Folks, meet Colten Terrell.
Kil-kare's own "Mr. Smooth" has been a Drift Indy fixture since his first event way back in 2017. In 2018, I had the pleasure of interviewing him for a faux magazine article for one of my journalism classes, and it's been a hell of a lot of fun following his drifting journey since then.
He's been a convincing and consistent Street League competitor since the comp's inception, even going toe-to-toe with Brian Peter and forcing a couple OMTs in Volume 3.
Colty's a chill, humble dude and always a ton of fun to talk to. Here's a transcription of some of my interview with him from earlier this season:
What got you into drifting?
I didn't even have a clue what it was but my brother, Tyler, he bought a 240 and he always wanted to drift. He knew nothing about it but he was always wanting learn. We’ve got this little parking lot area and he's like, “just go drive and like do donuts in the gravel,” and I'm like “okay,” and I'd never even done a burnout or anything. I did like two donuts, like two spins. I said “okay, that was really cool.”
I think within that month I went and found that 240 hatch and then I ran my first event before he did and then we just started really getting really addicted.
What's your favorite Drift Indy Memory?
Honestly, though, I think it might have been 2017. It might have been my first No Star Bash. There's this dude from, I think he's from New Jersey, possibly. I know he's an E-town guy. His name is Justin Hoitsma. And it was like my first time doing tandem trains. And we just started doing laps, and he was behind me and he was stuck to my door. And that was the first taste of it I ever had. And that’ll always stick with me.
I think the best time I had, I forget which volume it was, but Brian Peter, me and him.
We did one more times and it was the most intense thing I've ever gone through. There's a lot of good guys but I would probably say that one stuck out.
Street League Volume 3 produced some super intense battles, including this matchup between Colten and Brian Peter.
How have you progressed as a driver?
I think it's just when those things keep happening, and it just pushes a little farther and farther every time. Like even especially with Street League stuff, you still get those moments where things that you've never experienced before start to happen. It kind of puts you in that little zone and then you just build off of it.
Colten secured the silver medal at Street League Volume 1.
Who's your favorite tandem buddy?
I would definitely have to pick my brother for sure. Tyler, because we just always drive together and I can always trust him, too. But then like, all the Dayton Boys for sure. Oh and Mylan. Mylan for sure. We've run a lot of laps.
The ride:
In his own words, "it's pretty simple. It's just your basic S chassis with, you know, lower control arms that are cut and extended. Knuckles, good coilovers. Function and Form. Stock 1JZ VVTi. Other than that, it's just the normal stuff. Welded diff, coilovers and then just, you know, the fiberglass, the aero, all that stuff. It's a really simple car, but simple and reliable is what I'm shooting for."
Colty's so consistent and has had so few wrecks that it's tricky to place when a photo of his car is from. The Stage wheels up front are a hint, but this photo's from earlier in 2022.