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Formula DRIFT Round 4 The Gauntlet Results

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Formula DRIFT Round 4 The Gauntlet Results;
Fredric Aasbo is Victorious

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Long Beach, Calif. – June 28, 2015 – Formula DRIFT presented by GoPro returned to Wall Speedway in Wall Township, New Jersey for Round 4: The Gauntlet. Fredric Aasbo in the Rockstar Energy Drink / Hankook Scion tC takes the victory and moves into third place in the standings.

Round 4: The Gauntlet saw challenging conditions due to the inclement weather. The varying dry and wet conditions on the track through the event created an additional element that the drivers had to overcome in order to advance through the rounds of competition. The action was competitive with many close battles. 300,000 fans tuned in through the event weekend on the Driftstream.

“As we approach the halfway point of the season we are in the tightest race for the championship with only 7 points separating the top three drivers,” said Jim Liaw, President of Formula DRIFT. “With only three events remaining in the season, the championship is still up for grabs. We expect the championship to come down to the wire in one of the most exciting seasons to date.”

The semi-finals saw Ryan Tuerck in the Retaks / Maxxis / Nameless Performance Scion FR-S battle it out against Dean Kearney in the Oracle Lighting / Achilles Motorsports Dodge Viper. Kearney edged out Tuerck to advance to the Finals. Fredric Aasbo faced off against Masashi Yokoi and after a close battle, Aasbo took the victory to face Kearney. Consistency in the wet condition proved to be the deciding factor for Aasbo as he was able to take his second consecutive victory at Wall Speedway moving into third place in the chase for the championship only 7 points behind the leader. Tuerck with his third place finish rises to the top of the standings by a mere point over Aurimas Bakchis in second place.

“What an amazing win! We are back in the hunt for the championship and I couldn’t be happier,” said Fredric Aasbo, winner of Round 4: The Gauntlet. “Big thanks to Rockstar Energy Drink, Scion Racing, and of course Hankook Tire on their home turf. I think we were able to prove our extreme prowess in the rain.”

The 2015 Formula DRIFT season will continue to Round 5: Throwdown on July 24-25, 2015 at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, WA. For more information visit: www.formuladrift.com and find Formula DRIFT on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Tune into Formula DRIFT on CBS Sports and check your local listings for airtimes.

Round 4: The Gauntlet Event Results

1. Aasbo, Fredric Rockstar Energy Drink / Hankook Scion tC Winner
2. Kearney, Dean Oracle Lighting / Achilles Motorsports Dodge Viper 2nd Place
3. Tuerck, Ryan Ryan Tuerck Racing / Retaks / Maxxis Scion FR-S 3rd Place
4. Yokoi, Masashi D-Max Nissan S15 4th Place
5. Gushi, Ken GReddy Racing / Hankook Tire Scion Racing FR-S 5th Place
6. Denofa, Chelsea BC Racing Chelsea DeNofa Motorsports GT Radial BMW 6th Place
7. Bakchis, Aurimas Feal Suspension / ARK Performance / Nitto Nissan 240SX 7th Place
8. Wang, Forrest Get Nuts Lab Nissan S15 8th Place
9. Pawlak, Justin Roush Performance / Car Crafters Ford Mustang 9th Place
10. Goodin, Pat Enjuku Racing / Falken Tire Nissan S13 10th Place
11. Moen, Kenny Bridges Racing / Achilles / Gatebil Nissan S14 11th Place
12. Forsberg, Chris NOS Energy Drink / Hankook Tire Nissan 370Z 12th Place
13. Mordaunt, Pat DriftPaddock.com / Falken Tire Nissan 350Z 13th Place
14. Castro, Jhonnattan E3 / Hankook / Progreso Nissan 370Z 14th Place
15. Field, Matt CX Racing / Yokohama Nissan S14 15th Place
16. Saito, Daigo Achilles Radial Nissan GT-R 16th Place
2015 Formula DRIFT Championship Presented by GoPro Top 3 Standings After Four Rounds
1. Tuerck, Ryan Ryan Tuerck Racing / Retaks / Maxxis Scion FR-S 275.00 Points
2. Aurimas “Odi” Bakchis Feal Suspension / ARK Performance / Nitto Nissan 240SX 274.00 Points
3. Aasbo, Fredric Rockstar Energy Drink / Hankook Scion tC 268.00 Points

Manufacturers Championship Standings After Four Rounds

1. Scion 644.00 Points
2. Nissan 331.00 Points
3. Ford 290.00 Points
4. Chevrolet 215.00 Points
5. Dodge 152.00 Points
6. Mazda 143.00 Points
7. Infiniti 140.00 Points
8. Toyota 105.00 Points
9. BMW 104.00 Points

Tire Championship Standings After Four Rounds

1. Hankook 610.00 Points
2. Nitto 432.00 Points
3. Achilles 390.00 Points
4. Maxxis 360.00 Points
4. Yokohama 360.00 Points
6. Falken 351.00 Points
7. GT Radial 213.00 Points

Updated Formula DRIFT Round 3: Unchartered Territory Results

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Formula DRIFT Round 3: Unchartered Territory Results;
Ryan Tuerck Takes the Victory

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Long Beach, Calif. – June 6, 2015 – Formula DRIFT presented by GoPro entered Orlando Speed World for the first time for Round 3: Unchartered Territory. Ryan Tuerck in the Retaks / Maxxis Scion FR-S takes the event victory and moves into second place in the standings.

Round 3: Unchartered Territory lived up to its moniker as the Series entered Orlando Speed World for the first time. 637,000 viewers tuned into the Driftstream during the weekend and were not disappointed. Despite the inclement weather, the action on track was very competitive. The new track would prove to be challenging even for the most seasoned of veterans.

“We were happily surprised with the at capacity crowd attendance for our first time at Orlando Speed World,” says Jim Liaw, President of Formula DRIFT. “Florida has always been a key demographic for the Series and now I think we have found a sweet spot in Central Florida.”

The event was full of upsets and surprises. The semi-finals was a rematch from the last event with defending champion, Chris Forsberg in the NOS Energy Drink / Hankook Tire Nissan 370Z and Ken Gushi in the GReddy Racing / Hankook Tire Scion Racing FR-S going head to head. On Forsberg’s lead run contact was made that was ruled to be Gushi’s fault giving him a zero. During the same run, but unrelated to the cars’ contact, Forsberg’s vehicle caught on fire which forced Forsberg to utilize his fire suppression system. That then led to his car being non-operational from that point forward. Forsberg was awarded the win over Gushi and was set to meet Tuerck in the Finals, but unable to continue through the competition due to the complications with his car, Forsberg was forced to bow out giving Tuerck the victory to move him into second place in the standings. Gushi moves up to fourth place and Forsberg into third place overall while securing both their second consecutive podium finishes.

“The weekend had its ups and downs. We barely moved on in the Top 32 and then moved on against Yokoi when his car caught on fire. The only battle we then had was in the semi-finals against Matt Field. Then against Forsberg’s car caught on fire and he couldn’t continue and I got the win on a technicality,” said Ryan Tuerck, winner of Round 3: Unchartered Territory. “A wins a win. Thanks to my team they worked hard regardless and it feels good to secure a little bit of a points gap.”

The 2015 Formula DRIFT season will continue to Round 4: The Gauntlet on June 26-27 at Wall Speedway in New Jersey. For more information visit: www.formuladrift.com and find Formula DRIFT on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Tune into Formula DRIFT on CBS Sports and check your local listings for airtimes.

Round 3: Unchartered Territory Event Results
1. Tuerck, Ryan Ryan Tuerck Racing / Retaks / Maxxis Scion FR-S Winner
2. Forsberg, Chris NOS Energy Drink / Hankook Tire Nissan 370Z 2nd Place
3. Gushi, Ken GReddy Racing / Hankook Tire Scion Racing FR-S 3rd Place
4. Field, Matt CX Racing / Yokohama Tire Nissan S14 4th Place
5. Mordaunt, Pat DriftPaddock.com / Falken Tire Nissan 350Z 5th Place
6. Gittin, Vaughn Monster Energy / Nitto Tire Ford Mustang RTR 6th Place
7. Yokoi, Masashi D-Max Nissan S15 7th Place
8. Hohnadell, Alec 11 Racing Nissan S14 8th Place
9. McQuarrie, Tyler GoPro / Mobil 1 Chevrolet Camaro 9th Place
10. Bakchis, Aurimas Feal Suspension / ARK Performance / Nitto Nissan 240SX 10th Place
11. Whiddett, Mike Red Bull Mazda MX-5 11th Place
12. Nishida, Robbie Achilles Radial Infiniti G37S 12th Place
13. Evans, James SIKKY Racing Nissan 350Z 13th Place
14. Moen, Kenny Bridges Racing / Achilles / Gatebil Nissan S14 14th Place
15. Kearney, Dean Oracle Lighting / Achilles Motorsports Dodge Viper 15th Place
16. Castro, Jhonnattan E3 / Hankook / Progreso Nissan 370Z 16th Place
2015 Formula DRIFT Championship Presented by GoPro Top 3 Standings After Three Events
1. Bakchis, Aurimas Feal Suspension / ARK Performance / Nitto Nissan 240SX 223.00 Points
2. Tuerck, Ryan Ryan Tuerck Racing / Retaks / Maxxis Scion FR-S 208.00 Points
3. Forsberg, Chris NOS Energy Drink / Hankook Tire Nissan 370Z 189.00 Points
Manufacturers Championship Standings After Three Rounds
1. Scion 471.00 Points
2. Nissan 261.00 Points
3. Ford 234.00 Points
4. Chevrolet 179.00 Points
5. Mazda 125.00 Points
6. Toyota 87.00 Points
7. Infiniti 85.00 Points
8. Dodge 70.00 Points
9. BMW 52.00 Points
Tire Championship Standings After Three Rounds
1. Hankook 449.00 Points
2. Nitto 362.00 Points
3. Maxxis 188.00 Points
4. Falken 278.00 Points
5. Achilles 272.00 Points
6. Yokohama 259.00 Points
7. GT Radial 143.00 Points

Formula DRIFT PRO 2 Orlando Speed World Results

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Formula DRIFT PRO 2 Orlando Speed World Results;
Alex Heilbrunn Takes the Victory

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Long Beach, Calif. – June 5, 2015 – Formula DRIFT PRO 2 began the season at Orlando Speed World with the first of four rounds of competition. Alex Heilbrunn in the IMR BMW 3-Series takes the victory and the lead in the standings.

PRO 2 kicked off the season with the first event at Orlando Speed World. This marks the first PRO 2 event to be held at the venue.

“In its second year, PRO 2 has proven to be a great way for drivers to get acclimated to the tracks and the level of competition,” says Jim Liaw, President of Formula DRIFT. “Alex Heilbrunn is a great example of an international driver, hailing from Lima, Peru, who made his way through the Pro-AM Series and now has found success in PRO 2.”

Heilbrunn met Andy Gray in the DriftEbisu.com / Achilles Tire Toyota Chaser, a regular of Formula DRIFT Japan, in the Finals. Heilbrunn remained consistent throughout the night and out drove his opponents to gain his first victory in Formula DRIFT PRO 2 and gain the lead in the standings in the first of four events for the season. Rounding out the podium was Jeff Jones in third place in the DNA Motoring Nissan S14.

“We are super excited to be here at Formula DRIFT PRO 2 for the first time,” said Alex Heilbrunn, winner of Round 1 of 4 events of PRO 2 Championship. “We qualified first and got the win, so it was a perfect weekend for me. I want to thank my team and everyone that made it possible.”

The 2015 Formula DRIFT season will continue to Round 4: The Gauntlet on June 26-27 at Wall Speedway in New Jersey. For more information visit: www.formuladrift.com and find Formula DRIFT on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Tune into Formula DRIFT on CBS Sports and check your local listings for airtimes.

 

PRO 2 – Round 1 of 4 – Orlando Speed World Event Results
1. Heilbrunn, Alex IMR BMW 3-Series Winner
2. Gray, Andy DriftEbisu.com / Achilles Tire Toyota Chaser 2nd Place
3. Jones, Jeff DNA Motoring Nissan S15 3rd Place
4. Briggs, Dave Briggs Racing Nissan S14 4th Place
5. Wolfson, Jeff Scion FR-S 5th Place
6. Wicknick, Brandon Chase Bays / RUN2JZ Nissan S13 6th Place
7. Patterson, Brandon Damascus Apparel Nissan S14 7th Place
8. Rintanen, Juha Nissan S14 8th Place
9. Evans, James Sikky Racing Nissan 350Z 9th Place
10. Lawrence, Kevin Nissan S13 10th Place
11. Cleef, Tommy Van Van Cleef Motorsports Toyota Supra 11th Place
12. Goble, Brody Indy Speed Shop V8 Nissan 240SX 12th Place
13. Hull, Taylor Nissan S14 13th Place
14. Kugay, Faruk Nissan S14 14th Place
15. Litteral, Ryan Nissan S14 15th Place
16. Rowlings, Kelsey Nissan S14 16th Place
 

2015 Formula DRIFT PRO 2 Top 3 Standings After One Event
1. Heilbrunn, Alex IMR BMW 3-Series 107.00 Points
2. Gray, Andy DriftEbisu.com / Achilles Tire Toyota Chaser 83.00 Points
3. Jones, Jeff DNA Motoring Nissan S15 67.00 Points

Formula DRIFT Round 2: Road to the Championship Results

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Formula DRIFT Round 2: Road to the Championship Results;
Aurimas “Odi” Bakchis Takes His First Victory Moves into First Place in the Standings

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Long Beach, Calif. – May 9, 2015 – Formula DRIFT presented by GoPro returned to Road Atlanta for Round 2: Road to the Championship. Aurimas “Odi” Bakchis in the Feal Suspension / ARK Performance / Nitto Tire Nissan 240 SX takes the victory for his first Formula DRIFT win of his career and rises to the top of the standings.

Round 2: Road to the Championship was a night of upsets as the top qualifiers failed to move past the early rounds of the competition. The action packed event provided the fans with a competitive atmosphere that kept them on their feet throughout the night. 240,000 fans tuned in to watch the competition unfold on the Livestream broadcast during the event weekend.

“This season thus far has been very competitive,” says Jim Liaw, President of Formula DRIFT. “The competition is as tough as ever as can be proven by all the upsets tonight. It will be exciting to watch how the season unfolds especially as we head into a brand new venue at Orlando Speedworld for the next round.”

The semi-finals were a challenge for both defending champion, Chris Forsberg in the NOS Energy Drink / Hankook Tire Nissan 370Z and Ken Gushi in the GReddy Racing / Hankook Tire Scion Racing FR-S as their battles were too close to determine a definitive winner by the judges, leading to multiple one more time battles. During their third battle, Gushi edged out Forsberg with his close proximity on his chase run giving him the win, while Forsberg inches his way up the rankings to third place. The Finals pitted Gushi and Bakchis. Bakchis’ speed was too much for Gushi as he took an early lead in his lead run, which lead to his first Formula DRIFT victory and moves him into first place in the standings. Gushi found the podium for the first time since the 2009 season and moves into fifth place overall. “It feels great to get my first win,” said Aurimas Bakchis, winner of Round 2: Road to the Championship. “Road Atlanta is my favorite venue and I’m super stoked to continue the momentum I set in Long Beach. Currently sitting in first for the Championship and it feels amazing!”

The 2015 Formula DRIFT season will continue to Round 3: Uncharted Territory on June 5-6 and for the first time be held at Orlando Speedworld. For more information visit: www.formuladrift.com and find Formula DRIFT on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Round 2: Road to the Championship Event Results
1. Bakchis, Aurimas Feal Suspension / ARK Performance / Nitto Nissan 240SX Winner
2. Gushi, Ken GReddy Racing / Hankook Tire Scion Racing FR-S 2nd Place
3. Forsberg, Chris NOS Energy Drink / Hankook Tire Nissan 370Z 3rd Place
4. Wang, Forrest Get Nuts Lab Nissan S15 4th Place
5. Moen, Kenny Bridges Racing / Achilles / Gatebil Nissan S14 5th Place
6. Ng, Charles Maxxis / Sparkplugs.com Infiniti G37 6th Place
7. Goodin, Pat Enjuku Racing / Falken Tire Nissan S13 7th Place
8. Stoneback, Geoff Geoff Stoneback Racing Nissan S14 8th Place
9. Pawlak, Justin Roush Performance Car Crafters Ford Mustang 9th Place
10. Aasbo, Fredric Rockstar Energy Drink / Hankook Tire Scion tC 10th Place
11. Grunewald, Conrad Always Evolving / Replay / GT Radial Chevy Camaro 11th Place
12. Gittin, Vaughn Monster Energy / Nitto Tire Ford Mustang RTR 12th Place
13. Whiddett, Mike Red Bull Mazda MX-5 13th Place
14. Tuerck, Ryan Ryan Tuerck Racing / Retaks / Maxxis Scion FR-S 14th Place
15. Hohnadell, Alec 11 Racing Nissan S14 15th Place
16. Yokoi, Masashi D-Max Nissan S15 16th Place

2015 Formula DRIFT Championship Presented by GoPro Top 3 Standings After Two Events
1. Bakchis, Aurimas Feal Suspension / ARK Performance / Nitto Nissan 240SX 187.00 Points
2. Aasbo, Fredric Rockstar Energy Drink / Hankook Tire Scion tC 143.00 Points
3. Forsberg, Chris NOS Energy Drink / Hankook Tire Nissan 370Z 106.00 Points

Manufacturers Championship Standings After Two Rounds
1. Scion 295.00 Points
2. Ford 163.00 Points
3. Nissan 143.00 Points
4. Chevrolet 125.00 Points
5. Toyota 87.00 Points
6. Infiniti 85.00 Points
7. Mazda 72.00 Points
8. Dodge 36.00 Points
9. BMW 34.00 Points

Tire Championship Standings After Two Rounds

1. Hankook 295.00 Points
2. Nitto 275.00 Points
3. Falken 190.00 Points
4. Maxxis 188.00 Points
5. Achilles 187.00 Points
6. Yokohama 139.00 Points
7. GT Radial 107.00 Points

Jhonnattan Castro Signs E3 Spark Plugs as Co-Primary Sponsor for Formula Drift

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E3

Long Beach, CA (April 7th, 2015) – Jhonnattan Castro is proud to be officially announcing his Co-Primary Sponsorship with E3 Spark Plugs for the 2015 Formula Drift season.

Jhonnattan Castro, 31, from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, is a multi-winning Dominican Drift Champion and part of Chris Forsberg’s powerhouse Nissan 370Z team—and a major up-and-comer in the Formula Drift scene.

“I am very happy and thankful to have such a strong partnership with E3 Spark Plugs and to finally announce our relationship. They offer the best product on the marketplace and their company values are at the highest levels,” said Jhonnattan Castro. “I’m honored that they see the value in me and my racing program and Formula Drift as a series—it shows how far we have really come. We are really looking forward to our future with E3 and are very eager and excited to compete for wins!”

“The demanding environment of the Formula Drift Series is the perfect fit for our patented DiamondFire design,” said Steve Joiner, Vice President of Sales/Marketing for E3 Spark Plugs. “We are thrilled to be involved with Jhonnattan Castro’s team.”

The deal was overseen and brokered by Motorsports Marketing Agency, Drive Motorsports International.

ABOUT E3 SPARK PLUGS
E3 Spark Plugs has long been known for the performance enhancements of its patented DiamondFire ground electrode, now incorporated into the company’s race line. E3 Spark Plugs is the official spark plug of NHRA, the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series, the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, the Lucas Oil Drag Boat Racing Series and the Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League. E3 spark plugs are available for most automotive, small-engine, and powersports applications at automotive and home-improvement retail stores nationwide. For more information and complete test results, log onto www.e3sparkplugs.com.

ABOUT JHONNATTAN CASTRO
For More Information on Jhonnattan Castro please visit him on www.jcastroracing.com, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.