GSR Autosport is holding a launch party and open house at their shop in Lake Forest, CA this weekend for the launch of their new Formula DRIFT car for the 2013 Pro Championship Season and to introduce some of their new sponsors. For more information, visit them on Facebook.
For Immediate Release
Los Angeles Ca. March 8th 2013 – Ultimate 86 Motorsports released details of the team sponsors for the 2013 Formula Drift championship. Title sponsorship of the team’s turbocharged V8 Scion FR-S will be shared by DTA Posse and Transformers Decepticons.
“I am extremely happy to announce DTA and Decepticons as our title sponsors,” said Otto Graven, team owner and driver. “I am looking forward to having a great 2013 season in Formula Drift with a new car, new sponsors and a great crew. I think that Formula D is the toughest championship in the world with the best drivers, cars and teams in the sport. The 2013 championship will be epic and we intend to be in the fight at every round.”
DTA president Yo Esbensen commented on the new partnership. “Rogue Status and DTA have had a long history in motorsports and drifting in particular. We are stepping our game up in 2013 and the collaboration with Hasbro was a perfect fit for the Ultimate 86 drift team. Its an honor to collaborate with a brand that you remember as a child.
When Hasbro approached us to collaborate because of our involvement in motorsports, it made sense to combine two of our passions into a real life figure eight.
DTA x Transformers – Don’t Trust Autobots!”
In addition to the DTA and Decepticons title sponsorship Ultimate 86 Motorsports also announced that they have secured support from Falken Tire, Garrett Turbochargers, KW Suspension, Turbosmart, Cusco, Injector Dynamics, Wilwood Brakes, Motegi Wheels, Cortex Precision Technologies, Mishimoto and WORLD Motorsports.
“We have a dream-team of sponsors for the Ultimate 86 Motorsports Scion FR-S,” Otto Graven said. “Without the support of these great companies it simply would not be possible to compete at the top level in Formula Drift. Our sponsors have elevated our racing program to the next level. I can’t wait to get behind the wheel and put on a show for the fans.”
Construction of the car is underway at WORLD Motorsports in Torrance Ca. with Scott “Chip” Stanwood heading up the design and fabrication. Scott and crew-chief Mike Warfield are working at full throttle to complete the final stages of construction. Scott Stanwood will also be the teams spotter in Formula Drift competition.
The team will debut the new car on April 12th-13th at the first round of the Formula D championship in Long Beach Ca.
For more information contact: [email protected]
Yokohama Tire Corporation Slides into Action with 2013 Drifting Program
Tire maker will partner with three Formula Drift teams this season and spotlight tires such as the ADVAN Neova® AD08 and S.drive®
FULLERTON, CA (March 5, 2013) – Yokohama Tire Corporation (YTC) announced today it will participate as a Formula Drift tire supplier for the second consecutive year and will partner with three teams for the 2013 season. Matt Johnson, YTC performance marketing supervisor, said drivers will run on ADVAN Neova® AD08 and S.drive® tires during the seven-event series, which starts April 12-13 at Round 1: Streets of Long Beach.
Two new teams will join the Yokohama family in 2013 – the GSR Autosport BMW E46 piloted by Michael Essa, and the GTNET Tomei Powered Subaru BRZ driven by Toshiki Yoshioka. The Apex-I Lexus SC430 returns from 2012 with Pat Mordaunt behind the wheel.
“Yoshioka is a veteran drift competitor who started with Yokohama in the D1 Grand Prix in Japan during 2003 and is back with Yokohama to contend for podiums once again,” said Johnson. “He is a past Formula D winner, and will compete in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb for the third consecutive year.”
Nick Richards, president of GSR Autosport, said, “we have a long history with Yokohama tires that comes from years of running a broad array of road-racing programs. Yokohama has a well-earned reputation of winning at the highest levels of motorsport, and as the level of competition continues to rise in drifting, partnering with the best is critical to fielding a winning team.”
“We have a variety of marketing programs,” said Fred Koplin, YTC director of marketing communications, “from sports sponsorships to television, but Formula Drift gives us exposure to a passionate audience of young enthusiasts that may not see a lot of other marketing initiatives.”
Yokohama Tire Corporation is the North American manufacturing and marketing arm of Tokyo, Japan-based The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., a global manufacturing and sales company of premium tires since 1917. Servicing a network of more than 4,500 points of sale in the U.S., Yokohama Tire Corporation is a leader in technology and innovation. The company’s complete product line includes the all-new AVID Ascend® – the first mass-market tire using Yokohama’s breakthrough orange oil technology – as well as tires for high-performance, light truck, passenger car, commercial truck and bus, and off-the-road mining and construction applications. For more information on Yokohama’s extensive product line, visit www.yokohamatire.com.
Contact: Bill Groak, PCGCampbell, 424/903-3640, [email protected]
Connect with Yokohama Tire Corporation:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAVR1kUSswQ&feature=youtu.be[/youtube]
Formula DRIFT Announces Entry List for Motegi Racing Super Drift Challenge;
Inaugural Nighttime Event to Take Place April 19-20 at Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach
Long Beach, Calif. – March 1, 2013 – Formula DRIFT has announced the entry list for the Motegi Racing Super Drift Challenge on April 19-20, part of the annual Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach weekend. Sixteen drivers and two alternates have been named to compete for the $25,000 prize pool.
“We are excited to bring the action and excitement of a drifting competition at night for the first time in the 39-year history of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach,” stated Jim Liaw, president and co-founder of Formula DRIFT. “The Motegi Racing Super Drift Challenge will feature the top drivers in the world competing for a large prize pool.”
The sixteen drivers and two alternates include:
Driver /Hometown /Nationality
Forsberg, Chris / Doylestown, PA / American
Powers, Matt / Pacific Beach, CA / American
Bakchis, Odi / Kaunas, Lithuania / Lithuanian
Yoshioka, Toshiki / Hiroshima, Japan / Japanese
Grunewald, Conrad / Houston, TX / American
Essa, Michael / Los Angeles, CA / Indian/American
Saito, Daigo / Tokyo, Japan / Japanese
Nishida, Robbie / Tokyo, Japan / Japanese
Tuerck, Ryan / Derry, NH / American
McQuarrie, Tyler / Walnut Creek, CA / American
Yoshihara, Daijiro / Hachiouji Tokyo, Japan / Japanese
Aasbo, Fredric /Ski, Norway / Norwegian
Mohan, Kyle /Anaheim, CA / American
Angelo, Tony / Doylestown, PA / American
Denofa, Chelsea / Philadephia, PA / American
Kado, Ryan / Sacramento, CA / Japanese/American
Alternate Drivers:
Wilkerson, Walker / Snohomish, WA / Japanese
Jones, Jeff / San Fernando Valley, CA / American
Ticket holders for the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach will be able to watch the competition taking place in Turns 9,10 and 11 of the world-famous street course from Grandstands 16, 18, 24, 25 and 26 on a first-come, first-serve basis beginning at 6:30 PM. The drifting course will be the same one used by Formula DRIFT in its first event of the season the weekend before the Grand Prix.
Practice and qualifying heats for the Motegi Racing Super Drift Challenge will take place Friday night, April 19, between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Final eliminations will run from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, April 20.
In addition to the Super Drift Challenge, the 2013 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach will feature racing from the IZOD IndyCar Series, Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race, Tequila Patrón American Le Mans Series, Firestone Indy Lights, Pirelli World Challenge and the Robby Gordon OFF-ROAD Stadium SUPER Trucks.
Ticket prices range from $28 for a Friday General Admission ticket to $130 for a three-day ticket that includes Sat./Sun. reserved seating in grandstand upper levels. Pre-paid parking packages are also available, along with handicapped seating, IndyCar Paddock passes, Super Photo tickets and a wide variety of Hospitality Club packages.
Fans can select and pay for their seats, parking and paddock passes online at gplb.com. Tickets can also be ordered by calling the toll-free ticket hotline, (888) 82-SPEED, and callers can request a printed ticket brochure that includes a circuit map, ticket prices, order form and other information. Also featured on gplb.com is the latest Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach news, downloadable ticket brochure and racetrack information, photos and ongoing announcements of special race week activities.
Fans can also follow the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach on Facebook at GrandPrixLB and on Twitter @ToyotaGPLB.
