NASHVILLE, Tenn., April 4, 2017 – Hankook Tire driver Ryan Tuerck battled his way to a podium finish at the opening round of the 2017 Formula Drift season. Ryan kicked off his second season with Hankook Tire by placing third at Formula Drift Round 1: Streets of Long Beach last weekend.
The pursuit of the Driver’s Championship Title and Tire Manufacturer’s Cup started with an exciting weekend of action. With dry track conditions and warm temperatures, drivers got off to a fast start at a racetrack known for its narrow turns and high-speed entry points. After a solid top three finish in the qualifiers, Ryan earned himself a first-round bye and then advanced to the semifinal round driving his signature Toyota GT86 on Hankook’s new Ventus R-S4 tires.
“It’s amazing to kick off the 2017 season with a podium finish and great support from all our partners including Hankook,” said Tuerck. “This was the first race using the Ventus R-S4 tire, and it not only provided amazing grip, but the stiffer sidewalls and new compound allowed us to get a longer life out of the tire while maintaining consistency throughout all of our runs.”
All of Hankook’s Formula Drift drivers raced on Hankook’s brand new Ventus R-S4 extreme performance tire, designed to provide drivers with improved cornering performance, better steering response and a stronger connection to the the road. In addition to Ryan’s podium finish, reigning champion and Hankook driver Chris Forsberg secured a top-ten finish by placing seventh this past weekend.
“It was a fun and positive weekend overall as all of our Hankook drivers qualified in the Top 32, while Ryan and Chris advanced to the Round of 16, with Ryan achieving a podium finish to end the weekend,” said Donato Bonacquisto, Hankook Motorsports Marketing Manager. “The positive feedback from the drivers was rewarding and really speaks to the years of R&D invested into the new Ventus R-S4 tire. I’m very happy with the 2017 program we’ve put together, and I’m looking forward to another successful year on track.”
Formula Drift heads to Orlando Speedway on April 28th and 29th for the second round of the 2017 season.