Nashville, Tenn. (December 4, 2017) – Hankook Tire is marking the end of its 11-year Formula Drift sponsorship and reflecting on the success its sponsorship achieved for the circuit, the company and its drivers.
The tire company maintained a robust presence in the sport for more than a decade after entering competition full-time in 2007. Hankook scored event victories during the early years, and a recent run of success resulted in three consecutive series championships from 2014-2016.
Forsberg remains in Championship points lead following his fourth consecutive second place finish at Formula Drift Round 7
NASHVILLE, Tenn., September 12, 2016 – With just one month left in the 2016 Formula Drift season, Hankook Tire driver Chris Forsberg is in position to win his third Formula Drift championship. Forsberg’s success at Texas Motor Speedway over the weekend marks his sixth consecutive podium finish, including four straight second place finishes. His consistent performance has propelled him to a 36-point lead in the Formula Drift championship standings.
Racing in his signature Hankook Tire/Nissan 370Z, Forsberg battled his way to the finals against a competitive field, which included a hard fought quarterfinal win against former champion Fredric Aasbo. After a run that was deemed too close to call by the judging panel, the two former champions engaged in a rematch where Forsberg edged out Aasbo, expanding his first place lead in the overall standings. Continue reading
WAYNE, N.J., July 18, 2016 – For the second consecutive event, Hankook Tire driver Chris Forsberg finished in second place following a dynamic performance at Formula Drift Round 5: True North in Montreal, Canada. Forsberg extends his streak of consecutive podium finishes to four after edging out Vaughn Gittin Jr. in the semi-finals of the inaugural Formula Drift Pro Championship international event.
Dry track conditions, warm temperatures and an excited crowd led to one of the most competitive events of the year. Forsberg, racing in his Hankook Tire/Nissan 370Z, battled his way back into the finals helping Hankook Tire climb up the Tire Championship standings. He faced off with Hankook Tire teammate and friend Ryan Tuerck before advancing to the semi-finals where he found revenge against Gittin following last month’s championship showdown at Wall Speedway. Continue reading
Wayne, NJ – October 12, 2015 – Hankook Tire driver Fredric Aasbo has been crowned the 2015 Formula Drift Pro and World Series Champion following this past weekend’s final round At Irwindale Speedway. Hankook drivers Ken Gushi and Chris Forsberg finished the season second and third place overall. Aasbo’s Pro and World series championships are the his first of his Formula Drift racing career.
Aasbo held the Pro Series points lead going into the seventh and final round of the Formula Drift season, with fellow Hankook Tire driver Ken Gushi just behind him in second place and Chris Forsberg in fourth overall. Qualifying in fifth position in his Hankook Tire/Rockstar Energy Scion tC, Aasbo was pitted against Kristaps Bluss in the Top 32 round. Things got dicey when Bluss spun out on the pair’s second run, causing Aasbo to make contact with Bluss. But in the end it didn’t matter, Aasbo went on to dominate at Irwindale ultimately winning the final race of the year with a first place finish. Hankook Tire drivers Ken Gushi and Forest Wang rounded out the winner’s podium at Irwindale in second and third place. Continue reading
WAYNE, N.J., June 29, 2015 – Hankook Tire drivers Fredric Aasbo and Rhys Millen both scored first place wins this past weekend at their respective racing events. Aasbo topped the winner’s podium at Formula Drift Round 4 in New Jersey, while Millen was the fastest on the mountain at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in Colorado.
Hankook’s winning weekend started on Saturday at Wall Speedway in Wall, New Jersey for Formula Drift Round 4, The Gauntlet. In rainy and slick conditions, driver Fredric Aasbo drove his Hankook Scion tC to a first place victory following a day of intense battles. The finals saw Aasbo pitted against Dean Kearney in the Oracle Lighting Dodge Viper. After a tight race, Aasbo’s consistency behind the wheel gave him the edge he needed, out-scoring Kearney and securing his first place victory.
“We won here last year and conditions were perfect back then, dry conditions and a lot of tire smoke. This time however, it was the opposite,” said Aasbo. “We definitely put the Ventus R-S3 through the test, and I think we’ve proven that it’s the best tire out there.” Continue reading
WAYNE, N.J., April 13, 2015 – Hankook Tire driver Fredric Aasbo brought home a first place podium finish this past weekend in Long Beach, California at the opening round of the 2015 Formula Drift season. The first race of the season again saw Hankook Tire as an official sponsor of the series.
Competition was intense from the start of the racing weekend which saw Aasbo qualify in third place on Friday in his Hankook Tire/Rockstar Energy Drink Scion tC, placing him in an ideal position for the following day’s battles. After making contact with driver Masashi Yokoi early on competition day, Aasbo quickly worked his way through the field meeting up against Aurimas “Odi”Bakchis in the Final. After a close final battle, Aasbo piloted his tC to a first place podium finish, putting him in the 2015 championship points lead and Hankook in the 2015 Tire Championship number one position. Continue reading