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October 13th, 2010, Charlotte, NC
Autosport Dynamics takes the 2010 Formula Drift Championship and finishes 2nd at Round 7
CHARLOTTE, NC. (October 13, 2010) –Over the weekend, Autosport Dynamics made their way out to southern California for the final and most exciting event of the Formula Drift season. A sold-out crowd filled the paddock and the grandstands at Irwindale Speedway, otherwise known as “The House of Drift”, to see their favorite Formula Drift drivers go head-to-head in hopes of a place atop that coveted podium. In addition to the Formula Drift TV show that airs on the VERSES channel, this was the first drifting event to be filmed in 3D by DirecTV with an air-date to be announced. Round 7 was also featured live online via the DriftStream to a world-wide audience which reached over one-million unique views overall this year.
All ASD drifters qualified in the top sixteen on Friday; in fact, Darren McNamara (D-Mac) and the Falken Tire Saturn Sky took the first place spot, setting him up to go against the 32nd qualifier in the top 32 battles. Vaughn Gittin Jr. and the Monster Energy/ Falken Tire Ford Mustang took the 6th place qualifying spot. Justin Pawlak (JTP) and the blue and teal Falken Tire Ford Mustang qualified 13th. And last but not least, Tyler McQuarrie and the Falken Tire 350Z took the 16th place spot amongst the 40-plus drivers fighting to be in the top thirty-two.
All the ASD drivers quickly advanced into the Sweet Sixteen main event on Saturday. As D-Mac took out Alex Pfeiffer, Tyler defeated Robbie Nishida, JTP dominated over Ken Gushi, and Vaughn proved successful over Formula Drift rookie, Nicolay Konstantinov
The first battle of the Sweet Sixteen turned out to be an all-ASD Falken Tire battle as D-Mac and T-Mac (Tyler McQuarrie) lined up against each other to fight for a spot in the Great Eight. After two fantastic runs by both drivers, and after the Falken Tire smoke had settled on the track, Darren’s chase run proved to be slightly better than Tyler’s, and he was awarded the win.
Next up from the ASD crew was JTP who would be facing 2009’s Round 7 winner, Ryan Tuerck. Justin was pumped to be going against his Drift Alliance teammate, and he took it out on the track as he threw down two insane runs. It was a close match, but the judges deemed Justin the winner and the advancement into the Great Eight.
In the top 16, Vaughn was paired with “Rookie of the Year” Fredric Aasbo, who was the only driver the entire year thus far besides Daijiro Yoshihara to win in a tandem battle against Vaughn. This would be the fourth time of the season that these two fierce competitors would meet on the track.
Vaughn led first and entered early, maintaining a high line on the bank with a ton of angle. Coming off the bank, he was able to pull a gap and put the Monster Mustang right up on the infield wall as Aasbo tried to close the gap and followed with a more shallow line. Vaughn gave chase next, sticking close to his competitor and mimicking Aasbo’s every move on the track. The judges declared Vaughn the winner.
In the Great Eight, D-Mac was up first to go against former Formula Drift Champion, Rhys Millen. Darren led first and blazed through the course, putting his Falken Tire Saturn Sky right up against the wall in the infield, as Rhys struggled to keep up.
Darren gave chase next, and was able to serge his way right up to Rhys before the first clipping point, and stayed right on him coming off the bank and throughout the infield. It was an obvious decision; Darren was awarded the advantage, the win, and the advance into the semi-finals!
JTP was matched with two-time Formula Drift Champion, Tanner Foust, in his battle of the Great Eight. In 2008, JTP fought his way to third place and he was looking to get on that podium once again.
Justin gave chase first, and fought to stay as close as possible to Tanner, mimicking his line and angle. When it was Justin’s turn to lead, he put down an awesome run, but he just couldn’t seem to get away from Tanner who was piling on the pressure. The judges awarded Tanner the win, and Justin would end his day with a top 8 finish.
Vaughn found himself faced with Matt Powers in the top eight. Powers had placed fourth in Irwindale last year, so Vaughn knew not to count him out. Vaughn led first and put down a picture-perfect run, with much more angle and speed than his competitor. When it was his turn to give chase, Vaughn put intense pressure on Powers and didn’t let up once throughout the course. Vaughn took the well-deserved win, and would be moving on to the semi-finals to join his ASD teammate Darren McNamara!
D-Mac was set to run Tanner in the semi-finals. Later in the weekend, the two drivers would be awarded 2010’s “Best Tandem Battle” for their runs at Round 4 in Seattle. But here in Irwindale the two were matched again, and they would both stop at nothing to move into the finals with a guaranteed podium position.
After two insanely close and exciting runs, the judges (and the crowd) call for a One-More-Time. Darren would lead first in the OMT, and put down one of his best runs of the season. He would follow next, and knew he needed to be super tight on Tanner in order for the advantage to go in his favor. He was right on Tanner’s door, up until the judge’s stands, where he unfortunately spun out. The crowd erupted in cheers, however, as Darren had put on an outstanding performance and fought hard against Tanner. Darren would move on to the consolation round, as he still had a chance to seal 3rd place.
Vaughn was up next in the Final Four to compete against Michihiro Takatori for a place in the finals. Vaughn led first and immediately was able to pull a sizable gap on the bank after his initiation. He hit all the clips while Takatori was not able to catch up to the engine-screaming and tire-smoking Monster Energy Falken Tire Ford Mustang.
Vaughn gave chase next and was able to reel into Takatori immediately, keeping close to him throughout the course. Vaughn tapped the infield wall and maintained his drift, showing the crowd and the judges that he deserved to be in the finals. The judges agreed and sent him into the finals to face two-time Formula Drift Champion, Tanner Foust.
After Vaughn defeated Takatori, Darren would now take him on in the consolation round for 3rd place. Darren would lead first, and had a huge gap on Takatori coming off of the bank. Darren had intense angle coming off the bank, but wasn’t able to transition the car back in time and ended up taking it into the wall. This would take Darren out of the competition for the evening, and Takatori would automatically take 3rd place.
Moving on to the finals, after two insanely aggressive and incredibly close runs by Vaughn and Tanner, the crowd was on their feet screaming as the judges called for a One-More-Time. During the OMT, Vaughn gave it everything he had, but the judges deemed Tanner the advantage and gave him the win. Vaughn would take the 2nd place spot atop the podium for Round 7 at Irwindale Speedway.
This was just icing on the cake for Vaughn, as his real victory was being crowned the 2010 Formula Drift Champion. Vaughn is the second driver in the history of Formula Drift to come from a strictly-drifting background — the first driver being Chris Forsberg who won the Championship in 2009.
Vaughn finished the year off in 1st place overall and is the 2010 Formula Drift Champion! Darren finished the year in 5th place, Tyler finished in 8th place, and Justin finished in 11th place overall. Collectively, ASD has been on the podium 8 times this season. Out of the seven rounds, Vaughn alone accounts for six of those podiums alone, making history for the most podiums by a single driver in one season. Tyler owns one of those podiums, from when he took his first Formula Drift win in Las Vegas at Round Five. Lastly, D-Mac earned himself a podium when he took 3rd place at Round 4 in Seattle.
To put things even more in perspective of the unbelievable 2010 season, ASD took 28 top-32 finishes, 24 top-16 finishes, 13 top-eight finishes, 10 top-four finishes, eight top-three finishes, six top-two finishes, and three 1st place finishes. In fact, ASD has been on the podium consecutively every round of the 2010 season.
In other honorable mentions, Formula Drift presented awards that were voted on by all the FD drivers, teams, and industry affiliates. Vaughn Gittin Jr. was voted the 2010 “Driver of the Year”. Autosport Dynamics’ Ian Stewart was voted 2010 “Crew Chief/ Mechanic of the Year”. (Dean Steele of ASD was also nominated for this award.) And as earlier mentioned, Darren McNamara was awarded “Best Tandem Battle of the Year” for his runs in the final four with Tanner Foust at Round 4 in Seattle.
ASD would like to thank a few people who have been a huge part of their success in 2010. Andrew Hoit, Nick Fousekis, Jonathan Bradford, and Roman Bencomo from Falken Tire; Falken Tire is of course the title sponsor of the team, and the new RT-615K they use is the class of the field. Ted Abdon from Mechanix Wear; the ASD team only uses the best, and Mechanix Wear gloves are the best there is. Gary Topolewski from Metal Jeans; ASD needed quality pants for the team, and Gary supplied the best pants on track for the entire crew.
“Considering how very competitive Formula D has become, I’m very proud of our team’s achievements this year,” says Ian Stewart of Autosport Dynamics. “Taking eight podium finishes and the 2010 championship in only our third season in the series is a testament to the skill of the Falken drivers and the motorsport experience within our ASD staff."
"I’ve always believed in hiring the absolute best people available," Ian continues, "and those people showed their true capability this year, taking a brand new car to a win in its first-ever event and holding onto the championship points lead for the entire season thereafter. Now it’s time to go back to the shop and start working harder than ever, and do our best to repeat these achievements again in 2011. Our next goal is to have all four of our cars fighting each other for the championship. Let’s see next year if we can raise the bar once more, and do our best to achieve that new goal.”
That wraps it up for the 2010 Formula Drift season!
September 15th, 2010, Charlotte, NC
Autosport Dynamics finishes 1st in Sonoma, their sixth consectutive podium of the season
CHARLOTTE, NC. (September 15, 2010) – The Autosport Dynamics crew slid into Sonoma, California over the weekend for Formula Drift Round 6 at Infineon Raceway. The course is known for its high-speed entries of 100-plus MPH and insane head-to-head action. ASD has podiumed at every round so far this season, and their goal was to keep that streak alive in Sonoma. They achieved their goal when Vaughn Gittin Jr. fought his way to 1st place at Round 6, and was able to maintain his points lead in Formula Drift Championship.
Tyler McQuarrie brought his momentum from his big win at Round 5 to his qualifying runs on Friday, where he and the Falken Tire Nissan 350Z qualified in 1st place. “It felt awesome to be on top in qualifying at my home track simply because this track has never been good to me during Formula Drift events,” says Tyler. “But I felt great in practice and knew I had a good shot another win.”
Justin Pawlak (JTP) and the Falken Tire blue and teal Ford Mustang took the 13th place qualifying spot; Vaughn Gittin Jr. and the Monster Energy Falken Tire Ford Mustang followed right behind him in the 14th place spot; and Darren McNamara (D-Mac) and the Falken Tire Saturn Sky put down a solid run landing in the 20th place qualifying spot.
In the first battle of the top 32, Tyler was matched with Formula D rookie Dennis Mertzanis. Tyler led first and blazed through the course as Mertzanis struggled to keep up. Tyler gave chase next, and put the pressure on his competitor, giving him the advantage and the win.
It was an all-ASD brawl when JTP and D-Mac were paired to go head-to-head in the top thirty-two. JTP would lead first with an amazing run, but D-Mac stuck to his teammate like glue throughout the course. D-Mac would lead next while JTP attempted to keep up to his fast competitor, but unfortunately ending up going wide and off-course.
Last up from the ASD camp to compete in the top 32 was Vaughn. After he put down two amazing runs in his battle with Ken Gushi, Vaughn was deemed the winner and would advance into the Sweet Sixteen.
After the drivers spent some time with the fans in the “Half-Time” break, signing autographs and giving high-fives, it was time to get back to the drifting action on the track in the Sweet Sixteen main event.
Tyler was up first against two-time Formula D Champion, Tanner Foust, in his battle of the top sixteen. Tyler led first and threw down a picture-perfect run proving why he was the number one qualifier of the event. However, Foust was hot on his trail and seemed unshakeable. When it was Tyler’s turn to give chase, he followed Foust in after initiation and swung it out a little too wide going into the first clipping zone, allowing a gap between him and his competitor. Tyler had fought a good fight, but it would be Foust who would advance this time.
D-Mac was up next to have his shot at a place in the Great Eight. He was matched with Ryan Tuerck. D-Mac gave chase first and was right on Tuerck’s door at initiation. He was so close to his competitor, that he was forced to correct and distance himself from Tuerck. D-Mac led next with a great run, but it was too little too late as Tuerck got the win.
Last up in the top 16, Vaughn was matched with Dean Kearney. Vaughn led first with an excellent entry and maintained a ton of speed and angle throughout the course. Kearney tried to keep up, but resulted in a correction going wide then straightening up.
When it was Vaughn’s turn to give chase, he followed Dean into the first clipping zone and then as Dean slowed down a good amount going into the second clip, Vaughn was forced to tap him with nowhere else to go. Vaughn was awarded the advantage and would be moving on to the Great Eight.
In the top 8, Vaughn gave chase to Fredric Aasbo, who put down a solid run, but Vaughn was all over him piling on the pressure. When it was Vaughn’s turn to lead, he threw down an amazing run while blazing through the course, and was able to pull a decent gap on Aasbo, giving him a clear advantage. Vaughn was awarded the win and would move on to the Final Four.
Vaughn met 2009’s Formula Drift Champion, Chris Forsberg, in the semi-finals. Forsberg led first with a great run, but wasn’t quite able to shake the ASD-built Mustang from his door throughout the course. When it was Vaughn’s turn to lead, Forsberg attempted to put the same pressure on Vaughn, but ended up going wide and off course after the first turn, ultimately spinning out. Vaughn was awarded the win and would move on to the finals with a guaranteed spot on the podium.
In the finals, Vaughn gave chase first to Ryan Tuerck, sticking to his competitor like glue throughout the course, while maintaining a ton of angle and leaving an insane trail of Falken Tire smoke in his tracks.
When it was Vaughn’s turn to lead, he put down one last amazing run of the day, as Tuerck pushed to keep up, but it was just not enough to overcome Vaughn’s unbelievable determination and driving. Vaughn was deemed the winner of the battle and Round 6 at Infineon Raceway.
“Winning this round makes this dream-season even more unbelievable for me and I don’t want to wake up,” says Vaughn. “The success I am experiencing on the track is due to multiple variables; most notably our awesome 2011 Ford Mustang, the amazing Falken Tires, and my amazing team that I appreciate more than words can explain. I look forward to carrying this momentum to Irwindale!”
With his 1st place finish at Round 6, Vaughn remains the Championship points leader. Darren remains in his 5th place position, Tyler moves up one spot to 8th place, and Justin sits in 11th place overall.
The incredible year just keeps getting better for the Autosport Dynamics team and drivers. In the six rounds thus far, seven times have ASD drivers taken to the podium. Vaughn alone accounts for five of those podiums; taking 1st in Long Beach, 2nd in Atlanta, 2nd in New Jersey, 3rd in Las Vegas, and now 1st in Sonoma. Darren claims one podium, taking 3rd place in Seattle, and Tyler’s 1st place finish in Las Vegas makes six. In fact, ASD has been on the podium every round this year!
The Autosport Dymanics team heads to Irwindale Speedway, otherwise known as “The House of Drift”, October 8-9 for the Formula Drift final round. You can bet that this “Final Fight” will be an exciting one as the ASD team will be pushing to end the year with a Championship title!
July 14th, 2010, Charlotte, NC
Autosport Dynamics places third at Round 4 Evergreen Speedway, their fourth podium in a row
CHARLOTTE, NC. – July 14th, 2010 –
The Autosport Dynamics team took to Monroe, Washington over the weekend for Formula Drift Round 4 at Evergreen Speedway. The ASD crew had high hopes of maintaining their podium streak at this event, as well as gain some valuable points towards the 2010 Championship. With Darren “D-Mac” McNamara finishing the event in 3rd place, and all ASD drivers qualifying in the top 10, there was absolutely no doubt they accomplished those goals.
Friday’s hot sun was no match for the dedicated fans that piled in the grandstands to watch their favorite drivers practice and qualify for the top 32 spots.
Going into Round 5, Vaughn Gittin Jr. and the ASD-built Monster Energy/Falken Tire 2011 Ford Mustang were 1st in points overall, and after taking 3rd place atop the podium at the event, he managed to maintain his points lead leaving Las Vegas.
The weekend started off with top 32 qualifying on Friday as usual, as ASD was able to place all their drivers in the top 16 – Vaughn qualifying 5th, Tyler in 6th, Justin Pawlak (JTP) and the blue and teal 2010 Falken Tire Ford Mustang in 10th, and Darren McNamara (DMac) and the Falken Tire Saturn Sky in 11th place.
On Saturday’s main event day during the round of 32, all four competitors battled their way into the Sweet Sixteen – Vaughn taking out Brian Wilkerson in the BMI Racing RX-8, JTP proving victorious against Matt Powers in the Need for Speed S14, Tyler advancing after a One-More-Time with Mike Essa in the GSR Autosport BMW, and DMac dominating his battle with Matt Field in the VEX Motorsports S13.
In the top 16, Vaughn was paired with Ryan Tuerck in the Gardella Racing Solstice. Vaughn led first with a quick initiation and a ton of angle, while Tuerck went wide and tapped the tire wall. On his chase run, Vaughn was sure to stay glued to the Solstice’s door throughout the course. The judges deemed Vaughn the winner and he would advance into the Great Eight.
JTP was up next from the ASD camp to do battle against fellow Mustang driver, Tony Brakohiapa. Justin led first initiating without hesitation and was able to pull ahead of his competitor going around the first clipping point. When it was his turn to give chase, JTP reeled into Brakohiapa, but unfortunately spun going into the second clipping point. With his top 16 finish, Justin would remain in 10th place overall in Championship points leaving Las Vegas.
ASD drivers Tyler “TMac” McQuarrie and Darren “DMac” McNamara would be paired to go head-to-head in their battle of the top sixteen. The Falken Tire smoke poured from the cars during the two extremely close runs, but it would be Tyler who would take the win and advance on to the top eight remaining drivers.
Vaughn was matched with Charles Ng in the top 8, who had earlier taken out Rhys Millen in the round of sixteen. Vaughn led first with a crazy-fast initiation and a ton of angle, while Ng pushed to keep up. Ng managed to catch the Mustang by the last turn, but straightened up in the process. Ng led next only to have Vaughn piling on the pressure throughout the course. Vaughn took the win and would move on to the semi-finals.
Tyler was up against Conrad Grunewald in the Camero for the Great Eight. Although Conrad was looking good all weekend and had qualified in 2nd place, Tyler was confident that he could leave the battle victorious. Giving chase first, Tyler managed to stick all over Conrad mimicking his every move. On his lead run, he came in hot with a quick initiation and was able to maintain a good line and intense angle throughout the entire course, all while pulling ahead of Conrad a good amount. The judges awarded Tyler the win – on to the semi-finals!
Déjà vu yet again as Vaughn was faced with Daijiro Yoshihara for the third time this season – however this time in the semi-finals, as they were matched in the finals at both Round 2 in Atlanta and Round 3 in New Jersey. Both of those times Dai had come out on top, so Vaughn was determined to not let that happen this time around. Unfortunately for Vaughn, after two great runs by both drivers, Dai was once again awarded the win, while Vaughn would move into the consolation round to battle for the 3rd place spot.
For his final four battle, Tyler was matched up with Tony Brakohiapa who had taken out Alex Pfeiffer in the Great Eight. “Tony had been looking super consistent all weekend and this was his first time in the final four,” says Tyler, “so I knew he was going to go ‘all in’ on this one.” Tyler didn’t let up one bit and put down another awesome lead run.
When it was his turn to give chase, Tyler found that his competitor’s line was very consistent, which made it easier to follow extremely close and stick to him throughout the entire run. Tyler received the advantage and the win; he would next move on to the finals to battle Dai for that prized 1st place spot atop the podium.
Before the finals, 3rd place still needed to be determined in the consolation round. Vaughn and Tony B. would face each other in a Mustang battle to see who would have a spot on the podium, and who would have to settle with 4th place. After the two insane runs that Vaughn put down, it was clear that the Monster Energy/ Falken Tire Ford Mustang was just too much for it’s competitor, and the judges awarded Vaughn the win and the last step atop the podium.
Tyler met Dai in the finals to determine which driver would take the 1st and 2nd place spot. Tyler was focused and ready to battle Dai, who had been killing it all day, or all year for that matter, as he had already taken two wins thus far this season. Unfortunately for Dai, he had some mechanical issues that weren’t able to be fixed in the allotted five minutes called and had to forfeit his runs, automatically giving Tyler the win. “Not the way I want to win,” says Tyler, “but I’ll take it.” Dai would take 2nd place.
"It feels awesome to leave Vegas a winner!” says Tyler. “This win is a true testament to ASD and Team Falken Tire, and their hard work to get my car ready after a crazy event in Seattle. The car was perfect from the moment they took it off the trailer. This was just one of those events where I knew I was going to win every battle I had. Everything just fell into place and it is great momentum for me going into my home event at Round Six Formula Drift Sonoma next month."
Leaving Las Vegas, all four ASD drivers are in the overall top 10 in Formula Drift Championship points – Vaughn leading the points chase in 1st, Darren following not far behind in 5th, Tyler coming in at 9th, and JTP rounding it out in 10th place.
It has been such an incredible year so far for the Autosport Dynamics team and drivers. In the five rounds thus far, six times have ASD drivers taken to the podium. Vaughn alone accounts for four of those podiums; taking 1st in Long Beach, 2nd in Atlanta, 2nd in New Jersey, and now 3rd in Las Vegas. Darren claims one podium as well, taking 3rd place in Seattle. And now Tyler makes six, with his 1st place finish in Las Vegas. In fact, not one round this year has ASD not been on the podium!
Next up for the Autosport Dynamics team, the action continues in Sonoma, California for Formula Drift Round 6 at Infineon Raceway on September 10-11. You can bet that the ASD team plans to keep their podium streak alive in hopes of not only holding down the points lead, but adding even more trophies to their 2010 collection.
June 9, 2010, Charlotte, NC
Autosport Dynamics keeps the podium streak alive at Formula Drift Rd. 3
CHARLOTTE, NC. – June 9th, 2010 – Autosport Dynamics rolled into New Jersey this past weekend for Formula Drift Round 3 at Wall Stadium with hopes of not only maintaining a Championship points lead, but finishing the round atop the podium as well. Not only were both those goals accomplished when Vaughn and the 2011 Monster Energy/Falken Tire Ford Mustang took 2nd place at Wall, but Darren McNamara and the Falken Tire Saturn Sky also finished the event in 4th place, and Justin Pawlak and the Falken Tire 2010 Ford Mustang finished in sixth. Another great accomplishment for the team was that all ASD drivers and cars, including Tyler McQuarrie in the Falken Tire 350Z, qualified in the top sixteen.
On Friday’s pre-game-day event, Darren “D-Mac” McNamara qualified in 2nd place, Justin “JTP” Pawlak in 4th, Vaughn Gittin Jr. in 5th, and Tyler McQuarrie in twelfth. After a fan-filled autograph session and an evening practice, the ASD drivers and crew were prepped and ready to do battle during Saturday’s main event.
All four ASD drivers battled their way through the round of top 32 to make it into the top 16 and opening ceremonies. Unfortunately, Vaughn and Tyler were aligned to battle each other this round, and after a hard fight from both drivers, Vaughn took the win and would move on to the final eight. JTP battled his way through two-time Formula Drift Champion Samuel Hubinette to advance. Darren took it to a one-more-time with Ken Gushi, but was able to dominate and take the win, advancing to face Chris Forsberg in the top eight.
In the top eight, it was another ASD match as Vaughn and JTP were paired to face each other. This time the “BroStangs” would do battle and fight for a spot in the final four. Both Ford Mustang drivers gave it their all, but after a slight correction from JTP, the judges awarded Vaughn the win.
“I had my best finish of the season so far by placing sixth overall at the end of the day,” says Justin. “The ASD-prepped ‘Muzzy’ worked flawlessly, even when I continually scrapped the rear bumper over and over again on the bank's guardrail! I greatly appreciate ASD's attention to detail and continual improvement in the car's performance. I feel like I'm finally meshing with the car and it shows in my qualifying and final standings for the event. I can't wait to get back in the Mustang at Round Four in a couple weeks.”
Vaughn would advance to battle Tanner Foust in the final four, whom he easily defeated after Tanner took it into the wall while trying to keep up with Vaughn’s high line on the bank. Vaughn was ecstatic to know he had once again made it to the finals and would have an automatic podium position.
After defeating Chris Forsberg in the top eight, Darren was matched with Falken Tire teammate Daijiro Yoshihara in the final four, but during the battle Darren made contact with the immoveable guardrail causing damage that required major suspension component replacement in both the front and rear of the Sky. Dai had won the battle, but the ASD and Falken team pushed hard to get the Saturn Sky to the starting line for D-Mac to face Tanner Foust for third place in the consolation round. Darren made it just in time and had a great two runs with Tanner, but unfortunately tapped him when following going into the finish line. The advantage was given to Tanner, who would take 3rd place in the event.
“We had a solid fourth place at Wall Speedway and with a bit more luck we could have gone all the way,” says Darren. “Credit must go to the ASD team who repaired my heavily-damaged Falken Tire Saturn Sky in record time after I got into the wall in the semi-finals. I can’t wait for Seattle – a large oval which should let the Saturn Sky stretch its legs.”
It was déjà vu when Vaughn was matched up against Falken Tire teammate Daijiro Yoshihara in the finals – as the two had battled for 1st place at Round 2 in Atlanta a month earlier. During the final battle of the night, the Falken RT615-K tire smoke filled Wall Stadium during two amazing runs from both competitors. After the smoke cleared, Dai had once again been deemed the winner of the battle and the event. Vaughn would finish the night in 2nd place, rounding out his third consecutive podium of the 2010 Formula Drift season.
“What an incredible event,” says Vaughn. “ASD never ceases to amaze me with their preparation, ability to take feedback, and do exactly what is needed to our 2011 Monster Energy/Falken Tire Ford Mustang to make it scream on the track. ASD is without-a-doubt a key reason why we are leading the Championship point’s chase and have been on the podium all three rounds this year!“
After three rounds of the 2010 Formula Drift season, Vaughn is still locked in 1st place overall, Darren is in 5th place, Justin is in 9th place, and Tyler sits in 17th place. The Autosport Dynamics team slides into Seattle July 9-10 for Formula Drift Round 4, where they hope to gain even more points to secure a 2010 Championship.
May 12, 2010, Charlotte, NC
Autosport Dynamics podiums consecutively with a 2nd place finish at Formula Drift Rd. 2
CHARLOTTE, NC. – May 12, 2010 – Autosport Dynamics came out to Road Atlanta for Formula Drift Round 2: Road to the Championship under the hot Georgia sun to battle for a back-to-back podium finish; a goal they were able to achieve when winner of Round 1 in Long Beach, Vaughn Gittin Jr., took 2nd place at Round 2 in Atlanta.
All ASD-built cars and their drivers qualified in the top 32 and were ready to compete during Saturday’s main event. This included Vaughn Gittin Jr. in the 2011 Monster Energy/Falken Tire Mustang, Darren McNamara in the Falken Tire Saturn Sky, Justin Pawlak in the 2010 Falken Tire Ford Mustang, and Tyler McQuarrie in the Falken Tire Nissan 350Z.
First up from the ASD team to duke it out for top 32 was Tyler. On his first run, he gave chase and unfortunately made a correction in the horseshoe. Tyler ran a phenomenal run while leading, but it just wasn’t enough to overcome the error, and Mordant was awarded the win.
Advancing into the top 16 competition would be Darren who beat out Taka Aono, Vaughn who defeated Michihiro Takatori, and Justin who was able to outdrive Ryuji Miki.
For the top 16, Darren was paired to battle against Round One’s 2nd place finisher, Rhys Millen. Darren gave chase first, and kept close to Millen’s door throughout the course. When it was Darren’s turn to lead, he came into the first turn with a proper line and Millen gave the Falken Tire Saturn Sky a tap on its end, causing a collision of the two cars. After reviewing the replays, the judges deemed the hit to be Millen’s error, and Darren was declared the winner.
Vaughn was paired with Joon Maeng for the top sixteen. Vaughn led first and put down a great run though the course. Vaughn followed next, putting the pressure on Maeng, who had corrected at the first clipping point. Vaughn was deemed the winner and would advance.
Justin was met by Conrad Grunewald in the top sixteen. Justin gave chase first, but unfortunately ended up correcting going into the first turn. Grunewald made an error as well on this run, going wide in the horseshoe. When leading, Justin was able to pull away from Grunewald, but his error in the first run was enough for the judges to award Grunewald the winner.
Darren was matched with Falken Tire teammate, Daijiro Yoshihara, in the top eight. When following, Darren remained tight to his competitor throughout the course. On the next run, he ran a great line with tons of angle and speed. After the Falken Tire smoke settled, they judges deemed a one-more-time necessary to determine a winner.
Darren gave chase first in the OMT and followed Yoshihara so extremely close through the horseshoe, that the two cars actually collided. Darren led next and ran a great run, but from the error in the first run, it was too late. Yoshihara was determined the winner of the battle and would move on to win Round Two.
Still in the game, however, was Round One’s winner, Vaughn Gittin Jr. and his ASD-built Monster Energy/ Falken Tire Ford Mustang. He was up against Ryan Tuerck for the battle of the Great Eight. Vaughn gave chase first, following Tuerck closely through the course. When it was Vaughn’s turn to led, he was able to create a large gap after the horseshoe allowing him the advantage. Vaughn was awarded the win and would move on to the semi-finals.
Vaughn was paired with Michael Essa for the final four. After the first round of runs, the judges called for a OMT because both drivers had equal errors. During the OMT, Vaughn put down two sets of great runs and the judges had no choice but to announce him the winner and a guaranteed place on the podium.
Meeting him in the finals was Yoshihara, who had beat out Chris Forsberg in the semi-finals. Forsberg would move on to beat Essa in the consolation round and take 3rd place at Round Two.
The Falken RT615-K tire smoke lit up the night sky as Vaughn went to battle with Yoshihara. After two solid runs from both drivers, Yoshihara was awarded the winner of the battle and Formula Drift Round 2, and Vaughn would take the 2nd place spot atop the podium.
Darren would finish the event in the top eight and is now in 7th place overall in points for the Formula Drift Championship. Vaughn remains in 1st place after Round Two.
“Not only has ASD built me an amazing 2011 Mustang,” says Vaughn, “but they continue to blow my mind each event. Their next-level preparation, communication, and organization are key components in our success so far this season. There is nothing like working with a crew that is so motivated and passionate and I couldn’t be happier working the ASD crew. We plan to keep the momentum going. New Jersey – get Ready to Rock!”
Autosport Dynamics moves into Wall Speedway June 4-5 for Formula Drift Round 3: The Gauntlet. Last season at this event, ASD and Falken Tire swept the podium with Darren in 1st, Vaughn in 2nd, Tyler in 3rd, so you can guarantee the team will be in top form for this round.
April 14, 2010, Charlotte, NC
Autosport Dynamics puts one player atop the podium, after qualifying all four of them in the top ten
Over the weekend, the Autosport Dynamics team charged their way onto the Streets of Long Beach for Round 1 of the 2010 Formula Drift series. The team proved that constant hard work and off-season preparation pay off, when Vaughn Gittin Jr. and the ASD-built Monster Energy/Falken Tire Ford Mustang took the top spot on the podium at the season opener.
All four of the ASD cars – Tyler McQuarrie in the Falken Tire Nissan 350Z, Vaughn Gittin Jr. in the 2011 Monster Energy/ Falken Tire Mustang, Darren McNamara in the Falken Tire Saturn Sky, and new to the team, Justin Pawlak in the 2010 Falken Tire Ford Mustang – qualified in the top 10 out of 50 plus drivers. Such an accomplishment was a great way for the team to start the weekend.
Tyler McQuarrie qualified second with a score of 88.3 points with the third-highest qualifying speed of 58.9mph. “It was so good to get back in the ASD/ Falken Tire Nissan 350Z,” says Tyler, “and I'm feeling more comfortable in the car than ever! Qualifying second was awesome for me and a great way to thank the team for all their hard work in the off-season. Unfortunately in the top thirty-two, a much slower Takatori forced me into a mistake that would knock me out early. A very tough pill to swallow, especially when I was hoping for a podium!"
Darren McNamara qualified fourth with a score of 83.9 points and battled his way through Charles Ng in the top 32, only to meet with friend and Falken Tire teammate, James Dean, in the Sweet Sixteen. After an amazingly close two runs, James got the win. Darren finished the event in ninth place and looks forward to Round Two in Atlanta, where he has podiumed in second place in both the 2009 and 2007 seasons. "I leave this event thinking what could have been,” says Darren. “A stronger result for myself and the Saturn Sky would have helped our Championship push. The next two events will shape our season. The Saturn Sky should be very strong in Atlanta and New Jersey."
Newcomer to the Autosport Dynamics and Falken Tire team, Justin Pawlak qualified ninth with a score of 79.3, after driving the 2010 Falken Tire Ford Mustang (formerly driven by Vaughn Gittin Jr. in the 2009 season) all day in practice like he had been driving it for years. Unfortunately Justin was knocked out in the top 32 round after a one-more-time with Forrest Wang.
“I'm extremely excited about being part of Team Falken and working side by side with the ASD crew,” says Justin. “Although things didn't work out as well as I might have liked, I really enjoy driving the ASD-prepped Ford Mustang. I feel I have the potential to do extremely well as soon as I dial in riding that pony.”
Vaughn Gittin Jr. qualified in third with a score of 84.7 points and with the eighth top qualifying speed of 58.4mph. Coming off the reveal of his new car and a new sponsor, Vaughn was in quite a relaxed and ready-to-drive state of mind for this event. One by one, he battled his way through Dennis Mertzanis in the top 32, then Tony Brakohiapa in the Sweet 16, then Ryan Tuerck in the Great 8, and finally, Fredric Aasbo in the Final Four.
Vaughn found himself paired with 2005 Formula Drift Champion, Rhys Millen, in the finals. Coincidentally, Rhys is the only FD driver that Vaughn has battled and never once defeated in his seven-year long professional drifting career. He gave chase in the first run, following Rhys’ line. But Rhys was a bit shallow and slower then Vaughn had expected coming into the first turn, which made it very hard for him to properly transition. “I stuck to him tight the rest of the way through the course,” says Vaughn, “until he went wide going around the hairpin. I gave his car a little kiss and actually passed him.”
When it was Vaughn’s turn to lead, he knew he had to do something drastic to seal the win. “I took a big chance and went as fast as possible and threw the car in as hard as I could on the widest line,” says Vaughn. “I was able to stick it, but Rhys was not – he backed it into the tire wall.” Vaughn was awarded the win of the final battle, and he and the ASD-built Monster Energy/Falken Tire Ford Mustang were officially announced the winner of Round One!
“Qualifying in the second, third, fourth, and ninth spots with all four cars really set the tone for the weekend,” says Ian Stewart, owner of Autosport Dynamics. “We’d made a number of improvements to our existing three cars over the off-season, and built an all-new and completely redesigned Ford Mustang for Vaughn to take advantage of improved grip from the new RT-615K tires supplied to us from Falken. After a lot of engineering work during the new chassis design process and a lot of long hours and weekends for the ASD crew, it looks like we got it pretty close right out of the box and Vaughn drove the wheels off it. It feels great being able to reward Falken Tire and Monster Energy Drink for their outstanding support with a win in 2010 already.”
Autosport Dynamics continues the “Road to the Championship” May 8-9 when the crew rolls into Road Atlanta for Formula Drift Round Two.
Modified Mustangs & Fords - "Gittin Side
Ways"
Modified Mustangs & Fords has written a great article interviewing
driver Vaughn Gittin Jr, and covering the in's and out's of the 2010
Mustang GT Competition car. Make sure to check it out!
2010 Mustang RTR-C Revealed at the 2009
SEMA Show in Las Vegas
Teaming up with Vaughn Gittin Jr, ASD was enlisted to create this one of a kind vehicle for the Ford Motor Company. Based off a brand new Mustang GT, this 550hp supercar is outfitted with a full ECC (Epoxy Carbon Composite) body. Every body panel, including the bumpers and even the roof is carbon fiber. The HRE CF40 wheels are even carbon fiber. Even the front grill is made from carbon fiber! These will be a limited production vehicle, and only 10 will be produced. Visit www.MustangRTR.com for more details.
October 21, 2009, Irwindale Speedway, CA
Autosport Dynamics captures third place in the Formula Drift
Championship and the Tires.com Triple Crown
Autosport Dynamics slid into southern California last weekend for
the “Final Fight” of their season – Round 7 of the 2009 Formula
Drift series. The scene was set for an immense weekend at Irwindale
Speedway, otherwise known as the “House of Drift”, with a sold-out
venue and all three ASD cars in immaculate condition and
ready-to-rock.
The team had high hopes for a podium finish, in both the event and
in the Championship. Their high hopes served them well, as Tyler
McQuarrie and the Falken Tire Nissan 350Z finished Round 7 in second
place, and finished the season in third place with 485 points.
Vaughn Gittin Jr. and the 2010 Falken Tire Ford Mustang finished the
Championship in fifth place with 451.50 points, and Darren McNamara
and the Sears Auto Center Saturn Sky placed seventh with 426.50
points.
Darren was matched against Falken Tire teammate Dai Yoshihara for his top 16 battle. Darren gave chase first, sticking to Dai’s bumper like glue throughout the course. When it was Darren’s turn to lead, he flew through the course with insane speed and stayed up on the wall in the infield. Perhaps too far up on the wall as he tapped his wing allowing for Dai to catch up to the speedy Sky and close in door-to-door. The judges awarded Dai the win.
When it was Tyler’s turn to lead, the amount of angle and speed that the ASD-built 350Z created gave the judges no other choice but to declare him the rightful winner of the battle. By defeating Sam, Tyler had secured third place in the Championship!
Tyler was set to battle 2008’s Driver of the Year, Ryan Tuerck, in the “Final Fight” of the night at Irwindale Speedway. The fans at the House of Drift were on their feet in the grandstands in deep anticipation for this last battle. Unfortunately, Tyler tapped the wall while leading in the last corner causing him to spin, giving Ryan the victory. Tyler still finished the event on the podium in second place!
“It’s been a rollercoaster of a year; from sweeping the podium with all three cars in New Jersey to engine failures and a huge crash in Las Vegas,” says Ian Stewart of ASD. “But hard work and a ‘never give up’ attitude from the crew has resulted in three ASD built cars in the top seven in points at seasons end. Although that’s quite an accomplishment in itself, I think we can do better and plan on being back in 2010 for a full-on assault on the championship. I can’t thank Falken Tire enough, along with all of our associate sponsors and supporters for allowing us to do what we do and compete at this level. It’s truly been a pleasure working with all of them and I look forward to continuing those relationships long into the future.”
August 26th, 2009, Infineon Raceway, CA
Autosport Dynamics in the chase for the Championship
With only a short break from the previous Formula Drift
round in Seattle, Autosport Dynamics worked hard to make it out to
Round 6 at Infineon Raceway ready to battle again and earn some
valuable points towards the Championship.
After a great day of practice Thursday, ASD drivers Tyler McQuarrie,
Vaughn Gittin Jr., and Darren McNamara were set to fight for the top
32 spots. When the night was over, Vaughn and the 2010 Falken Tire
Ford Mustang, Tyler and the Falken Tire Nissan 350Z, and Darren
McNamara and the Sears Auto Center Saturn Sky had qualified 6th,
13th, and 17th, respectively.
It was a battle of the Falken Azenis RT615’s when Vaughn was lined up to battle it out with Ross Petty for the top thirty-two. Vaughn led first, while Ross attempted to keep up with the monster Mustang, but consequently spun instead. Vaughn gave chase next, glued to his competitor’s door throughout the course. He was awarded the win and was ecstatic to join Darren in the Sweet 16 on Saturday.
In the Great 8, Vaughn was up against Stephan Verdier, who had knocked out the Formula Drift Championship points leader, Chris Forsberg, in the previous round. After two close runs, Stephan took the win of the round, and went on to win the entire event.
August 12th, 2009, Evergreen Speedway, WA
Autosport Dynamics Reclaims a Position on the Podium at Evergreen Speedway
Autosport Dynamics rolled into Formula Drift
Round 5 at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Washington with hopes of
receiving the first podium finish since their one, two, three sweep
at Round Three. After a tough battle in the consolation round
between two of the three ASD cars – Tyler McQuarrie in the Falken
Tire Nissan 350Z and Vaughn Gittin Jr. in the 2010 Falken Tire Ford
Mustang – Tyler would triumph and take third place, while Vaughn
would succumb to fourth.
All three ASD cars qualified in the top ten on Friday; Tyler in sixth, Vaughn in ninth, and Darren McNamara, driver of the Sears Auto Center Saturn Sky, in tenth. When it was time for the top 32 battles to begin, Vaughn quickly took out Alex Pfeiffer, Darren defeated Michael Essa, and Tyler dominated against Ron Ewerth; all to continue on to the Sweet Sixteen.
To fight his way into the top four, Tyler would run two-time Formula Drift Champion Samuel Hubinette. Sam was quick through the course, but Tyler and his ASD-built 350Z were able to lay down two incredible runs that deemed him the winner. Tyler was moving on to face Chris Forsberg in the semi-finals – an opponent he was very familiar with as they had battled many times previously in the season.
Picking up right where they left off, the Autosport Dynamics team heads to Formula Drift Round 6 at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California in just one week; they hope to keep the momentum going and dominate the event.
July 15th, 2009, Las Vegas, NV
Autosport Dynamics Finishes 4th place in Sin City at Formula D Round 4
Autosport Dynamics rolled out to Las Vegas Motor Speedway this past weekend prepped and ready for Round 4 of the Formula Drift series. The extreme heat that was blazing in the air and on the track enforced the tension on the cars, the teams, and the drivers. When all the cards were dealt, ASD was victorious with a fourth place finish by Tyler McQuarrie in the Falken Tire 350Z, who moved up one spot to fifth place overall in points for the Formula Drift Championship. Vaughn Gittin Jr. and his 2010 Falken Tire Ford Mustang currently sit in fourth place and Darren McNamara and the Sears Auto Center Saturn Sky in sixth, respectively.
After the sun had set on Las Vegas, the first battle of the top 16 was of the Nissan 350Z’s consisting of Tyler verses Robbie Nishida, who had been killing it on the track all weekend. But Tyler managed to uphold an edge over Robbie on both runs – maintaining good speed and angle when following and leaving Robbie lost in a Falken Tire smokescreen when leading. Tyler was awarded the win and was excited to move on to the top sixteen.
The Sweet Sixteen wasn’t as promising for Vaughn, as he suffered a cut tire due to debris he picked up in the back lot while going into his second run against Justin Pawlak. Vaughn managed to put the pressure on Pawlak in the first run, but was forced into a spin during the second run when his tire went flat from the cut it had received. Vaughn was disappointed to not move on to the top 8, but was ecstatic he was able to earn valuable championship points to bump him up one spot in the ranks. He was mostly grateful his ASD and Falken Tire team were able to bring his Mustang back from the dead.
In the Great Eight, Tyler was set to go against Michael Essa. Tyler followed Michael in the first run, mimicking his every move. In the second run, Tyler led with an insane entry and tons of smoke, creating a large gap between himself and his opponent. Tyler was awarded the win and was excited to move on to the semi-finals.
Tyler was geared up to battle Formula Drift’s 2007 and 2008 Champion, Tanner Foust, to determine who would have a guaranteed podium position. After an aggressive two runs from Tyler, the judges decided they needed to see the pair battle it out one more time. In the second set of runs, Tanner managed to pull slightly away from Tyler when leading, and the judges determined him the winner.
Tyler moved on to the consolation round to run against Chris Forsberg, another 350Z driver, for third place. After an extremely close battle, the judges awarded Chris the win, and Tyler finished the event fourth, just inches shy of the podium.
“As can often happen in motorsports, and following a fantastic event in New Jersey last month, we had a tough weekend in Las Vegas,” says Ian Stewart of Autosport Dynamics. “After losing an engine in Darren’s car, followed soon after by JR having the biggest crash of his career, the ASD crew worked harder than ever to try to salvage a decent result from the weekend. Even though it seemed at times like nothing was going our way, the ASD crew dug their heels in and refused to go down without a fight. So although we didn’t finish with results like New Jersey, I’ve never been prouder of the guys or seen them work so hard. To leave Las Vegas after this tough weekend fourth, fifth, and sixth in the championship is a testament to how well our team is coming together. With three rounds to go, the championship is still wide open, and we’ll be looking to move up a spot or two come Seattle next month.”
Next up on the schedule for Autosport Dynamics, the team heads to Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, WA, for Round 5 when Formula Drift meets the “Breaking Point”, August 7-8.
June 10th, 2009, Wall Township, NJ
Autosport Dynamics Dominates the Podium at Formula D Round 3
The ASD crew was prepped to perform Friday for practice and
qualifying, but unfortunately, Mother Nature didn’t comply with the
day’s agenda and the heavy rain forced Formula Drift officials to
cancel the events due to unsafe track conditions. 
With ASD cars undoubtedly claiming all three spots on the podium, it
was now time to find out just which car and driver would take the
top spot. In the Finals, Darren led first and was able to get some
distance on the Mustang. Vaughn led next, and Darren kept tight to
him, giving the judges no other option then to declare him the
winner! Vaughn would take second.
“What an awesome weekend for the ASD race team, Falken Tire, our
drivers, and all our associate sponsors,” says Ian Stewart of
Autosport Dynamics. “The entire ASD crew has been working extremely
hard all year, so I’m thrilled to see their passion and dedication
pay off with this result. I feel our team is now really hitting on
all cylinders, with a podium finish in Atlanta followed by this
podium sweep in New Jersey. We’ll be working hard between rounds and
looking forward to another strong result in Las Vegas next month.”
Currently, ASD drivers Darren McNamara, Vaughn Gittin Jr., and
Tyler McQuarrie are sitting solid in the number first, fifth, and
seventh place positions in points overall for the 2009 Formula Drift
Championship.
Next up for the Autosport Dynamics crew – the team moves into Sin
City at Las Vegas Motor Speedway July 10-11 in hopes of another
podium sweep. Check out the gallery for more pictures of the event.
May 9th, 2009, Braselton, GA
ASD arrived at Road Atlanta
late Wednesday evening to prepare for a great weekend of racing. We
had a practice day at the track on Thursday afternoon which went
very well for the 3 ASD cars. Friday came and we were ready to go.
Darren McNamara has taken home a 2nd place trophy here 2 years ago,
and we were looking to all our drivers for a podium spot.
Qualifying went well, and in the end Darren placed 3rd, Vaughn took
the 8th position and Tyler took the 13th position. Saturday was
great. We had a good practice before the Top 32 started, and the
drivers and cars were ready to charge the podium!
Top 16 faced Tyler up against Ryuji Miki, and defeated him after Miki tried to follow Tyler's speed into a corner and forced him to spin. Tyler moves on to the Great 8.
Darren's weekend was a lot like 2007 where he took 2nd place overall at Road Atlanta. This time however, he has an ASD built and prepped 700+hp Saturn Sky at his disposal. Qualifying in 3rd put him up against Carl Rydquist in Top 32. On the first pass, Darren lead Carl, and when Carl straightened out Darren had the advantage. On the second lap, Darren too much gap between them and the judges asked for a one more time. On the second pair of laps, Darren was awesome and won the match, moving into the Top 16 to face Ross Petty, fellow team mate on Falken Tires.
Expect to see ASD on the podium again in Wall NJ next month!
April 11th, 2009, Long Beach, CA
ASD rolled into Long Beach CA for the first of 7 events on the Formula Drift championship season. With 2 out of 3 cars brand new, people were skeptical that we could deliver results so soon. We beg to differ. After qualifying was over, We sat pretty well. Darren McNamara qualified 2nd in the Sears Auto Center / Falken Tire Saturn Sky, Vaughn Gittin qualified 13th in the Falken Tire / Ford Racing 2010 Ford Mustang GT, and Tyler McQuarrie qualified in 21st spot in the Falken Tire Nissan 350Z
Tyler was still getting more seat time in the car as the weekend went on, and was looking better and better as time passed. He was matched up against Sam Hubinette for his first run in Top 32. As he did with numerous other people throughout the entire ladder, Sam slowed at the last transition into the hairpin at the end of the track, leaving no room for Tyler causing him to spin. Tyler is getting some changes to his car before the next round of the Championship, so just wait and see how well he does next event!
"I'm very happy with the progress made over the off season and the car should be much more competitive this year. Long Beach was a disappointing result and it came from a mistake on my part. I cant fault my team and crew for they're work and dedication so far this season. We are determined to get a result in Atlanta" - Darren McNamara
Vaughn was solid all weekend and was no different when it came to tandem racing. He was first matched up against Joon Maeng. He easily moved on to the Top 16 where he faced Yasu Kondo. After his first run in the lead, he had a solid advantage. He then followed Yasu into turn one, and quickly passed him due to an engine failure in Yasu's car. Vaughn moves on to the Top 8. He then faced Sam Hubinette, who earlier in the day had pulled a less than honest move causing fellow team mate Tyler to spin behind him. After the first pair of laps, no winner could be decided so they sent them one more time. With the judges commenting to the spotters that they wanted to see Vaughn close on the chase lap, Vaughn positioned the bumper on his 2010 Ford Mustang right on the door of Sam throughout the course. As we'd seen happen all weekend, Sam once again checked up just prior to the horseshoe on the transition. With Vaughn just inches from his car, there were 2 choices, spin and loose and drive his line and risk hitting Sam. Well, the latter happened and Vaughn tapped Sam in his rear quarter. Vaughn didn't spin, and finished his lap even though Sam spun. Vaughn then lead the next lap, and put down the best run he'd had all weekend. In the end, the judges voted Sam as the victor, ending the weekend for Vaughn.
"I am blown away how well the Falken Tire 2010 Ford Mustang performed directly out of the ASD shop. I am so excited to work with the ASD crew to get the car even more dialed in and ready for Atlanta. I have a great feeling about the rest of the year!!!" - Vaughn Gittin Jr.
All in all it was a good first event for the ASD team. Our cars ran without issue and the drivers got the seat time they needed to excel throughout the season. 2009 will see a lot more the from the ASD team!
November 18th, 2008, Santa Monica, CA
ASD, along side Ford Motor Company, revealed live on SPEED TV the new 2010 Ford Mustang GT built by ASD. This was the first time the public had seen the new body style. We debuted the car with Ford's four other 2010 Mustang's for the reveal, and even drove out with passenger President of Ford Motor Company, Mark Fields. The car weighs just over 2500lbs and features a full dry carbon fiber body. Powered by a 700hp Ford Racing 4.6L Aluminator crate engine run by a MoTeC EMS, this is going to be the car to beat in 2009. Here are a few pictures and a video of the reveal.
2010 Mustang FIRST Reveal!!
