Author: FormulaD

Formula DRIFT Releases Codes and Applications for This Weekend’s Live Stream

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Formula DRIFT Releases Codes and Applications for This Weekend’s Live Stream

Long Beach, Calif. – April 7, 2010 – Formula DRIFT has released the codes and applications for the YoParts live stream that will go live this weekend at Round 1: Streets of Long Beach on April 9-10.

Last month Formula DRIFT announced a ground breaking relationship with YoParts to live stream the Formula DRIFT events in entirety from the first driver to qualify to the last tandem battle on Saturday. The first round of Formula DRIFT takes place this weekend April 9-10 on the historic Long Beach Grand Prix Street Course. Formula DRIFT and YoParts have invested in cutting-edge technology, different avenues, and social applications to view the live stream. The following are different ways fans, media, webmasters, teams and just about everyone can view the live stream.

1. Live on the Formula DRIFT Website home page and on the landing page www.formulad.com/live

2. Facebook Application

3. Mobile Application– Just load the URL into your applicable mobile phone’s browser or Text “yo” to 53000

4. Direct landing page on Live Stream host website: Live Stream Website

Any webmasters that are interested in the Direct Iframe Embed and custom sizing for their particular website can contact [email protected]

Coverage commences on Friday, April 9th at 12pm for the first session of qualifying during Round 1: Streets of Long Beach on April 9-10 on www.formuladrift.com.

Media Day

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Each year Formula DRIFT participates in the annual Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach media day. Formula DRIFT drivers get a chance to test out the street course before the season begins as well as give a select few media members a chance for a once in a life ride along. The day is spent alongside the Toyota Pro Celebrity race practice as well. This year celebrities such as Christian Slater, Adrian Brody, Brian Austin Green, Patrick Wharburton, Adam Carolla, and Tony Hawk will be driving against the “pro” drivers that include Formula DRIFT’s own Tanner Foust, Steve Millen, and Keanu Reeves (since he won the race last year).

Here are some images from the day that includes the debut of Matt Powers Nissan S14 with new graphics, Ken Gushi’s new DTA x Scion Racing wrap, and more. Round 1: Streets of Long Beach is this weekend April 9-10 for more info visit www.formulad.com

Daijiro Yoshihara Goes Back to His Roots

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Signing another year with Team Falken Tire/Discount Tire for the 2010 Formula Drift
season, Dai Yoshihara will be back to his driving roots and will be piloting a
Nissan 240SX S13. Having come off a struggling 2009 season, Dai has put last
year’s hic-ups in the past and is now ready to take vengeance and fight for
the championship for 2010.

Car builder and manager, Scott Dodgion of SPD Metal Works, was brought back to
rebuild the S13 that Dai competed in during the last two events of the 2009 season.
Having gone under the knife, the S13 has gotten a complete make over and will now
sport a new fresh aero package from Rocket Bunny with Volk Racing RE-30 wheels. The
new aero kit will also now be complemented with fresh new vinyl graphics, which were
all laid out by Race Designs. Under the hood will lay a massive 6.0-liter, LS-2 V8
motor that will be producing over 650hp.

“I am very excited for this year,” explains Dai. “The Lexus was a
good car, but it was unfamiliar to drive. I’ve driven a S13 before and have
won events in one, so this year, I expect to be on the podium many times.” In
2009, Dai gained enough points to finish in 11th in the championship standings with
a good amount of points coming from the last two events in which he drove a S13.

The first Formula D event of the season will be in Long Beach, CA on April 10th.
Long Beach has been the season opener for the past 5 years as the drift course is a
series of turns that will be in place for the Long Beach Grand Prix in the IRL
series.

EA TEAMS UP WITH TOP DRIVERS TO FORM ‘TEAM NEED FOR SPEED’ INTERNATIONAL RACING COLLECTIVE

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Drifters Mad Mike Whiddett, Matt Powers and
GT Racer Patrick Soderlund to be Sponsored by Need for Speed

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – April 6, 2010 – From the hit videogame to the street, Need for Speed™ is the nerve center of gaming car culture. Electronic Arts Inc (NASDAQ: ERTS) today announced an entertainment program that brings together the top street, drift, GT racing, time attack cars and drivers. Dubbed ‘Team Need for Speed’, these individuals embody the spirit of the Need for Speed franchise – the adrenaline and rebelliousness of driving the world’s coolest cars. Together, this collective of racing influencers will carry the Need for Speed brand into a variety of events, films, competitions and more.

Team Need for Speed consists of an all-star roster of drivers renowned for their skill on the track and passion for the automotive lifestyle including Vaughn Gittin Jr. (Drift/USA), Matt Powers (Drift/USA), Edward Sandström (GT Racing/Europe), Patrick Söderlund (GT Racing/Europe) and Mad Mike Whiddett (Drift/USA, New Zealand, Japan). Additional drivers will be announced in the future. The season kicks off this week as three of the Team Need for Speed drivers hit the track. On April 9, Mad Mike Whiddett and Matt Powers compete in the ‘Streets of Long Beach’ Formula D event and on April 10, Patrick Soderlund and teammate Edward Sandström will compete in the VLN Series’ Stunden-Rennen race at the Nurburgring Nordschleife in Germany.

“Driving for Team Need for Speed is a great honor,” said Mad Mike Whiddett, Team Need for Speed driver and champion drifter. “I love the pure creativity and insane competition of drifting and partnering with Need for Speed is perfectly aligned with my personal and professional passions.”

The Team Need for Speed program also features a 12-part film series about the Team Need for Speed drivers and their cars directed by renowned automotive filmmaker, Will Roegge. Need for Speed is also expanding its Formula D sponsorship with the Need for Speed Lounge where attendees can meet the drivers, Mad Mike Whiddett and Matt Powers, and play the latest Need for Speed games.

Keith Munro, VP of Marketing for EA said, “Team Need for Speed launches an aggressive initiative designed to bring the core brand values of Need for Speed into the real world. By partnering with these tastemakers and by creating these specific programs, Need for Speed goes beyond the game into the real world of automotive lifestyle culture.”

With over 100M units sold, Need for Speed is the best-selling racing game franchise in the world and is known for delivering unparalleled white-knuckle racing, creative customization and street style. Last fall EA published Need for Speed SHIFT, the highest rated Need for Speed game in years, featuring an intense first-person crash dynamic and a signature cockpit view that delivers a true driver’s experience. Need for Speed World is a massively multiplayer online action racing game that is currently in the beta process and will be available this summer on the PC.

For more information on Team Need for Speed visit needforspeed.com, become a fan at http://www.facebook.com/needforspeed or follow us on Twitter at NeedforSpeed. Press can download assets at http://info.ea.com.