No Guts No Glory

Tanner Foust and Chris Forsberg meet in the finals as Foust was declared the victor and 2007 Formula D champion.

Tanner Foust and Chris Forsberg meet in the finals as Foust was declared the victor and 20

Motorsports and controversy seem to always go hand-in-hand and Formula D round six in New Jersey was no exception. Millen received a 17-point deduction and $500 fine when his Pontiac Solstice's brake lights failed to pass a post-race inspection. With the deduction in points, it was systematically impossible for Millen to take home the championship, even if he placed First in the final round. Taking to the staging lanes to battle against longtime nemesis Ken Gushi in the Toyo Ford Mustang, both drivers took off in a hail of smoke but it was Gushi who initiated the plum; Millen slowly coasted around the track. Driving at a slow pace, the car rolled past fellow competitors and made its way back to the pits. As he exited and sat against the walls with a look of frustration, the crowd sat silent and wondered what had happened to Millen and his vehicle. Was he protesting the docking of points from the previous event or were mechanical problems to blame? Perhaps only Millen will ever know.

Chris Forsberg rocks to the tune of $10,000 and the Tire.com Triple Crown award.

The best of eight came down to a classic showdown of the top competitors, starting with Foust challenging Ryuji Miki's hard-charging RX-7. Miki showcased some of the exceptional drifting skills that crowned him D1 Champion of 2004 as he fought toe-to-toe with Foust leading to not one but two "one more times" ordered by the judges. Too close to call by spectators, the judges rewarded Foust the somewhat controversial win. Next up was Gittin who charged through the bank with Yamanaka in pursuit. As Gittin tagged the wall, pieces of his rear bumper flew into the pathway of Yamanaka, causing him to perform some evasive driving maneuvers. The Irwindale track got the best of Gittin during the second run, as he bobbled through the embankment and ended up spinning, giving the easy win to Yamanaka. Sherman was in the groove as he made his way though the field of competitors throughout the day but was stopped dead in his tracks when he came face-to-face with top points leader Forsberg in the Maxxis Nissan 350Z. Forsberg made quick work of his competitor as he set his sights on moving into the semifinals. Yoshihara earned a reputation of chewing up and spitting out competition with his newly campaigned S15 during the 2007 season and his match-up with Ken Gushi in round 7 proved no different. The pressure was too much for Gushi to handle, as he hit the barriers in the second run, leaving Yoshihara to battle into the semifinals.

See you in April 2008 in Long Beach, Calif., for the first Formula D-Series.

The crowds roared and rose to their feet as the drivers prepared for one of the most memorable Formula D semifinals to date. Foust, who had never won First place in any 2007 Formula D round, stayed within striking distance of the championship but would have to hurdle over Yamanaka to get a step closer. Both competitors showed no signs of weakness as they charged the sweeper at full speed. Foust recorded the fastest trap speed of the day during his run at 89 mph while Yamanaka, looking able to pull off a spectacular run, collided with the barrier and damaged his car beyond repair. With the win, and Forsberg beating Yoshihara in the semifinals, Foust secured himself a shot at the 2007 title.

The finals had come down to a 350Z battle; Foust versus Forsberg, turbo V-6 verses n/a V-8. As both vehicles took off in the first run, Forsberg's driving errors gave Foust the advantage. In the next round both vehicle's fenders were within inches of each other but the previous runs point deficit was too much for Forsberg to overcome. Foust took home his first 2007 Formula D win, along with the title of 2007 Formula Drift Champion. But all was not lost for Forsberg-his consistent driving and high level of competition that had gotten the best of so many challengers along his way to the championship run earned him the title of 2007 Tires.com Triple Crown Champion and a hefty $10K check to boot.

By Scott Tsuneishi

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