For those attending the annual SEMA tradeshow next week in Las Vegas, Formula DRIFT will hold a press conference to announce news items pertaining to the Series.
If you are a member of the media and would like to attend this press conference please RSVP to [email protected]. One on one interviews can be scheduled including co-founders Jim Liaw and Ryan Sage and the 2011 Formula DRIFT champion Daijiro Yoshihara.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdBfCSdX8-8[/youtube]
Race for your life in the Need for Speed The Run Demo. You start in the Desert Hills of Nevada where you find yourself at the heart of the pack. Battle the unforgiving desert heat and technically demanding terrain as you use your skills to fight your way to the front of the pack in the Lamborghini Gallardo LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni. Once past the desert, you face a treacherous shortcut in Independence Pass. But the clock is ticking, a mountain is crumbing in front of you and a rival is one step ahead. Be one of the first to experience what it’s like to be behind the wheel of the 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera S.
Press Release
October 19th 2011, Howell, New Jersey.
For Immediate Release
Eric O’Sullivan to embark on Autoweek American Adventure.
On October 26th Gardella Racing driver, Eric O’Sullivan, will cross the starting line of the 2012 Autoweek American Adventure in Seattle. The Autoweek American Adventure is a 6 day treasure hunt and race-track based rally starting in Seattle, Washinton and finishing at a live press conference during the SEMA Convention, Las Vegas.
Competing alongside team mate Steve Vander Griend of ICM, Inc., the team will spend 6 days traveling throughout diverse American countryside following clues, accepting track based challenges and completing missions.
Competing for daily prize keys, at the SEMA finish line each key holder will be invited on stage and given the chance to start the grand prize, a 2011 MOPAR Dodge Charger.
Speaking about the event, Eric O’Sullivan was looking forward to making his way to Seattle and embarking on the adventure. “Everything about this whole event sounds fantastic” explained O’Sullivan. “It’s going to be a lot of fun navigating our way through 6 days of clues and countryside, and the track based challenges will really mix things up. I’m looking forward to the fun and relaxed atmosphere of the event, but make no mistake, Steve & I will be pushing for those daily keys so that we are the ones driving out of the SEMA convention behind the wheel of the MOPAR Charger!”
Steve Vander Griend from ICM, who will be driving with Eric, has spent the last few years collecting data from various sources that center on ethanol as a fuel. Recently, ICM conducted testing at a facility in Detroit that also gained support of two OEM’s in which ethanol was simply added. When asked about the AutoWeek American Adventure Rally, Steve said “I am looking forward to the challenge and thrill of this rally. This will be a great opportunity to not only promote and educate about ethanol but to learn more about a group of auto enthusiasts that appreciate vehicle and fuel performance on the road.”
The car chosen for this event is a 2006 Dodge Daytona Charger, a vehicle which was the first of several vehicles Flex Fuel US certified with the EPA for being a FFV. This car not only handles very well, it performs even better when ethanol is in the tank.
Progress of the Autoweek American Adventure can be followed online via http://www.theamericaadventure.com/ or by following Eric O’Sullivan on Twitter @ericosullivan.
Team Falken’s ‘Dai’ Yoshihara Crowned 2011 Formula Drift Champion
At the final event of the Formula Drift season, Team Falken veteran Daijiro “Dai” Yoshihara, driving the Discount Tire/Falken Tire Nissan 240SX, took his first championship in the Formula Drift series, completing a year which saw either his name or that of his teammate, Justin Pawlak, consistently atop the leader board. Pawlak took second in the championship.
Falken’s Tyler McQuarrie successfully attacked the competition at the “Title Fight” and earned the final win of the season, the fifth victory out of seven for Team Falken in 2011. As a result, McQuarrie moved up to finish sixth in the standings. Teammates Darren McNamara took fourth overall, while defending Formula Drift Champion Vaughn Gittin Jr. placed 11th.
The final round of the series concluded the most successful season in Formula Drift history. The sold-out crowd eclipsed attendance records for Toyota Speedway at Irwindale, known as “the House of Drift,” and is now the largest event in the history of this sport. While Falken held onto the top two spots in the championship, a small gap in points separated the top five competitors. The 2011 season turned out to be the closest and most competitive chase for the championship in the history of Formula Drift. In addition to winning the title, Yoshihara also won the Tires.com Triple Crown, marking the first time in the series that a Discount Tire driver took home this award.
On hand to witness this event within Falken’s hospitality were 465 dealers and retailers, including special guests from Ford Racing, Discount Tire, Monster Energy and Sears Auto Center. In addition, Falken hosted a limited-edition T-shirt giveaway promotion through Facebook.
SOURCE: SEMA
Be sure to tune in to MotoIQ Radio tonight at 7pm PST/10pm EST. Justin Banner will be back riding shotgun on this drift show. As of right now, Tyler McQuarrie, winner of the event, Vaughn Gittin JR, 2010 champion, Jim Liaw, Co-founder of Formula Drift and Jarod DeAnda, the voice of drifting will all be on the show!
CLICK HERE to listen live at 7pm PST/10pm EST!
