Formula D Irwindale Live update

[blu808]

Info provided from everythingdrift.com
So here we go... first up, the 16 unseeded drivers who will be competing tomorrow

16 - Ryan Tuerck - 240sx motoring car (blue one)
Stephan Verdier - McKinney Motorsports
Tony Angelo - Cooper Tires (driving NM Drift Group's car)
Ryan Hampton - Falken - Z06 Vette (XMP built)
John Yim - Enjuku / Cooper - silver coupe
Rob Fleming - Enjuku - red hatch
Conrad Grunewald - Jasper Supra
Mitsuru Haraguchi - Intec / Silk Road S13 (watch for his initiation into the bank tomorrow!!)
Chris Kregorian - Milano Sky-sx
Todd Ho - LS1 FC (new green paint!)
Pierre Kleinburg - LHD Apex RX7
Kazu Hayashida - RSR S15
Ross Petty - Motorsport Dynamic RB26 S13
Bill Sherman - XAT Racing 240 T/A
Ben Schwartz - Rockstar hatch
1 - Rich Rutherford - Tool RWD EVO

Notes from the pits:
Hiro Sumida hit the wall, bent a lower control arm, should be back out there
Calvin Wan snapped a cam in the VQ, but should be back together in the morning
Sam is going to be tough to beat, the judges pointed out his runs as runs to beat in the drivers meeting
Rhys has the solstice in the pits, but is driving the GTO for competition. TEASE!!
Tanner still has an outside chance at the championship, but also has a strong chance at the Tires.com Triple Crown (which pays $10k!)
The usuals are lookin good

Doors open at 1p, practice 1p - 2p, qualifying 2-4:15ish, national anthem / opening ceremonies at 6p with tandem competition to follow.

Couple more notes:

Ryan "Hampshaaaaaaaaaaa" Tuerck and Chris Forsberg collided in the final practice, both drivers were ok. Forsberg's car needed a new steering rack, some fiberglass work to the radiator support, and some other minor repairs and should be ready to rock today. Tuerck's car had much more damage, but also should be ready to run.

Seigo yamamoto had an incident earlier in the day in the Speedmachine RX7, not sure how bad the car is. They had the entire front passenger side suspension / brake setup off the car, not sure what the issue is.

Hiro's car did not make the practice friday night, but the Falken crew had the car back together shortly after the practice ended and he will be ready to rock for the event today.

Rod Millen was the 17th qualifier yesterday, and it's my understanding that if Forsberg, Yamamoto, or any of the other top 16 drivers are not able to make the event today, then he will be allowed to drive.

Gushi / JR / Sam / Nishida / Aono are all tearing the course up. This is the home course for almost all of these drivers (JR isn't an irwindale homer, but he DID win D1 US Vs Japan here!).

Haraguchi bent a lower control arm in the rear when he took out a clipping point in qualifying, but the Silk Road / Intec team rushed to piece together the car before the final practice, and Haraguchi says that the car feels much better.

The course is back to the 'shorter' traditional course which finishes before the light pole, not the 'longer' course that was run at least year's FD Final event.

The judges mentioned that they were looking for Speed off the bank, closeness to the clipping point across the start/finish line in front of the grand stands, and angle around the 'carousel' by the west end of the event. Watch for this as a spectator

NCDA instructor Todd Ho, in the LS1fc


Ryan Hampton has a new car. Zo6