Team FALKEN Prepares Defense of Formula Drift Title By Partnering With Team GReddy Racing
Veteran Driver Ken Gushi Will Return to Team Falken Ranks
After a spectacular season in the 2017 Black Magic Formula Drift Championship, which saw Team Falken dominate the series, highlighted by team driver James Deane’s four wins and driver’s championship, plus an additional two victories by Falken teammates, the tire brand is preparing in earnest to defend its Driver and Tire Championships by adding Ken Gushi and Team GReddy Racing as a partner for 2018.
Gushi, a 15-year veteran of Formula Drift, which includes 10 career podiums, started with Falken Tires years ago. “I am very happy to be going home to Falken because they were my first tire sponsor,” he said. “It feels like I’ve come full circle and I’m really looking forward to this season and what it will hold for both GReddy Racing and Team Falken.” Gushi has also run in the Toyota Grand Prix celebrity race, which he won in 2011, and was the 2013 Pikes Peak Hill Climb Exhibition Class Winner.
“We are extremely pleased to welcome Ken and Team GReddy to Team Falken,” stated Jonathon Bradford, Falken’s Manager of Motorsports and Events. “Ken and Kenji Sumino, President of Team GReddy Racing, are consummate motorsports professionals, and it’s great to partner with them in this increasingly competitive series. Our goal is to retain the Formula D crown and we need another warrior like Ken behind the wheel.”
Added Sumino of Team GReddy: “I too am very excited for this new partnership, and value the alliance we will have with Falken; one we can build both on the track and through our business.”
“Ken has been racing with Team GReddy for seven years now,” noted Steve Wong, Falken’s Supervisor of Passenger Car Motorsports and Events, “and they have a comfort zone with each other. We’re going to take full advantage of that as well as Ken’s familiarity with Falken Tires and immediately start pushing them as hard as we can. It’s going to be a fun season.”
Gushi will be driving a 2018 Toyota GT86. As with all Team Falken drivers, his car will be riding on Falken AZENIS RT615K+ tires. Team Falken has earned three Formula Drift championships on the AZENIS line.
Formula Drift will start its 15th season on the Streets of Long Beach, Round 1, April 6-7, 2018.
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