tZ: A quick overview about yourself – who are you and how are you involved in our industry?
KT: I was born and raised in the San Gabriel Valley area and have lived here all my life. Growing up in this area, it was natural to see a modified Honda, Nissan or Toyota going down the street. Being exposed to imports from the start, I have always wanted to do something with cars. For the past 6 years, I have been involved in the automotive industry. I have gone from selling cars, working in the service department, to working with after market parts. Currently I am working as a sales representative at Dazz Motorsports and am also a member of the Industryday.org staff. Recently, I have taken to helping out and being more involved with Drift Days (Drift Association).
tZ: So why did you pick an S13 as your chassis of choice?
KT: I don’t think I really had a choice in what chassis I got. It was more so that it chose me. Picking it was completely by accident. I was contemplating on building a track car when a friend of mine offered me a really good deal on the car and I couldn’t pass it up. I had previously owned a coupe which I really enjoyed driving, so I thought, why not? I was sure I could do something with it. I had known about drifting for quite some time at that point, but wasn’t quite sure on how to get around to it. I had heard about some drift events that were held locally, and that’s when I realized where all the opportunities in the car lay. I guess you can call it fate?
tZ: How did you get into drifting and what keeps you motivated to continue in the sport?
KT: My interest in drifting began when the first D1 Grand Prix debuted in the US a few years ago. It started off as a spectator sport for me. After I bought my 240sx, a friend of mine introduced me to a group of women who attended local drifting events. A good friend of mine, Alex, even let me borrow his car for an event before mine was even up and running. Ever since that point, I have been hooked on drifting.I have several motivations to keep me going in this sport. One of the main ones is just the sheer exhilaration and enjoyment it brings me. Another one that helps keep me going is since I have been working in the industry for the past few years, I just want to prove a point and show that women can be just as involved and dedicated as anyone else. Also, my family and friends that put a lot of faith and support in me, I would hate to let them down. And finally, I have always wanted to drive on the track and have had hopes of becoming a professional driver. This is a life long dream that I’ve had. Every event brings me one step closer to fulfilling that goal, and that motivates me to be out there.
tZ: How difficult has it been for you to market yourself as a female drifter, and how do the guys treat you at the events?
KT: Marketing myself as a female drifter has not been as difficult as it has been for the ladies who have come before me. They are the ones who have paved the way and opened up doors to opportunities for other female drivers. Still, there are so few women in motor sports that I think it’s refreshing for people to see them out there. The part that I have found most difficult is marketing myself as a new driver. Guys at events are not what I expected. I hear a lot of trash talking at shows and outside events. At first I was afraid that would reflect the kind of treatment I would receive at the track. But I realized that comes from people who do not see everything that goes on behind the scenes. I attend the drift day events every month and everyone there has been so helpful. They treat everyone as an equal. Everyone is there to have a good time, and everyone is there to learn.
tZ: What are your achievements so far and your future goals as a female drifter?
KT: Some of my achievements so far are placing in the top 8 of the intermediate group at the May 2005 Land Ho Competition. Also, 1st place in the intermediate group in last year’s Dori Puri Challenge, and placing in the top 20 in this year’s Drift Day Competition 6. Though, I really feel that my biggest achievement so far has been the fact that I’m bringing myself closer to my own personal goals. As for my goals in drifting, one of my short term ones at the moment would be to get a Drift Day Advanced certification. For long term, I have my sights set on professionally competing in Formula D or possibly even D1.
tZ: Let’s talk about your car, what all have you done to it and your plans for the future? Why have you gone with the modifications that you have and if there was anything you could redo, what would it be?
KT: When I first got my car, it was beat up, not running, and 10 different shades of gray. One of the things I’ve learned from drifting is you don’t need a high powered car to make it slide. I had my automatic SOHC KA24DE swapped out for a 5 speed DOHC and for the most part left the motor as is. Instead of worrying about power, I concentrated on my suspension more than anything. I’ve done pretty much everything from coil overs to tie rods to aluminum sub-frame spacers. I’m actually really happy about the way my car is set up. If I had to start again from scratch, I would probably do the same thing. Eric from Street Image helped me build a great track car. As for future modifications, I hope to turbo my KA for next year’s season.
tZ: We’re sure you have plenty of people you look up to in the industry, who do you look up to as a female driver?
KT: There are a couple of drifters I really look up to. Both of them are really good friends of mine. One of them is Yoshie Shuyama. She was the first female driver to qualify for Formula D. I admire her because she knows what she wants and does whatever it takes to get there. Plus, she is also a pioneer for women drifters by being one of the first ladies to grace the track. The other is Amanda Lam. I look up to her because despite her having to balance school, family and friends she still has time to drift. I also admire her perseverance. No matter what goes wrong, she is always able to pick herself up and try again.
tZ: Any people you want to thank and closing thoughts?
KT: I would like to thank my sponsors (In no particular order: Dazz Motorsports – the entire staff, Megan Racing – Calvin and Steve, Street Image – Eric, Bucky and Levi, Vision Autosport – Nat and James, APR Performance – KC, Peter and Andrew, M1 Auto Body – Raymond, Seibon – Derek, ACT – Richard and Daryl, Superior Nissan – Mike and Frank, and Schikane – Jay) for all of your help, support, and the opportunity to represent you. I want to thank Ryan for believing in me and giving me all the love and support a girl could ask for. I also want to thank my family, Amanda, Noelle, Yoshie, Ray, Jason S., Jon, Naoki, Kylie, Alex C., Brandon L., Brandon O., Aileen S., Brent S., Monica, Ryan A., Stan T., everyone at Pro Motion, and Drift Association.
I also want to give a special thank you to Jason Siu and Tunerzine.com for this opportunity. And if you get a chance, please visit my website: www.koukikat.com.
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