime. The launch took place at Race Service Garage in Los Angeles.
Originally filmed during Auto Enthusiast’s Day in Anaheim last June, the joint production was a long time coming. “‘Hangtime is basically the brainchild of [Nitto’s marketing manager] Harry Kong,” said Powers, pro drift and stunt driver for Nitto. “He’s been wanting to do it for a couple of years now, and now he finally made it happen.”
According to Powers, the shoot was a lot easier than it looked, and they actually got it right on their first try. With Currie and Healy jumping over the rest of the team in the JK RK and Red Dragon 2.0 Jeeps, the adrenaline certainly got everyone worked up. “Driving next to that thing and having it jump over you, you just hope that your roll cage is really good,” Powers tells JK Forum. “They’re so much heavier than a drift car.”
Powers’ and Casey Currie’s respective vehicles were on display at the garage. Unfortunately, there wasn’t any action with either automobile. However, the vehicles filling the role of eye candy centerpieces was more than enough, especially considering how cramped the area is around Race Service to begin with.
Casey Currie’s current racer (which is featured in Hangtime being driven by his brother, Cody) started its life as a JK Wrangler then became an LS-swapped, Billet arm-swinging concept bruiser for SEMA 2014. Since then, he has used it to dominate King of Hammers, Ultra4, and Baja 1000 races.
Most of the parts on the Jeep are custom, including his own parts from Currie Enterprises, such as 9-inch front axle with 4.56 gears and a 10-inch trophy truck rear end spool with 4.56 gears. It also sports a CRC Front A arm kit with 12 inches of travel, a True 4 link with Billet arms, Johnny Joints with 15 inches of travel and KMC Machette Wheels mated with 39×17 BFGoodrich T/A KR2 tires.
“Only thing left on it that is Mopar are probably the emblems,” said Currie.
Check out the full video above.
Photos for JK Forum by Derin Richardson & Nitto
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