Tag: Dai Yoshihara

Formula DRIFT Round 8: O’Reilly Auto Parts “Title Fight” Results

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Formula DRIFT Round 8: O’Reilly Auto Parts “Title Fight” Results;

Piotr Wiecek Takes the Event Victory and James Deane is Crowned Champion

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Long Beach, Calif. – October 14, 2017 – Formula DRIFT Black Magic Pro Championship presented by BlackVue Dash Cameras returned to Irwindale Speedway for Round 8: O’Reilly Auto Parts “Title Fight”. Piotr Wiecek in the Worthhouse / Falken Tire Nissan 240 takes home his first Formula DRIFT victory and clinches Rookie of the Year honors, while his teammate James Deane in the Worthhouse / Falken Tire Nissan 240 clinches his first Formula DRIFT Championship.

Deane completed an impressive season with four event victories and a third place finish at tonight’s finale to secure the championship. His sponsor Falken Tire swept the podium and won the Tire Manufacturer championship for their second consecutive time. Toyota wins their fourth consecutive Manufacturer championship.

“It’s been such an intense weekend at the biggest event I’ve ever competed in with the championship on the line at one of the craziest tracks I’ve ever driven,” said James Deane, 2017 Formula DRIFT champion. “It is also my birthday today so there was just so many emotions and with so many fans coming in from Ireland and Poland, I just wanted to put on a good show. It’s just been a dream season.”

The sold out crowd came for one last Formula DRIFT finale at Irwindale Speedway, which is often referred as the birthplace of US drifting. The Livestream drew over 1 millionviews over the course of the event.

“This was an incredible season that saw the rise of two exceptional international drivers. It’s a testament of the talent in the Series having the best drifters in the world choosing Formula DRIFT to compete,” said Jim Liaw, President of Formula DRIFT. “We look forward to our 15th season and have some exciting things planned for next year.”

In the Top 4, Vaughn Gittin in the Monster Energy / Nitto Tire Ford Mustang RTR faced off against Daijiro Yoshihara in the Falken Tire / Turn 14 Distribution Subaru BRZ. In his chase run, Gittin made contact with the wall giving the win to Yoshihara to move him into the Finals. While in the Great 8, Deane and Aurimas Bakchis, made contact, which Bakchis was deemed at fault. Deane failed to get his car fixed in the allotted time giving his Worthouse teammate the win to put him into the Finals. In the Finals, Yoshihara and Wiecek had a very close battle, but the speed and proximity of Wiecek was too much to overcome. Wiecek takes his first Formula DRIFT victory and secured his Rookie of the Year honors

“I feel amazing,” said Piotr Wiecek, winner of Round 8: Title Fight. “It’s such a great atmosphere and such a great sport. I’d like to thank my whole crew and teammate James. What an unbelievable season.”

For more information visit, www.formulad.com and find Formula DRIFT on Instagram @formulad, Facebook www.facebook.com/formuladrift, Twitter @FormulaDrift, and Snapchat – formula_drift. Tune into Formula DRIFT on CBS Sports and check your local listings for airtimes.

Round 8: O’Reilly Auto Parts “Title Fight”

1. Wiecek, Piotr

Worthouse Drift Team / Falken Tire Nissan S15

Winner

2. Yoshihara, Dai

Falken Tire / Turn 14 Distribution Subaru BRZ

2nd Place

3. Deane, James

Worthouse Drift Team / Falken Tire Nissan S15

3rd Place

4. Gittin, Vaughn

Monster Energy / Nitto Tire Ford Mustang RTR

4th Place

5. Aasbo, Fredric

Rockstar Energy / Nexen Tire Toyota Corolla iM

5th Place

6. Pawlak, Justin

Roush Performance Ford Mustang

6th Place

7. Bakchis, Aurimas “Odi”

Falken Tires / Drifz Wheels / ARK Performance Nissan 240SX

7th Place

8. Heilbrunn, Alec

Monster BMW E46

8th Place

9. Denofa, Chelsea

BC Racing / Nitto Tire Ford Mustang RTR

9th Place

10. Forsberg, Chris

NOS Energy Drink / Hankook Nissan 370Z

10th Place

11. Essa, Michael

Achilles Tire / Essa Autosport BMW E46

11th Place

12. Field, Matt

Falken Tire / Vapetasia / ARK Performance Nissan 240SX

12th Place

13. Hohnadell, Alec

Urban Air / Hoonigan / Nexen Tire Nissan 240

13th Place

14. Bluss, Kristaps

HGK / Mast / Motul / Wisefab BMW E92

14th Place

15. Gushi, Ken

GReddy Racing / Nexen Tire Toyota 86

15th Place

16. Castro, Jhonnattan

Gerdau Metaldom / Nexen Toyota GT86

16th Place

2017 Formula DRIFT Black Magic Championship Presented by BlackVue Final Standings

1. Deane, James

Worthouse Drift Team / Falken Tire Nissan 240

651.00 Points

2. Aasbo, Fredric

Rockstar Energy / Nexen Tire Toyota Corolla iM

538.00 Points

3. Bakchis, Aurimas “Odi”

Falken Tires / Drifz Wheels / ARK Performance Nissan 240SX

418.00 Points

2017 Manufacturer Championship Final Standings

1. Toyota

923.00 Points

2. Ford

751.00 Points

3. BMW

367.00 Points

4. Dodge

311.00 Points

4. Nissan

294.00 Points

6. Infiniti

174.00 Points

2017 Tire Championship Final Standings

1. Falken

1255.00 Points

2. Nexen

979.00 Points

3. Achilles

877.00 Points

4. Nitto

781.00 Points

5. Hankook

705.00 Points

Formula DRIFT Round 2: Unchartered Territory Results

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Formula DRIFT Round 2: Unchartered Territory Results;

Fredric Aasbo is Victorious

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Long Beach, Calif. – April 29, 2017 – Formula DRIFT Black Magic Pro Championship presented by BlackVue Dash Cameras returned to Orlando for Round 2: Unchartered Territory. Fredric Aasbo in the Rockstar Energy Drink / Nexen Tire Toyota Corolla iM takes the victory and moves into the lead in the standings.

“This season is shaping up to be very entertaining and competitive one,” said Jim Liaw, president and co-founder of Formula DRIFT. “The standings were shaken up after the last round with only 55 points separating the Top 7 drivers.”

Round 2: Unchartered Territory at the Orlando Speed World was an action packed event from start to finish. An estimated 1 million viewers tuned into the Livestream and were treated to a highly competitive event.

The semi-finals became a battle of champions with four past champions competing for the top spot. 2011 Formula DRIFT champion and number one qualifier, Dai Yoshihara in the Falken Tire / Turn 14 Distribution Subaru BRZ faced off against 2013 champion, Michael Essa, in the Achilles Tire / Essa Autosport BMW M3. In a very tight battle, Essa edged Yoshihara to advance to the finals. 2010 champion, Vaughn Gittin, in the Monster Energy / Nitto Tire Ford Mustang RTR went up against 2015 champion, Fredric Aasbo. A very close and technical chase run by Aasbo sealed the win to advance into the finals. In the finals, Aasbo found his groove and managed to take advantage of a small mistake by Essa to secure the victory and move into the top of the 2017 Pro Championship standings.

“What an incredible win! We only built this car over the off season and to get this first win after only the second time out is amazing.” said Fredric Aasbo, winner of Round 2: Unchartered Territory. “Today it all came together especially in that Top 4 battle with Vaughn Gittin Jr. and that was my highlight of the day showing that I can chase really close and getting this first win in the Rockstar Energy Drink / Nexen Tire Toyota Corolla iM is huge.”

The action continues to Round 3: Road to the Championship at Road Atlanta on May 12-13. For more information visit, www.formulad.com and find Formula DRIFT on Instagram @formulad, Facebook www.facebook.com/formuladrift, Twitter @FormulaDrift, and Snapchat – formula_drift. Tune into Formula DRIFT on CBS Sports and check your local listings for airtimes.

Round 2: Unchartered Territory Event Results

1. Aasbo, Fredric

Rockstar Energy / Nexen Tire Toyota Corolla iM

Winner

2. Essa, Michael

Achilles Tire / Essa Autosport BMW M3

2nd Place

3. Yoshihara, Dai

Falken Tire / Turn 14 Distribution Subaru BRZ

3rd Place

4. Gittin, Vaughn

Monster Energy / Nitto Tire Ford Mustang RTR

4th Place

5. Tuerck, Ryan

Gumout / Nameless Performance / Hankook Toyota 86

5th Place

6. Kearney, Dean

Oracle Lighting Dodge Viper

6th Place

7. Castro, Jhonnattan

Gerdau Metaldom / Nexen Tire Toyota 86

7th Place

8. Hohnadell, Alec

Urban Air / Hoonigan / Nexen Tire Nissan 240

8th Place

9. Deane, James

Worthouse Drift Team / Falken Tire Nissan Silvia

9th Place

10. Bluss, Kristaps

HGK / Mast / Motul / Wisefab BMW E46

10th Place

11. Forsberg, Chris

NOS Energy Drink / Hankook Tire Nissan 370Z

11th Place

12. Hamilton, Nate

Team Enjuku / BC Racing / Hankook Tire Nissan 240

12th Place

13. Field, Matt

Falken Tire / Vapetasia / ARK Performance Nissan 240

13th Place

14. Moore, Cameron

Nameless Performance / BN Sports / Nexen Tire Toyota 86

14th Place

15. Wiecek, Piotr

Worthouse Drift Team / Falken Tire Nissan Silvia

15th Place

16. Mohan, Kyle

Built 2 Apex / Mazdatrix / KMR 2016 Mazda MX-5

16th Place

2017 Formula DRIFT Black Magic Championship Presented by BlackVue Standings After 2 Events

1. Aasbo, Fredric

Rockstar Energy / Nexen Tire Toyota Corolla iM

158.00 Points

2. Deane, James

Worthouse Drift Team / Falken Tire Nissan 240

142.00 Points

3. Tuerck, Ryan

Gumout / Nameless Performance / Hankook Toyota 86

122.00 Points

2017 Manufacturer Championship Standings After 2 Events

1. Toyota

280.00 Points

2. Ford

159.00 Points

3. BMW

119.00 Points

4. Dodge

103.00 Points

5. Nissan

87.00 Points

6. Mazda

34.00 Points

2017 Tire Championship Standings After 2 Events

1. Falken

281.00 Points

2. Nexen

260.00 Points

3. Achilles

222.00 Points

4. Hankook

209.00 Points

5. Nitto

208.00 Points

ENEOS ANNOUNCES 2017 SPONSORSHIP OF DAIJIRO YOSHIHARA IN FORMULA DRIFT

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ENEOS ANNOUNCES 2017 SPONSORSHIP OF DAIJIRO YOSHIHARA IN FORMULA DRIFT

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ENEOS – the brand created by JX Nippon Oil & Energy, the world’s leading OE lubricant supplier for Asian automakers – is announcing an expansion to its North American sponsorship program. For 2017, the ENEOS roster is extended to Daijiro Yoshihara who competes in the Formula DRIFT series.

Entering the series in 2004, the Japanese-born drifter is one of only four drivers to have remained in the series throughout its meteoric global rise. Winning the championship outright in 2011, Dai has become a mainstay of the series as a consistent points figure and scorer over the past 12 years.

For 2017, Dai will again compete in his Falken Tire / Turn 14 Distribution Subaru BRZ. This is the fourth year in the same car, which has been consistently developed throughout its racing career. It is fitted with a turbocharged 454ci Chevrolet LSX engine boasting 962hp at the wheels, and 832 lb-ft of torque. As is essential in drift, the power is transferred to the rear wheels via a G-Force GSR four-speed transmission and Winters 10″ quick-change rear-end.

Drift professionals need huge amounts of horsepower to generate ferocious acceleration. This is designed to get them into the first turn at high speed. The driver then uses the power to overcome the grip at the rear wheels and control the drift with a high level of skill. Drivers score points for style and precision, but competition is fierce, with a packed field of high-powered machinery and exceptional drivers.

For 2017, the car is largely unchanged from last year, although Dai has focused on improving suspension set-up in the off-season as well as overall durability. Early testing showed plenty of potential, which will hopefully be realized as he enters the opening round of the 2017 season in Long Beach, CA this weekend.

Looking forward to the first race, Dai continues to have a positive approach. “Every year our team focuses on winning the championship and we have a very good chance this year. The car is the best it’s ever been and we’re in great shape to really fight for the championship in 2017,” said Daijiro Yoshihara.

As for the ENEOS sponsorship, Dai was delighted at the new relationship. “Growing up in Tokyo, I actually worked in an ENEOS gas station. The money I earned enabled me to start my racing career. Ever since then, I’ve been trying to work more closely with ENEOS and so I’m honored to finally be part of the ENEOS Racing family. This is more than just a regular oil company; it is very well respected and makes great product. I look forward to contributing to ENEOS Racing history this season.”

Motoshi Sunami, President & CEO of JX Nippon Oil & Energy, USA added, “We are delighted to have Daijiro Yoshihara join us for 2017. As the leading supplier of oil to the Japanese and Asian automakers, we are very happy to be involved in a sport that started in Japan and has spread across the US, finding a home in the USA, just as ENEOS and even Dai has done. For us, Dai was a natural choice and we look forward to a great partnership.”

For more information about ENEOS, visit eneos.us

For more information about Daijiro Yoshihara, visit daiyoshihara.com

For information about Formula DRIFT, visit formulad.com

For high resolution images click : HERE

TEAM FALKEN AMPS UP INVOLVEMENT FOR 2017 FORMULA DRIFT

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TEAM FALKEN AMPS UP INVOLVEMENT FOR 2017 FORMULA DRIFT
Team will support six drivers and becomes Official Tire Sponsor of series

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA  – In conjunction with the launch of the latest version of Falken Tires’ competition-winning performance tire, the AZENIS RT615K+, Team Falken, a two-time Manufacturer’s Champion in the Black Magic Formula Drift Pro Championship and the 2016 winner of the prestigious Tire Manufacturers Cup, will return to the popular series in 2017 with a strong field of six drivers.

Additionally, Falken Tires becomes the Official Tire Sponsor of Formula Drift and will further activate its involvement through dealer hospitality, spokesmodel meet & greets, driver autograph signings and a learning center display through its Falken rig at most of the series eight rounds. Continue reading TEAM FALKEN AMPS UP INVOLVEMENT FOR 2017 FORMULA DRIFT

Formula D Rd.8 Irwindale Speedway Title Fight Gallery By Everythingdrift.com

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Formula Drift made its final stop of the year at the House of Drift Irwindale Speedway for it’s signature final round of the season. Three drivers would enter into the round in contention for the championship – Points leader Chris Forsberg, 2nd place Fredric Aasbo and 3rd Vaughn Gittin Jr. Forsberg would be chasing down his 3rd championship title trying to pass Samuel Hubinette and Tanner Foust on the list with 2 titles. Aasbo would be defending by trying to defend his 2015 title and become the second driver to win consecutive championships.

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Forsberg was able to put down a Qualifying run of 85 putting him in 4th place beating out his Championship contenders.

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Daijiro Yoshihara showed a resurgence and put down one amazing Qualifying run and earning the #1 Qualifier position and in doing so earned him one of the three bye run’s for the weekend due to zeroes and mechanical failures in qualifying.

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