Hankook Tire / Dynamic Autosports Drift Team at Formula D Round #2, Road Atlanta, Georgia

All Photos courtesy of Dynamic Autosports

Dynamic Autosports Press Release:
Lake Forest, CA 10 May 2010: Formula Drift Round 2: Road Atlanta

Road Atlanta features a 2.5 mile world class racing circuit, home to Atlanta's Skip Barber Racing school and Round 2 of the 2010 Formula Drift Championship season. Formula Drift Round 2 takes place on Turn 10 of Road Atlanta's complex and storied road course. It features a hard left initiation into a transition zone, followed by a tight horseshoe section, taking the competition up close to the Atlanta drift fans. After continued development and rigorous testing, improvements were made on all our competition cars. The Hankook Tire / Dynamic Autosports Drift Team performed exceptionally well, despite this being the Hankook Tire / Dynamic Autosports Nissan GT-R's first taste of competition. Thursday marked the commencement of the race weekend with a strong performance by the entire Hankook Tire Drift Team throughout practice. After making the final adjustments to accommodate each drivers' style at Road Atlanta, the cars were ready for the Top 32 qualifying session on the following day.

Qualifying
With the first pass, Robbie Nishida launched down the Georgia straightaway, allowing him to carry high entry speeds into the first corner, putting him within inches of the first clipping point. After Initiating into the corner, Robbie maintained his trademark "steep and deep" drift angle as the Nissan GT-R sped towards the horseshoe section of the track, making a smooth transition into the famous left hander. Thick smoke from the Hankook Ventus RS-3 performance tires permeated the Atlanta air, drawing the crowd to their feet to catch a glimpse of the first ever Nissan GT-R drift car this world class circuit has ever seen. After completing both qualifying runs, Robbie Nishida was the 11th highest qualifier of the event with an impressive 82.6 score from the judges. This secured Robbie and the Hankook Tire / Dynamic Autosports Nissan GT-R a spot in 32 car field main event. Eric O'Sullivan, driver of the Hankook Tire / Dynamic Autosports Subaru WRX STi, pushed the RWD converted platform to a new level of angle and speed by taking an aggressive line through the Atlanta course during his qualifying runs. Being a crowd favorite, the fans were on their feet as Eric piloted the Subaru deep into the horseshoe towards the inside clipping point. After making two successful runs, Eric and the Hankook Tire / Dynamic Autosports Subaru WRX STi did not score high enough in order to qualify for the Top 32 main event. Determined to change his luck, Eric O'Sullivan has vowed to be ready for the 3rd stop of the 2010 Formula Drift Championship season in New Jersey.

Top 32
During the Top 32 main event, Robbie Nishida, in the Hankook Tire / Dynamic Autosports Nissan GT-R, was paired up against Matt Powers. Robbie initiated strong into the first corner as Powers chased the GT-R. Robbie maintained a commanding lead and finished with a solid run. On the 2nd pass, Powers led as Robbie mirrored his every move. Robbie's unrelenting style, pit the two drivers door to door, leading Powers to lose his rear bumper during the melee. After the judges deliberated, an OMT (One More Time) was called. With Powers in tow, Robbie was able to open up a gap between him and Powers. With Powers leading, Robbie continued to pressure Powers at every corner, attempting to stay door-to-door with Powers. Feling the heat of the Hankook Tire/Dynamic Autosports Nissan GT-R, Powers took a shallow line, allowing Robbie to take the win, moving him and the GT-R into the Top 16 main event.

Top 16
During the next round, Robbie Nishida was paired up againts Michael Essa. During the first round Essa led with Robbie chasing the BMW deep into the first corner. Following Essa into the horseshoe section, the GT-R clouded the stands with tire smoke while maintaining a deep angle, allowing Robbie to stay close to Essa's BMW. With Robbie leading on the second run, Essa's M5 powered BMW proved to be a worthy adversary for the Hankook Tire/Dynamic Autosports Nissan GT-R. After the judges deliberated, Essa was pronounced the winner, ending Robbie's assault in Atlanta. With 5 rounds left in the 2010 Formula Drift Championship, Robbie will be ready and willing to do battle in New Jersey for Round 3.

The crowds in Atlanta were especially receptive to the Hankook Tire Pits as fans lined up to get a glimpse of the Hankook Drift Cars and to be a part of the Dynamic Autosports Marketing Survey, for a chance to win one of the amazing prizes offered by our marketing partners and sponsors: Genius Tools, Mishimoto, Hpi Racing, ACT, Hankook Tire, Crooks and Castles, and Seibon Carbon. Five hundred marketing surveys were completed with vital cosumer feedback on products and brand image. With a strong activation plan, the Hankook Tire Drift Pits held a huge crowd all weekend as fans clamored for more of the Hankook Tire Drift Team. Over two thousand lanyards, twelve hundred bags, eight hundred hats and other promotional items were given away to the Atlanta fans. The stands were dominated by the logos of our sponsors and the signature Hankook Tire Orange, as the endless stream of fans proudly displayed all of the promotional items at the event. The promotional raffle was a huge success as fans rushed immediately back to the pits during the break to discover the winners of the raffle. Atalanta was a great leap forward for the Hankook Tire/Dynamic Autosports Drift Team, with strong results and vital input from our drivers, Round 3 will be another leap forward into a strong season.

Team Dynamic Autosports would like to thank our sponsors for their continued support:
Hankook Tires, Genius Tools, Seibon, Mishimoto, APR Performance, Brian Crower, ACT Clutches, Weds Sport, Savini Wheels, Sparco, APEXi, KW Suspension, HPI Racing, Crooks and Castles, Attic Clothing, JE Pistons, Portflow, PPG, Nissan, Subaru, Instyle Graphics and Driveshaft Shop.

Links:
Hankook Tires
Dynamic Autosports
Formula-D

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