Tag: Formula DRIFT

Bridges Racing Signs Robbie Nishida For 2011 Season

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Bridges Racing of Huntington Beach, CA to collaborate with Internationally Renowned Drifter, Robbie Nishida for the 2011 Formula DRIFT Season.

Huntington Beach, CA – February 20, 2011 – Bridges Racing is proud to announce their return to the Formula DRIFT series this year with one of the most respected drivers in the series, Robbie Nishida.

With years of professional racing experience, team owner, Bryan Bridges takes his talents to the world of drifting. Using the age old formula of a lightweight chassis and a high powered motor, Bridges Racing mates a 240sx with a VQ35. They didn’t stop there; with the help of Brian Crower, the Bridges Racing team took the 3.5L motor, bored and stroked it to 4.0L, strengthened the internals and added a Vortech supercharger to produce 630 whp and 580lb/ft of torque. Having piloted a VQ powered Nissan 350z and R35 Nissan GTR before, Robbie is no stranger to this motor.

Although his roots stem from motorcycle racing, Bridges attributes much of his racing experience and knowledge to drag racing. Bridges began tuning high performance Honda’s eventually becoming crew chief for the Castrol Syntec Acura Integra. The team went on to win numerous championships including the first NHRA Sport Compact Championship, as well as setting a number of world records.

During his tenure with Castrol, Dunlop Tires called upon Bridges to assist them in their efforts to enter the sport compact market. Bridges assisted in developing import drag slicks and tires as well as trackside marketing.

With a successful track record in drag racing and an admiration for drifting, Bridges decided to take a shot at professional drifting. In 2009, Bridges Racing campaigned a car in the Formula DRIFT season with Michihiro Takatori behind the wheel. Having obtained a lot of data from that season, the car has gone through various changes to become more competitive and reliable. In its current form Bridges Racing believes that with Robbie Nishida, they have found the winning combination.

Robbie Nishida has become one of the most watched for drivers in Formula DRIFT. Nishida has been competing in Japan since 1998 and professionally in the Formula DRIFT series since 2005. His skilled driving has earned him a podium and numerous Top 8 finishes the in the Formula DRIFT Series. In 2009 Nishida finished 8th in overall points.

Robbie Nishida will be making his debut with the Bridges Racing 240SX during Formula DRIFT Round 1 in Long Beach, CA on April 8th 2011. “I want to thank everyone that has helped me over the past few years to get to where I am now, but I am proud to say that I have a new start with a whole new team. This year I will be in a familiar chassis with a familiar motor in it. Hopefully we could move on with more success and I will be driving even more aggressively than ever” said Robbie Nishida.

Bridges Racing and its current sponsors are already looking forward to watching Robbie Nishida this Formula DRIFT season. “Robbie and the Bridges Racing 240SX is definitely a team to watch for. I am looking forward to the synergy of Robbie Nishida behind the wheel of the supercharged VQ powered 240SX. A car that all drifting fans can relate to” says Andrew Modena, President of Marketing for Button Marketing & Consulting, a Bridges Racing sponsor. Bridges Racing is excited to be working with Nishida this year and believes that their partnership will bring competition to other drivers and excitement to the fans. “Robbie is a class act and a top driving talent. I believe that if we provide him with the correct tools, we will see a string of podium finishes for the 2011 season” says Bryan Bridges, team owner of Bridges Racing

Current sponsors for the 2011 Formula DRIFT season include:
• S-Max Intercoolers
• Spec Clutch
• K&N
• HPS Silicone Hoses
• Brian Crower
• Neo Synthetic Oil
• Baker Precision
• BASF
• PAC Auto Body
• Button Marketing & Consulting
• Steen Chassis

Bridges Racing would like to thank their ongoing sponsors for their loyalty and continued support. Bridges Racing is currently in negotiations with a title sponsor and is working to bring in additional sponsors for the season.

Streets of Long Beach Construction Begins

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LONG BEACH, Calif. (Feb. 15, 2011) — The 37th Annual Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, set to take place April 15-17, took its first step toward the green flag when construction began this morning on Shoreline Drive, the famed racing circuit’s front straightaway.

The construction got underway with an assist from Formula Drift driver Joon Maeng who appeared at the track for a kickoff photo shoot with his Team Bergenholtz Full Tilt Poker Mazda RX-8. Maeng is preparing to contest the upcoming Formula Drift season which gets underway the weekend before the Grand Prix on Turns 9, 10 and 11 of the 1.97-mile circuit in downtown Long Beach.

The setting of the first of more than 14 million pounds of concrete blocks that line the track marks the beginning of two months of work preparing for the 175,000 fans expected during race weekend.

Grand Prix Association of Long Beach Director of Operations Dwight Tanaka and his staff will put in more than 30,000 working hours installing concrete blocks, three miles of fencing and 16,000 bolted-together tires, along with 16 huge spectator grandstands, seven pedestrian bridges and giant-vision boards for full-circuit TV coverage.

“We also install porta-johns, hospitality suites, tents, trash containers, electrical equipment, phones and a hundred other little things up until race weekend,” said Tanaka. “Then Sunday night, when the last race car has left the track, we start taking everything down, inspecting it and getting it ready for 2012.”

“We want to keep the circuit exciting for our fans and, of course, competitive and safe for the drivers,” said Jim Michaelian, president and CEO of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach. “While Dwight and his staff do a terrific job, we couldn’t do it without the help of many Long Beach city departments and a host of private entities.

“That phenomenal support is what helps us make the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach America’s number one street race.”

All businesses along the race circuit, which includes Shoreline Drive, Aquarium Way and Pine Ave., will remain open during construction of the racetrack.

Tickets for the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, featuring six racing events including the IZOD IndyCar Series, can be purchased from the Grand Prix ticket office by calling toll-free at (888) 82-SPEED, or you can select your seat online by visiting gplb.com. A handy ticket brochure – which includes circuit map, grandstand and parking locations, ticket prices and order form – can be obtained online or by calling the ticket hotline.

Ticket prices range from $26 for Friday general admission up to $130 for a three-day ticket that includes Saturday and Sunday reserved seats in upper levels of the grandstands. Pre-paid parking packages are also available when ordering through the Grand Prix Ticket Office. Handicapped seating, IZOD IndyCar Paddock access, super photo tickets and a variety of hospitality club packages are also available.

Vehicles and Teams arrive at Yas Marina Circuit.

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The Formula Drift cars have now arrived at Yas Marina Circuit along with 2 advance teams who will assist in the promotion of the event over the coming days. Mad Mike Whiddett & Mike Essa will have the honor of being the first drift cars ever to drift this magnificent circuit during tomorrows official media launch and TV sessions.  Click through for more images. Continue reading Vehicles and Teams arrive at Yas Marina Circuit.

DSPORT Tests 2012 Nissan GT-R

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Formula Drift media partner, DSPORT Magazine, gets up close and personal with the 2012 Nissan GT-R. They had the opportunity to meet with the “Godfather of the GT-R,” Kazutoshi Mizuno, who gives us an in-depth look at all of the improvements and changes of the all new GT-R. Full coverage of this test can be seen in issue #102 in May 2011.

[youtube width=”560″ height=”345″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjmtsKdrtkU[/youtube]