RAVSPEC to WEKEAST Part 1:
Roll Out!
Tuesday 26 August, 2014 | By Edo
It was the weekend of WEKEAST! The NYC/TRISTATE car life vibe was at an all time 2014 summer high. Still filled with the hype from THE PREGAME that happened Friday night, sleep was next to impossible for the rest of the weekend. Saturday, from morning to night we were full of anticipation due to what was about to transpire in just a few hours. 4 a.m., Sunday morning, we’re on the way from the Bronx to Astoria to pick up Pravan, barely any sleep but still full of energy. We then made our way to meet a crew that needs no introduction, Ravspec. Known for their awesome builds, rolling deep, and of course, JDM Wheels! Our plan was to meet at 5 a.m., grab breakfast, and hit the road together. We arrived a bit earlier since we wanted to snap some photos and get a sneak peek at the cars that were going to show at WEKEAST. By the time we rolled in to the undisclosed parking lot, most of the crew had already arrived. Pravan and Jeffrey Liu wasted no time capturing these moments. One of the reasons SNTRL exists is to document the experiences of car life around the world, but first and foremost, in our own backyard. For this post, we’d like to show you the perspective of Ravpsec. From heading to a car show as a crew, to setting up as a vendor. Part 1, we roll out!
After many chats and caffeine intake, it was time to head out. Jeffrey Liu tossed me the keys to his awesome Forester and said, “Drive it however you want, I’m snapping pics.” No problem! Lets go! We drove from the LIE to NJ. At this hour of the morning, not many cars were on the road. Fast cars and empty highways, I’ll leave what happened next to your imagination. The sound of multiple tuned cars cruising together was just amazing. It reminded me of this RE-Amemiya cruise from the old school JDM Option days.
Crossing into Manhattan is always awesome and a bit scary! It becomes a gymkhana course avoiding potholes as soon as we cross the Williamsburg Bridge and drive into SOHO. I always wonder what a random fan of JDM car culture would think if he saw a crew like this randomly passing by. I felt a bit nervous too not wanting to bust up Jeff’s wheels. While Jeff snapped some shots, Pravan was riding with Jess so we had a couple different views from within the pack.
Tunnel?! Allow me to play you the song of my people! Haha, fun!
After the Holland tunnel, we all regrouped at the gas station directly after. Everyone making sure they got just the right amount of fuel in order to be a at ¼ tank by the time we arrived at that show. Then it was time to hit the road again. The beautiful view of morning sky overhead…and the music of these cars…this is happening, and it’s awesome.
6:45 a.m., we arrived to the convention center at Edison, NJ. I always forget how close to NYC WEKEAST is. Since summer car shows are often small road trips, part of me wanted to still be on the road. Interestingly enough, the van with all of the display supplies, wheels, etc. arrived before the rest of the caravan. “How the hell is that possible!?” overnight parts from Japan I’m sure. Some of the NJ/PA Ravspec crew had already arrived and were already prepping their cars. The Ravpsec team leaders got to work making sure everyone was accounted for, registered and ready to roll in. Lets take a look at some of the sights from that morning…
Hey! This is WEKFEST, not Formula D!
Time to roll in and set up. Stay tuned for Part 2!
Photos by SNTRL Fam P R A V A N Photography and JLiu Photography
Words by Edo
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About the author
Co-Founder/Creative Director, Edwin has been applying his years of experience in the graphic/web design + development to SNTRL since day one. Highly interested in all forms of sub-culture, especially JDM cars, fighting games, street art, street wear, and the fascinating world of Dubstep. Follow @yo_edo to keep up with his quirky tweets about daily life in NYC.
