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Vaughn Gittin Jr to Take Calls from Listeners, LIVE on
The Inside Drift Saturday at 10:00am PST (1:00pm EST)
Two time World Drift Champion, Vaughn Gittin Jr. is the guest on the second edition of The Inside Drift, Saturday, January 24 at 10:00am nPST (1:00pm EST) on www.blogtalkradio.com.
The Inside Drift is the first Internet radio call-in talk show dedicated entirely to the professional drift racing scene and in that regard, Vaughn Gittin Jr is truly one of the sport's iconic figures. Gittin Jr. will be interviewed by the show’s host, Gary Keith, and will take calls from listeners for an hour beginning at 10:00am PST (1:00pm EST). The program can be heard at www.blogtalkradio.com/the-inside-drift. Listeners can also join the chat room which runs concurrent to the program where they can comment and even pose questions to the program.
Gittin Jr was the first American to defeat the Japanese, head-to-head, in world championship competition, in 2005 at an event held at Toyota Speedway in Irwindale, CA, AKA: The House of Drift. Drifting was invented and refined in Japan in the 1980’s and 90’s and landed in the U.S. shortly after the turn of the century. Gittin Jr’s victory was shocking as it not only was an upstart American defeating the best the Japanese had to offer, but he did it in a Ford Mustang GT, a perfect example of Detroit iron vanquishing the small, mostly turbocharged four cylinder Japanese imports, some nearly 20 years old, such as the venerable Toyota Corolla AE86 and the Nissan 240sx.
Gittin’s 2005 victory was a shot across the bow of a culture that had always embraced the import tuner set and shunned Detroit brute force. But Gittin Jr’s undeniable victory and the successes of Samuel Hubinette’s Dodge Viper and Rhys Millen’s Corvette powered Pontiac GTO clearly set the sport on a different track in the U.S.. Formula Drift, the professional drift sanctioning body in the U.S. is now heavily populated by naturally aspirated V8 power.
Gittin Jr. came to drifting as a teenager. Once a competitive BMX racer, he quickly graduated from two, to four wheels and into his first drift car, one of those Nissan 240sx coupes. He modified the car himself, and like thousands of other grass roots drifters around the country, taught himself the intricacies of “going sideways” in late night parking lot forays and in deserted business parks on weekends. He met others who shared his passions, including Tony Angelo and Chris Forsberg who have shared his journey into the ranks of frontline professional drift car builders and racers.
But the three were among the first to see drifting not just as a sport, but as a culture, a lifestyle, and they capitalized on their vision by forming “Drift Alliance”, what they call, “the best rock band on wheels”. They lead the lives of rock stars too, traveling the world putting on demonstrations of their sport which is catching on everywhere it is introduced.
Drift Alliance now conducts demos, produces a clothing line, and releases drift videos. DA has a legion of fans, world-wide and has grown to include a number of other professional drift racers including, Ryan Tuerck, and the group’s first Japanese member, Kenji Yamanaka. The “brothers” are also committed to giving back to their sport.
DA assists promising young drift drivers in making the jump from grass roots, to the professional ranks. A couple of their recent additions, or “Aces”, Justin Pawlak and Joon Maeng have distinguished themselves at the professional level.
Gittin Jr. is also interested in expanding his career into other forms of motorsports, Rally and even road racing are definitely on his radar screen. His longtime relationship with Falken Tires and recently completed deal with Ford Racing have led to greater exposure and new opportunities.
Ford chose Gittin Jr as the poster boy at its introduction ceremony for it’s longest running nameplate, the sixth edition of the venerable Mustang line. The “reveal” show was nationally televised and held before the world motor press in conjunction with the Los Angeles International Auto show in November.
“Vaughn Gittin Jr. is without doubt an established star in drifting, but he is also a rising star in the wider galaxy of motorsports, and I am pleased to have him and his army of DA followers visit "The Inside Drift,” said Gary Keith, producer and host of the program which is heard on www.blogtalkradio.com
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