Tweet
Q & A WITH FORMULA D DRIFT STAR SAMUEL HUBINETTE
Center Line, Mich. — Samuel Hubinette, known as the “Crazy Swede” for his aggressive driving style and wild antics on the track, has established himself as one of the elite drivers on the Need For Speed Formula D Drift Series. A native of Sweden and a U.S. citizen, he captured the inaugural Formula D title in 2004 for Team Mopar, and posted a runner-up finish in 2005. In the first two years of the series, Hubinette has won 50 percent (five of ten) of all Formula D events.
2006 has already been good to Hubinette, as he posted a fourth-place finish in a D1 Grand Prix drift event at California’s Irwindale Speedway, which featured the best drifters in the world. Hubinette placed highest of all U.S. based drivers at Irwindale. The event also marked his first race with new BFGoodrich g-Force KDW tires, which were an overwhelming, tire-smoking success.
The new season will present another major change to the “Crazy Swede” and the NuFormz Racing team, led by owner Shaun Carlson. Upon the completion of a long and complex buildup, Hubinette will switch from his Mopar SRT10 Dodge Viper to a Mopar Dodge Charger SRT8. When the new drift car is ready, Hubinette will be prepared—he recently purchased his own Dodge Charger SRT8 as an everyday driver!
A stunt driver for television commercials and feature films in his spare time, Hubinette took a moment during a break from a recent commercial shoot to discuss the upcoming season.
Samuel Hubinette Q & A
Q. YOU POSTED A RUNNER-UP FINISH IN THE 2005 FORMULA D DRIFT CHAMPIONSHIP, AFTER WINNING THE INAUGURAL FORMULA D CHAMPIONSHIP IN 2004. ARE YOU HUNGRY FOR YOUR SECOND TITLE?
A. Yeah, I had a great 2005, with wins at Road Atlanta and Chicago, but you always want that championship. I didn’t lose the hunger last year after my championship in ’04. I’ve never been one to settle for second. Winning is definitely my goal.
Q. WHAT WERE YOU UP TO IN THE OFF-SEASON? DID YOU DO ANY STUNT DRIVING?
A. Actually, I’m on break right now, on location at a commercial in which I’m doing stunt driving. And I was one of the stunt drivers in “The Fast and The Furious 3” Tokyo Drift movie. So much fun! I went back home to Sweden for the holidays, attended the SEMA show in Las Vegas, and took part in the Mopar press conference, and have been involved in the ongoing buildup of the Mopar Dodge Charger SRT8.
Q. ARE YOU CONFIDENT THAT YOU CAN REMAIN AMONG THE ELITE DRIFTERS IN FORMULA D COMPETITION WHEN YOU MAKE THE SWITCH FROM THE MOPAR SRT10 VIPER TO THE MOPAR DODGE CHARGER SRT8 IN 2006?
A. Mopar and Dodge wouldn’t have made the switch to the Charger unless they felt confident it would be as competitive, if not more so, than the Viper. But there will definitely be some challenges to get it dialed in for drifting, as always. I’m really looking forward to getting out there and drifting the Mopar Dodge Charger SRT8.
Q. SOME SKEPTICS SAY THE CHARGER IS TOO LONG AND TOO HEAVY TO CHALLENGE FOR THE FORMULA D CHAMPIONSHIP. WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE?
A. The Viper wasn’t exactly small, and we won the championship in 2004 and finished runner-up in 2005. I only see positives in our switch to the Mopar Dodge Charger SRT8. We have been able to get the weight down in the buildup process quite a bit, by doing things like removing the interior and replacing the body panels with carbon fiber panels.
Q. YOU RECENTLY PURCHASED YOUR OWN DODGE CHARGER SRT8. DO YOU THINK HAVING THE CAR AS AN EVERYDAY DRIVER WILL HELP YOU WHEN YOU COMPETE?
A. I think it already has, because I’m starting to feel comfortable behind the wheel. It’s definitely good to have the same car for your everyday use. I bought my Dodge Charger SRT8 from Woodhouse Dodge in Nebraska, and drove it all the way back to California. I broke it in real good! (Laughs)
Q. YOU RECENTLY PLACED FOURTH IN THE MARCH D1 GRAND PRIX EVENT AT IRWINDALE SPEEDWAY, AND YOU WERE THE HIGHEST FINISHING U.S. BASED DRIVER. HOW IMPORTANT WAS THAT PERFORMANCE TO YOU?
A. It meant a lot. I proved I could compete with the best drifters in the world, against the best competitors from Japan. It’s something that I can build on, heading into the Formula D season. You always want to maintain your ranking among the elite. I think D1 at Irwindale helped do that.
Q. YOU COMPETED FOR THE FIRST TIME WITH YOUR NEW BFGOODRICH G-FORCE T/A KDW TIRES AT THAT D1 EVENT. HOW DID THEY IMPROVE YOUR PERFORMANCE?
A. I’m so impressed by the BFGoodrich g-Force KDW tires. They kept their grip really well going sideways into the corner and created a lot of smoke, which is a good thing in drifting. It’s great, heading into the Formula D season, knowing the tires have what it takes to win a championship.
Q. HOW MUCH INPUT HAVE YOU HAD WITH SRT [DAIMLERCHRYSLER’S STREET AND RACING TECHNOLOGY DIVISION] AND YOUR TEAM, NUFORMZ RACING, DURING THE BUILDUP OF THE MOPAR DODGE CHARGER SRT8?
A. I’ve had a lot of interaction and communication with them during this process. We have e-mailed back and forth each day. I had a say in things like how I want the car to react on the track. We put in a lot of effort to make the car as light as possible and nimble. The roll cage was designed to accommodate tricks that I perform, like hanging out the door while drifting.
Q. YOU’VE HAD A RELATIONSHIP FOR A WHILE NOW, WITH NUFORMZ RACING OWNER SHAUN CARLSON. DOES IT HELP TO HAVE THAT KIND OF CONTINUITY, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU’RE GOING TO BE BREAKING IN A NEW CAR?
A. Definitely. Shaun and I have worked well together. It’s great having a race car driver for an owner [Carlson drives an NHRA Pro Stock car for Team Mopar], because it helps when you need to communicate concerns about the car. Shaun can understand where I’m coming from, and that’s been a bonus during our relationship.
Q. YOU’RE ONE OF THE MOST COLORFUL DRIVERS IN THE TEAM MOPAR STABLE, AND A REGULAR AT MOPAR PRESS CONFERENCES AT THE SEMA SHOW. DESCRIBE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH MOPAR.
A. I’ve really felt like I’m part of something special in my association with Mopar. The fans are so supportive and dedicated. I appreciate all that Mopar has done for me. I feel like I’m part of the Mopar family. I think I’ve done my part to make them proud, so far!
Q. WHAT DO YOU FEEL WILL MAKE FOR A SUCCESSFUL SEASON FOR YOU AND THE MOPAR DODGE CHARGER SRT8?
A. I just want to show everyone that once the Mopar Dodge Charger SRT8 is completed, it’s got what it takes to be competitive and successful in Formula D competition. I’m confident we’ll have a great year. Now I just want to go out and start testing it.
Round 1 of the Formula D Drift championship kicks off next weekend at the Streets of Long Beach, Calif. The main event is set for Sunday, April 2; gates open to the public at 10 a.m.
Center Line, Mich. — Samuel Hubinette, known as the “Crazy Swede” for his aggressive driving style and wild antics on the track, has established himself as one of the elite drivers on the Need For Speed Formula D Drift Series. A native of Sweden and a U.S. citizen, he captured the inaugural Formula D title in 2004 for Team Mopar, and posted a runner-up finish in 2005. In the first two years of the series, Hubinette has won 50 percent (five of ten) of all Formula D events.
2006 has already been good to Hubinette, as he posted a fourth-place finish in a D1 Grand Prix drift event at California’s Irwindale Speedway, which featured the best drifters in the world. Hubinette placed highest of all U.S. based drivers at Irwindale. The event also marked his first race with new BFGoodrich g-Force KDW tires, which were an overwhelming, tire-smoking success.
The new season will present another major change to the “Crazy Swede” and the NuFormz Racing team, led by owner Shaun Carlson. Upon the completion of a long and complex buildup, Hubinette will switch from his Mopar SRT10 Dodge Viper to a Mopar Dodge Charger SRT8. When the new drift car is ready, Hubinette will be prepared—he recently purchased his own Dodge Charger SRT8 as an everyday driver!
A stunt driver for television commercials and feature films in his spare time, Hubinette took a moment during a break from a recent commercial shoot to discuss the upcoming season.
Samuel Hubinette Q & A
Q. YOU POSTED A RUNNER-UP FINISH IN THE 2005 FORMULA D DRIFT CHAMPIONSHIP, AFTER WINNING THE INAUGURAL FORMULA D CHAMPIONSHIP IN 2004. ARE YOU HUNGRY FOR YOUR SECOND TITLE?
A. Yeah, I had a great 2005, with wins at Road Atlanta and Chicago, but you always want that championship. I didn’t lose the hunger last year after my championship in ’04. I’ve never been one to settle for second. Winning is definitely my goal.
Q. WHAT WERE YOU UP TO IN THE OFF-SEASON? DID YOU DO ANY STUNT DRIVING?
A. Actually, I’m on break right now, on location at a commercial in which I’m doing stunt driving. And I was one of the stunt drivers in “The Fast and The Furious 3” Tokyo Drift movie. So much fun! I went back home to Sweden for the holidays, attended the SEMA show in Las Vegas, and took part in the Mopar press conference, and have been involved in the ongoing buildup of the Mopar Dodge Charger SRT8.
Q. ARE YOU CONFIDENT THAT YOU CAN REMAIN AMONG THE ELITE DRIFTERS IN FORMULA D COMPETITION WHEN YOU MAKE THE SWITCH FROM THE MOPAR SRT10 VIPER TO THE MOPAR DODGE CHARGER SRT8 IN 2006?
A. Mopar and Dodge wouldn’t have made the switch to the Charger unless they felt confident it would be as competitive, if not more so, than the Viper. But there will definitely be some challenges to get it dialed in for drifting, as always. I’m really looking forward to getting out there and drifting the Mopar Dodge Charger SRT8.
Q. SOME SKEPTICS SAY THE CHARGER IS TOO LONG AND TOO HEAVY TO CHALLENGE FOR THE FORMULA D CHAMPIONSHIP. WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE?
A. The Viper wasn’t exactly small, and we won the championship in 2004 and finished runner-up in 2005. I only see positives in our switch to the Mopar Dodge Charger SRT8. We have been able to get the weight down in the buildup process quite a bit, by doing things like removing the interior and replacing the body panels with carbon fiber panels.
Q. YOU RECENTLY PURCHASED YOUR OWN DODGE CHARGER SRT8. DO YOU THINK HAVING THE CAR AS AN EVERYDAY DRIVER WILL HELP YOU WHEN YOU COMPETE?
A. I think it already has, because I’m starting to feel comfortable behind the wheel. It’s definitely good to have the same car for your everyday use. I bought my Dodge Charger SRT8 from Woodhouse Dodge in Nebraska, and drove it all the way back to California. I broke it in real good! (Laughs)
Q. YOU RECENTLY PLACED FOURTH IN THE MARCH D1 GRAND PRIX EVENT AT IRWINDALE SPEEDWAY, AND YOU WERE THE HIGHEST FINISHING U.S. BASED DRIVER. HOW IMPORTANT WAS THAT PERFORMANCE TO YOU?
A. It meant a lot. I proved I could compete with the best drifters in the world, against the best competitors from Japan. It’s something that I can build on, heading into the Formula D season. You always want to maintain your ranking among the elite. I think D1 at Irwindale helped do that.
Q. YOU COMPETED FOR THE FIRST TIME WITH YOUR NEW BFGOODRICH G-FORCE T/A KDW TIRES AT THAT D1 EVENT. HOW DID THEY IMPROVE YOUR PERFORMANCE?
A. I’m so impressed by the BFGoodrich g-Force KDW tires. They kept their grip really well going sideways into the corner and created a lot of smoke, which is a good thing in drifting. It’s great, heading into the Formula D season, knowing the tires have what it takes to win a championship.
Q. HOW MUCH INPUT HAVE YOU HAD WITH SRT [DAIMLERCHRYSLER’S STREET AND RACING TECHNOLOGY DIVISION] AND YOUR TEAM, NUFORMZ RACING, DURING THE BUILDUP OF THE MOPAR DODGE CHARGER SRT8?
A. I’ve had a lot of interaction and communication with them during this process. We have e-mailed back and forth each day. I had a say in things like how I want the car to react on the track. We put in a lot of effort to make the car as light as possible and nimble. The roll cage was designed to accommodate tricks that I perform, like hanging out the door while drifting.
Q. YOU’VE HAD A RELATIONSHIP FOR A WHILE NOW, WITH NUFORMZ RACING OWNER SHAUN CARLSON. DOES IT HELP TO HAVE THAT KIND OF CONTINUITY, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU’RE GOING TO BE BREAKING IN A NEW CAR?
A. Definitely. Shaun and I have worked well together. It’s great having a race car driver for an owner [Carlson drives an NHRA Pro Stock car for Team Mopar], because it helps when you need to communicate concerns about the car. Shaun can understand where I’m coming from, and that’s been a bonus during our relationship.
Q. YOU’RE ONE OF THE MOST COLORFUL DRIVERS IN THE TEAM MOPAR STABLE, AND A REGULAR AT MOPAR PRESS CONFERENCES AT THE SEMA SHOW. DESCRIBE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH MOPAR.
A. I’ve really felt like I’m part of something special in my association with Mopar. The fans are so supportive and dedicated. I appreciate all that Mopar has done for me. I feel like I’m part of the Mopar family. I think I’ve done my part to make them proud, so far!
Q. WHAT DO YOU FEEL WILL MAKE FOR A SUCCESSFUL SEASON FOR YOU AND THE MOPAR DODGE CHARGER SRT8?
A. I just want to show everyone that once the Mopar Dodge Charger SRT8 is completed, it’s got what it takes to be competitive and successful in Formula D competition. I’m confident we’ll have a great year. Now I just want to go out and start testing it.
Round 1 of the Formula D Drift championship kicks off next weekend at the Streets of Long Beach, Calif. The main event is set for Sunday, April 2; gates open to the public at 10 a.m.