Nigel – Founder and Lead Organiser
Nigel’s first modified car experience which took him down the path he’s now on, was taking a friend to DJ at Meanstreet cruise. This was the first legal cruise and drifting event which used to take place at Essex Arena.
Nigel’s introduction to the modified car scene and the moment that set him on the path he’s on today came when he took a friend to DJ at Meanstreet Cruise, the UK’s first legal cruise and drifting event, held at Essex Arena.
After a long wait in the queue of modified cars, one particular car caught his eye was a wide-arched Wings West Civic that was up for sale. A few weeks later armed with a bank loan and plenty of excitement he headed to Kent to collect it.
Before long, Nigel was cruising to Southend with friends. At the time Lee was running a gold Supra and Dan had an R33 that had just featured in Redline magazine. It was the peak of the Max Power era, with The Fast and the Furious newly released in cinemas. Events like Max Power Live and Donny South defined that period, and it was there that Nigel met many people he still considers close friends today.
A few years on Nigel built his own Civic which led him to Hond-R, one of the most trusted Honda specialists he knows. The dream became reality when he took to the roads in an H22-powered Civic, an experience he admits was both thrilling and terrifying in equal measure.
As his involvement in events grew, the Civic eventually made way for something bigger. Nigel became increasingly hands-on with event organisation, ultimately committing himself to a long-established show. The experience taught him a huge amount and helped him develop the organisational skills that would shape his future. What began as helping out soon became a way of life, with countless hours spent promoting events and supporting the scene.
Eventually, Nigel felt it was time to take a leap into the unknown and create something of his own. That decision led to the birth of Yakushi. Without the support of family, friends, and the car club representatives he’d met through years in the scene, Yakushi simply wouldn’t have been possible.
Chris Presley (www.instagram.com/mrprezzas/) has been an integral part of Yakushi since its very beginnings, when the event was still just an idea. Throughout the weekend, Chris can often be found capturing the atmosphere through his photography, while also overseeing the Show & Shine and helping ensure the event runs smoothly.
His ongoing dedication, combined with the invaluable support and input of his mum Linda has played a key role in shaping Yakushi into the event it is today.
In addition to Yakushi, Chris co-organises JDMK alongside long-term friend Ash. Held every August, JDMK is a charity event in support of Cancer Research UK. Driven by the strength and unity of the car community, the event has so far raised over £40,000 for the charity.
More information about the JDMK Cancer Charity Meet can be found here. www.facebook.com/official.jdmk/
Brian has supported Nigel at car events for many years, and to most people he’s best known as Nigel’s dad. Over time, his role has covered just about everything — from handing out Haribo’s to marking out club plots… even if the plot numbers don’t always quite line up.
At Yakushi, you’ll usually find Brian at Yakushi HQ enjoying a well-earned snooze or getting stuck into a good book. That said, he spends plenty of time chatting with clubs and talking to attendees, offering honest feedback and insight into what keeps people coming back to Yakushi year after year.
