As of mid-September, Yokohama Tire-sponsored “drifting” competitor Michael Essa was just one race away from winning the series championship after his victory in Formula Drift’s “Round 6 Showdown” at Texas Motor Speedway in Ft. Worth.
For the uninitiated, drifting is a high-powered motorsport in which drivers intentionally maneuver their cars into well executed, controlled sideways slides at high speeds through a marked course.
Driving on Yokohama’s newest ultra- high-performance tires, Essa powered his GSR Autosport E46 BMW M3 to his second win of the year. That put him in the lead for the Pro Championship going into the final competition, slated for this month at the Irwindale (CA) Speedway.
“The course was crazy with triple-digit entry speeds,” remarked Essa, “but we were able to take home the win. The grip of Yokohama’s AD08 R tires is incredible and helped make this an amazing event for us. We are leading the points right and have a shot at the championship. I can’t be happier with the results.”
