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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.

Vaughn Gittin Jr. and the Monster Energy/Falken Tire Ford Mustang qualified in 1st place, bumping ASD teammate Justin “JTP” Pawlak and the 2010 Falken Tire Ford Mustang down to second place. D-Mac and the Falken Tire Saturn Sky came in a nearby 4th place, and Tyler McQuarrie and the Falken Tire 350Z followed close behind his teammates in the 7th place qualifying spot.

All four ASD-built cars were prepped and prepared to do battle for Saturday’s main event competition. Vaughn didn’t hesitate to defeat Alex Pfeiffer in the battle of the top 32, D-Mac quickly conquered Stephan Verdier, JTP beat out Brian Wilkerson, and Tyler took out Dean Kearney – all to move on to the Sweet Sixteen.

Vaughn was paired against Fredric Aasbo for his top 16 battle. He had defeated Aasbo back at Round 1 in Long Beach during the semi-finals, so Vaughn knew Aasbo would be looking for redemption here in Monroe. The judges called for a “One More Time” after both drivers had made mistakes in the first battle. Unfortunately, Vaughn’s aggressive angle going into the power ally caused him to spin during the OMT and Aasbo would move on.

JTP was up against Ken Gushi for his battle of the top sixteen. He led first with a solid run that provided an accurate line and enormous angle. When it was his turn to give chase, JTP followed closely – a little too close as he came in contact with Gushi going into the hairpin. Gushi would move on.

Tyler was up next to do battle against Michihiro Takatori in the Sweet Sixteen. Tyler led first with a great run through the course. When it was his turn to give chase, Tyler pushed hard to stay close to Takatori’s door, but unfortunately ended up hitting him. Takatori would advance to the next round.

D-Mac was up against 2005’s Formula Drift Champion, Rhys Millen, in the top sixteen. When leading, Darren put down the same great run that he had qualified with, as Millen closed in on him aggressively and was forced to back off. D-Mac followed Millen next with much more consistency and control than his competitor. He was awarded the win and would advance.

He was matched with 2009’s Formula Drift Champion, Chris Forsberg, in the Great Eight. After two stunning runs from both drivers, the judges awarded D-Mac the advantage and the win.

D-Mac was faced with yet another Formula Drift Champion in the Final Four, this time being two-time champ, Tanner Foust. Both drivers put down everything they had each run and the judges were forced to call for a OMT – twice!

During their third consecutive battle, Darren unfortunately had a slight correction, loosing his drift on the bank, and it was just enough to give Foust the win. D-Mac would go on to battle Takatori in the consolation round and take the win, placing third overall at Round Four.

"I am delighted to be able to keep the Falken podium streak going,” says Darren. ”The team from ASD and I worked really hard at Round Four. We perfected the setup on the Falken Tire Saturn Sky, which enabled us to be fast on both the banking and the tight infield section. Next round we will be aiming for another podium to continue our push for the Championship."

More than halfway through the 2010 Formula Drift season, Vaughn Gittin Jr. remains 1st place in points overall in the Championship standings. Not too far behind him, D-Mac remains in the 5th place position. JTP sits in 10th place in the standings, and Tyler moves up to 12th place overall.

Next up on the Formula Drift schedule, the ASD crew slides into Sin City August 20-21 for Round 5 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, where the team hopes to gain some valuable Championship points and take a fifth consecutive podium.

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!

Modified Mustangs & Fords

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.

Vaughn is known for his success at Irwindale Speedway, especially after his 2008 FD win at this track. Unfortunately, after an amazing run against Alex Pfeiffer in the top 32, Vaughn was knocked out, leaving the crowd roaring in a wave of discontentment.

Darren battled Kenji Yamanaka in the top 32 and dominated the match. Tyler pushed hard to defeat the 2005 Champion, Rhys Millen. Both drivers advanced to the “Sweet Sixteen”.

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.

With Vaughn and Darren knocked out, the pressure was on Tyler to push his way to the podium. He was matched with the event’s highest qualifier, Justin Pawlak, for the top sixteen. In a close battle between the drivers, Tyler proved victorious and would advance to the “Great Eight”.

In the top eight, it came down to a fight for the third place spot in the Championship between Tyler and Samuel Hubinette, who was only a few points ahead of Tyler coming into Irwindale. Tyler gave chase first and managed to stay on top of the Viper throughout the course.

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!

Moving on to the final four, Tyler was paired with FD rookie driver and privateer, Matt Powers. Tyler’s speed through the course and amazing ability to mirror his competitors’ every move was no match for Matt. Tyler was deemed the victor and was moving on to the finals!

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!

Not only did Tyler finish Round 7 in second place, as well as finish the 2009 Formula Drift season in third place, but he was also able to secure third place in the Tires.com Triple Crown Championship!

“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.”

Autosport Dynamics and the Falken Tire team have learned a lot this year, had many ups and a few downs, but the season proved to be ultimately a success. The ASD team will be working hard in the off-season rebuilding cars for the 2010 Formula Drift season, and planning to storm the Long Beach opener next April prepared with even faster drift cars.

ASD would like to thank all of their supporters and those who follow in their efforts for an outstanding year!

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.

Going into the top 32 on Friday, Darren was matched with Formula Drift’s youngest driver, Pat Mordaunt. Darren gave chase first, sticking to Pat’s door throughout the entire course. While leading, Darren initiated early and remained quick throughout the course, while Pat struggled to keep up to the ASD-built Saturn Sky. Darren rightfully took the win and was set to move up the ranks to the next round.

Next up from the ASD team to compete in the top 32 was Tyler, who was in third place overall coming into the event. Unfortunately, the Falken Tire 350Z was having a last minute ignition failure and there was just not enough time to fix it before Tyler’s turn to battle. He was forced to forfeit his run, sadly taking him out of the competition.

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 top 16, Darren was set to battle Japan’s Katsuhiro Ueo. Darren gave chase first and initiated early right behind Ueo; unfortunately, he slightly tapped his opponent’s car, even though both drivers were still able to maintain drift and finish out the run. Darren led next, with a solid run throughout the course, but it was too late as the win was awarded to Ueo.

Vaughn was next paired with Justin Pawlak for his top 16 battle. Vaughn held a flawless line while leading, maintaining the same intense angle and insane amount of Falken Azenis RT615 tire smoke as he had been all weekend. When the roles reversed, Vaughn followed Justin closely, mimicking his every move. The judges determined Vaughn the winner who would advance on to the top eight.

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.

When the tire smoke had cleared over Infineon Raceway, all three Autosport Dynamics drivers still preserve positions in the top ten of the Formula Drift Championship with one event left to go. Vaughn Gittin Jr. moved up to third place with 401.5 points, Tyler McQuarrie is close behind in fifth place with 396 points and Darren McNamara in seventh place with 370.5 points. With a full month before the Formula Drift finale at Irwindale Speedway, Autosport Dynamics will be hard at work prepping the cars for this crucial event. It’s going to be a close one!

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.

Vaughn was up against two-time Formula Drift Champion Tanner Foust in the top sixteen. After a “one more time”, Vaughn put the 2010 Mustang right up against the wall when leading, leaving the judges with no choice but to declare him the winner.

Darren was matched with Round 2 winner Chris Forsberg. Darren gave chase first and stayed tight to Chris’s door throughout the entire course. So close, in fact, that he slightly tapped the 350Z and was forced to correct. Darren led next, pulling away from Chris, but it was too little too late for the judges, as they awarded Chris the winner of the battle.

Tyler was set to battle Yasu Kondo in the top sixteen. Tyler led first super high on the bank, while Yasu attempted to follow his line, but hit the wall and straightened out instead. Tyler followed next with a solid run, while maintaining excellent angle and speed. The judges awarded him the win and Tyler would join Vaughn, his Falken Tire teammate, in the top eight.

In the Great Eight, Vaughn was matched with Round 1 winner Ryan Tuerck. Vaughn gave chase first mirroring Ryan’s every move while leaving a bountiful trail of Falken Azenis RT615 tire smoke behind. When leading, Vaughn initiated extremely early and hit all the clipping points with insane angle. The judges awarded Vaughn the win and he was eager to be moving on to the final four.

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.

In the semi-finals, Vaughn was matched up with Formula Drift top-four newbie Eric O’Sullivan. Vaughn led first with a perfect run, while Eric went shallow and off-track in the infield. Vaughn gave chase next while Eric slowed on the straightaway, causing them to both enter the bank extremely close. Vaughn held the same high line as his previous run, while Eric crept down the bank leaving Vaughn no choice but to tap his car. After a few minutes of deliberation, the judges decided that the tap was Vaughn’s fault and passed Eric on to the finals.

Next up for ASD was the battle of the 350Z’s when Tyler and Chris Forsberg met in the final four. Tyler led first and managed to pull a nice gap on Chris. Tyler then gave chase and stayed tight to Chris through the bank, but unfortunately corrected while transitioning to the infield. The judges awarded Chris the win, but Tyler still had an opportunity to fight for third in the consolation round.

Battling for third place in the consolation round would be Falken Tire teammates Vaughn and Tyler using their ASD-built machines as their weapons. In a close battle between the two talented drivers, Tyler was awarded the win for the round and the third place position on the coveted podium. Vaughn would finish the event in fourth place.

After an exciting Round 5 at Evergreen Speedway, Tyler moves up two spots to third place overall in points, Vaughn sits in fifth place, and Darren in remains in sixth place.

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.

Autosport Dynamics had a lot on their plate during Friday night’s event, starting out with the unfortunate situation that occurred when Darren McNamara’s Sky developed engine issues and was retired for the weekend. Adding to the pressure, Vaughn Gittin Jr.’s Mustang took a bad hit into the wall (VIDEO), leaving many to assume he was out for the weekend. But the amazing efforts by the ASD and Falken Tire crew proved the naysayers wrong by repairing the Mustang in only two hours – just in time for Vaughn to hit the track for qualifying. In a more lax situation, Tyler McQuarrie and his 350Z were in tip-top shape during practice and he was able to easily qualify in the top thirty-two.

On Saturday during the top 32 session, Tyler fought hard to take out Ken Gushi after a one-more time battle, and Vaughn’s speed and angle were no match for his opponent, Kenji Yamanaka. The Autosport Dynamics and Falken Tire team were eager to see these two drivers moving on to the main event later in the evening.

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

Autosport Dynamics arrived at “The Gauntlet”, otherwise known as Wall Stadium, for Round Three of the Formula Drift series with three purpose-built drift machines that were ready to rule the competition – Darren McNamara’s Saturn Sky, Vaughn Gittin Jr.’s 2010 Ford Mustang GT, and Tyler McQuarrie’s Nissan 350Z. ASD was aiming to land at least one spot atop the podium – but instead, they secured all three!

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.

Qualifying was moved to early Saturday morning, and all three ASD drivers executed amazing runs and qualified high in the top 32 – Tyler in 2nd, Darren in 4th, and Vaughn in 6th. These three talented drivers would each battle their way through the heavy competition of the Top 32, the Sweet 16, and the Great Eight, before they would all meet in the Semi-Finals and the Finals.

In the Final Four, Darren was set to battle Ken Gushi, who had been on top of his game all day. Gushi led first, but Darren stuck to his doors throughout the entire course. Darren gave chase next and was able to create a gap between his Sky and the Scion, while running the same perfect line and angle he had been putting down all weekend. The judges awarded Darren the advantage and he moved on to the finals – a guaranteed spot on the podium!

ASD drivers Vaughn Gittin Jr. and Tyler McQuarrie came to blows in the Final Four, knowing that one of them would be moving on to a for-sure podium position, and that the other would have to battle it out for third place. Tyler led first, with both drivers high on the bank; Vaughn was able to reel him in and stay tight on his doors. Vaughn led next, while Tyler pushed to stay close, but had a slight correction. Vaughn would move on to battle Darren in the Finals and Tyler was set to fight it out with Gushi for third.

In the consolation round, the judges couldn’t declare a clear winner from Tyler and Gushi’s battle, so they called for a “One More Time”. Gushi led first in the OMT and both cars drifted high on the bank, but Tyler was determined not to let the Scion anywhere out of his sight. In the next pass, Tyler managed to pull away from Gushi, and the judges awarded Tyler the win and third place!

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.

With this Autosport Dynamics podium clean-sweep, a first-time in Formula Drift history had been made -- never before had anyone seen the podium dominated by three cars built by the same team. Quite an impressive feat to say the very least!

“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!

First up was Vaughn against Taka Aono, long time fellow Falken team mate. Taka had been having car troubles all weekend and just couldn't keep up with the Ford Racing powered 2010 Mustang. Vaughn moved on to the Top 16. He then faced Ryan Turek for his next battle. They ran really well against each other, but in the end Ryan moved on. Ryan continued on to take 3rd for the event. Vaughn ended up 13th overall for the weekend, bringing him to 8th in points for the championship

Tyler had a great event. After having some minor engine issues that the ASD team quickly repaired, he was able to have just one qualifying run and place 13th in the field. His first battle in Top 32 was against new comer Michael Essa. The first run Tyler lead and definitely had the advantage. After he ran the chase run, the judges said it wasn't a clear enough victory, and called for a one more time. The next pair of runs it was clear, and Tyler moved on the the Top 16.

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.

The Great 8 for Tyler put him up against Chris Forsberg. It was a tense battle of the convertible 350Z's. After the runs were over, the judges awarded Chris the win, placing Tyler 8th overall for the event, and moving him up to 13th in points for the championship.

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.

On the first lap, Darren again led, and when Ross tried to follow Darren's speed into turn one, he went wide and ended up in the kitty litter. Darren moves on to the Great 8 against Robbie Nishida. Running against Robbie was a lot like running against Ross. Robbie also tried to follow Darren's speed, and spun as a result. Darren moves on to the Final 4.

The Final 4 saw Darren up against Joon Maeng. Joon seemed to develop a misfire in his engine, and didn't have near the power or setup to compete with Darren. Darren easily moves into the finals. That matched him up with Chris Forsberg in his 350Z. This is the same matchup from 2 years ago. Chris led the first lap, and it was very close. As they came out of the horseshoe, Chris missed a shift, giving the immediate advantage to Darren. Unfortunately on the very last turn of that lap, Darren had a bit too much speed and almost spun, causing a one more time. The next pair of laps was as good as the fans had seen all weekend. It was hands down the best driving out of Darren in the car yet. Unfortunately, the judges decision went to Chris, placing Darren on the podium with a 2nd place trophy.

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!

Darren was blazing fast last year at the debut event in the Sky, and was even faster this year. With a 2nd place qualification, it matched him up against Eric O'Sullivan, a fellow countryman from Ireland where Darren lives. Eric was still new in his car, and Darren had the easy victory moving him on the the Top 16. He then faced Tony Brakiohapa. Darren had an amazing lead lap, with a clear advantage after the first lap. He then gave chase to Tony, but in the last section of the track, spun out giving the win to Tony. You can bet that Darren is focused on the podium in Atlanta where he's stood in the past.

"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!!