Tag: Monster Energy Drink
The Baltimore Sun features Vaughn Gittin
The Baltimore Sun’s Gene Sweeney did a quick feature on Round 1 winner Vaughn Gittin Jr. in his “Checkered Flag,” weekly video.
Ford Racing also ran this ad in the Baltimore Sun, the home state of Vaughn, as a Congrats.
Formula DRIFT 2010 Round 1: Streets of Long Beach Results
Formula DRIFT 2010 Round 1: Streets of Long Beach Results;
Vaughn Gittin Jr. Takes the Victory and the Lead in the Championship Standings
Long Beach, Calif. – April 10, 2010 – Formula DRIFT returned to the Long Beach Grand Prix Street Course to kick off its seventh season. Vaughn Gittin Jr. takes the Round 1: Streets of Long Beach victory and the early lead in the Pro Championship Standings.
The Long Beach Grand Prix Street Course hosted the first competition of the 2010 season of Formula DRIFT. The venue was packed with reserved seating selling out before the main event opened the doors and the crowds filled the grandstands, pits, and paddock. The event also provided plenty of additional features and attractions that included the debut of the new Miss Formula DRIFT, Melyssa Grace, the One of One Car Show produced by Fatlace, and MetroPCS / Sanctioned brought out celebrity guest and world famous tattoo artist Mister Cartoon. The thousands of fans were treated to world class drifting with over 13 countries represented in the competition.
“Currently there is no true world series of drifting, but today’s event was as close as you can get,” said Jim Liaw, president and co-founder of Formula DRIFT. “With drivers from 13 nations and 12 current and former drifting champions, Formula DRIFT continues to grow drifting globally with the most diverse field of competitors than any other drifting series in the world.”
Round 1: Streets of Long Beach started the 2010 season off in exciting fashion with the debut of new drivers, sponsors, and vehicles to the series joining all of the returning teams. 2-time Formula DRIFT champion Tanner Foust piloting the Rockstar Energy Scion TC met rookie Fredric Aasbo in the Japan Auto / FSR Toyota Supra in the consolation round for third place. Foust outmatched the rookie and secured his third place finish. The finals came down to veteran drifters Rhys Millen in the RMR Red Bull Hyundai Genesis Coupe and Vaughn Gittin in the Monster Energy / Falken 2011 Ford Mustang. Gittin secured the victory with aggressive driving of his brand new vehicle to earn the victory and the early lead in the Pro Championship Standings.
“What an insane event!,” said Vaughn Gittin, winner of Round 1: Streets of Long Beach. “Big thanks to Falken for providing incredible tires, Ford for the new car and engine, and my team at ASD for putting together a competitive vehicle despite being brand new. This is unbelievable.”
For the first time a Live Stream provided by YoParts.com was made available to all fans that could not be at the event in person and gave them the ability to catch a glimpse of all the live action.
“This is the first event to launch the live stream and it was very succesful,” said Tom Masiero, founder of YoParts.com. “Over the 2-days the live stream was active we had over 29,000 unique viewers. This does not even include the viewers on mobile applications, which we do not have the statistics for yet. We look forward to bringing all the 2010 Formula DRIFT live action to households across the globe.”
The action continues on May 7-8 for Round 2: Road to the Championship at Road Atlanta. Tickets are available on-line. For more information and details visit the Formula DRIFT website at: www.formuladrift.com
Formula DRIFT Professional Championship 2010 Point Standings
1. Gittin, Vaughn Monster Energy / Falken Tire Ford Mustang 108 Points
2. Millen, Rhys RMR / Red Bull Hyundai Genesis Coupe 100 Points
3. Foust, Tanner Rockstar Energy Scion TC 82 Points
4. Aasbo, Fredric Japan Auto / FSR Toyota Supra 72 Points
5. Tuerck, Ryan Mobil 1 / Maxxis Tire / Gardella Racing Pontiac Solstice 65 Points
6. Hubinette, Samuel SHR-Dodge / BF Goodrich Dodge Challenger 64 Points
7. Mordaunt, Patrick Brian Crower / PM Racing Nissan 350Z 62 Points
8. Deane, James Falken Tire Nissan S15 61.50 Points
9. McNamara, Darren Falken Tire Saturn Sky 60 Points
10. Forsberg, Chris NOS Energy Drink / CFR Nissan 350Z 56 Points
11. Miki, Ryuji APEXi / Hankook Tire Mazda RX-7 56 Points
12. Yoshihara, Daijiro America’s Tire / Falken Tire Nissan S13 56 Points
13. Brakohiapa, Tony Cooper Tire / Sam’s Autoboy Ford Mustang 54.50 Points
14. Verdier, Stephan Royal Purple / Crawford Performace / Cooper / Subaru STI 54.50 Points
15. Wang, Forrest BF Goodrich / K&N Infiniti G35 54.50 Points
16. Takatori, Michihiro BF Goodrich / Exedy Nissan S15 54.25 Points
Round 1: Streets of Long Beach Event Results
1. Gittin, Vaughn Monster Energy / Falken Tire Ford Mustang 1st Place
2. Millen, Rhys RMR / Red Bull Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2nd Place
3. Foust, Tanner Rockstar Energy Scion TC 3rd Place
Monster Energy, Vaughn Gittin Jr, and Falken Tire form an epic partnership
Monster Energy, Vaughn Gittin Jr, and Falken Tire form an epic partnership
MOORESVILLE, NC (April 8, 2010) – Professional Drifter Vaughn Gittin Jr. announced
today a multi-year partnership with Monster Energy to serve as co-primary sponsor on
Gittin’s 2011 Monster Energy/Falken Tire Ford Mustang that competes on the Formula
Drift series. Gittin, a former world champion, is entering his seventh season on the
popular Formula Drift series.
“Monster Energy is a leading supporter of motorsports across the globe, so to bring
them into Drifting in a big way is huge for the sport,” said Gittin, Jr., 29, of
Joppa, Md. “It is an honor to join the long list of elite athletes that represent
Monster Energy. Between Monster Energy, Team Falken Tire, and our Ford Racing 5.0L
2011 Mustang, we have everything we need be a competitive force in the Formula Drift
Championship this season.”
Gittin Jr., known as “JR” in the sport, has become one of drifting’s most iconic
figures and his machine, the 680HP Ford Mustang GT, one of the sport’s most
identifiable cars. Gittin is known best by his aggressive, foot-to-the-floor,
big-smoke driving style. Being such a fierce competitor, Gittin is known as the only
American to beat the Japanese at their own game in winning a D1 Grand Prix
competition, not once – but twice. In 2005, Gittin stunned the world when he won the
D1GP USA vs. Japan event. In 2007, he brought America home the gold once more by
winning the D1GP World Championship. Gittin has earned five career podiums in the
Formula Drift series, which has cemented itself as the premier Drifting series in
the world.
“Vaughn’s talent, passion, and drive make him one of the most unique and charismatic
personalities in all of Drifting,” said Mike Vicente, Monster Energy’s Motorsports
Marketing Director. “For these reasons, Vaughn is a perfect ambassador to help
Monster Energy make an immediate impact on the sport. Vaughn goes above and beyond
by pushing the limits of traditional sponsorship by creating unique concepts and
programs, yet still retaining his grassroots connection to the sport.”
The Formula Drift series kicks off the 2010 season with Round One on the streets of
Long Beach, Calif. on April 9-10 and continues with six more rounds in Road Atlanta
(Braselton, Ga.), Wall Speedway (Wall, NJ), Evergreen Speedway (Monroe, Wash.), Las
Vegas Motor Speedway (Las Vegas, NV), Infineon Raceway (Sonoma, Calif.), and Toyota
Speedway at Irwindale (Irwindale, Calif.). TV coverage is provided by Versus. For
more information, visit www.FormulaD.com.
The partnership was secured and is managed by Gittin’s management firm, Motorsports
Management International, located in Mooresville, NC.
