September 25, 2007
Pontiac Solstice GXP Drift Gets High Marks in Debut Season
GM Racing's Carmen Smith Assesses the Vehicle's Debut Year as the Final Formula Drift Event of 2007 Approaches
The Pontiac Solstice GXP has seen its share of success since making its debut in the Formula Drift Pro Championship this year. Members of the GM Racing team are hoping to add one more achievement to the list with a victory at the season-ending event at Irwindale Speedway on Oct. 13.
Since making its debut in April on the streets of Long Beach, the Solstice GXP Drift quickly went on to score its first win in a Team Drift event that same month, then taking the Time Attack title at the Pikes Peak Hill Climb and setting a new division record. Most recently Millen brought the Solstice GXP Drift to a runner-up finish at Wall Speedway on Sept. 8 in the sixth round of the Pro Championship series.
“Throughout the season Rhys Millen Racing has been constantly working on and adapting the Solstice GXP Drift to make it better and better,” said Carmen Smith, GM Racing program manager for drifting. “Those improvements led up to the win at Pikes Peak as well as the podium finish in Wall, New Jersey.”
“We’ve already seen a good amount of success with the new Pontiac drift car but the one box we still hope to check this year is getting a win in the Formula Drift Pro Championship series,” Smith continued. “The Pontiac has proven itself at Pikes Peak and throughout the Pro Championship season but a win always helps put an exclamation point at the end of a debut season.”
Millen, currently ranked fourth in the Pro Championship standings, will have one last attempt this season to take the Pro Championship win at what is considered the home track for him and many other fellow drifters. Sitting 82 points outside of first place, Millen is still mathematically in contention for the Pro Championship title if the three drivers ranked ahead of him in the standings do not qualify for the final event.
“The primary focus of Rhys and his team in Irwindale will be to get the number one spot on the podium,’” said Smith. “Regardless of where you are in the championship race, a win at the ‘house of drift’ is a huge thing. Irwindale is the biggest venue for drifting and the goal of every racer there, especially Rhys, will be to win. A victory at Irwindale would not only allow us to accomplish our final goal of the season but it would also be a great momentum builder as we begin preparing for 2008.”
Posted to Auto Racing - Drifting by Motorsports Journal « Go Back
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