KTLA Ch. 5 Weekend News Coverage from Round 1: Streets of Long Beach.
KTLA Ch. 5 Weekend News Coverage from Round 1: Streets of Long Beach.
Drifting is back! Fans can download new desktop wallpapers of Rhys Millen and Ken Gushi in action at http://toyotires.com/tire-motorsports/downloads.
Follow these Team Toyo drivers as they kick-off the 2010 Formula DRIFT season this weekend at the Streets of Long Beach in California. Both Gushi’s RS-R Scion tC and Millen’s RMR Hyundai Genesis Coupe are equipped with Toyo Proxes R1R tires. Learn more about these extreme performance tires at http://toyotires.com/tire/pattern/proxes-r1r.
Rhys Millen looks to be getting ready for the season in this new video. Check it out.
Tony Brakohiapa Partners with Top Cover Racing For The 2010 Formula DRIFT Championship
Coming off his best season in 2009 as the highest placing privateer, Brakohiapa returns to Formula DRIFT with new partner, Top Cover Racing.
Top Cover Racing (TCR) was launched in 2005 with the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen as its operational compass. The Tuskegee Airmen are the intrepid group of African-American U.S. Army Air Corps pilots and support personnel who distinguished themselves in World War II. Taking the name of the segregated base in Tuskegee, Alabama, where they trained, they were also known as the “Red Tails” for the distinctive paint scheme of their fighter aircraft. Compiling an exemplary record, they supported ground troops and escorted allied bombers and providing “top cover” on missions over North Africa and Europe. TCR includes direct descendents of the Airmen and the bomber crews they protected, with a number of original Tuskegee Airmen participating as mentors and advisors.
“We’re very happy to have Tony B. in the driver’s seat,” said Weyman Watson, Co-Founder of Top Cover Racing. “He’s a superbly talented and intelligent driver who’s also a fierce competitor.”
“I’m honored to be TCR’s driver and their link to the Formula DRIFT audience. TCR has a diverse motorsports background and brings a wealth of knowledge to this year’s campaign,” said Tony Brakohiapa, Formula DRIFT professional driver. “The Tuskegee Airmen have determination, experience, and wisdom that we can all learn from. They have an amazing story that needs to be told. I look forward to being their “Red Tail” ambassador in motorsports, and bringing home victories in their honor.”
TCR’s motorsports experience covers the American Le Mans (ALMS), Grand-Am, NHRA, Trans-Am and Indy Racing League (IRL) racing series. Following Formula DRIFT for the past few years, TCR recently decided that now is the right time to get in.
“We’ve been fans of Tony and Formula DRIFT since we first saw him compete several years ago,” said Junious Matthews, Co-founder of Top Cover Racing. “He’s an exciting competitor with an appeal that will allow us to engage the audience that we want to reach.”
Brakohiapa will return this season with a modified, supercharged Ford Mustang. It will feature special Tuskegee Airmen “Red Tail” livery to commemorate the P-51 Mustang fighter planes they flew in World War II.
Brakohiapa is pleased to introduce new sponsors for 2010 – Wilwood Brakes, and Sparco. He is happy to continue his relationships with Sam’s Autobody & Paint, Glazier Ironworks, Cooper Tires, Seibon, Eibach, Go Pro, Enkei, Exedy, Livernois Motorsports, Griggs Racing Toi Boy Productions, and Barn Style Performance.
Gardella Racing has joined forces with the automotive industry’s first true wholesale club, YoParts.com.
In 2010, GR and YoParts.com will be joining forces on the quest for a Formula Drift championship. The partnership will have YoParts.com providing parts from their extensive warehouse and GR will provide name exposure on the Pontiac Solstice.
“All of us here at YoParts are stoked about being part of the big things that Gardella Racing will be up to in 2010,” said Tom Masiero of YoParts.com. “Our relationship with Gardella Racing goes back to our drag racing roots. We have seen what type of team and organization Gardella Racing is and we think they are on the brink of HUGE success in 2010. The ability for YoParts to provide some key parts for the Solstice and to give Ryan everything he needs to compete makes this relationship a great one!”
For GR this partnership means they will have greater and quicker access to parts for Ryan Tuerck and Steve Angerman to compete in 2010. Without this access the downtime waiting for parts would hinder the team in competing for the Formula drift championship.
“I am glad to have great partnerships like this, because companies like www.YoParts.com are very energetic and hungry,” team owner Gary Gardella said. “I have seen www.YoParts.com grow so much through the years and now it seems like everyone is a member. Be sure to check out the www.YoParts.com site and see how you can become a member so you can save on parts for your drift or drag cars.”
For the GR and Formula Drift fan that cannot make it to an event, Yoparts.com has announced that they have partnered with Formula Drift to provide the first ever comprehensive interactive live stream broadcast called DriftStream!. If you are too far from an event, too busy or just don’t have the money to pay for tickets, this means that you can watch the Formula Drift action where ever you are or whatever your excuse. To get more information on this cutting edge technology click here.
This is great news because with this live stream broadcast GR will have a camera in the pit area that will allow our fans to see the team work all weekend long. Watch for more information about this soon.
Make sure to come out and see YoParts.com and GR in Long Beach, Calif., April 9-10 for Round 1, The Streets of Long Beach, of the 2010 Formula Drift season.