About Us

We’re Astrid and Jon, a husband-and-wife team who turned our love for kaido racers into our life’s work. Drawn to the rebellious nature of these cars and having both grown up immersed in punk rock, kaido racers felt like the perfect extension of who we are.

We started building together in 2013, diving headfirst into learning everything we could. Jon took on jobs to master the skills we needed, while Astrid worked a normal 9-5 until we were ready to launch Moonlight Runners full-time. From day one, we’ve been all-in: every part we make is hand-laid by us, and we personally handle every stage of the process. Nothing is outsourced, and that dedication to craftsmanship is how we keep our quality at the highest level.

Our mission has always been to bring kaido racer culture outside of Japan. When we began, there was almost no information out there. We felt it was time for someone to build a proper kaido racer and that’s what led to our first major build, the purple butame, which opened the door to everything that followed.

Along the way, we’ve had the honor of seeing our cars and work recognized around the world: our MX32 has been displayed at The Petersen Automotive Museum, we’ve been acknowledged by Miura-san of Pandem Rocket Bunny, and our builds have been featured in a Donut Media Bumper 2 Bumper episode. Beyond that, we’ve appeared in campaigns for 7-Eleven, eBay Motors, and Vogue (The Elder Statesman), and one of our team cars has even been featured in a music video for Peso Pluma.

Kaido racers aren't a hobby for us, it’s our life. Moonlight Runners is our way of keeping the kaido racer spirit alive and inspiring the next generation of builders. We’re proud to have hosted the first-ever nonsuri event outside of Japan and to continue bringing kaido racer culture to U.S. soil year after year. Follow along with us, catch us at local So-Cal events, and be part of this growing community that dares to build differently.

Disclaimer:

Parts are made on order and order fulfillment may take 2-3 weeks to fill due to the individual care we put into each part. Please ask questions prior to purchasing as deposits are non refundable.