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Center Line, Mich. — In what will amount to a tire-smoking, sideways battle
between drivers from two vastly different motorsports disciplines, Team
Mopar’s Samuel Hubinette, along with some of the hottest names in the D1
Professional Drift Grand Prix Series including Yasuyuki Kazama and Ken
Nomura, will take on Dodge Motorsports’ Kasey Kahne, Bill Elliott and
several of their NASCAR friends in the “Mopar D1 All-Star Duel presented by
ShiftIntoGear.” The event is the first-ever exhibition pitting drifting and
NASCAR stars in head-to-head battle.
The “Mopar D1 All-Star Duel presented by ShiftIntoGear” is slated for
August 31 at California’s Irwindale Speedway, known as the “House of Drift,”
and the site of the first U.S. D1 drift event in 2003. The sport of
drifting, created in Japan, is a judged competition. Judges take into
account the technique, style and flair with which contestants slide their
cars around specially-configured tracks at speeds up to 130 miles per hour,
all the while billowing great clouds of tire smoke.
The exhibition event pits eight headliners from America’s most recognized
form of racing, the Nextel Cup stock car series, against an equal number of
pro drifters. Fans in attendance will have the chance to get autographs
during the event.
“We’ve conducted some of the most exciting NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series short
track racing and D1 Drifting here at Irwindale Speedway,” said Bob DeFazio,
COO and General Manager of Irwindale Speedway. “It’s an absolute honor to
host a showdown between the giants these two forms of motor sports
competition and help contribute to a great cause on what will be one heck of
a fun night!”
Proceeds from the event, a natural lead-in to that weekend’s NASCAR Nextel
Cup race at the nearby California Speedway in Fontana, will benefit the
Kasey Kahne Foundation, which raises and donates funds to charitable
organizations that care for chronically ill children and their families. The
Foundation is also committed to positive cultural changes by focusing on
diversity awareness and providing at-risk youth ample opportunities for
success.
“I’m very thankful that D1 has not only worked with us to create their
first series All-Star event, but also agreed to earmark all of the event
proceeds to the Kasey Kahne Foundation,” Kahne said. “I know that we as
NASCAR drivers are going to have our hands full trying to compete with the
best D1 drifters in the world, but we’ll definitely be ready to duel.”
Hubinette has led Mopar’s drifting efforts. Also known as, the “Crazy
Swede,” Hubinette has scored top ten spots in two D1GP point series events
competing against the world’s top D1 drivers in the past. The wildly popular
Kahne is one of this season’s hottest NASCAR stars, with three Nextel Cup
victories thus far in 2006, and is fifth in the Nextel Cup points race.
“Drifting is really starting to take its place in the mainstream,” said
Kevin Miller, Senior Manager, Mopar Brand, Performance & Motorsports. “Mopar
was there at the ground level, helping to grow the sport, and were proud to
help continue that growth by sponsoring this ground-breaking event and
teaming up with NASCAR stars such as Kasey Kahne.”
Mooresville, N.C.-based ShiftIntoGear, Inc., is one of the world’s premier
personal training and coaching resources for established racing
professionals and young, up-and-coming development drivers alike.
Development drivers receive instruction in all skills from track and sponsor
etiquette to how to win races, and through the ShiftIntoGear program are
exposed to the top NASCAR teams. Its client roster features top drivers from
all forms of racing, including current NASCAR Nextel Cup regulars Tony
Stewart and Clint Bowyer.
Jointly owned by Pennsylvania businessman Chris Evans and longtime driving
instructor and professional racer Chris Cook, the company offers both east-
and west-coast fleets of purpose-built high-performance race cars enhanced
for coaching and testing. Cook and his team of world-class instructors
conduct training at racing facilities throughout North America.
Cook will compete in the NASCAR Busch Series race at Kentucky Speedway this
weekend and will carry the “Mopar D1 All-Star Duel presented by
ShiftIntoGear” logo on his No. 43 Dodge. He will also be training the NASCAR
drivers in drifting technique prior to the event.
Tickets for the event can be purchased online at www.irwindalespeedway.com.
between drivers from two vastly different motorsports disciplines, Team
Mopar’s Samuel Hubinette, along with some of the hottest names in the D1
Professional Drift Grand Prix Series including Yasuyuki Kazama and Ken
Nomura, will take on Dodge Motorsports’ Kasey Kahne, Bill Elliott and
several of their NASCAR friends in the “Mopar D1 All-Star Duel presented by
ShiftIntoGear.” The event is the first-ever exhibition pitting drifting and
NASCAR stars in head-to-head battle.
The “Mopar D1 All-Star Duel presented by ShiftIntoGear” is slated for
August 31 at California’s Irwindale Speedway, known as the “House of Drift,”
and the site of the first U.S. D1 drift event in 2003. The sport of
drifting, created in Japan, is a judged competition. Judges take into
account the technique, style and flair with which contestants slide their
cars around specially-configured tracks at speeds up to 130 miles per hour,
all the while billowing great clouds of tire smoke.
The exhibition event pits eight headliners from America’s most recognized
form of racing, the Nextel Cup stock car series, against an equal number of
pro drifters. Fans in attendance will have the chance to get autographs
during the event.
“We’ve conducted some of the most exciting NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series short
track racing and D1 Drifting here at Irwindale Speedway,” said Bob DeFazio,
COO and General Manager of Irwindale Speedway. “It’s an absolute honor to
host a showdown between the giants these two forms of motor sports
competition and help contribute to a great cause on what will be one heck of
a fun night!”
Proceeds from the event, a natural lead-in to that weekend’s NASCAR Nextel
Cup race at the nearby California Speedway in Fontana, will benefit the
Kasey Kahne Foundation, which raises and donates funds to charitable
organizations that care for chronically ill children and their families. The
Foundation is also committed to positive cultural changes by focusing on
diversity awareness and providing at-risk youth ample opportunities for
success.
“I’m very thankful that D1 has not only worked with us to create their
first series All-Star event, but also agreed to earmark all of the event
proceeds to the Kasey Kahne Foundation,” Kahne said. “I know that we as
NASCAR drivers are going to have our hands full trying to compete with the
best D1 drifters in the world, but we’ll definitely be ready to duel.”
Hubinette has led Mopar’s drifting efforts. Also known as, the “Crazy
Swede,” Hubinette has scored top ten spots in two D1GP point series events
competing against the world’s top D1 drivers in the past. The wildly popular
Kahne is one of this season’s hottest NASCAR stars, with three Nextel Cup
victories thus far in 2006, and is fifth in the Nextel Cup points race.
“Drifting is really starting to take its place in the mainstream,” said
Kevin Miller, Senior Manager, Mopar Brand, Performance & Motorsports. “Mopar
was there at the ground level, helping to grow the sport, and were proud to
help continue that growth by sponsoring this ground-breaking event and
teaming up with NASCAR stars such as Kasey Kahne.”
Mooresville, N.C.-based ShiftIntoGear, Inc., is one of the world’s premier
personal training and coaching resources for established racing
professionals and young, up-and-coming development drivers alike.
Development drivers receive instruction in all skills from track and sponsor
etiquette to how to win races, and through the ShiftIntoGear program are
exposed to the top NASCAR teams. Its client roster features top drivers from
all forms of racing, including current NASCAR Nextel Cup regulars Tony
Stewart and Clint Bowyer.
Jointly owned by Pennsylvania businessman Chris Evans and longtime driving
instructor and professional racer Chris Cook, the company offers both east-
and west-coast fleets of purpose-built high-performance race cars enhanced
for coaching and testing. Cook and his team of world-class instructors
conduct training at racing facilities throughout North America.
Cook will compete in the NASCAR Busch Series race at Kentucky Speedway this
weekend and will carry the “Mopar D1 All-Star Duel presented by
ShiftIntoGear” logo on his No. 43 Dodge. He will also be training the NASCAR
drivers in drifting technique prior to the event.
Tickets for the event can be purchased online at www.irwindalespeedway.com.
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