– Words & Photos: Ryan Lewis.
Fans of our Facebook page may have seen us mention a Sydney-based drift team known as Hit and Run. HnR have been building a steady international following thanks to their unique approach to the sport and a stable of incredible homemade cars. The two men behind the name are Josh Woods and Beauman Jones. THE-LOWDOWN has been friends with the two of them for a few years now, so with their team’s notoriety reaching new heights we thought it best to sit down and get an insight into what HnR is all about.
When we got to the workshop a bunch of the boys were part way through a gearbox swap in Beau’s Silvia. He had blown up the standard ‘box at a track day so an upgrade to a Z32 five-speed was on the cards.
We hung around and snapped a few shots while the crew switched bell housings and tried to figure out where Beau had left the new clutch fork.
T-LD: Tell us about Hit n Run. What is it all about and how did it start?
Beau: Guess it started a few moons ago with Woods and I. We both met at a one of the first Peanut drift nights at Eastern Creek. After that we started chatting about starting up a real crew – I already a small crew called Club Charles but all the members had moved on.
Woods: We all seemed to come from different yet similar backgrounds with most of us coming from some sort of extreme sport and having the same taste in music, etc. We’re basically the misfits of the Sydney drift scene, we just wanted to start something where we could be ourselves and do our thing.
HnR: I guess Hit and Run is like our religion; it’s a lifestyle and a culture to us. We have our words, our phrases, we are all just brothers – one big family who like to tear it up on and off the track.
T-LD: Who is a part of HnR and what do they drive?
HnR: Alright we’ve got: B’Waz – S13: He is the youngest of the crew but has too much skill on and off the track for his age. J’Waz – Sil80: B’waz’s older brother. Loose as a goose, but our favourite rock star. Birri – RB25 Sil80: The old bloke and king DIY. Birri was drifting before drifting was drifting.
HnR: Then there is Reaper – S14 L98: Stuntman for Jonah Hill, been around the traps and like Birri drove in Super Drift. 263km/h with zip ties. Wearnz – 180SX: He is a black man with a full body birthmark. Jack – 180SX: Closet clogg enthusiast. He is the definition of VL. Good guy, trains horses.
HnR: Rounding it out is Jono – Sil80: In house fab man, we haven’t forgotten. Spicy – SR20 KE70: He’s so spicy. Big Al – N/A SR20 S13: Rockin N/A into the ground and straight thuggin’. Tyler – LS1 S13: What can we say about Tyler?
HnR: Also lastly we have Ty, Biggie, TJ, Tall Paul, Juzzo, Pistol Pete, Lewis, Scotty Mitchell, Tommy D and of course, The Captain.
T-LD: What’s the scenario with the workshops and warehouses you have access to?
Woods: Basically the Waz brothers father, The Captain, lets us in to use his factory when we need to. He also helps with transit and pit help at the track. Beau’s family workshop (Fat57Customs) is also available but since Beau lives on the edge of the earth we don’t go out there much.
T-LD: Where do you see HnR heading and what projects are in store?
Woods: We hope to build a competitive team, yet still keep it real! We are looking at giving back to the Sydney drift scene a little by organising some track days. Also Beau and I are talking about setting up a premises next year and starting Hit and Run as a one stop drift shop with a difference, but its still all talk.
T-LD: Give us your take on the current state of drifting in Australia, and what you hope to see in the future.
Woods: It’s growing again. The new ADGP series that’s started up this year looks promising so I think there’s a positive outlook.
Beau: For the future I think it’s hard to determine it at this stage, but what we’d hope for is more drift friendly tracks, more clubs, more grassroots growth, and a stable national series with international possibilities.
T-LD: If you’re keen to keep up to date with the happenings at Hit and Run, check out their Facebook page.
T-LD: Here’s a clip from Scott Mitchell of J’Waz putting together his Sil80. It’s DIY all day at Hit and Run.