Hankook Drivers Tanner Foust and Robbie Nishida Take 3rd and 4th
at Streets of Long Beach Formula Drift Opener
Hankook Ventus R-S3 Tire Makes Successful Debut
WAYNE, N.J. April 14, 2009 – If the Formula Drift season opener in Long Beach, Calif., is any indication of things to come this year, Hankook Tire and drift fans are in for one heck of a ride.
The Southern California fans packed the Long Beach streets for Formula Drift – Streets of Long Beach, the only drift event on the Formula Drift calendar that actually takes place on a true street course, creating some very exciting close-to-the-wall drift action.
Making his debut for Hankook Tire in the Rockstar / Scion Racing tC, Tanner Foust made his way to the semi-finals with three exceptionally consistent wins, and in an epic semi-final battle it took over six runs and two “One More Times” before Foust was ousted by eventual event winner Ryan Tuerck. In the other semi-final, Robbie Nishida in the Hankook Tire / Dynamic Autosport 350Z had the sell out crowd jumping with his combination of high-entry speed and Ventus tire smoke, and was barely edged out by eventual runner-up Sam Hubinette.
In the battle for third place Hankook drivers Foust and Nishida were matched up against each other and proceeded to thrill the standing room only crowd with not one, but two “One More Times” to decide the matchup. Foust took the win despite six close runs, giving Hankook Tire its first podium score of the season and marking the first time Hankook Tire has had two professional drift drivers in the Top 4.
“We are very pleased with the results today,” said Hankook Tire Motorsports Manager Jason Kim. “We’re off to a real solid start but we know that we have plenty more work to do before Road Atlanta. We are excited for more podium opportunities this year.”
The Streets of Long Beach event also marked the successful competition debut of Hankook’s Ventus R-S3 ultra-high performance tire. “The Ventus R-S3 delivers both on the track and off,” said Hankook Tire director of brand communications Bill Bainbridge. “Today’s results are a great affirmation on the technology that goes into Hankook tires.”
The Hankook drift teams immediately went back to work following the Long Beach show, Formula Drift heads next to Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia on May 8-9.