Female Spotlight: Denise Lmamas

There are few people in this crazy industry that I would consider a friend and even fewer that I’d say I am close to. One of those is none other than real girl drifter Denise Llamas. I have known Denise for about 5 years now and I haven’t come across many girl drifters that not only know their stuff, but live the sport. She lives in the beautiful San Gabriel part of Los Angeles. Together with her boyfriend Daniel (DK), they run the shop Garage Life in El Monte. Opposites do attract because Daniel runs a competition FC with temperamental rotaries and Denise runs a competition S14 with preferred pistons.

 

 

 

Cars have always run in the family and driving for Denise began at the age of 6. Her dad was a mechanic and she wanted to mimic what he did, so she began to tinker with her Barbie battery powered ride. She later upgraded to a Honda Civic that she would race here and there in the street racing scene of the Philippines, and not surprisingly, her mom raced her Lancer (Hi Denises’ mom! I need to come visit for those clear noodles soon!).  Eventually, Denise moved to the United States where she discovered Drifting and soon began her journey down this path.  Sooner than later, she met Chuck Uemura who first inspired her with drifting with canyon runs and sliding around corners on the streets. Usually when you meet one person from a group of friends in Drifting, you tend to meet them all shortly after which is exactly what happened. The 626 Drift family is such a tight knit little community and their passion for the sport is undeniable, true family of enthusiasts which Denise was welcomed into.

 

 

 

In the beginning, Denise was asked to join one of the first and well respected all female teams Drifting Pretty where serious female Drifters ran together after proving their skills and dedication. She has also run with groups like JustDrift!, Drift Social, RAD experience, as well as her own group she started, Suislide Girls. Currently, Denise competes in TopDrift, the completion series of JustDrift. Besides knowing how to drive, she also is very handy with her own car, not just one of those girls who claim to know things, throw out few terms and get attention. She does WORK and that also contributes to her skills, knowing your car and the mechanics of it makes you so much more in sync.

 

Denise is definitely one Drifter who needs to be watched as she fine tunes her skills on the track and eventually to the big stage of Formula D. Not only does she dedicate herself to absorbing what is learned with seat time, she prides herself in knowledge with motorsports and the vehicles themselves. I really hope more and more young females can appreciate the journey it takes to make something of themselves in the Drifting industry. It takes more than slothing around, and Denise proves it with her take no prisoners attitude that blazes a trail for the next generation of ladies. Here is to you my dear friend, one of the few female pioneers still out there representing the spirit of Drifting and all that goes along with it.