Mustang Action from Nitto Auto Enthusiast Day 2017

Ford and Nitto Tire bring hot Mustang action to Angel Stadium.

This past weekend was the fourth annual Auto Enthusiast Day held by Nitto Tire. Angel Stadium was packed with car enthusiasts of all sorts. However, when it come down the main show, the action was Ford-centric. Sponsored by Ford and Nitto, Formula Drift champ Vaughn Gittin Jr brought out all of his awesome Mustangs.

These cleanly modified road cars were at the tame end of the spectrum. Emblazoned with Gittin Jr’s “RTR” (Ready to Rowdy) insignia these S550 cars were looking good. That they pack Roush power under their hoods is just a perk.

Next to them was this stunningly rebodied first gen car. A combination of flat black, lime green and high-gloss black elements gave this Mustang some serious presence. That the velocity stacks poked out of the hood was just icing on the cake of this insane Trans Am throwback.

Of course, Gittin’s Formula Drift S550 was also there, waiting for its time to shine.

And throw down it did. A demonstration of ridiculous tire destroying antics went down at Auto Enthusiast Day, with several Formula Drift pros, including Gittin, laying it down for the crowd.

Lest you think Vaughn Gittin Jr was a one trick pony (pun intended), he also whipped out his Ford F-150 EcoBoost to play. Though, with upgraded turbos, a custom suspension and a hydraulic handbrake, it’s not your average F-150.

Jacob Stumph

Jake Stumph is a lifelong car enthusiast and racer, who has operated as the content editor for Internet Brands Automotive since 2015. He runs Corvette Forum, 6SpeedOnline, Honda-tech, and LS1tech, among other Internet Brands Automotive websites. His work has been featured by several other prominent automotive outlets, including Jalopnik and Autobytel.

He obtained a bachelor's degree in Political Science at the Ohio State University in 2013, then pivoted from covering politics and policy to writing about his automotive adventures, something that, he says, is a lot more fun. Since that time, he has established connections with most of the world's major automakers, as well as other key brands in the automotive industry.

He enjoys track days, drifting, and autocross, at least, when his cars are running right, which is uncommon. You can check out what he's up to on his YouTube channel, as well as his Jake Stumph Racing Instagram account. He can be reached via email at stumph.jake@gmail.com