Team Falken a Force to Contend With in Drift Competition

Falken thrives on competition – at the retail level, for new and existing consumers, and especially among other tire manufacturers.  The company is also driven by innovation.  So, what better format than drift competition to prove Falken’s capabilities and the strength of its product? 

Drift competition is in fact a venue that is as unique as Falken is.  It takes competitive motorsports to the extreme, and has successfully attracted strong crowds, loyal fans and car enthusiasts from all walks of life.  Falken quickly realized how popular and demanding drift competition would become, and since 2003, has been a solid fixture within the format.  The focus is on skill, as drivers in specially prepared, high-powered vehicles intentionally execute controlled sideways slides at high speeds through a marked course.

The Team Falken color scheme is visible at all major drift competition events, with five strong and well-prepared factory drivers.  Leading the charge is Vaughn Gittin, Jr., who has become one of the most recognized and most competitive drift competition drivers on the circuit.  His brand new 2010 Ford Mustang will enjoy promotional support from Ford Motor Company as his previous Mustangs have, which significantly expands the Falken exposure and commitment to win. 

Also returning is Calvin Wan, another drift competition veteran, who will be running a Nissan S15 Silvia.  Wan has been a part of the drift competition scene since 2004, and earned Falken the honor of becoming the first team in the history of Formula Drift to win in an import car, Falken’s Infiniti G35, which Wan drove to the victory.

In addition, Darren McNamara returns to Team Falken, this year in a Saturn Sky, surely to be a crowd pleaser as well as a very competitive entry.  The Irish native has a number of years of experience under his belt, and brings with him an international perspective on drift competition.

Two new drivers join this tightly organized machine – Daijiro Yoshihara and Tyler McQuarrie.  Both bring tremendous experience to Team Falken, with “Dai” driving a 750-hp Lexus IS350 and Tyler, last year’s Redline Time Attack co-champion, handling a heavily modified Nissan 350Z convertible, and will add considerable excitement and strong finishes throughout the drift competition season.

The members of Team Falken will all compete on the track-inspired and enthusiast-targeted Azenis series – the RT-615 line – as well as the maximum performance FK452 series, both definitive tires of the Falken brand.

Drift competition has rapidly become a cornerstone of racing competition in the United States and throughout the world, and Falken has built its reputation on both the strength of this sport as well as the tires its teams run on.  Falken has invested heavily for drift competition to reach the right customers and offers the perfect venue for the tire company to face off against its competitors.  The company’s image is enhanced by its color-coordinated entries, its Umbrella Girls, who regularly appear at all drift competition events, and its aggressive activation area in the pits.  Falken also provides hospitality to many guests at each event and serves as the official tire sponsor of the Formula Drift series, which enters its sixth season in 2009.  Formula Drift has been recognized as the North American professional drift competition championship series and attracts more than 60 professional drivers to its seven events to be held this year.