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About Gojira
2010 Nissan GTR
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Bought used with 6000 miles
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Imported into Canada from Chicago
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Owned since 2011
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Currently has just shy of 200,000 miles on it.
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Currently at Cicio Performance getting an engine Refresh.
Car Specs
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Engine: T1 Stage 6 4.1 stroker installed 2023 with a billet girdle & crank
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Originally had a 3.8 stock crank/stock block making 1400HP
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ETS 1700 pro series turbo kit with Garrett Turbos
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Sheps Stage 6 transmission
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Wavetrac Billet rear end
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Billet front diff
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Motec standalone ECU engine management system
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370Z rear brake conversion to fit 15” rim
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Stock suspension
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ETS Race intercooler “The Fridge”
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Car is a full E-85 flex so can run pump gas or race fuel
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7.50 cage fabricated by PFI Speed
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Dyno-tuned at 1660WHP
2025 Goals
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Registered for Sick Week - Florida/Georgia January 27th-February 1st
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Driven Calgary, AB May 3rd, 2025
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Driven Edmonton, AB June 7th, 2025
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Registered for Sick Summer June 15th-20th
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Miles of Mayhem 2025 July 2025
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North Vs South Beaverlodge, AB August 16-17th 2025
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Rocky Mountain Race Weekend Event in Pueblo, CO September 5th-7th 2025.
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Hot Rod Drag Week - September 14, 2025 - September 19, 2025
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PFI Speed Fest Events (TBD)
2024
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Sick Week DNF
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Won Sick Summer Street Freaks class & set a class record Also won fastest 6 cylinder and am now a proud holder of a coveted orange helmet
2023
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RMRW 1.0 in June 5th place
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RMRW 2.0 in September 2nd place finish in Limited Street class
Previous:
Competed in 11 Drag N Drive events.
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Finished 9 events
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Placed 1st once (Sick Summer)
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2nd 3 times
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4th 4 times
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5th once
Other Events
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Attended TK2K 2016 - TX2K2020 - In 2016 drove car from Northern Alberta in the winter all the way to Houston. Raced on winter tires as the rims waiting for me were the wrong offset. Then drove home for 36 hours, hit a blizzard on highways that were closed but kept going.
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Got rear ended in Dallas in 2018 on the way and still was able to race. Qualified in the top 16 each time I attended.
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Have attended many rally events with the car in the early years of owning it such as Bullrun Canada in 2013, Red Wreck Rally, Alpha Rallies and Dustball Rallies. These events have taken the car all over North America in central and western regions on may epic roads as we do not go on main highways during these events.
Notable Stops with car:
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Alamo in San Antonio
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Las Vegas Strip
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Grand Canyon
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California Coast
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Santa Monica Pier
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Redwood Forest
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Death Valley
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Yellowstone National Park
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Pike’s Peak
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Canadian Rockies
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Niagara Falls
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Many Notable racetracks
Why does the Drag & Drive event appeal to me?
It is the ultimate test of man/woman & machine. It is more of a family where everyone is doing everything they can to help everyone finish. Even if you are competing against them they will still do anything to help you. I have made a lot of lifelong friends (now family) from these events.
What are the biggest challenges of a Drag & Drive event?
Having an import especially at this level it is very challenging to find stock parts let alone upgraded performance parts on a whim. For instance I had a brand new alternator installed at the start of an event in 2023 but it failed after 30 miles. Had to use a NIssan Maxima alternator and fabricate brackets to make it fit.
Looked in 3 states and could not find a new OEM factory alternator but luckily found a used one from Denver which was a lifesaver when the Maxima one burned out a few days later. Physically, mentally challenging and sleep deprivation especially once you start having problems. I personally felt like throwing in the towel a couple times but roadweekers, fellow competitors, organizers, vendors and fans pushed me to finish which I am very happy I did.
Past experience:
My dad got me into cars at a very young age. I started Drag racing in the mid-late nineties. Raced at local track and got wife racing in the early 2000’s. From there we had a family and slowed down our racing. Got back into rallying/racing and Drag racing once I got the GTR.
Co-pilot/Passenger:
My wife has attended 90% of all of our trips/racing/adventures. We had our daughter when we were very young so became empty nesters at a young age so have been enjoying our time together.
As for my Co-pilot for Drag & Drives I have done solo and had 5 different co-pilots. Amadeo Jamarillo has attended the quite a few events as my co-pilot. He is from Texas and we met through mutual friends that we had met through rallying. He has a mechanical aptitude and a background in imports which has helped immensely. He also is an avid photographer which hedoes as a hobby which also comes in very handy and he has the unique ability to be able to fall asleep in a racing seat in loud gutted out GTR - LOL
I was lucky enough to have Brent Leivestad take time out of his busy schedule to be my co-pilot for Sick Week 2024 and possibly again for 2025 if we can get the car ready in time. I met Brent at my first Drag N Drive in 2020 and pitted beside him and Cleetus. I thought it was cool to be pitted beside them until I was unable to work on the car due to the crowd around them. Brent saw me struggling and moved the barriers to include my car inside the group with them. That is just the kind of guy he is.
My most recent co-pilot was my niece Janaya. She has a love for cars and we asked her if she wanted to see what it was really like and she jumped at the chance to attend Sick Summer with us. She did great and helped me take home the W as well as fellow Canadian Rovic. She is a natural and will go a long way if she pursues her desire for this crazy sport.
