Build
Chassis: Nissan 350Z
Engine/setup: VQ37VHR
Suspension/angle: GKTech lower control arms and bolt-on angle, BC Racing custom coilovers
Rear tire: Kenda Vezda UHP Max+ 245/40R18
Nathan McDuffie Driver Profile
Driftaholic Driver Profile
Nathan McDuffie
Nissan 350Z | Competition | Bear Creek, NC
Team: Bumper Thumpers
Engine: VQ37VHR
Typical rear tire: Kenda Vezda UHP Max+ 245/40R18
Events: MB Drift
Profile note: Driver profiles are lightly edited for spelling, formatting, and readability. Driver story, setup details, sponsors, and stated opinions are preserved. Private contact information is not shown.
Driver Profile
✓
Chassis Reviews
2
Tire Reviews
4
Credits Earned
34
Credits Balance
34
Driver
Level: Competition
Home: Bear Creek, NC
Events: MB Drift
Sponsors
- On Point Parts
- Cruzin Auto Performance
- Stage Wheels
- Driftaholic Racing
Driver Story
Nathan McDuffie started drifting in 2008 in an FC RX-7 at Piedmont Dragway, back when the basic layout was two left-hand turns and the advanced course was all rights. After a few months he started driving to Myrtle Beach for MB Drift competition. He later moved through several chassis, including S13s, an SC400, Toyota Corona, turbo Miata, and more while hosting events through Driftaholic Racing. Driftaholic Racing started when Nathan was local to Virginia International Raceway and saw an opportunity to create affordable skid pad events. The program grew from skid pad days to Patriot Course drifting and even a one-off event at Danville Airport. He bought a tire changer early to help support events and keep entry fees aimed at covering costs while giving drivers a safe place to practice. Nathan eventually settled on the 350Z after seeing how capable the platform was. The original DE engine worked well for smaller tracks, but competition pushed the car beyond stock power. The car went through nitrous, then a Vortech supercharger, then a VQ37VHR swap from a 370Z. With help and support from On Point Parts and Cruzin Auto Performance, the car made 509 whp on E85 with a Vortech setup, but reliability suffered. Nathan later stripped the supercharger setup back off and focused on making the car reliable again. The current car weighs around 2,900 pounds, makes about 320 whp, runs E85, and has a cage, welded differential, tune, GKTech lower control arms and bolt-on angle kit, dual caliper kit, Racequip halo seat, MOMO steering wheel, and Zamp helmet. His path has been shaped by seat time, event hosting, building the community, and learning when reliability matters more than chasing power.
Related Reviews By This Driver
Nissan 350Z / Z33
VQ37VHR | Grassroots competition
Nathan's take: overall, the 350Z is amazing. His car has been swapped from a DE to a newer 370Z VQ37VHR, which overcomes some of the biggest DE limitations. The DE is a great engine, but oil usage can creep up and needs to be watched. Early 2003-2004 transmissions tend to have third-gear issues, while newer CD009 transmissions fixed much of that problem. As these cars age, brittle plastic parts such as radiators, connectors, and other engine-bay pieces can become a headache. Parts availability and ease of driving make the Z33 a great choice for new and seasoned drivers.
Mazda Miata / NB
BP-Z3 | Practice
Nathan's take: the NB Miata is pretty much Driftaholic's party/rental car. It is not fast, but it has enough power to teach the basics of drifting and the importance of keeping momentum. The car had a 6-speed for a while, but second gear was too short for most tracks and third gear was a little long, so the 5-speed has been perfect. With an aluminum radiator, the car stays cool even after hot lapping. The setup includes cut knuckles, extended front lower control arms, coilovers, an inline hydro, and NRG bucket seats. A 14-degree timing wheel upgrade was recently added and timing was reset with a Flying Miata tool to bring some more pep to the car. The main chassis warning is the differential: it needs bracing or it can eventually fail and take an axle with it. The car can be snappy for newer drivers, so Nathan does not recommend excessive front toe-out. Long term, the Miata can be very capable with a turbo or swap, but this one will stay naturally aspirated until a better shell is available.
Kenda Vezda UHP
Nissan 350Z | MB Drift 2026 Rd. 2
Nathan's take: the Kenda Vezda UHP felt pretty decent throughout the day. Grip levels stayed the same and tire pressures remained stable. He put on a fresh set right before Top 32 and used the same pair through his final battle in the Final 4. Side bite and forward bite felt linear, so the car was predictable, but he still felt the car could have used more grip during chase runs. For party use, this is a solid choice. It can work for competition, but it may not provide enough grip to be competitive in every matchup.
Landspider City Traxx G/P
NB Miata | Rockingham Speedway
Nathan's take: these were tested on a 2002 NB Miata with basic bolt-ons, cut knuckles, extended lower control arms, and coilovers. The tires were great once the car found the air pressure they wanted. The setup settled at 65 psi on a very hot day. They provided decent grip and side bite, so the Miata could be thrown into turns without continuing to slide off track. The car is being upgraded for more power, so another review will be in order. Nathan says they felt comparable to Crosswinds in this use case.
Fullrun F7000
Nissan 350Z | Rockingham Speedway / Lanier
Nathan's take: he ran the Fullrun F7000 during MB Drift practice, fun days, and the Drift Symphony event at Lanier. This is his go-to party tire. Grip is pretty good and reminded him of a heat-treated Kenda KR20A, so it was predictable and let him keep up in run groups. Smoke level is fantastic, even on lower-horsepower cars. For competition, he says a comparable car on fresh 300TW Kendas will likely have a grip advantage.
Ironman iMove Gen 3
NB Miata | Rockingham Speedway
Nathan's take: these went on the NB Miata after quite a few drivers said they were great. The team kept airing them up, but they still had a considerable amount of grip compared with other economy tires used on the Miata. The car struggled to keep them spinning, which made the tire promising but setup-dependent. They will be reviewed again after heat treating.
Social Links
- Instagram: @nathanmcduffiejr
- Facebook.com/nathanmcduffiejr
Media
Video
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Mentioned Resources
Related Experience Database Links
- /pages/drift-tire-reviews
- /pages/drift-chassis-reviews
- /pages/drift-vendor-directory