Brian Wills: Driver Spotlight
Brian and I met a few years ago at a Guided Pilot event. I vaguely remember him coming up and saying he was running the same engine. My car was straight-piped, so I assured him mine was louder. I have no idea why I thought his car wouldn't also be straight-piped. What car comes with an LQ4 anyway? What drift car would have an engine swap and mufflers? The rest is kind of a blur, and not long after that, he fired up his S14 to get it off the trailer. I quickly learned just how wrong I was. It was the first time I had ever seen someone get told to put their car back on the trailer based solely on how loud it was. He never told me I was wrong; he just let his car talk for him. He is one of the nicest and most humble people I have met in this sport. A fantastic driver, and a good person to ask for drifting advice too. I was lucky enough to catch him at Good Luck League just before he left for his first round of Formula Drift ProSpec.
Who are you? Where are you from?
Brian Wills, Chico California.
How long have you been drifting and how did you get into it?
About six years. I used to be into drag racing in DSMs, built some Eclipses, and then my buddy took me to Adam's in Riverside, go-kart track. He gave me the keys to his Mustang and as soon as I slid the first corner I was like "Oh!". The next day I went and bought my first S13.
That answers some of the next one, but what was your first car and what are you driving now?
S13 with an SR. For ProSpec this year I'm driving an S14.9 with a 427 Dart block with a Vortech super charger on it making 1100 wheel [horse power].
This is your first year of Formula Drift, how are you feeling about that?
It should be good, I'm excited to drive with like really good drivers, drift some crazy tracks, and go really fast.
Awesome, ok, now we can get into the weird stuff.
This whole interviews gonna be weird because I got this weird floppy hat on.
Haha, nah you're good...
...
If your car had a theme song that played every time you entered drift, what would it be?
I need a hero.
What's the sketchiest thing you have ever done so that you could keep driving at a drift event?
I had... where my alternator bolts to the block, I had it break a piece of the block off. So we ran almost the entire event where I won my ProSpec license with 1 thread holding the alternator on. And that controls the power steering and everyting with that belt.
That sounds pretty sketchy. If you could turn any front wheel drive car into a rear wheel drive car, what would it be?
Eclipse! Mitsubishi Eclipse!
If you could tandem with anyone that's ever lived, who would it be and why?
Ooh... James Deane... because he's fantastic.
What's your favorite car movie?
Um... I grew up watching the original Fast and Furious, I think thats what inspired it all.
If you could drift on any road in the world, real or fictional, where would it be?
Dang... Pikes Peak would be pretty gnarly to drift all the way up or down.
What's the strangest thing you have found in your car after a drift event?
I guess random tools, that weren't there before... that aren't mine, haha.
Yea, that's weird haha, what's your favorite pre- and post-event ritual?
Drive sim as much as I can before an event, and every night before an event I tried to watch Aliens, the second one from 1989. After an event, just go home and relax, maybe watch the footage.
If your car could talk, what would it say about your drifting skills?
Go faster, do better, be more aggressive.
What is your favorite track or event?
So far, I really like Sonoma a lot.
What's the best part of drifting for you?
Doing crazy stuff. Just being a mad man, driving full throttle, full angle, just doing goofy, crazy, stuff.
Any pre-comp rituals?
I sing in the car, in line, in competition, to my spotter.
If you could add one feature to your car that defied the laws of physics, what would it be?
Something with unlimited tires. Somehow make the tires last forever.
That would be sick, what's your most epic fail drifting?
At a shootout for the Drift League, I was driving and had the power steering belt come off on a bank and wadded the entire car.
What's the most unexpected song on your drift playlist?
Probably that "I need a hero" song.
Last one, if you could drift any movie scene what would it be?
I guess Tokyo Drift, in the parking garage.
