TEAM FALKEN TIRE READY TO CONTINUE WINNING WAYS AT FORMULA DRIFT COMPETITION IN ATLANTA
May 5, 2010
ATLANTA, GA – Coming off a top of the podium performance by Team Falken Tire member Vaughn Gittin, Jr., at last month’s Long Beach opening event, the tire manufacturer’s factory effort intends to go full bore on the proving grounds of legendary Road Atlanta in round two of the 2010 Formula Drift season this weekend (May 7-8, 2010).
Road Atlanta is home to the inaugural Formula D event, held in 2004, and Team Falken intends on making this stop history-making in its own right, gunning for a second overall championship to be won by one of its full line-up of five factory-supported competitors. Besides Vaughn, who runs the 2011 Monster Ford Mustang, Team Falken features Tyler McQuarrie, running his heavily modified Nissan 350Z Convertible; Daijiro Yoshihara in his new Nissan Silvia S13, again co-sponsored by Discount Tire; Darren McNamara, returning in his Saturn Sky; and new team member Justin Pawlak, in his 2010 Mustang. Also representing Falken will be veteran Ross Petty, along with “Mad” Mike Whiddett.
“Although the overall victory in Long Beach was a huge boost for our team’s morale, the celebration was short-lived as we realized the season is young and we must approach every round as a stepping stone to our goal of winning the championship,” stated Jonathon Bradford, Falken’s Drift Team Supervisor. “However, I’m confident that everyone on my team will supersede their efforts from the last event and raise the bar even higher in Atlanta.”
Qualifying begins on Friday, May 7, with the main event the following day, Saturday, May 8. Road Atlanta, home to the ALMS’ Petit Le Mans, is reformatted to accommodate the demands of drifting, as competitors utilize a portion of the road course, including turns 9, 10A, and 10B and then hit the loop before the Suzuki bridge. Drivers will then head back the turns at 10A and 10B and end dramatically by drifting uphill in front of the anticipated capacity crowd.
To learn more about the 2010 Falken Tire Formula Drift Team visitwww.wegetyougoing.com