When we received word from Kevin Feng, PR representative for Buddy Club USA, that the annual Buddy Club Media Day would be taking place at Willow Springs International Raceway, we only asked, "What time do we show up?" Known as the fastest track in the west, Willow Springs hosts long straight-aways on which powerful cars can break the 150mph mark with ease. The track boasts some serious high-speed turns that require the biggest of cajones and the asphalt of Willow Springs bears the telltale black stripes of those that have failed before.
Dedicated to motorsports, Buddy Club decided that there was no better way than a day at the track to showcase their demo vehicles, as well as to debut the new Buddy Club line of motor oil and fluids. Designed for high-performance cars and abusive driving, the Buddy Club oil was put to the test right before our eyes in the Buddy Club EK Civic hatchback and also in our July 2006 cover car, the wide-body Buddy Club DC5 Integra Type R.Jun San Chen, president of Buddy Club, was on hand to personally provide a few thrilling rides in the sequential shifting wide-body DC5, and a few slightly sideways moments were to be had during the shakedown session. Back in the pits, the staging area looked more like a Le Mans test session than a media day event. Igor Sushko and the Automotiveforums.com R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R were on hand for testing, and the crew brought along the impressive sight of the massive Automotiveforums.com Speed World Challenge support trailer.
Offering a different view of the world of grassroots motorsports was Raceline Development's simple Toyota Tundra and open trailer combo, which pulled Elton Lo's DC2 Integra Type R. Fully stripped and prepped, the naturally aspirated DC2 showed just how potent Honda platforms could be at the track. From hanging out at the track and getting plenty of free driving time, to watching some of the world's most potent racing machines get driven at full song, our experience was just another vouch for the die hard racing nature of Buddy Club's core philosophy. Now if we could just get behind the wheel of that Skyline...