Formula Drift Seattle 2011

So, I have a tough time calling 4th place a curse but so far this season, we have had two 4th place finishes, one 5th and one 6th which had us in 4th place overall, so to me, it almost felt that way. Either way, the “curse” is no more! This weekend we took our NOS Energy Drink Nissan 370Z to a 2nd place finish which pushed us up to 3rd place in the overall championship race! Even though we had an awesome weekend, it definitely did not all start out that way…

LIN_1079

Every event usually kicks off with a practice session on Thursday but there was a down-pour of rain early in the day so practice was canceled. Even though Formula Drift decided to re-open the session for an hour or so, the track was still very wet. Having a new car this year, Thursday practice is important for us to work on the set-up but because the rest of the weekend was forecasted to be sunny and warm, running on a wet track would be no good to us. So, we would have to wait until Friday.

P1040009

When we hit the track Friday for practice, our differential broke on only our 2nd full throttle run! We already had limited time to practice but now with this happening, I could only hope to get in a couple passes before qualifying. Kevin and Sergio did an amazing job as they rushed to get the car fixed and back on track before the session was over. I pulled back up to the line with 5 minutes remaining, plenty of time to get in a pass or two but just as I pulled up, Formula Drift had to end our practice session because another competitor had crashed hard and had to be towed off track. I was pretty upset, never having run our new car or engine at this track, I would now have to go into qualifying pretty much blind. On my first qualifying pass, I went conservative but still landed in 10th after that first round of qualifying! I was thrilled to know that we would definitely be in the competition so I pushed a little harder on my second pass and earned a slightly higher score which put us in 15th place overall.

FD_Seattle_16

Onto Top 32, where my first pairing was with Otto Graven, who has had a great year so far and is a serious contender for Formula Drift Rookie of the Year award. We had a close battle so the judges called for a one more time. On our next set of runs, I pushed hard throughout the course and was given the win! In Top 16, we were matched up against Dennis Mertzanis, a great guy who runs his own program very well. We had a solid pair of runs but as we were coming off the bank, Dennis made a critical mistake, giving us the win. In top 8, we would run against my good friend and fellow Drift Alliance member, Ryan Tuerck! It has been two years since we have paired up in competition and because we have always had such great battles, I was really looking forward to it. On our first run, I chased Ryan around the bank and into the infield but as we flipped into the last corner, he spun out right in front of me. It was very unlike him to do that and I couldn’t believe that it happened! Our lead run was nice and smooth so the judges advanced us into the semi-finals!

In the semis, my first opponent was actually my Hankook Tire teammate, Rhys Millen. Rhys had been driving on-point all weekend so I knew that beating him was not going to be easy. As I followed Rhys into the infield, he hit the wall and knocked his car straight! We made light contact with him as his car straightened out but were able to keep going. Rhys immediately got his car back in drift and finished the run behind us. On my lead lap, I put down a nice smooth run and although Rhys was right on my tail, it was still not enough to make up for his hit. The judges awarded us the win and we moved onto the finals!!

FD_Seattle_13

In the finals, I was lined up with Daijiro Yoshihara, he was obviously having a great day but I knew we could beat him. I also knew that I could chase Dai harder than anyone else so I stood on the gas and stayed locked in with his car all the way through the bank while beating him with more angle at the same time! Before I explain what happened next, you should know that we run a sequential transmission which means you pull the shifter back to up-shift and push it forward to down-shift. So, as we transfer into the infield, I grab the e-brake and immediately go to down-shift into 2nd gear. As I punched the shifter forward, my hand slipped over the top of it and flew right into the ignition switch! I couldn’t believe it… I just shut the car off in the middle of our run. That had never happened to me before and it just happened to me in the finals!!! I went back out and put down the best lead run I could muster but it wasn’t enough.

FD_Seattle_22

So in the end, it was a little heartbreaking but it was still an awesome weekend!!! We went home with our best finish of the season and moved into 3rd place! Team Hankook also had their best finish, placing 2nd, 3rd and 4th, so close to sweeping the podium! Las Vegas is coming up next and the guys already have some great ideas for the car! I’m dreading the heat but I can’t wait to get back out there and compete!

FD_Seattle_23

For those that did not have the chance to catch the action on Drift Stream, here are all of our tandem battles from start to finish! Also, you can view pictures from the event, in our PHOTO GALLERY.

Top 32 vs Otto Graven
Top 32 vs Otto Graven OMT
Top 16 vs Dennis Mertzanis
Top 8 vs Ryan Tuerck
Semi-Finals vs Rhys Millen
Finals vs Daijiro Yoshihara

Seattle NOS Drifter: Andrew Coomes

A taste of what to come in 2011

TypePad Conversations » Answer this question!

KDF x CFR x FD Washington

NOS has partnered with the Keep Drifting Fun fellows (Will Roegge and Joshua Herron) to produce some of the best drifting footage on the net and they have come through again. KDF and Chris Forsberg Racing are both using the best POV cameras out today CONTOURHD's and shot this entire video using only CONTOURHD cameras. With a little KDF editing magic, this is one of the most creative drift videos to date!

The Most NOSome Vehicle

Terry vo

We need your help to find out which city has the best NOS car. The car/marketer with the most likes/comments, wins the title of "The Most NOSome Vehicle".

First up - Terry Vo in Seattle!

NOS Energy Drink's Forum Fest @ Pacific Raceways - Kent, WA

We hope to see everyone at NOS Energy Drink’s Forum Fest this Sunday, 7.18.10 @ Pacific Raceways in Kent, WA…Remember the event is free for all spectators!

For all you car show participants! Here is a sneak peek of the LIMITED EDITION NOS Energy Drink Car show BELTS.

 IMG_1781[1]

IMG_1780[1]


IMG_1779[1]

Every category winner will take home one of these lovely belts instead of a trophy. Hold it high and wear it proud to show that You made it…..You made it!

Chris Forsberg's Formula Drift Seattle Review

NOS_CFR_6
 I returned home yesterday from Round 4 of the Formula Drift Championship series at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, WA. Overall, we had a great weekend that began on Wednesday with an in town appearance with the local NOS crew. We spent the day spreading the word about Formula Drift and the event that was happening only a few days from then. Not only did we hand out a bunch of drinks, we were even able to give away two tickets to the event.

NOS_CFR_1 

 The following day, we had our usual Thursday practice where we make sure the car set-up is suited to the track and at Evergreen we especially needed to make sure it was suited for the big bank. Throughout the day, we made our adjustments and after we got the car dialed in, we took a couple of the local NOS reps for ride-a-longs. Being that it was their first time in a drift car, it was especially fun for me to show them first hand what we do.

NOS_CFR_3
 Friday begins with our second practice of the weekend but most importantly, it is our last practice session before qualifying begins. We made a few passes and I was feeling good to go but on the last pass, trouble! As I exited the bank, the car behind me bumped into my car and bent the rear control arm. Thankfully, I have Kevin and Sergio who busted out that Genius tool box and spare parts and got the car fixed with plenty of time to spare before our first qualifying run.

In qualifying, we scored 80 points on the first run which is solid but being that qualifying position is so important in earning Championship points, I wanted a higher score. On the second pass, I pushed for more angle coming off of the bank which paid off with the 5th highest score, 86.3.

NOS_CFR_4
 We entered into Top 32 tandem paired up against Eric O’Sullivan. My strategy going into this round was to focus on my car’s ability to achieve better angle than I thought he could coming into the “power alley.” As we went through this section of the course, Eric over rotated and made contact with the wall. Although Eric was fine, the car was not able to make it back to the line, even after calling 5 minutes. This meant that we would advance to Top 16 where we would face Daijiro Yoshihara.

Dai is not only a great friend of mine but an amazing driver who, at this point, had a two event winning streak behind him. I would have to be perfect to beat him so as I approached the bank wall clipping point, I brought the car up towards the wall... it was at this time that he hit me and pushed the back of my car into the wall. For a second, I thought the front end of the car would snap back, wrecking the front end but it didn’t and I was able to keep going! Daijiro also damaged his car in the contact and was unable to make his second pass.

NOS_CFR_5
 The ladder was not getting any easier as we went into the Great 8 against Darren McNamarra. His car was quick on the bank and although I was able to catch him in the latter part of the course, he had a definite advantage going into the second run. So on my lead lap, I pushed the car harder through the bank than I had all weekend. The lead pass felt great, but it was not enough to make up for my mistake on the first run. We ended the weekend in 5th position overall and with another solid finish under our belts, we now look forward to round 5, the flat track in Las Vegas.

On the road to Monroe…

This morning we left our shop in Huntington Beach to head up to Monroe for Round 5 of Formula Drift. Should only take us two days to get there as long as everything goes good. I drove the rig for most of the afternoon and into the evening. Now Kevin is behind the wheel to put more miles down before we stop off for the night. Seattle is one of my favorite tracks that we go to, it has a ridiculous first turn where the judges want us to scrape the wall which makes for a very exciting event. 

I hope that we have another good year at Evergreen Raceway. Last year we took home 1st Place! For those that will not be able to come see the event live, be sure to go to www.driftstream2010.com to watch it on your computer!

NOS Energy Drink’s Road to Formula D Contest Event Stop Results

The results are in!   We now have 4 qualifiers to come to the NOS Energy Drink’s Road to Formula D Contest final @ Formula D: Round 4 in Monroe, WA...

They win 2 tickets to the Formula D: Round 4 event on July 10, 2010 at Evergreen Speedway and a $50 American Express gift card to help them get there.

 

The qualifiers are……..

event stop: Honda-Tech Meet - - Charles F. of Lake Forest Park, WA

event stop: High School Drags - - Marcus S. of Spanaway, WA

event stop: Oregon Trail Rally Fan Appreciation Day - - Ryan T. of Tigard, OR

event stop: Oregon Trail Rally - - Jacob W. of Vancouver, WA

 

Have fun guys and PREPARE TO FUEL VICTORY!

 

Win $2000 Towards Your Car, Play NOS Energy Drink’s Road to Formula D Contest

NOS Energy Drink's contest for the Pacific Northwest!

Earn a chance to win a $2,000 car upgrade gift certificate, a ride along with Formula D Champion Chris Forsberg, Xbox360, Need for Speed – Shift video game, Griot’s Garage Complete Car Care System, and a year supply of NOS Energy Drink!

Qualify on the Need for Speed Shift time attack challenge at any of the NOS Energy Drink event stops and earn a spot to become the CHAMPION on July 10, 2010 @ Formula Drift: Round 4





The Contest runs from May 1, 2010 and ends on July 10, 2010.  Participants can enter during one of the 10 qualifying events outlined below.

Event Name
Date
Address


Honda-Tech Meet
5/1/10
Pacific Raceways, 31001 144th Avenue SE, Kent, WA 98042-4601

High School Drags
5/7/10
Pacific Raceways, 31001 144th Avenue SE, Kent, WA 98042-4601

Executive Auto Society 3rd Annual BBQ party
5/8/10
Richmond beach Saltwater Park, 2021 NW 190th Street, Shoreline, WA 98177

Oregon Trail Rally Fan Appreciation Day
5/13/10
Pioneer Courthouse, 701 SW 6th Avenue, Portland, OR 97205

Oregon Trail Rally
5/14/10
Portland International Raceway, 1940 North Victory Boulevard, Portland, OR 97217

Griot’s Garage Grand Opening
6/5/10
Griot’s Garage, 3333 South 38th Street, Tacoma, WA 98409-5641

Formula D ProAM Championship #2
6/25/10
Evergreen Speedway, 14405 179th Avenue SE, Monroe, WA 98272

NOS Energy Drink Road Challenge
6/26/10
Pacific Raceways, 31001 144th Avenue Southeast Kent, WA 98042-4601

Import Face Off
6/27/10
Pacific Raceways, 31001 144th Avenue SE, Kent, WA 98042-4601

Formula D Qualifying Day
7/9/10
Evergreen Speedway, 14405 179th Avenue SE, Monroe, WA 98272



NOS Energy Drink's Road to Formula D Contest

Official Rules

1. Eligibility: NOS Energy Drink's Road to Formula D Contest (the "Contest") is open only to legal resident of Oregon and Washington who are at least 18 years old at the time of entry. Employees and non-employee workers of Coca-Cola Bottlers, The Coca-Cola Company, Formula DRIFT Holdings, LLC, Microsoft Corporation, Electronic Arts Inc., Griot's Garage, ePrize, LLC, and their respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, and agents, and any agencies or other companies involved in the development or execution of the Contest or production or distribution of Contest materials, as well as the immediate family (spouse, parents, siblings, and children) and household members of each such person are not eligible.  The Contest is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations and is void where prohibited by law.

 

2. Sponsor: The Contest is sponsored by Coca-Cola North America, a division of The Coca-Cola Company, One Coca-Cola Plaza, Atlanta, GA 30313.  Administrator: ePrize, LLC, One ePrize Drive, Pleasant Ridge, MI 48069.

 

3. Agreement to Official Rules:  By participating in the Contest each participant fully and unconditionally agrees to and accepts these Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsor and/or Administrator, which are final and binding in all matters related to the Contest including the determination of the winner.  Whether an entrant wins the Grand Prize is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements set forth herein.

 

4. Timing: The Contest runs from May 1, 2010 and ends on July 10, 2010 (the "Promotion Period").  Participants can enter during one of the 10 qualifying events (each an "Event") as outlined in the chart below. The Events are subject to change; for the most up to date list of Events login to www.drinknos.com (creating an account is free).

Event Name

Date

Address

Honda-Tech Meet

5/1/10

Pacific Raceways, 31001 144th Avenue SE, Kent, WA 98042-4601

High School Drags

5/7/10

Pacific Raceways, 31001 144th Avenue SE, Kent, WA 98042-4601

Executive Auto Society 3rd Annual BBQ party

5/8/10

Richmond beach Saltwater Park, 2021 NW 190th Street, Shoreline, WA 98177

Oregon Trail Rally Fan Appreciation Day

5/13/10

Pioneer Courthouse, 701 SW 6th Avenue, Portland, OR 97205

Oregon Trail Rally

5/14/10

Portland International Raceway, 1940 North Victory Boulevard, Portland, OR 97217

Griot’s Garage Grand Opening

6/5/10

Griot’s Garage, 3333 South 38th Street, Tacoma, WA 98409-5641

Formula D ProAM Championship #2

6/25/10

Evergreen Speedway, 14405 179th Avenue SE, Monroe, WA 98272

NOS Energy Drink Road Challenge

6/26/10

Pacific Raceways, 31001 144th Avenue Southeast Kent, WA 98042-4601

Import Face Off

6/27/10

Pacific Raceways, 31001 144th Avenue SE, Kent, WA 98042-4601

Formula D Qualifying Day

7/9/10

Evergreen Speedway, 14405 179th Avenue SE, Monroe, WA 98272

5. How to Enter: At each Event, locate the Sponsor's booth and play the Need For Speed: SHIFT game as directed by the representative at the booth.  Limit: Each participant may play the Need For Speed: SHIFT game 2 times per Event. Participants at each Event will play the Need For Speed: SHIFT game on the same race track and the participant with the fastest time at the conclusion of each Event will be deemed potential Finalist Prize winner for that event. 

 

6. Grand Prize Winner Determination: Each Finalist Prize winner will be invited to try to beat Chris Forsberg’s best Need For Speed: SHIFT game lap time on the Nordscheleife track using the vehicle determined by Sponsor. at the Formula D Round 4 Event ("Round 4 Event") on July 10, 2010 at the Evergreen Speedway, 14405 179th Avenue SE, Monroe, WA 98272.  The Finalist who records the fastest lap at the Round 4 Event will be deemed the Grand Prize winner. 

 

7. Winner Requirements: The potential winners must continue to comply with the Official Rules; and winning is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements. Each potential Finalist Prize winner will be notified on or around the next business day following the applicable Event.  The potential Grand Prize winner will be notified on or around July 10, 2010 at the Round 4 Event.  The potential Grand Prize winner (or parent/legal guardian if winner is a minor in his/her state of residence) will be required to sign and return an Affidavit of Eligibility, Liability & Publicity Release (except where prohibited), which must be received by Administrator within 5 days of the date notice or attempted notice is sent, in order to claim his/her prize. If a potential winner cannot be contacted, fails to sign and return the Affidavit within the required time period (if applicable), or prize is returned as undeliverable, potential winner forfeits the prize.  In the event that a potential winner is disqualified for any other reason, the he/she forfeits the prize and, time permitting, the participant with the next fastest lap time will be deemed the winner of the applicable prize.

 

8. Prizes: 10 FINALIST PRIZES: 2 tickets to the Formula D Round 4 Event on July 10, 2010 at the Evergreen Speedway, 14405 179th Avenue, Southeast Monroe, WA 98272, and a $50 American Express gift card that winner can use toward transportation to the Formula D Round 4 Event.  Approximate Retail Value ("ARV"): $106.  1 GRAND PRIZE: A ride along with Chris Forsberg (details determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion) anda prize package including an Xbox 360, a copy of the Need For Speed: SHIFT game, a Griot's Garage complete car care system (details of the what this includes can be found at www.griotsgarage.com), a 1-year supply of NOS awarded in the form of 12 cases of 13.5oz NOS Energy Drink (24 bottles per case), and a $2,000 gift certificate or credit to an auto shop near winner's home (determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion) that winner can use towards his/her vehicle. ARV: $3,090. Sponsor is not responsible if the ride along with Chris Forsberg is delayed, postponed or cancelled, in which event that portion of the prize is forfeited in its entirety and no substitution will be provided except in Sponsor's sole discretion. 

 

For All Prizes: No substitution, exchange or transfer of prize by winner.  Sponsor reserves the right to substitute any prize for one of equal or greater value.  Each prize winner is responsible for all taxes and fees associated with prize receipt and/or use.

 

9. Publicity: Except where prohibited, participation in the Contest constitutes entrant’s consent for Sponsor and its designees to use entrant’s name, likeness and state of residence for promotional purposes in any media without further consideration.

10. General Conditions:  In the event that the operation, security, or administration of the Contest is impaired in any way for any reason, including, but, not limited to, fraud, virus or other technical problem, the Sponsor may, in its sole discretion, either: (a) suspend the Contest to address the impairment and then resume the Contest in a manner that best conforms to the spirit of these Official Rules; or (b) cancel the Contest and award the prize in a random drawing from among all eligible entrants participating up to the time of impairment. The Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any individual it find to be tampering with the operation of the Contest or to be acting in violation of these Official Rules or any other promotion, or in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner.  Any attempt by any person to undermine the legitimate operation of the Contest may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and, should such an attempt be made, the Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law.  The Sponsor's failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision.   

11. Release and Limitations of Liability: By participating in the Contest, entrant agrees to release and hold harmless The Coca-Cola Company, Coca-Cola Bottlers, Formula DRIFT Holdings, LLC, Microsoft Corporation, Electronic Arts Inc., Griot's Garage, ePrize, LLC, and their respective related companies, parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, and their respective agents and agencies, licensees and assigns, and their respective officers, directors, employees and agents (the “Released Parties”) from and against any claim or cause of action arising out of participation in the Contest, including, but not limited to: (a) unauthorized human intervention in the Contest; (b) technical errors related to computers, servers, providers, or video game systems; (c) printing errors; (d) downtime for scheduled maintenance; (e) errors in the administration of the Contest; or (f) injury or damage to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from entrant’s participation in the Contest.  Entrant further agrees that in any cause of action, the Released Parties’ liability will be limited to the cost of entering and participating in the Contest and in no event shall the Released Parties be liable for attorney’s fees.  Entrant waives the right to claim any damages whatsoever, including, but not limited to, punitive, consequential, direct, or indirect damages. 

12. Disputes:  Entrant agrees that: (a) any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of or connected with this Contest shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan (Southern Division) or the appropriate Michigan State Court located in Oakland County, Michigan; (b) any and all claims, judgments and awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred, including costs associated with entering this Contest, but in no event attorneys' fees; and (c) under no circumstances will entrant be permitted to obtain awards for and entrant hereby waives all rights to claim punitive, incidental and consequential damages and any other damages, other than for actual out-of-pocket expenses, and any and all rights to have damages multiplied or otherwise increased.  SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE LIMITATIONS OR EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.  All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, or the rights and obligations of the entrant and Sponsor in connection with the Contest, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Michigan, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules (whether of the State of Michigan or any other jurisdiction), which would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Michigan.

13. Contest Results:  Winner List requests will only be available after the Contest end date (listed above).  To request a list, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: "NOS Energy Drink's Road to Formula D Contest" c/o ePrize, LLC, P.O. Box 8070, Royal Oak, MI 48068-8070 or send an email with Subject Line: "NOS Energy Drink's Road to Formula D Contest" to WinListRequests@eprizefulfillment.com.

Team NOS at Olympus Rally

Acp4
Great weekend at Olympus Rally. Unfortunately I went off and crashed while pushing for the win. but we were posting great times and the car was handling awesome, so we're in good shape for the upcoming events. Next one, Portland Oregon May 14-16, including stages at Portland International Raceway.

Acp1
Had terrific NOS activation on event as well. The NOS team was out at Pacific Grand Prix kartways on Thursday for media and charity rides we did for Ronald McDonald House, then we handed out a ton of product to rally fans on event as well. Thanks to NOS for supporting the events and workers as well!

Acp2
Pics by Andrew Snucins, worldrallysport.com

ACP