Forsberg finishes third overall In the 2011 Formula Drift Championship

Hankook drivers Rhys Millen and Chris Forsberg placed second and third place respectively in front of a sold-out crowd this past weekend at the final Formula Drift race of the season, Round 7: Title Fight, at Toyota Speedway in Irwindale, California.  Often referred to as the “birthplace” of American drifting, the 16,000 plus enthusiasts on hand had the chance to witness one of the closest and most heated races of the season.
 
Following intense racing that took place earlier in the day, the Final 4 competition came down to Chris Forsberg in the Hankook Nissan 370Z battling it out against Darren McNamara in his Saturn Sky and Rhys Millen in the Hankook Genesis Coupe racing against Tyler McQuarrie in his Nissan 350Z.
 
After Forsberg’s and McNamara’s first tandem run, Forsberg held a slight lead over his fellow competitor.  During their second run however, both drivers crashed and the judges gave the win to Forsberg, ultimately earning him a third place podium finish.  Rhys Millen’s run against Tyler McQuarrie in the Final 4 was just as intense.  Millen won the match up and was sent to the final where he was able to secure a second place podium finish.
 
“This final event really put Hankook’s drivers and our Ventus R-S3 tires to the test,” said Hankook Motorsport Manager Paul Jho. “Our teams did an outstanding job this weekend and demonstrated the performance our Ventus R-S3 tires provide under extreme conditions.”
 
Hankook’s Ventus R-S3 is an Extreme Performance Summer tire developed for serious sports car, sports coupe and performance sedan enthusiasts looking for race tire-like traction on the street or for use in autocross, drifting or track events.
 
Overall this year Hankook formula Drift drivers earned six podium finishes including Conrad Grunewald’s first place win at Round Four and Rhys Millen’s first place win at Round Six.  Round Five saw Hankook drivers Chris Forsberg and Fredric Asabo capture second and third place finishes, while Round Seven this past weekend solidified two additional second and third place finishes by Rhys Millen and Chris Forsberg.  Additionally, Hankook driver Chris Forsberg finished the season 3rd place overall in the final Formula Drift championship point standings.
2011 marks the eighth year for the Formula Drift series and Hankook’s sixth year of involvement.  The company garnered enhanced visibility and sales increases in 2010 as a result of its motorsports sponsorships and special racing programs and has multiplied its involvement for 2011 by becoming an official sponsor of Formula Drift.  Hankook also supports teams competing in the Redline Time Attack series, Rally Cross and Pikes Peak Hill Climb.