FONTANA, CA - In the heat of the summer, the two major motorsports programs of Team Falken find themselves in key markets with the cars ready to make an impact. The ALMS team moves to historic Road America in Round 7 of the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patron, while the five-car, factory drifting effort heads to legendary Las Vegas and the LV Motor Speedway to continue its winning ways. Currently, Team Falken's Formula Drift program leads the 2010 championship with Vaughn Gittin, Jr., with Daijiro Yoshishara in 3rd, while the ALMS program has generated points in the GT championship through consistent finishes.
"Our expectations are high for both series," stated Andrew Hoit, Director of Marketing, Falken Tire. "The Formula Drift championship race is getting hotter with just three events left in the 2010 season. With 'JR' and 'Dai' currently sitting in first and third place, Las Vegas is crucial to Falken to reach our goal of bringing a championship home."
"The American LeMans Series continues to be a learning session for us, but we remain strong and extremely determined," declared Rod Everett, Falken ALMS team manager. The manufacturer-supported team continues to develop its Porsche 911 GT3 RSR with Porsche works and Falken team driver Wolf Henzler, and his partner, team driver Bryan Sellers.
At Road America, the Porsche will compete on specially prepared Falken AZENIS RT slicks and race on the classic circuit in the two-hour, 45-minute event on Sunday, August 22. Qualifying is set for Saturday, August 21. The famous 4.08-mile road course has been a favorite among all competitors as speeds reach record highs. Team Falken will again set out to qualify and finish well in the GT class.
"We're looking forward to a great weekend in Vegas as well as in Elkhart Lake, enjoying the hospitality of this grand track with a bratwurst or two and moving up the results ladder," added Mark Richter, Falken Senior Manager, Dealer Marketing, "and we're confident we'll continue to dominate the field in Formula D."
Two races remain in the Formula Drift Championship - Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, CA, and the "Title Fight" finale at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale, CA. Road America has enjoyed a long run as one of North America's most demanding road courses and has played host to numerous professional and amateur race series. The venue is the second of three ALMS races in a four-week span, as the teams next head into Canada to Mosport. The season finale is Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta, September 29 - October 2.
The ALMS Powered by eStar race will run live on SPEED, Sunday, August 22nd at 3:00 p.m. Eastern time.
Once again, the racing action can be viewed via Formula Drift's live stream starting Friday at 9 p.m. To view the stream, please visit: www.falkenfanatic.com
Stream Times: Friday, August 20th: 9 p.m. - 11:30 p.m. Qualifying; Saturday, August 21st, 11 p.m. - 1 a.m. Main Competition.
In addition, a "Back to School Bash" is set for Formula D fans at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Saturday, August 21st for Formula D starting at 9:00 a.m. PDT.
Team Falken Tire has released a high-definition and action-packed video of Formula D's "Throwdown" at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Washington. Visit http://bit.ly/falkenmonroe to see it.
About Falken Tire
Falken Tire Corporation, a subsidiary of Sumitomo Rubber Industries, launched its brand in its native country of Japan in 1983 and was introduced to the North American market two years later. At its inception, Falken was created as the flagship high performance radial brand under Ohtsu Tire and Rubber. Now, over two and a half decades later, Falken has become a well-known, stand-alone brand that focuses on UHP (Ultra High Performance) products while utilizing professional motorsports racing to further develop and improve passenger vehicle products for worldwide distribution.
Considered a marketing maverick in many regards, Falken Tire prides itself on its in-house branding and creative capabilities. Housing a fully staffed advertising department and motorsports team allows Falken Tire to fully maximize exposure and build upon its successes through its American Le Mans and Professional Drifting programs. The group has recently launched a new enthusiast website, www.wegetyougoing.com.
Falken's current products range from the track-inspired and enthusiast-targeted Azenis series to the maximum performance and luxury sport FK452. The award-winning all-season performance ZIEX ZE912 provides sure-footed grip in any weather condition, while the S /TZ04 encompasses cutting-edge styling and ultra plus fitments for today's light truck and SUV.
Within the last year, Falken has aggressively expanded its product range, launching new products in the rugged all-terrain category with WildPeak A/T and High Country, and adding an exciting new winter performance tire, the ESPIA EPZ, which provides superb traction even in the harshest conditions. Also, to combat adverse weather, Falken offers the new Eurowinter HS439, which helps improve winter driving predictability with consistent traction.
In the premium touring category, Falken has introduced the SN211, a dynamic, economical and long-lasting original equipment replacement tire that fits the needs of a wide variety of vehicles, and amps up the performance field with an upgraded AZENIS 615K, one of Falken's most popular tires, which is also used by its Formula Drift teams.
Future product development includes expansion in the premium performance market, which is destined to further refine the driving experience.
Based in Fontana, California, the site serves as Falken's corporate headquarters and west coast distribution center for North American operations. Additional Falken Tire distribution locations include warehouses in Tennessee, New Jersey and Texas.
For more information on Falken Tire visit: www.falkentire.com.
