Category: Press Releases

Motorsport Network Join Forces with Formula DRIFT as Media Partner

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Motorsport Network Join Forces with Formula DRIFT as Media Partner

Motorsport.com sites now ‘Official Digital Media Company’ for popular motorsport series

Long Beach, Calif. – April 19, 2017 – Motorsport Network the owner of Motorsport.com and Autosport.com, continued its North American strategic growth today by launching a new content agreement with Formula DRIFT.

This new relationship with one of America’s most popular forms of motorsports will enhance coverage for fans and followers of the unique series. Through the new relationship with Motorsport Network, fans can turn to Motorsport.com and Motor1.com for exclusive content from the series.

Formula DRIFT officials look forward to advantages the new partnership can provide to its organization and dedicated followers.

“Formula DRIFT already has the second largest social media profile in all of American motorsports,” said Jim Liaw, president of Formula DRIFT. “This partnership with Motorsport.com and Motor1.com will help grow our fan base even more via added reach and the ability to provide coverage in multiple languages – which is very much needed to our international appeal.”

The 2017 Formula DRIFT schedule includes eight locations in the United States and Canada.

Exclusive content agreements are part of an overall business plan for Motorsport Network according to North American Director of Business Development Hector Scarano.

“We’re very excited to add Formula DRIFT to our family of partnerships with racing organizations throughout North America,” Scarano said. “We look forward to having Motorsport.com and Motor1.com help grow awareness of this unique and very popular series to new fans throughout the world.”

Motorsport.com and Motor1.com readers can view exclusive content on the both websites and accompanying social media platforms. The next round of the Formula DRIFT Championship will be held in Orlando from April 28-29.

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Motegi Racing Super Drift Challenge Friday Night Results

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Motegi Racing Super Drift Challenge Friday Results;
Matt Field Takes His Second Consecutive Motegi Racing Super Drift Victory

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Long Beach, Calif. – April 7, 2017 – Formula DRIFT returned to Long Beach to host the Motegi Racing Super Drift Challenge as part of the 43rd Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. Matt Field in the Falken Tire / Vapetasia / ARK Performance Nissan 240 goes back to back at the Motegi Super Drift Challenge.

The Motegi Racing Super Drift Challenge for the fifth consecutive year brought motorsports action under the lights during the annual Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach within Turns 9, 10, and 11 of the famous street course. Drivers competed on Friday night in front of a capacity crowd for a chance at the prize purse and bragging rights.

“For the first time we decided to hold a doubleheader Top 16 competition over the course of the Grand Prix of Long Beach weekend,” said Jim Liaw, President of Formula DRIFT. “For our 11th consecutive year bringing drifting action on the Streets of Long Beach we wanted to showcase even more competitive action for the fans on both Friday and Saturday night.”

On night one of the doubleheader weekend drivers were placed at random into the Top 16 bracket. The Top 4 saw returning Motegi Racing Super Drift winner, Matt Field against Justin Pawlak in the Roush Performance Ford Mustang. Field outdrove his opponent to move into the Finals. Forrest Wang in the Get Nuts Lab Nissan 240 faced off against Alex Heilbrunn in the IMR / Nitto Tire BMW M3. Heilbrunn fresh off his second place finish last weekend at the Formula DRIFT season opener on the same track, kept his streak alive taking the win to move into the Finals. Forest Wang finishes in third place. The final battle was dramatic as Heilbrunn and Field collided on the first turn of the first run. Judges deemed fault to Heilbrunn giving Field the advantage. Field, after fixing the significant damage sustained from the run 1 collision kept a clean and safe follow run to take the first victory of the doubleheader.

“We went back to back!” said Matt Field, winner of the Motegi Super Drift Challenge. “There’s day two tomorrow and we’re going to try to win that too. This event was strong and it feels good to get back into a car that’s in working manner after struggling last weekend, but we’re back.”

The action continues on Saturday night for the second night of the Motegi Racing Super Drift Challenge during the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. For more information visit, www.formulad.com and find Formula DRIFT on Instagram @formulad, Facebook www.facebook.com/formuladrift, Twitter @FormulaDrift, and Snapchat – formula_drift. Tune into Formula DRIFT on CBS Sports and check your local listings for airtimes.

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Motegi Racing Super Drift Challenge – Friday Night Results

1. Field, Matt Falken Tire / Vapetasia / ARK Performance Nissan 240 Winner
2. Heilbrunn, Alex IMR / Nitto Tire BMW M3 2nd Place
3. Wang, Forrest Get Nuts Lab Nissan 240 3rd Place
4. Pawlak, Justin Roush Performance Ford Mustang 4th Place
5. Hamilton, Nate Team Enjuku, BC Racing, Hankook Tire S13.4
5th Place
6. Rintanen, Juha STR Racing / Nexen Tire Nissan 240 6th Place
7. Kearney, Dean Oracle Lighting Dodgle Viper 7th Place
8. Beechum, Trenton Beechum Racing Ford Mustang 8th Place
9. Castro, Jhonnattan Gerdau Metaldom/ Nexen / Toyota GT86
9th Place
10. Essa, Michael Achilles tire, Essa Autosport M3
10th Place
11. Litteral, Ryan NRG Innovation / Federal Tire Nissan 240 11th Place
12. Burkett, Dan RAD Industries, Nexen Tire, Toyota Supra
12th Place
13. Jones, Jeff DOC Nissan 240 13th Place
14. Mohan, Kyle Built 2 Apex / Mazdatrix / KMR 2016 MX-5
14th Place

Motegi Racing Super Drift Challenge Event Information

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The Motegi Racing Super Drift Challenge, which will take place both nights on the eastern end of the race circuit – turns 9, 10 and 11. Grand Prix fans that purchase any admission ticket for Friday or Saturday racing activities will be able to see that night’s Motegi Racing Super Drift Challenge. Seating for the Super Drift Challenge will be in Grandstands 16, 18, 24, 25 and 26 on a first-come, first-serve basis beginning at 7:00 p.m.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE LIVESTREAM 

Continue reading Motegi Racing Super Drift Challenge Event Information

Formula DRIFT Round 1: Streets of Long Beach Results

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Formula DRIFT Round 1: Streets of Long Beach Results;

James Deane Makes His Return to the Series and Takes the Victory

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Long Beach, Calif. – April 2, 2017 – Formula DRIFT Black Magic Pro Championship presented by BlackVue Dash Cameras kicked off the 14th season with an exciting day of action at the O’Reilly Auto Parts Round 1: Streets of Long Beach. Irish driver James Deane returns to the Series and gets the win in the Worthhouse Drift Team / Falken Tire Nissan S15.

“What a way to start the season,” said Jim Liaw, president and co-founder of Formula DRIFT. “With not only a capacity crowd, record numbers on the Livestream, but proof that Formula Drift is truly an international series where the best of the best come to compete.”

The first event of the season commenced on the Grand Prix of Long Beach Street Course. The highly anticipated event was action packed from start to finish and the capacity crowd witnessed many competitive battles throughout the day. The event also introduced new drivers to the field including Georgy Chivchyan from Russia and Piotr Wiecek from Poland and marked the return of Irish driver, James Deane. The event broke records with the Livestream with over 1 million viewers tuning in from around the world over the two-day event weekend making for the largest viewership for a single event in Formula DRIFT history

Deane returned to Formula DRIFT after a seven year hiatus from the Series in dramatic fashion. Deane proved to be a contender after qualifying in second position and making his way through to the finals by defeating both former champion Michael Essa and the reigning and 3-time champion, Chris Forsberg. Deane met with Ryan Tuerck in the Gumout / Nameless Performance / Hankook Toyota 86 in the semi-finals and with consistent driving all-day and a solid chase run he was able to advance to the Finals. On the other side of the bracket in the semi-finals, Aurimas “Odi” Bakchis in the Falken Tire / Drifz Wheels / Ark Performance Nissan 240SX faced off against Alex Heilbrunn in the IMR / Nitto Tire BMW M3. After a hard fought battle that was too close to call, the drivers met in a One More Time battle and while chasing Heilbrunn, Bakchis made an error entering the hairpin giving Heilbrunn the win to put him in the Finals. Deane’s consistency and technical driving was no match for Heilbrunn in the Finals and Deane won his first Formula DRIFT victory to take the lead in the chase for the championship.

“Man, what a way to start back in Formula DRIFT after missing out on the last seven years,” said James Deane, winner of Round 1: Streets of Long Beach. “I owe a lot to my good friend and teammate, Piotr Wiecek, who came up with this whole idea to come back to the Series as a two-car team. To come out with the win is just mind blowing. What a feeling!

For more information visit, www.formulad.com and find Formula DRIFT on Instagram @formulad, Facebook www.facebook.com/formuladrift, Twitter @FormulaDrift, and Snapchat – formula_drift. Tune into Formula DRIFT on CBS Sports and check your local listings for airtimes.

Round 1: Streets of Long Beach Event Results

1. Deane, James

Worthouse Drift Team / Falken Tire Nissan 240

Winner

2. Heilbrunn, Alex

IMR / Nitto Tire BMW M3

2nd Place

3. Tuerck, Ryan

Gumout / Nameless Performance / Hankook Toyota 86

3rd Place

4. Bakchis, Aurimas

Falken Tires / Drifz Wheels / ARK Performance Nissan 240

4th Place

5. Aasbo, Fredric

Rockstar Energy / Nexen Tire Toyota Corolla iM

5th Place

6. Coffman, Matt

Nexen Tire / Coffman Racing Nissan 240

6th Place

7. Forsberg, Chris

NOS Energy Drink / Hankook Tire Nissan 370Z

7th Place

8. Kearney, Dean

Oracle Lighting Dodgle Viper

8th Place

9. Gittin, Vaughn

Monster Energy / Nitto Tire Ford Mustang RTR

9th Place

10. Wiecek, Piotr

Worthouse Drift Team / Falken Tire Nissan 240

10th Place

11. Gushi, Ken

GReddy Racing / Nexen Tire Toyota Racing 86

11th Place

12. Field, Matt

Falken Tire / Vapetasia / ARK Performance Nissan 240

12th Place

13. Rintanen, Juha

STR Racing / Nexen Tire Nissan 240

13th Place

14. Bluss, Kristaps

HGK / Mast / Motul / Wisefab BMW E46

14th Place

15. Pawlak, Justin

Roush Performance Ford Mustang

15th Place

16. Essa, Michael

Achilles Tire / Essa Autosport BMW M3

16th Place

2017 Formula DRIFT Black Magic Championship Presented by BlackVue Standings After 1 Event

1. Deane, James

Worthouse Drift Team / Falken Tire Nissan 240

106.00 Points

2. Heilbrunn, Alex

IMR / Nitto Tire BMW M3

84.00 Points

3. Tuerck, Ryan

Gumout / Nameless Performance / Hankook Toyota 86

69.00 Points

2017 Manufacturer Championship Standings After 1 Event

1. Toyota

121.00 Points

2. Ford

74.00 Points

3. Nissan

52.00 Points

4. Dodge

51.00 Points

5. BMW

35.00 Points

6. Infiniti 18.00 Points

2017 Tire Championship Standings After 1 Event

1. Falken

174.00 Points

2. Nitto

123.00 Points

3. Hankook

121.00 Points

4. Nexen

104.00 Points

5. Achilles

86.00 Points