The 2025 LZ World Tour kicked off at Englishtown Raceway Park in New Jersey, USA, over the weekend of March 22-23. For me, it was a short drive about an hour from Manhattan making it an easy spot for fans from both NYC and New Jersey to come out and enjoy the event. Judging by the huge crowd, it’s clear that car culture enthusiasts from all over showed up in full force!

The gates opened at 11:30am for general admission, and I planned to leave around 9:30am. But, as is often the case near Englishtown, it ended up taking me almost two hours to travel just 20 miles. Not surprising, considering one of the biggest names in car culture was hosting a major event that attracted some of the world’s top drivers for two days of intense drifting, fierce competition, and a celebration of automotive passion. The unique road course layout at Englishtown provided the perfect backdrop for the LZ World Tour, setting the stage for some of the most exciting drifting battles of the year. Here’s a recap of the unforgettable weekend.

Saturday: Setting the Tone

Saturday was fantastic. The weather was what most people call “boost weather” it pretty much just means cool enough to let engines bang off rev limiters all day without worrying about overheating, but not so cold that spectators were freezing while cheering from the sidelines.

The day kicked off with the Last Chance Top 16 battles, where drivers who didn’t automatically qualify for the main event had one last shot at redemption. The pressure was on, and 29 drivers gave it their all in qualifying to secure a spot in the Top 16 for Sunday’s showdown. It was exciting to see some drivers really push the limits and get up close to the outside zone wall, especially in the last section of the track.

By the end of the day, the lineup for Sunday was set. The remaining competitors squared off in the Last Chance Top 16, and one of the standout moments was fan favorite Josiah Fallaise @josiahfallaise. He made a strong push, securing his spot in the main event for Sunday after a tough but flawless run.

Sunday: The Main Showdown

Sunday was the main event—the real action began with the Top 16 Battles. This is where drivers went all out, putting on incredible door-on-door action and pushing their cars to the limit.

One of the weekend’s biggest stars was Josiah Fallaise. After an impressive 2nd-place finish in Saturday’s Last Chance Top 16, he came back strong on Sunday, ultimately securing 1st place after a thrilling final battle. His ability to rise to the occasion and dominate in such a competitive field made him the undisputed champion of Englishtown and the first winner of the 2025 LZ World Tour.

Right behind him was Lee Bird, who made a massive impact with his stunning S15 debut. The car was absolutely beautiful, sounding amazing, and Lee’s driving was on point. He earned a well-deserved 2nd place finish.

In 3rd place was Luke Fink, who brought his usual full-send style of drifting. Though he had a few hiccups in his runs, he was still one of the most entertaining drivers of the weekend. Honestly, he could’ve taken home the win if not for having to jump between different cars over the two days. The guy literally drifted four different cars—now that’s commitment!

Shout out to Excite! | Sen for not meeting me… and avoiding me on Saturday but thanks for the pictures xox.

Car Shows & Local Love

Aside from the action on the track, the LZ World Tour also featured an epic Griot’s Garage Car Show, showcasing some of the most immaculate, jaw-dropping builds I’ve ever seen. From JDM legends like Tommy F Yeah’s iconic machines to unique custom creations, the car show offered a perfect complement to the high-speed excitement of the drifting.

I also made sure to rep some of my favorite local brands.

Front Street has always had a great style, so I grabbed some of their stickers to show support.

I also got to see Design Shop React’s booth and their killer S15 ripping through the course. Naturally, I had to grab some of their stickers too.

A new find for me was Annoying.jp, a brand that really embraces the 90s JDM vibes. Something that us here at Excite! Love more than anything. The crew behind it is passionate about car culture, and their gear reflects that energy. I couldn’t resist picking up something from them.

Additionally, I snagged a Bride keychain that matches my S13’s Bride seats perfectly (its the small things) wink* wink* that are satisfying for me.

I also stopped by Oakes Garage’s booth. They had a cool sticker that mimicked the old Nismo logo but replaced it with “Oaks” unfortunately, it was sold out. Still, I’ve been a fan of Jimmy and the work he does, so I’m happy to rep them on my car.

Finally, I couldn’t forget Faction Motorsports. They’ve always been a top-tier performance and mechanic shop in the drifting scene, and the team there is super friendly. I hope to use them for the S13 build if I run into any hiccups.

Final Thoughts

If this is how the 2025 season is kicking off, fans and drivers alike are in for one heck of a ride. Englishtown truly set the bar high for the rest of the tour, and I can’t wait to see what’s next. Here’s to more drifting, more car culture, and more unforgettable moments.

If your interested in some of our team gear check out our shop page here: https://teamexcite.jp/shop