KTLA Ch. 5 Weekend News Coverage from Round 1: Streets of Long Beach.
Tag: Tanner Foust
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
Media Day
Each year Formula DRIFT participates in the annual Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach media day. Formula DRIFT drivers get a chance to test out the street course before the season begins as well as give a select few media members a chance for a once in a life ride along. The day is spent alongside the Toyota Pro Celebrity race practice as well. This year celebrities such as Christian Slater, Adrian Brody, Brian Austin Green, Patrick Wharburton, Adam Carolla, and Tony Hawk will be driving against the “pro” drivers that include Formula DRIFT’s own Tanner Foust, Steve Millen, and Keanu Reeves (since he won the race last year).
Here are some images from the day that includes the debut of Matt Powers Nissan S14 with new graphics, Ken Gushi’s new DTA x Scion Racing wrap, and more. Round 1: Streets of Long Beach is this weekend April 9-10 for more info visit www.formulad.com
TANNER FOUST STREET DRIFT: MULHOLLAND
TANNER FOUST STREET DRIFT: MULHOLLAND
Tanner Foust drifts his Rockstar Energy Drink Scion TC Drift Car on a legendary stretch of Mulholland Highway. Known as “The Snake”, this stretch of Mulholland in Malibu just east of Kanan Road is a famous hangout for SoCal motorcyclists and car enthusiasts. The two mile ribbon of road winds uphill through the Malibu mountains between the Rockstore Café where thousands of bikers convene every Sunday and “The Gallery”—a viewpoint where much of the road below can be viewed. Watch as Tanner Foust unleashes his 600hp NASCAR V8 powered Scion drift car on this famed road. There were no rehearsals and most of the film is of Tanner’s first run on a clean stretch of road. Notice how he paints a line of black rubber on the virgin tarmac, running inches from the guard rails and rock walls of the canyon. The howl of the motor, screeching tires and billowing smoke contrast with Foust’s almost zen like motions in-car. The road was closed and Tanner is a trained professional so please don’t try and re-create.
Motegi Racing Announces Associate Sponsorship of Formula DRIFT Series for 2010
CERRITOS, CALIFORNIA – Motegi Racing is excited to announce that it will be stepping up its involvement with the Formula DRIFT Series in 2010 and coming on board as an Associate Sponsor of the series. Motegi Racing has been a long time sponsor of the Steph Papadakis owned Rockstar team with ties going back to Steph’s drag racing days. “The relationship between Motegi Racing and Steph’s drift team has been instrumental in providing our engineers with feedback on our wheels performance and the applications needed for the drifting competitor and enthusiast” says Chris Anderson of Motegi Racing. Tanner Foust has done a great job as a driver and has put the Motegi Racing sponsored Scion on the podium many times this past season. Tanner runs on the ultra-light forged Motegi Racing Traklite 1.0 modular wheel, 17×8’s in the front and 18×10’s in the rear.
The Formula DRIFT Series gives Motegi Racing a great opportunity to have our wheels on display at the track and answer questions from enthusiasts. This series also provides us an opportunity to work with our employees & dealers in each of the event cities and increase their involvement in this segment. We look forward to seeing you out at the track.
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