
Long Beach, Calif. – October 13, 2012 – 
Formula DRIFT returned to Irwindale Speedway for the 2012 season finale.
 Daigo Saito in the Achilles Tire / Bridges Racing Lexus SC430 takes the
 event victory and wins the 2012 Formula DRIFT Championship. 
Round 7: Title Fight at Irwindale Speedway showcased drifting in its 
finest form. For the first time in Formula DRIFT and Irwindale Speedway 
history the event sold out before the gates opened to the public. 
“Last year was so amazing we didn’t think we could do it again, not 
like this“ said Jim Liaw, president and co-founder of Formula DRIFT. 
“This is why we love drifting. We are so energized for season 10 
starting April 12-13, 2013.” 
The competition was intense as the championship was up for grabs. 
Entering the event, seven drivers had a chance for the title. This soon 
changed as top drivers in the chase were taken out early including 
points leader Vaughn Gittin, Jr. in the Monster Energy / Falken Ford 
Mustang, defending champion Daijiro Yoshihara, in the America’s Tire / 
Falken Tire Nissan 240 and the 2009 champion, Chris Forsberg in the NOS 
Energy / Hankook Nissan 370Z. This opened the door for both Daigo Saito 
and Rhys Millen in the RMR / Hankook Hyundai Genesis Coupe who met in 
the Final Four. Millen, the number one qualifier took himself out as he 
went hard into the wall giving the win to Saito. The wall took a number 
of victims through the competition including Justin Pawlak in the Falken
 Tire Ford Mustang when he battled Saito in the Finals, giving Saito the
 event victory. Saito in his rookie year in the Series becomes the first
 Series rookie to also be crowned Formula DRIFT champion. Saito a 
seasoned veteran drifter is arguably considered the best drifter in the 
world winning the Formula DRIFT Asia championship, D1 championship and 
now Formula DRIFT Pro Championship.
“Luck was with me tonight. I’m very happy to be able to compete in 
Formula DRIFT this year. I’ve wanted to compete in the Series for so 
long,” said Daigo Saito, winner of Round 7: Title Fight and 2012 Formula
 DRIFT champion. “Thank you to Formula DRIFT and Achilles Tires. I 
wouldn’t have been able to do this without the help of everyone that 
helped me get to this point.”
Formula DRIFT enters its tenth season of competition in 2013. Tickets
 are on-sale currently and can be purchased through the Formula DRIFT 
website and Ticketmaster. Round 1: Streets of Long Beach will be held on
 April 12-13, 2013. 
           
     
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