News · Oct 30, 2026
Help Keep Shinkaiju Drift Lab Open: Drift, Shop, Tell a Friend
Update: Shinkaiju Drift Lab says your support got them at least one more month. Tonight, October 31, is the last night of the Halloween Matsuri. Keep it going: drift, order from their shop, or tell a friend.
Update, October 31: Good news. On October 30, Shinkaiju Drift Lab posted on Facebook that thanks to everyone’s support, they have at least one more month. They also said continued support is what will keep them going. The help is working, and it still matters.
Tonight, Saturday, October 31, is the final night of the Halloween Matsuri, noon to 2 a.m. Shinkaiju still needs people through the door and orders through the shop.
Before the Matsuri, the Pittsburgh track put out a difficult appeal to the community. After a rough summer, they said the Halloween Matsuri was critical to making rent, and that they would have to close soon after if they could not cover it.
Come drift tonight. Order from their online shop. Please tell a friend. There are ways to help whether you live down the street or across the country.
Shinkaiju’s October 29 announcement. The event runs October 30–31.
Make this Halloween count
The Halloween Matsuri and Mini Trunk-or-Treat is a two-day RC drift meetup on Friday, October 30 and Saturday, October 31, 2026. Matsuri means festival; here, the plan is to get together, drive, and enjoy the hobby.
Shinkaiju’s latest announcement lists noon to 2 a.m. each day, Pittsburgh time. Each session runs into the following morning. Daily track passes are $20 for adults and $15 for kids.
- Light up your car. They are planning spooky spotlights and fog, so bring a body with lights if you have one.
- Bring some treats. Share them at your pit area for the mini trunk-or-treat. Taking part is optional.
- Dress up yourself and your car. The latest announcement includes a costume contest for drivers and cars.
- Friday is Slides and Pies. Add two slices of pizza for $5 with your track fee.
Find the Lab: 3109 West Liberty Avenue, Suite 200, Pittsburgh, PA 15216. Check the official track page before traveling, and keep the RC Drift Empire event listing handy.
Shinkaiju says “night one was smokin’,” and thanked everyone who came out Friday. Earlier in the week, they thanked everyone who visited, shared, ordered online, and filled the raffle. That support is what got them another month. The SV2 raffle has already been drawn; tonight is about showing up for the last night of the Matsuri and the shop.
How can you help this week?
Pick the way that works for you, then take the next step.
Take the support poll
This is what we stand to lose
Look at Kevin Zack’s blue build from Shinkaiju’s Kaiju of the Week. That car belongs to someone who has put time into making it their own. A track gives that work somewhere to go, and other people to enjoy it with.
The Lab has two 1/10-scale tracks and a 1/24-scale mini track, plus a parts shop. Their official venue page shows a P-tile track, a polished concrete track, and the mini layout. Their social feed shows the cars and people using them.
That is why losing a track hits beyond one weekend. It means fewer places to practice, fewer people to ask for help, and one less place for a new driver to walk in and get started.
Too far to visit? Shop with them
Shinkaiju specifically asked for online orders as another way to help. Their online store carries RC drift chassis, electronics, wheels, bodies, and parts. If a purchase is already on your list, give their shop a look.
Want a new body project? They list the 24K AE86 Trueno body, a clear, uncut shell ready for paint. Check fit, stock, price, and shipping for your order.
One of the major reasons I built RC Drift Empire
I built RC Drift Empire to help drivers find tracks and help tracks reach the people who can support them. Helping keep tracks open is one of the major reasons this site exists.
When I see a shop asking for help making rent, I want this community to be useful. One more month is a good start. Let’s help them get to the next one. I want someone to discover the Lab, bring a friend, buy the part they needed, and come back for another session.
I know money is tight. Please help in a way that works for you. If an order or a track visit is possible, Shinkaiju has asked for both. If spending is not an option, telling a friend can still put this in front of someone who can go.
Please send this to one person. A friend near Pittsburgh. Someone planning a body build. The person who keeps saying they want to try RC drifting. Give them a reason to take that next step.
Follow @shinkaijudriftlab on Instagram and Shinkaiju Drift Lab on Facebook for updates. You can also find their track page on RC Drift Empire.
Help make the next session happen
Vote below, then turn that idea into a visit, an order, or a message to a friend.
Been to the Lab? Tell us in the comments what you enjoyed and what a first-time visitor should know. Bringing a friend to the Matsuri? Let the community know. Your experience might be what gets someone else through the door.
Shinkaiju welcomes first-timers and runs a Rookie Wednesday session. For a first visit during the Matsuri, contact the shop about rental availability, pricing, and anything you need to bring.
Shop online if there is something you need, share the event with someone nearby, and follow their official social accounts for updates. Buying and sharing are both ways the Lab has thanked people for helping.
Shop Shinkaiju
Halloween event details
Find the Lab