Tag: Grand Prix

Formula Team DRIFT Competition at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach

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Formula DRIFT will be participating once again at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. The main competition will take place on Sunday, April 15 at 3:40 PM following the IZOD Indycar race.

The teams will be judged on style, execution and overall crowd reaction. Teams of 2 cars will wow the crowds while drifting the entire Grand Prix street course. Guest judges include Andy Yen (FD head judge), the 2011 champion Dai Yoshihara and 2-time champion Tanner Foust.

Drivers participating include:

Cyrus Martinez
Jeff Jones
Mauricio Ornelas
Taka Aono
Mike Essa
Joon Maeng
Odi Bakchis
Kyle Mohan
Tony Brakohiapa
Pat Mordaunt
Ryan Bell
Walker Wilkerson
Dennis Mertzanis
Enrique Mendoza

Replay XD To Sponsor Formula DRIFT Team DRIFT Competition during the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach

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Long Beach, Calif. – April 12, 2012 – Formula DRIFT announced today that Replay XD will sponsor and support this weekend’s Team DRIFT competition at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach from April 13-15.

Replay XD and Formula DRIFT have teamed up to undertake a huge video production by mounting multiple Replay XD camera’s to all 14 of the Team DRIFT vehicles and film all the action on and off the track for an online video release to come after the event. Replay XD will become the exclusive POV camera for the Team DRIFT event and also be branded on each vehicle.

“We are excited that Replay XD has seen the opportunity to partner with us on the Team DRIFT event,” said Ryan Sage, vice president and co-founder of Formula DRIFT. “This event is always a fun weekend for Formula DRIFT and the participating drivers, but now this partnership will allow fans to see how amazing 14 drift cars unleashed on the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach Street Course can be. Fans will be able to see every initiation and all door to door drifting from every single driver’s point of view.”

“We’re all racers and enthusiasts here at Replay XD, and drifting has really pushed the envelope of what is possible in a car. We’ve been long time supporters of grassroots drifting, and are excited to take the next step by working with Formula DRIFT,” said Replay XD President, John Spar. “Having a chance to use our XD1080 to bring a first-hand, HD experience of team drifting on the streets of Long Beach to Formula DRIFT fans and drifting fans everywhere is quite an honor.”

The Formula DRIFT Team DRIFT Challenge will take place on Friday, April 13 at 9:35 AM, Saturday, April 14 at 8:55 AM and the main competition will be held on Sunday, April 15 at 3:40 PM during the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach event.

Congrats to Ken Gushi Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race Winner

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Congratulations to Ken Gushi for his 2nd place overall finish in the Toyota Pro / Celebrity Race coming in 1st place over all the other Pros. Gushi battled through a 30 second handicap that the “Pro” drivers are given from the start of the race and weaved his way past the other Pros and Celebrity drivers as he closed the gap on winner actor William “Bill” Fichtner. Gushi looked good in the 10 lap race and had the best lap time of the day 1:46:429.

Other celebrities included: MMA fighter Tito Ortiz, Kevin Jonas (Jonas Brothers), and actor Djimon Hounsou. Other Pros included Scion Racing driver Chris Rado and previous celebrity winners Frankie Muniz, and Brian Austin Green. Toyota will donate $5000 to the Racing for Kids charity and an additional $5000 to the winner’s charity.

The Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race is scheduled to be broadcast on the Speed Channel on Sunday, May 1, at 3 p.m. EDT and will be rebroadcast after that. (See local listings or www.speedtv.com for times.)


(podium image provided by Ron Bermudez)

Team Drift Sneak Peak Long Beach Grand Prix

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Be sure to check out all the Team Drift action this weekend during the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

Schedule of Events

Art of Formula D: A 2009 Season Retrospective Photo Gallery
Will be open to the public during the Grand Prix Weekend.
150 The Promenade N. – corner of Broadway and Promenade
10 AM – 6 PM – April 16 – 18

Friday, April 16
9:35 AM – 10:00 AM – Team Drift Practice

Saturday, April 17
8:55 AM – 9:20 AM – Team Drift Practice

Sunday, April 18
3:40 PM – 3:55 PM – Team Drift Competition

Team Drift Participants

Team 1 | Drift Alliance
Chris Forsberg
Justin Pawlak
Joon Maeng

Team 2 | Team Awesome
Kyle Mohan
Patrick Mordaunt
Cyrus Martinez

Team 3 | The Rollaz
Yasu Kondo
John Russakoff
Taka Aono

Team 4 | Wild Side
Matt Powers
Cody Parkhouse
Tommy Roberts

Team 5 | Team America
Samuel Hubinette
Andrew Picard
Alex Pfeiffer

Team 6 | Team Canul / Essa / Pina
Casper Canul
Michael Essa
Dan Pina

Formula Drift Star Tyler McQuarrie set to debut in World Challenge at Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach

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April 12, 2010 (Newport Beach, Calif.) – Formula Drift star Tyler McQuarrie is already familiar with three of the turns on the eleven-turn temporary road course of downtown Long Beach, but next weekend he’ll have to figure out eight more as he makes in debut in the World Challenge series, part of the 2010 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, April 16-18.

In so doing, McQuarrie will become the first driver to compete in both the Formula Drift Pro Championship’s Streets of Long Beach event – which utilizes turns nine, ten, and eleven of the TGPLB circuit – as well as a professionally sanctioned road race at the TGPLB in the same year. While other Formula Drift drivers have competed in the weekend’s Pro/Celebrity race, none have ever contested the Formula Drift round as well as a professionally sanctioned road race at the Grand Prix.

McQuarrie, from Walnut Creek, Calif., will contest in the GTS class in a Lotus Exige Cup that is supported by LPL Motorsports, Dynamic Racing Solutions, SwitchCars.com, and the Lotus Challenge Series. LPL Motorsports will provide trackside support and technical assistance throughout the weekend.

Although he is now best-known as one of the top wheelmen in Formula Drift, McQuarrie’s driving resume includes time spent in England racing Formula Vauxhall, FF2000, USTCC, American Le Mans, several runs in the 25 Hours of Thunderhill – in which he won his class in 2009 – and a championship in Redline Time Attack.

As part of the Falken Tires team in Formula Drift, McQuarrie finished third in the 2009 championship and is considered a favorite for the 2010 championship, as well of one of the sports’ most recognizable personalities.

“I couldn’t be more excited to have the chance to compete in the World Challenge race in Long Beach,” said McQuarrie. “After being away from professional road racing for some time, I am thrilled to get behind the wheel of the Exige in Long Beach. The Long Beach Grand Prix is simply one of the best races in North America, and one that every driver wants to compete in. After how exciting the Formula Drift opener was in Long Beach last weekend, I can’t wait to see how exciting the Grand Prix weekend will be.”

For more information about Tyler McQuarrie, visit www.tylermcquarrie.com. Fans can receive updates throughout the race weekend at twitter.com/tylermcquarrie (@tylermcquarrie).

The World Challenge race will start at 4:45pm PST on Sunday, April 18 and will air on VERSUS May 1, 2010, from 4:30pm-6:00pm.