Written By: Ben Duen

It was well over half a decade ago when I first met Brian. I can still picture this baggy jeaned wearing teenager driving his hooked up Eclipse GS to the local magazine rack reading everything related to the scene till his neck started to ache. Then he went home and spent another 4 hours on the computer surfing for more info and pics on a 28.8k modem. Every time you saw this kid, there seemed to be an import rag or an OPTIONS rag of some kind surgically stapled to his hand or back pocket. Even back then, he had big dreams and a natural talent when it came to modding cars. It was evident when you saw his Eclipse GS and even moreso when you talked with him. He impressed us so much with his dedication and his skills that two of the co-founders of Jade (JJ Antequino and me) partnered up with him to open up the now retired Jade Autogear auto accessories shop in Orlando. The partnership and the store came and went but the friendships and Jade Motorsports as a team continued to thr ive to what it is today, one of the top sport compact show teams in the US. Presently, Brian has moved to the forefront of the sport compact world. Practically everyone in the scene knows Brian by name and the level that Jade is at today is largely in part due to his suggestions and advice. Just ask anyone in Jade about any mod on their car and most likely they will say, "Brian got this for me" or..."Brian forced this on me" (hehe -Ben). He was also a top rep at Racing Zone Autohouse Orlando and chances are if it is a sweet looking car in O-Town, Brian advised them on something. His list of accomplishments are endless and his drive and appetite for the scene continues to grow. Once he retired his Eclipse, Brian replaced it with something a little more suitable for a guy who has achieved so much. His project Fairlady Z33 is an absolute stunner. His latest project, this Infiniti G37S.