TEAM FALKEN DRIVER VAUGHN GITTIN Jr. RETURNS TO TOP
OF PODIUM AND TEAMMATE YOSHIHARA TAKES SECOND AT
NEW JERSEY’S FORMULA DRIFT ‘GAUNTLET’
WALL, NJ (June 23, 2012) – Proving all night that his Monster Energy/Falken Tire 2013 Ford Mustang was the car to beat, 2010 Formula Drift Champion and Team Falken Driver Vaughn Gittin, Jr., took top honors at Saturday night’s Formula D Championship at New Jersey’s legendary Wall Speedway. Gittin, Jr. – JR – to those who know him, beat Falken teammate Daijiro “Dai” Yoshihara, defending Formula D champion, to earn the victory.
JR qualified second among 42 entrants while Yoshihara, running the Discount Tire Nissan 240SX/S13, placed fourth. Additional Falken teammates Darren McNamara in his S15 Silvia and Justin Pawlak, running another 2013 Falken Tire Ford Mustang, qualified 10th and 14th, respectively. JR, Dai and Pawlak all advanced through the Top 16 Round, where both JR and Dai moved on through the Top 4 to face each other for the Final Round.
It was JR’s first win of the season, and his excitement with the triumph was obvious.
“Man, this was a finish I really wanted!” he exclaimed. “I always qualify well here – I was second last year, too, but ended up fourth overall. I came back this year really determined to do better, as winning the event is always our goal.”
“The championship points are tightening,” declared Jonathan Bradford, Falken’s Drift Team Supervisor. “After four rounds, Justin sits in first, Dai in second and JR moves up to fourth, so Team Falken is well represented. But we have to continually raise our sights because the competition is doing the same and their target is Falken.”
“The pressure continues to mount,” said Nick Fousekis, Falken’s Director of Motorsports Marketing and Events. “Every other tire manufacturer and Formula D competitor is looking to beat us, but we will continue to focus on gaining points in our quest to earn a third consecutive championship.”
Falken hosted 325 dealers and guests at its hospitality suite at the raceway.
On July 20-21, Team Falken will return to “The Throwdown” at Evergreen Raceway in Seattle for Round 5of the 2012 Formula Drift Championship.