Tag: Autoweek
Autoweek – Yoshihara wins big at Formula Drift Long Beach
Formula DRIFT Featured on Autoweek’s Vinsetta Garage
Join Courtney Hansen, the editors of Autoweek, and a whole lot of passionate car guys as they bring you unparalleled access to the automotive lifestyle. The show is set to premier on 1/17 on the Velocity channel at 8:30pm EST.
During their ‘Competition’ episode, Rhys Millen buckles up with Courtney and gives her an insider’s look at competition. Plus, they take to the track and watch Millen put some horses through their courses while Courtney holds on for dear life. Also, the competition gets heated between two rival auto execs.
For more info and updates, be sure to follow Autoweek’s Vinsetta Garage across the web.
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Eric O’Sullivan to compete in AutoWeek America Adventure
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.
Autoweek Article on Formula DRIFT from SEMA
SEMA Show: Formula Drift stays course
by Mark Vaughn
Like many enterprises, making a living sliding cars sideways around racetracks was not easy in 2009. But . . .
“We survived,” said Formula Drift president and cofounder Jim Liaw, speaking at SEMA of his series’ 2009 season. “Sponsorship amounts were down, but we had an increase in ticket sales and an increase in fan support.”
For next year, Formula Drift will return to the same seven tracks it ran in 2009, and there will be a separate Asian series. There also will be 32-car brackets, which Liaw says will be exciting for fans and challenging for teams, “pushing the limits of car reliabiltiy and driver stamina.”
Some new cars will be on the grid, including a BMW M3, at least one new Camaro and the Dynamic Autosports Team Skyline GT-R R35.
Liaw also is looking at online branding and TV exposure.
“It helps us analyze what we’re doing and where we’re going,” he said. “Our Twitter, MySpace and Facebook pages are constantly being updated. Our fans are young, motivated and have disposable income. And we use different products and methods to create new series value and exposure.”
For instance, last year, there were 2.5 billion impressions, or instances where a fan saw a Formula D car or driver in the media.
Liaw said that “2.5 billion impressions for a little series like ours is pretty good. That trickles down to everybody, especially the teams.”
Formula Drift will continue to be shown on the Versus network, the same channel that carries NHL and college football games and the IndyCar series, not to mention the pro bull-riding tour.
“Drifting is a viable sport and a viable investment,” said Liaw. “Maybe Formula Drift is the best bang for the buck in sports.”
For more information, see www.formulad.com.
Read more: http://www.autoweek.com/article/20091105/SEMA/911059996#ixzz0W6v0mBRB
