Max Gemmell

FB Gallery Driver

Name: Max Gemmell

“I started off drifting in an s13. Being broke and in college meant cheap wheels, stock power, and whatever cobbled together suspension I could source from craigslist or forums although it pained me to do so.

Most of my time spent outside of school and drinking was spent scouring the internet for inspiration and knowledge. Minkara, zilvia, ziptied, option, doriten, and various other forums/media outlets shaped my idea of what drifting is meant to be - a balancing act. After college, I hopped around a few different chassis before somewhat settling on the nb. The literal balance of the car was perfect. It helped me really figure out how to drift and push the limit, which was found, and then opened the door for me to get back into an schassis.

My current coupe had been someones "beater" practice car, but the two tone paint persuaded me to resurrect it... and then I painted over it... twice. But overall the build process has been pretty tit for tat. Put on coils and make it stupid low? Get subframe risers and drop knuckles to fix the suspension geometry. Put an sr20 in? Beef up the drivetrain. Up the boost? Grippier tires. Etc. At this point, I feel that the cars power, drivability, and style are all in harmony.”

When did you first get truly excited about drifting?

“In 2001ish an exchange student exposed me to drifting with option video. Low, loud, and wide cars were the first drifting I saw, and still is what I think the definition of drifting style is. I always used to smash my hotwheels cars to make the extra low and to add camber before I even knew what drifting was, so as soon as I saw those silly cars sliding around at the edge of control, I knew it was my calling.”

What cars influenced your car’s style?

“While "2001" style is what I think defines drifting, I get a lot of more "GT" style inspiration from team Gallery as well as Fun Ride Sharing, although they don't drift. As for driving, I always enjoyed watching Atsushi Kuroi, the king of the Onevia. He somehow managed to always be on throttle and his vehicle styling wasn't too bad either!“

Why did you choose to take the path through drifting that you did?

“I've somewhat modeled my drifting upon what I saw in Option videos - teams of friends, who just like to have a good time together, but also, I enjoy many aspects of competition. I enjoy finding the balance, between friends and competition, between the build and seat time, between control and chaos, and between man and machine. Drifting is nothing if not a balancing act.”