The DirtyDozen Showcase Sets a New Standard at Southern National
Event: Donuts N Booty DirtyDozen Showcase
Hosts: Michael DeBakey & Wil Lay
Location: Southern National Motorsports Park, Lucama, NC
Partnership: Catch My Drift Round 4 – SofaKing Awesome Series
Community Partner: Wesley Shelter Inc.
DnB Social Media Links
Some first-time events struggle to find their footing. The Donuts N Booty DirtyDozen Showcase arrived fully formed, confident, and ready to make a statement.
Last week at Southern National Motorsports Park, hosts Michael DeBakey and Wil Lay proved that with the right vision, partnerships, and community support, a debut show can set industry standards from day one.
The Build-Up
Even before gates officially opened, cars were already queuing, engines warming, owners eager to be part of something new. That early energy set the tone for what became a day that exceeded every expectation.
The turnout surpassed even the organizers’ most optimistic projections. JDM legends parked beside European performance machines. American muscle sat comfortably next to lifted trucks. Drift-ready builds shared space with mirror-finish show cars. Every corner of automotive culture showed up, representing with pride.
What could have been chaotic, a first-time car show running simultaneously with Catch My Drift’s Round 4 live drift competition instead flowed seamlessly. Strong communication between the Donuts N Booty team, Catch My Drift staff, and Southern National’s venue crew ensured both experiences coexisted perfectly.
The Experience
Walking the grounds revealed exactly what separated this debut from typical first-year shows. Vendors stayed busy from start to finish. Photographers and videographers hunted angles all day. Families brought energy that kept the atmosphere electric. The Donuts N Booty models embodied the brand’s lifestyle identity, engaging crowds, highlighting builds, and connecting with attendees throughout the venue.
But the real magic? The community engagement. People weren’t just looking at cars but they were connecting with builders, discovering new projects, meeting content creators, and celebrating the culture they love. Those genuine interactions, that authentic energy, can’t be manufactured. It either exists or it doesn’t.
Purpose Beyond Performance
Adding meaningful depth to an already powerful event, Wesley Shelter Inc. participated as a community partner. Their mission—supporting and advocating for victims of domestic and sexual violence brought important purpose to the day, reminding everyone that car culture can be a force for positive change beyond the parking lot.
Learn more by visiting their website: CLICK HERE
The Team Behind the Success
No event succeeds alone. The DirtyDozen Showcase thrived because of collaborative effort from partners who believed in the vision.
Operational Backbone:
- Catch My Drift – Joe and the CMD team maintained structure throughout Round 4’s drift competition
- Reams Fabrication – Hands-on support keeping operations smooth
- SkunkWerks Projects – Day-of execution assistance
- Eric from Pray Performance – Critical operational contributions
Media Excellence:
- Josh & Detaun ByLocalsOnly– Dynamic videography capturing motion and energy
- Ben (PhoenixOneProduction) – Detailed, creative photography
- Freelance photographers – Multiple artistic perspectives building comprehensive event coverage
The Lifestyle Element
The featured models brought Donuts N Booty’s signature atmosphere to life, representing the lifestyle side of the brand with confidence and charisma.
DirtyDozen Lineup:
@doodlebabii | @thelastofherkind | @breeannareneesmith | @jennamae | @lily.cltnc | @xo.tay | @helloshawnamarie | @brandifaiith | @heyhaywhyyyyy | @awk0hanny | @_bbrinaa
Their presence elevated the event from “good car show” to “full lifestyle experience”—the kind of detail that defines the DnB brand identity.
The Verdict
Response during the event told one story. Social media reaction afterward confirmed it: Donuts N Booty didn’t just host a successful first show, they announced themselves as legitimate players in both the drift and show scene.
For a brand staging its inaugural event, the atmosphere, execution, and community response proved this wasn’t beginner’s luck. This was preparation meeting opportunity, vision becoming reality.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH ALL VIDEOS FROM THE EVENT!
What’s Next
Success breeds ambition. With the DirtyDozen Showcase establishing the foundation, Donuts N Booty isn’t maintaining. They are expanding which we knew years ahead of time back at SEMA 2022.
2026 Vision:
- Multi-state show expansion
- Enhanced collaborative partnerships
- Expanded vendor villages
- Elevated media production
- Continued growth toward recognized industry presence
If this debut is any indication of what’s coming, 2026 won’t just be bigger. It’ll redefine what DnB events can become.
The Bigger Statement
First-time shows usually feel like experiments. Rough edges. Learning curves. Natural growing pains as organizers figure out what works but Donuts N Booty skipped that phase entirely. By partnering strategically with Catch My Drift, leveraging Southern National’s proven venue, incorporating meaningful community partnership with Wesley Shelter Inc., and bringing their unique lifestyle brand energy, they created an event that felt established from the first car through the gates.
The confidence in execution. The diversity of builds. The community engagement. The seamless flow between static show and live drift competition. All signs of something built to last, not just built to launch.
Why It Resonates
The car scene doesn’t need more generic meets where people park for an hour and leave. It needs events with identity, purpose, and energy gatherings worth the drive, worth bringing family, worth experiencing rather than just attending.
Southern National proved Donuts N Booty understands that difference. They didn’t just organize cars in a parking lot, they created an environment where multiple automotive communities intersected, where lifestyle met motorsport, where purpose enhanced passion.
From the static builds drawing crowds to the drift cars laying smoke to the models bringing atmosphere to the community partner adding meaning, every element served the larger mission: create something memorable that respects the culture while pushing it forward.
The Bottom Line
Standing at Southern National as the day wound down, watching final drift runs while families still explored builds hours after arrival, one thing became undeniable:
Donuts N Booty didn’t just throw a successful first show. They set a high standard for themselves, made a bold entrance into the show world, and proved they belong in conversations about the Southeast’s premier automotive events.
The DirtyDozen Showcase wasn’t a test run. It was a declaration.
And after witnessing it firsthand, one truth stands clear: this brand is only getting started.
First show conquered. Next level loading.
Stay Connected: Follow @donutsnbooty on Instagram for 2026 announcements, event updates, and behind-the-scenes content as they expand across multiple states.
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