Rhys Millen has a brand new chassis which just came back for powder-coating for the 2012 Formula Drift season. The car is heading into paint and then getting a nice build up for the 2012 season we are sure. Last year around SEMA we speculated the team might be a two car program for the new year but as far as we can tell that really didn’t get anywhere. We cannot wait to see what he is changing up for the new season!
Rhys Millen is seen in this video driving his Hyundai Equus by Hyundai Motors America on the 405 and spotting his drift car that was on display at the 405 Highway. He then went bandit style and hijacked the Hyundai Genesis in what turned out to be a great skit at HMA under construction. Sit back and enjoy this great video showing quite the humorous side of Rhys Millen.
Sit back and enjoy a teaser of what Rhys Millen Racing has to offer for the 2011 SEMA Show. He is building a Hyundai Genesis for the SEMA Show that will be unveiling at the press conference. Our parent company also has put together a Hyundai Veloster for the 2011 SEMA Show which is sitting in the Hyundai booth all week which you should check out. You can view the progress of our Hyundai Veloster build over on the Fuelculture Facebook Fanpage. If you get creative you can even submit to become a BETA member already on our new website we are launching at the 2011 SEMA Show here. Anyway, we know RMR has cooked up something great for this year.
Members of Drift Alliance huddled around Chris Forsberg’s rig at Round 7 of Formula Drift and talked about Rhys’ interest over the years to join Drift Alliance. Because it’s rumored that only cars that wear the DA Wreath take home carbon fiber trophies, Rhys had to be inducted after his win in Las Vegas. If you watch the video through the end, you’ll catch Rhys Millen giving his favorite drifting website a shoutout.
After the 2011 season Formula Drift has 52 events in the books. The series now has 17 overall event winners meaning just about every 3 events (twice a season) a driver will receive his first win in the sport. Now after 2011 nine drivers are multiple events winners in the series. This year added two of those nine drivers with Justin Pawlak winning both his events this season and Tyler McQuarrie earning his second at Irwindale Speedway this season joining the club.
1. Sam Hubinette (9 Wins)
1. 2004 Road Atlanta
2. 2004 Houston
3. 2004 Infineon Raceway (Sonoma)
4. 2005 Road Atlanta
5. 2005 Chicago
6. 2006 Streets of Long Beach
7. 2006 Chicago
8. 2006 Wall Speedway
9. 2007 Summit Point
2. Tanner Foust (7 Wins)
1. 2006 Road Atlanta
2. 2007 Irwindale Speedway
3. 2008 Streets of Long Beach
4. 2008 Englishtown
5. 2008 Infineon Raceway (Sonoma)
6. 2009 Las Vegas
7. 2010 Evergreen Speedway
8. 2010 Irwindale Speedway
3. Chris Forsberg (6 Wins)
1. 2005 Irwnidale
2. 2007 Road Atlanta
3. 2007 Infineon Raceway (Sonoma)
4. 2008 Streets of Long Beach
5. 2009 Road Atlanta
6. 2009 Evergreen Speedway
3. Rhys Millen (6 Wins)
1. 2004 Irwindale Speedway
2. 2005 Wall Speedway
3. 2006 Infineon Raceway (Sonoma)
4. 2008 Road Atlanta
5. 2008 Evergreen Speedway
6. 2011 Las Vegas
3. Dai Yoshihara (6 Wins)
1. 2006 Irwindale Speedway
2. 2007 Evergreen Speedway
3. 2007 Wall Speedway
4. 2010 Road Atlanta
5. 2011 Road Atlanta
6. 2011 Evergreen Speedway
6. Vaughn Gittin Jr. (3 Wins)
1. 2008 Irwindale Speedway
2. 2010 Streets of Long Beach
3. 2010 Infineon Raceway (Sonoma)
7. Ryan Tuerck (2 Wins)
1. 2009 Streets of Long Beach
2. 2009 Irwindale Speedway
The newest Drift Alliance member Rhys Millen put on a showing at the end of the 2011 season with two podiums. The Wrecked office has been a big fan of his aggressive style he has brought out these two rounds. Even after doing two engine swaps during this weekend at Irwindale he was light hearted and even joined the DA. We might just find ourselves becoming Rhys Millen fans since apparently Formula Drift has a new crybaby driver (driver name withheld). Rhys Millen announced he will be back in 2012 (we have heard not a full schedule as a RUMOR) and when he does come back we sure hope he drives this aggressive in the Hyundai Genesis!
The most winning driver in Formula Drift Sam Hubinette took the top qualifying spot this weekend at Irwindale Speedway which is something we haven’t seen from him in sometime. A huge congrats to his performance after a rough start to the 2011 season! Here is how the Top 32 stacked up with Rookie of the Year leader Odi Bakchis missing out with a 33rd place finish.
1.Sam Hubinette – 92.7 points
2. Justin Pawlak – 90.4 points
3. Tyler McQuarrie – 88.4 points
4. Ryan Tuerck – 86.1 points
5. Rhys Millen – 85.9 points
6. Dai Yoshihara – 83.5 points
7. Walker Wilkerson – 83.3 points
8. Robbie Nishida – 83.2 points
9. Conrad Grunewald – 82.3 points
10. Matt Powers – 79.4 points
11. Ken Gushi – 79.0 points
12. Vaughn Gittin Jr. – 77.7 points
13. Fredric Aasbo – 77.3 points
14. Dean Kearney – 77.1 points
15. Luke Lonberger – 77 points
16. Chris Forsberg – 76.9 points
17. Matt Field – 76.5 points
18. Toshiki Yoshioka – 73.1 points
19. Ryan Kado – 72.8 points
20. Kyle Mohan – 72.8 points
21. Michael Essa – 71.2 points
22. Taka Aono – 70.8 points
23. Ross Petty – 68.9 points
24. E. Armandio “Dio” – 68.6 points
25. Dennis Mertzanis – 68.3 points
26. Darren McNamara – 67.9 points
27. Jeff Abbott – 67.8 points
28. Pat Cyr – 66.3 points
29. Kenneth Moen – 66.2 points
30. Cyrus Martinez – 63.3 points
31. Charles Ng – 62.5 points
32. Patrick Mordaunt – 61 points
We reported about the possible retirement of Rhys Millen after this weekend and mentioned they might be talking to Ryan Tuerck to hop in the car for 2012. Well apparently someone has a sense of humor because his rig has the Drift Alliance crest on it this morning at the track. If you remember a famous Rhys Millen interview with GT Channel he said “maybe he should just join the Drift Alliance,” and it looks like he has done just that! What do you think about these two Redbull powerhouses getting together in 2012?
A reader submitted this image of Rhys Millen’s Hyundai Genesis going up in flames during Thursday practice. While a few of our staff members were at the track today we apparently missed this happening but did see the charred remains of the Redbull Hyundai Genesis on the tow truck. No word from RMR if he will be back on track tomorrow but unless the fire caused more internal damage than we saw from the pits he should be fine by qualifying tomorrow.
