Category: FD News

Long Beach Local Kyle Mohan and Rookie of the Year Aurimas Bakchis Take Team DRIFT Victory

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Long Beach, Calif. – April 15, 2012 – Formula DRIFT’s Team DRIFT competition during the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach concluded today with a victory from the team consisting of Long Beach native Kyle Mohan and the 2011 Rookie of the Year, Aurimas “Odi” Bakchis.

14 drivers paired up over the weekend to compete in front of thousands of spectators during the annual Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. Judged on tandem execution and style the teams put on a show through the entire street course. Guest judges Andy Yen (Formula DRIFT lead judge), 2011 Formula DRIFT champion, Daijiro Yoshihara and 2-time champion Tanner Foust awarded the win to Mohan and Bakchis. Coming in second place was the team of Taka Aono and Cyrus Martinez. Rounding out the podium with a third place team finish was the pairing of Walker Wilkerson and Dennis Mertzanis.

The Formula DRIFT Pro Championship continues with Round 2: Road to the Championship at Road Atlanta on May 11,12, 2012.

Formula Team DRIFT Competition at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach

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Formula DRIFT will be participating once again at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. The main competition will take place on Sunday, April 15 at 3:40 PM following the IZOD Indycar race.

The teams will be judged on style, execution and overall crowd reaction. Teams of 2 cars will wow the crowds while drifting the entire Grand Prix street course. Guest judges include Andy Yen (FD head judge), the 2011 champion Dai Yoshihara and 2-time champion Tanner Foust.

Drivers participating include:

Cyrus Martinez
Jeff Jones
Mauricio Ornelas
Taka Aono
Mike Essa
Joon Maeng
Odi Bakchis
Kyle Mohan
Tony Brakohiapa
Pat Mordaunt
Ryan Bell
Walker Wilkerson
Dennis Mertzanis
Enrique Mendoza

illest™ Announces Partnership with 2011 Formula DRIFT Champion, Dai Yoshihara for the 2012 Formula DRIFT Season

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LOS ANGELES, CA (April 13, 2012) – illest™ Clothing, one of the most sought after lifestyle brands, continues its commitment to innovative collaborations through the partnership with reigning Formula DRIFT Champion Dai Yoshihara.

illest and Yoshihara will unite to release a custom co-branded apparel and accessories line. The partnership brings together a leading lifestyle & fashion brand and an iconoclastic driver awarded “Best Style” in Formula DRIFT.

“We sponsor top athletes in many fields under the illest brand”, said Felix Marcelino, illest Director of Operations. “We are really excited to have the 2011 Formula D Champion, Dai Yoshihara, represent the illest brand and the brand’s progression into the motorsports arena.”

The iconic illest logo will be featured on Yoshihara’s signature Nissan 240SX throughout the 2012 season as he defends his Formula DRIFT Championship title. Yoshihara, one of the only drivers to be sponsored by a leading fashion brand, will also represent illest on his custom racing suit and visor.

“Fashion is very important to me, so opportunity to partner with a leading brand like illest is amazing,” said Yoshihara. “illest has a great sense of what Formula D is all about and the design process was a lot of fun for me. I can’t wait for everyone to check out the line”.

illest has set the standard in fashion and cultural partnership, recently collaborating with G-Shock, Beats by Dre, Crooks & Castle, and DTA.

The Dai Yoshihara line made its debut at Formula DRIFT Round 1: Streets of Long Beach on April 6-7, 2012. The apparel is available exclusively in the Fatlace Emporium. For more information visit: www.daiyoshihara.com and www.illest.com.

Replay XD To Sponsor Formula DRIFT Team DRIFT Competition during the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach

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Long Beach, Calif. – April 12, 2012 – Formula DRIFT announced today that Replay XD will sponsor and support this weekend’s Team DRIFT competition at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach from April 13-15.

Replay XD and Formula DRIFT have teamed up to undertake a huge video production by mounting multiple Replay XD camera’s to all 14 of the Team DRIFT vehicles and film all the action on and off the track for an online video release to come after the event. Replay XD will become the exclusive POV camera for the Team DRIFT event and also be branded on each vehicle.

“We are excited that Replay XD has seen the opportunity to partner with us on the Team DRIFT event,” said Ryan Sage, vice president and co-founder of Formula DRIFT. “This event is always a fun weekend for Formula DRIFT and the participating drivers, but now this partnership will allow fans to see how amazing 14 drift cars unleashed on the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach Street Course can be. Fans will be able to see every initiation and all door to door drifting from every single driver’s point of view.”

“We’re all racers and enthusiasts here at Replay XD, and drifting has really pushed the envelope of what is possible in a car. We’ve been long time supporters of grassroots drifting, and are excited to take the next step by working with Formula DRIFT,” said Replay XD President, John Spar. “Having a chance to use our XD1080 to bring a first-hand, HD experience of team drifting on the streets of Long Beach to Formula DRIFT fans and drifting fans everywhere is quite an honor.”

The Formula DRIFT Team DRIFT Challenge will take place on Friday, April 13 at 9:35 AM, Saturday, April 14 at 8:55 AM and the main competition will be held on Sunday, April 15 at 3:40 PM during the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach event.