A cooler climate than
expected greeted the competitors at Round 6 of the Formula Drift
Championship, held as part of the Indy Gr& Prix at Infineon Raceway,
but the reception from the crowd was as strong as ever. Team Falken
brought all five factory entrants, intent on taking the win, as well
as reaching true enthusiasts & motorsports fans at this important
double-billed weekend.
While all Falken members Darren McNamara, Daijiro Yoshihara, Tyler
McQuarrie, Calvin Wan & Vaughn Gittin, Jr. successfully qualified on
their Falken Azenis RT615 tires, competition proved tough, & the teams
best result was Gittins 7th place overall finish in the ASD built 2010
Falken Tire Ford Mustang GT ultimately being defeated by the events
overall winner, Stephan Verdier.
Other major Team Falken news of the weekend was the incredible effort
put forth on behalf of Yoshihara. Dai qualified 9th in a car that had
only two hours of practice time on it, having been built in just nine
days after his original Lexus was heavily damaged at the previous
event in Seattle. Most competitors were amazed at the speed in which
the car was built, thanks in part to SPD Metal Works based in
Placentia, CA.
Sonoma, famous for its many vineyards, is also notorious for its
changing weather conditions, as Fridays Top 32 competition was at
least 20-degrees warmer than Saturday. Tyler McQuarrie & his Nissan
350Z felt the heat & ultimately faced start-up difficulties as a
result of high ambient temps & a sensor issue. Wan also had a
challenging event following a light collision with competitor Chris
Forsberg, who eventually advanced.
While results were disappointing, spirits remained high, as Team
Falken continues to record two drivers in the top five in the
championship, with Gittin in third & McQuarrie in fifth.
All teams get a breather as the final round, Judgment Day, is set for
October 16-17 at Toyota Speedway in Irwindale, CA where Team Falken
will be fully prepared & ready to conquer the famous House of Drift. |
