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VAUGHN GITTIN JR., GREG BIFFLE AMONG DRIVERS TO JOIN HUBINETTE AND KAHNE AT ‘MOPAR D1 ALL-STAR DUEL’
Center Line, Mich. — The buzz continues to grow around the “Mopar D1 All-Star Duel presented by ShiftIntoGear,” as NASCAR stars Greg Biffle, Robby Gordon and Casey Mears, along with D1 Professional Drift Grand Prix Series drifters Vaughn Gittin Jr., and Rhys Millen, are among the drivers now scheduled to appear at the event.
The exhibition will pit eight headliners from America’s most recognized form of racing, the Nextel Cup stock car series, against eight D1 drifters in a no-holds-barred drifting demonstration. The drivers will join confirmed NASCAR stars Kasey Kahne and Bill Elliott, as well as Team Mopar drifter Samuel Hubinette, and D1 stars Yasuyuki Kazama and Ken Nomura. Additional NASCAR and D1 drivers who intend to participate will be announced in the near future.
Scheduled for August 31 at the “House of Drift,” Southern California’s Irwindale Speedway, the event will feature the NASCAR vs. D1 Challenge, with eight drivers from each series going head-to-head in tandem battles. The NASCAR stars will compete in drift cars provided by D1. Attendees will also witness a D1 All-Star match race, a NASCAR vs. D1 tire-smoking competition, and a not-to-be-missed D1 All Eight tandem drift, with all eight D1 drivers drifting simultaneously on the Irwindale course. Fans will also be able to take part in a brief autograph session with the drivers.
“It’s definitely going to be fun to be out there with NASCAR stars like Kasey Kahne,” said Hubinette, who has scored two top-tens in D1GP competition and currently leads the points chase in the Formula D Drift Series. “It’s really cool to see that they’re interested in our sport and they want to try it out. I know they are talented drivers, and with some of them having experience driving sprint cars, they know how to go sideways. But drifting is definitely something different, and it’s going to be interesting to see how the NASCAR stars handle this style of driving.”
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, focusing on diversity awareness and providing at-risk youth ample opportunities for success.
“I grew up racing sideways around dirt tracks in an 800 horsepower sprint car. This is going to be a lot different, but I am excited and ready for the challenge,” said Kahne, who has four Nextel Cup wins in 2006. “Drifting looks like so much fun, and my NASCAR buddies are jumping at the opportunity to whip some of these cars around. We are proud to announce that Robby Gordon, Casey Mears, and Greg Biffle have all signed on to compete in the event. Each of those guys has awesome car control, and they will definitely be exciting to watch. Vaughn Gittin Jr., and Rhys Millen, two of the most high-profile and skilled drifters, have also signed on for the event and will add to our unbelievable lineup.”
Mooresville, N.C.-based ShiftIntoGear, Inc., jointly owned by Pennsylvania businessman Chris Evans and longtime driving instructor and professional racer Chris Cook, is one of the world’s premier personal training and coaching resources for established racing professionals and young, up-and-coming development drivers. ShiftIntoGear owner Cook will train the NASCAR stars in drifting techniques. Cook carried the “Mopar D1 All-Star Duel presented by ShiftIntoGear” logo on his No. 43 Dodge at a NASCAR Busch Series race in June at Kentucky Speedway.
Tickets for the event can be purchased online at www.irwindalespeedway.com
Center Line, Mich. — The buzz continues to grow around the “Mopar D1 All-Star Duel presented by ShiftIntoGear,” as NASCAR stars Greg Biffle, Robby Gordon and Casey Mears, along with D1 Professional Drift Grand Prix Series drifters Vaughn Gittin Jr., and Rhys Millen, are among the drivers now scheduled to appear at the event.
The exhibition will pit eight headliners from America’s most recognized form of racing, the Nextel Cup stock car series, against eight D1 drifters in a no-holds-barred drifting demonstration. The drivers will join confirmed NASCAR stars Kasey Kahne and Bill Elliott, as well as Team Mopar drifter Samuel Hubinette, and D1 stars Yasuyuki Kazama and Ken Nomura. Additional NASCAR and D1 drivers who intend to participate will be announced in the near future.
Scheduled for August 31 at the “House of Drift,” Southern California’s Irwindale Speedway, the event will feature the NASCAR vs. D1 Challenge, with eight drivers from each series going head-to-head in tandem battles. The NASCAR stars will compete in drift cars provided by D1. Attendees will also witness a D1 All-Star match race, a NASCAR vs. D1 tire-smoking competition, and a not-to-be-missed D1 All Eight tandem drift, with all eight D1 drivers drifting simultaneously on the Irwindale course. Fans will also be able to take part in a brief autograph session with the drivers.
“It’s definitely going to be fun to be out there with NASCAR stars like Kasey Kahne,” said Hubinette, who has scored two top-tens in D1GP competition and currently leads the points chase in the Formula D Drift Series. “It’s really cool to see that they’re interested in our sport and they want to try it out. I know they are talented drivers, and with some of them having experience driving sprint cars, they know how to go sideways. But drifting is definitely something different, and it’s going to be interesting to see how the NASCAR stars handle this style of driving.”
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, focusing on diversity awareness and providing at-risk youth ample opportunities for success.
“I grew up racing sideways around dirt tracks in an 800 horsepower sprint car. This is going to be a lot different, but I am excited and ready for the challenge,” said Kahne, who has four Nextel Cup wins in 2006. “Drifting looks like so much fun, and my NASCAR buddies are jumping at the opportunity to whip some of these cars around. We are proud to announce that Robby Gordon, Casey Mears, and Greg Biffle have all signed on to compete in the event. Each of those guys has awesome car control, and they will definitely be exciting to watch. Vaughn Gittin Jr., and Rhys Millen, two of the most high-profile and skilled drifters, have also signed on for the event and will add to our unbelievable lineup.”
Mooresville, N.C.-based ShiftIntoGear, Inc., jointly owned by Pennsylvania businessman Chris Evans and longtime driving instructor and professional racer Chris Cook, is one of the world’s premier personal training and coaching resources for established racing professionals and young, up-and-coming development drivers. ShiftIntoGear owner Cook will train the NASCAR stars in drifting techniques. Cook carried the “Mopar D1 All-Star Duel presented by ShiftIntoGear” logo on his No. 43 Dodge at a NASCAR Busch Series race in June at Kentucky Speedway.
Tickets for the event can be purchased online at www.irwindalespeedway.com
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