Staff About Us
Dan Perlenfein, General Manager
The whip: 1992 Turbo LS Lexus SC300
The story: I became part of Staff in 2018 when I started helping run grid. The following year I started helping with tech inspections as well as general track operations. In 2020 I started handling driver registrations, "backend" office type work and the front gate with help from my Wife Lynn. In 2021 I was also put in charge of the organization and operation of the 10th annual No Star Bash. An enormous task with tons of pressure from Edgar, I did the best I could at setting up a huge event which I have never done before! At the end of the 2022 season I was promoted to General Manager.
JB Guillotte, Head Judge, Head Instructor, General Jack of All Trades (Not to be confused with Dan of All Trades...I'm not THAT good)
The whip: 2JZ-GTE-Powered 1990 Mazda RX-7 Convertible
The story: I started getting into drifting by watching Option videos and Team Orange demos in 2001-03, and then I attended D1 versus USA in 2004 at Irwindale Raceway in California. I loved the sport so much that I got my first drift car right after that event and started driving on the East Coast. Through my drifting adventures across the US, I first met Edgar from Drift Indy at an event in Texas in 2009. We hung out, partied, and kept in touch. Later, in 2017, I moved to Ohio from California for a job. In the middle of the move, I called Edgar to see if there were drift events close to me, for which he told me they were fifteen minutes away from my house and invited me out. So, I came out to the MDU BroAm that year, drove a few laps, hung out with the crew, and the rest is history. The amazing friends I've made from drifting over so many years are what keep me in the sport, and it's what will keep me in it till the end.
Derek King, Drift Indy Street League Announcer, Clinic Instructor
The whip(s): AE86, FD RX7, Porsche 911... you name it
The story: I went to Drift Indy's first official event in 2006? I ended up as staff to be a driver coach/instructor and that carried onto other general responsibilities and eventually DISL microphone work. Being a part of Drift Indy is being a part of a family that cares about teaching what drifting is supposed to be about and keeping it on the right trajectory for the younger generations to get to experience. My life is heavily evolved around motorsports with drifting being the anchor of it all, I would say I fit into the life of drifting, not the other way around.... am I a f***ing dork? Probably yes.
The whip(s): E46s
The story: After being in the crowd at Street Life Tour I had to try my hand at drifting. I drove every event Drift Indy held at Kilkare for 5 seasons. Helping out with track setup and towing wrecks off track here and there turned into an opportunity to run grid. Now all spring and summer I get to drive and hang out with friends and make new ones at the track.
Clay Payne, Grid and Operations
The whip: A POS Nissan s13 hatch named Cheryl, soon to be 2jz-ge turbo swapped.
The story: I became a staff member through TJ and JB. We all would hang out and go to cars and coffee in our drift cars. They both talked me into coming and working with them. When the opportunity opened up I put my name into the mix to work as a grid worker and have loved doing it ever since. My first time ever seeing drifting was Street Life Tour 2014. After seeing some crazy cars going sideways I was hooked! I haven’t missed an event since. I didn’t start drifting until 2021 after building my car during Covid with TJ and JB. Drifting is a really fun way to make you forget about your problems and go hang out with some of the best people. I’ve met some of my best friends through drifting. I can’t wait to see what each new season brings.
Shawn Allgood, Media
The whip: Anything a 2.0 Ecoboost will fit in
The story: My first Drift Indy event was the season opener in 2021 with the Bobby's Crew guys. From there I attended both DISL events and No Star Bash. I was brought onto Staff at the end of 2021 because of the vibe and style I brought to the video game. I always try to capture and present the unique vibe from each event as well as showing the fam driving their balls off (ladyballs too, I don't discriminate). In a way there's an allure in drifting video that can't be found elsewhere, the violence of bashing limiter, roasting tires and fat turbo noises juxtaposed to the delicate balance of grip vs spinout within a foot of a fellow drifter. To me, drifting is both a hobby and a lifestyle, a sort of counterculture movement in motorsport where it doesn't necessarily have to be about the quickest lap times or the highest power. Its about having fun with your friends, enjoying the machines that you build, occasionally competing for bragging rights and of course absolutely decimating any tire in the tri-state area. Coming from doing Karting, SCCA and NASA its an absolute breath of fresh air where all the trash talk about being the quickest falls away.
Jonathon Waters, Media
The Whip: 2019 Fiesta ST
The Story: I started going to Drift Indy events more than a decade ago (I wanna say probably 13 or 14 years ago now?) with my brother who introduced me to drifting. The first event I filmed at was in 2017. Technically an MDU x Detroit Drifting Co. event called 'Back to Basics'. Edgar saw some of the stuff I was putting out and asked me to come on board. I did all of the video for DI for two years and have taken more of an auxiliary role since then. Drift Indy events to me are the pinnacle of Midwest grassroots drifting. I've seen so many dudes progressing as drivers while still having fun because of the emphasis put on seat time and the dedication to teaching new drivers with things like the clinics. As far as how drifting fits into my life, it's something I've loved watching since the first time I saw it and I love that I get to capture it for an org like DI and inspire others to pursue automotive media as a hobby/career.
Sam House, Media
The Whip: Dailies the media wagon Subie Legacy, E30s for projects
The Story: I found out about Drift Indy while I was searching around on Facebook for a car event to photograph for a multimedia project while I was a student at IU. Mario Johnston showed me around Kil-kare during a Sunday Funday and I interviewed a few dudes that were kind enough to sit down with me for a few minutes. That was either late 2017 or 2018, and I've barely missed an event since then. I fully became staff midway through the 2022 season, joining the team as a writer and getting the Drift Indy blog up and running. It's a real privilege to get to be part of such a special grassroots community of drifters.
The Whip: '01 Lexus GS300
The Story: I started drifting 3 years ago and Drift Indy was my first event. I found out about it from all the Fort Wayne homies. Fortunately, I was asked to join staff this year to help out with the events. Drifting is pretty much all I think about, as cheesy as it sounds. I love the style aspect of drifting as well as the good hangs that come with it.