YOKOHAMA TIRE CORPORATION GOES DRIFTING FOR FOURTH CONSECUTIVE SEASON
April 8, 2015 by Yokohama• 2015 Formula Drift series kicks-off April 10-11 in Long Beach, California with Yokohama drivers Michael Essa, Masashi Yokoi and Matt Field, who will compete on ADVAN Neova® AD08R tires
SANTA ANA, CA (April 8, 2015) – Formula Drift is back and so is Yokohama Tire Corporation (YTC). The tire maker is returning for the fourth consecutive season, which starts April 10-11 in Long Beach, California. YTC is partnering with three drivers this year, including 2013 Formula Drift champion Michael Essa, along with Masashi Yokoi and Matt Field. All three drivers will compete on YTC's ADVAN Neova® AD08R tires. Essa will be piloting a new car this season: Street Legal Performance's Chevrolet Camaro, which has a 750-plus-horsepower, supercharged V8 engine. Yokoi, who competed last season in Formula D Japan events, will drive the Nissan D-MAX Racing Silvia S15, which has a 1,000-horsepower Toyota 2JZ engine. Field, a Formula Drift podium winner, will be in the Drift Cave Nissan 240SX (S14), powered by a 1,000-horsepower Vortech supercharged Chevrolet V8 engine. 'We're fielding a strong group of experienced, talented drivers this season,' said Matt Johnson, YTC performance marketing supervisor, 'and with that talent, combined with the very capable ADVAN Neova AD08R, YTC expects top-level results.' In the six overall years YTC has been involved with Formula Drift, they have won three championships – more than any other tire maker. Yokohama Tire Corporation is the North American manufacturing and marketing arm of Tokyo, Japan-based The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., a global manufacturing and sales company of premium tires since 1917. Servicing an extensive sales network throughout the U.S., Yokohama Tire Corporation is a leader in technology and innovation. The company's complete product line includes tires for high-performance, light truck, passenger car, commercial truck and bus, and off-the-road mining and construction applications. For more information on Yokohama's broad product line, visit www.yokohamatire.com.
