Category: Press Releases

Formula DRIFT and the Irwindale Event Center Announce Thursday Drift Nights

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Formula DRIFT and the Irwindale Event Center Announce Thursday Drift Nights; Events to Begin June 12 at Irwindale Speedway

The on-track sessions will consist of various drifting courses for drivers of all skill level to learn the techniques of drifting in a safe environment under the supervision of Formula DRIFT officials. There will be three different courses that are created based on experience, with each course progressively more difficult and faster than the previous with the final course being the full Formula DRIFT course that the Series uses during their annual season finale at Irwindale Speedway.

This will be a rare occasion that non-professional and licensed drivers will be able drift on the infamous course at the, “House of Drift.” The events will be open to all drivers and their vehicles that meet basic safety specifications. Registration will take place on the day of each event beginning at 2pm at the venue, which will then be followed by a technical inspection on-site. Registration cost is $100 per entrant. Event hours are slated for 5pm to 9pm.

“The event will not only caters to amateurs, but also to the professional teams that would like to test and tune their competition vehicles,” says Jim Liaw, president and co-founder of Formula DRIFT. “Drivers of all skill levels will be able to interact with each other and amateurs will be able to receive valuable tips from the pros. We are excited to give the drivers some additional practice time at a place like Irwindale Speedway.”

The Formula DRIFT Thursday night sessions will be open to the public. Admission to the track’s grandstands will cost $10 including free parking and access to both drift and drag. Gates will open at 4:00 PM with the event ending at 9:30 PM. The event will begin on June 12 and continue on the following Thursday dates: July 24, August 14, September 25, November 13 and December 18.

“There have been so many drivers and fans who have asked about setting up a series of sessions like this,” said Jim Cohan, CEO of Irwindale Speedway. “These unique Thursday night sessions here at Irwindale Speedway are going to answer a need that we’ve been hearing about for a long time.”

Formula DRIFT Round 2: Road to the Championship Results

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Formula DRIFT Round 2: Road to the Championship Results;
Vaughn Gittin Takes the Victory

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Long Beach, Calif. – May 10, 2014 – Formula DRIFT presented by GoPro entered Road Atlanta for Round 2: Road to the Championship. Vaughn Gittin in the Monster Energy / Nitto Ford Mustang takes the victory moving him into second place in the championship standings.

Round 2: Road to the Championship marked the eleventh visit to Road Atlanta. The thousands of fans in attendance witnessed an action packed event weekend.

“It’s wonderful to see the growth in attendance each year at Road Atlanta, where we held our first Formula DRIFT event eleven years ago,” says Jim Liaw, President of Formula DRIFT. “The fans of the South are so passionate for the sport and we love coming to this venue.”

Vaughn Gittin fought his way to the top of the podium through tough competition to take his first victory of the season and move into second place in the point standings. Gittin matched up against Fredric Aasbo in the Hankook Tire Scion Racing tC in the finals. After a tightly fought battle Gittin was awarded the win. Chris Forsberg in the Hankook Tire Nissan 370Z rounded out the podium in third place to remain in first place in the championship.

“Tonight my team and I were truly one. We communicated and worked super hard,” said Vaughn Gittin, winner of Round 2: Road to the Championship. “These were some of the most hard fought battles that I remember ever having and it says a lot about our sport, where we are going and what we are doing. And I’m just super proud to be standing on the top step.”

The 2014 Formula DRIFT season continues with Round 3 on May 30-31 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Formula DRIFT Announces Details on Canadian Events

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Formula DRIFT Announces Details on Canadian Events;
Autodrome St-Eustache Speedway in Quebec, Canada to Host

Long Beach, Calif. – May 6, 2014 – Formula DRIFT has announced information regarding Formula DRIFT Canada which will be composed of two events; Formula DRIFT Qualifier and Formula DRIFT Challenge at Autodrome St-Eustache located just outside Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

The Formula DRIFT Qualifier will be held on June 8, 2014 at the Autodrome St-Eustache in Quebec, Canada. The goal of the Formula DRIFT Qualifier is to see which non-Formula DRIFT licensed driver will have the chance to compete against some of the best drifters in the world. The top 8 placed drifters and 2 wild cards chosen by the event promoters will be invited to compete at the Formula DRIFT Challenge on Labor Day weekend. Tickets will start at $25 and can be purchased online or at the gate. The event will feature a vendor village and car show.

“The Autodrome St-Eustache, commonly referred to as the Canadian House of Drift, is extremely honored to have been chosen by the world’s leading Professional Drift Series, “ stated Alan Labrosse, owner of Autodrome St-Eustache. “As exclusive host to the inaugural Formula DRIFT Invitational Competition to take place in Canada, we continue to show our commitment to the evolution of the sport of drifting in this country. Competitors, fans, and sponsors from across Canada and the USA will have the opportunity to be a part of history and enjoy the excitement of world class professional drifting.”

The Formula DRIFT Challenge will be held on August 31 – September 1 at the same venue. For the first time ever Formula DRIFT drivers will be stepping foot on Canadian soil to compete in a top 16 competition against the best Canadian drifters. Tickets will start at $20 for on-site Sunday entry, while Monday’s on-site price will be $35. Tickets for both days will be $50 at the gate and $40 online for the weekend pass. The event will feature a vendor village, skateboard demo, and Offset Kings car show.

“To be able to bring Formula DRIFT to the Autodrome St-Eustache, Québec’s most popular motorsports venue, during their 50th anniversary is a great milestone for us,” said Jim Liaw, president and co-founder of Formula DRIFT. “Canada has a great drifting culture and to be able to help grow the sport in this region is a major accomplishment.”

More information can be found on www.formuladriftcanada.com and www.facebook.com/formuladriftcanada.

Formula DRIFT Releases Comprehensive Fan Study

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Long Beach, Calif. – April 24, 2014 – Formula DRIFT has released a comprehensive fan study compiled from thousands of live event attendees from each round of the 2013 season. The study reveals that Formula DRIFT fans are nearly exclusive to the Series and a majority of fans have watched the online live stream.

The report was produced by surveying thousands of Formula DRIFT live event attendees over the course of the 2013 season. The study has found that nearly 50% of Formula DRIFT fans did not attend at least one other major league sports or major motorsports event in 2013 showing the exclusivity of the audience. The closest sport that had a quantifiable overlap was Major League Baseball at 16.62%, while the closest motor sport was Supercross at 12.73%.  Another finding shows that over 80% of Formula DRIFT fans have watched the “Driftstream,” in 2013.  The full report can be seen below.

“This study clearly demonstrated what we have thought all along about our audience,” says Jim Liaw, president and co-founder of Formula DRIFT. “These are not just average event goers. The event attendees of Formula DRIFT are exclusive to the brand, not only in terms of general events, but more importantly, our fans are highly preferential to us in the realm of motor sports. Further, when not attending a Formula DRIFT event, the fans follow the brand by watching our live stream. These statistics infer a highly engaged, highly exclusive fan.”

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Motegi Racing Super Drift Challenge Results

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Motegi Racing Super Drift Challenge Results;
Daigo Saito Takes the Victory

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Long Beach, Calif. – April 12, 2014 – Formula DRIFT hosted the Motegi Racing Super Drift Challenge during the 40th annual Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. Daigo Saito in the Achilles Radial Lexus SC430 takes the victory.

The Motegi Racing Super Drift Challenge for the second consecutive year brought motorsports action under the lights during the annual Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach with a filled capacity within Turns 9, 10, and 11 of the famous street course. Sixteen of the top Formula DRIFT drivers competed for a $25,000 prize purse. Eight vehicle manufacturers and seven tire companies were represented in the competition.

“It is an honor to be able to bring drifting to the masses during the 40th annual Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach,” stated Jim Liaw, president and co-founder of Formula DRIFT. “And to be able to showcase our sport for the second year in a row under the lights on the city streets is something special.”

The action under the lights along with ever changing track temperatures proved to be a test of driver skill. Number one qualifier, Forrest Wang in Get Nuts Lab / Hankook Tire Nissan S14 finishes in third place. Daigo Saito met teammate Kenny Moen in the Bridges Racing / Achilles Radial Nissan 240SX in the finals. Saito, the 2012 Formula DRIFT champion, was able to edge out Moen to take the victory. For the second consecutive weekend, Moen takes the second spot on the podium.

“Last weekend at Round 1 of Formula DRIFT was no good for me, but this week with a few modifications on the vehicle I was able to get the win,” said Daigo Saito, winner of the Motegi Super Drift Challenge. “I am happy with the win and look to continue the momentum into the next round.”