Back By Popular Demand…

The Bridgestone brand concluded a very impressive debut season with five of seven podium wins for the 2006 series. Bridgestone brand-sponsored driver Rhys Millen walked away as the 2006 runner-up in the Formula D Championship. Entering its fourth season, the Need for Speed Formula Drift Championship Series was the first officially sanctioned and recognized North American professional drifting championship series. Drifting is a motorsport that requires drivers to intentionally maneuver their vehicles into well-executed, controlled slides at high speeds through a marked course. Competitors are judged primarily on style, not necessarily by elapsed time.

“Formula D continues to raise the bar as the pinnacle drift series in the United States,” said Phil Pacsi, Vice President, North American Consumer Tire Marketing, BFNT. “The Bridgestone-brand Potenza™ RE-01R™ tire performed exceptionally well for us last year. Our teams adapted well to its outstanding grip and handling in its initial entry into Formula D, and we expect the same type of performance this season. We are once again excited to sponsor Formula D, and with a very generous contingency purse up for grabs, drivers will be hard pressed not to push themselves, their vehicles and tires to the limit.”

Having delivered excellent performance in last year’s competition, the Bridgestone Potenza RE-01R tire returns to the track with its advanced dry grip and stable handling capabilities. All BFNT contingency drivers will be drifting on these high performance street tires.

2006 Triple Crown Champion and second place Formula D series winner, Rhys Millen of RMR & Red Bull Racing, returns to the track seeking a first place series title. Millen will battle with Formula D’s best of the best in hopes of walking away as the series champion.

In addition to Millen’s repeat performance in the series, BFNT is excited to feature several upcoming drift drivers on its sponsored team. They include:

Rich Rutherford aka “Mr. Clean” and Erich Joiner of Tool Racing team will bring double the action this series. Rutherford will be pushing his “Little Blue Evo That Could” toward a much sought after podium victory, while newcomer Eric Joiner’s red Evo makes its debut appearance as part of the team. Team Snakebite makes its debut appearance to the drift arena for the ’07 series. With the combined talents of ’06 top 16 and 32 drivers Tony Angelo and Ryan Tuerck (aka Hampshaa); they are sure to give the “seasoned” drivers a run for their money. Angelo will unveil his new 2006 Mazda RX-8 while Tuerck heats up the track in his newly constructed Nissan 240SX (S13).

Drift icon Tarzan Yamada will begin each round of top 16 judging with his legendary drift tribute to the National Anthem. “I am really looking forward to this year’s performance from both our old favorites and some new up-and-coming drivers,” said Tarzan. “I can’t wait to see the fans.”

“We had a great 2006 season with the contingency program available to Formula Drift Drivers and our sponsorship of Rhys Millen,” said Pacsi. We are enthusiastic the 2007 season will bring new victories for our sponsored drivers while increasing the visibility of the Bridgestone brand. This year promises to deliver a very wild ride for both drivers and fans alike.”

Seven Formula D events are scheduled for 2007 series, including: Long Beach, Calif.; Atlanta, Ga.; Summit Point, W. Va.; Monroe, Wash.; Sonoma, Calif.; Wall, N.J.; and Irwindale, Calif.

To further showcase Bridgestone tire technology at these events, BFNT is extending the highest guaranteed contingency purse to its sponsored Formula D drivers. At the end of the year, BFNT will award $15,000 to the highest ranking Bridgestone sponsored driver in the Formula D Championship Series ($10,000 to second place and $5,000 to third place).

Formula D drivers can learn more about registering for the BFNT contingency program by sending an inquiry to formuladrift@bfusa.com.

Drivers will be required to exclusively use (any) Bridgestone brand tires on all four positions of their vehicle during the entire series. A 12” Bridgestone brand decal must be placed on each fender above the tire and one (minimum) 1” x 5” Bridgestone brand patch (or embroidery) must be visible on the driver’s suit. Contingency participants must also display a 26” to 33” Bridgestone brand decal on the side of their car trailers (or support vehicles) and must exhibit a 3’ x 10’ Bridgestone brand banner in the driver’s paddock area.

About Formula Drift:

Entering its third season, Formula Drift, produced and wholly owned by Irvine, Calif.-based Formula Drift, Inc., continues to expand into new markets as the first and only sanctioned and recognized North American professional drifting championship series. A well-established sport in Japan for more than a decade, Formula Drift, Inc. and its sister-company Slipstream Global Marketing, Inc. were instrumental in bringing the first official competition to the United States in 2003 at the Irwindale Speedway (Irwindale, Calif.)

About Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC:

Nashville-based Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC is a subsidiary of Bridgestone Americas Holding, Inc., whose parent company, Bridgestone Corporation, is the world’s largest tire and rubber company. BFNT develops, manufactures and markets Bridgestone, Firestone, Dayton and associate brand tires. The company is focused on wholesale and original equipment markets, supplying passenger, light truck, commercial vehicle, off-road, motorcycle, agricultural and other tires to its customers in North America.

“Need for Speed” is a trademark of Electronic Arts, Inc. and EA Games™