Like I said, this was gonna be my last day with the GTO, so I wanted to make it as memorable as possible. And I didn't want to see the sorrowful face that my chief mechanic T.J. has whenever I get eliminated. But our final opponent was also one of our own--Rhys. OMG! I was so happy to be there with Rhys; to meet at the final competition was our team dream of the year... but at the end of my dream, I get First Place, so I gave everything I had to beat him. He was so fast that I couldn't get close to him when following, so I tried a little too hard when it was my time to lead and spun out. WTF! After the event, a lot of people thought Red Bull paid me to spin or something. No way! I wish I could say that! It was just my mistake. I was too excited...
I want to thank Red Bull for holding such a great event! Please, please, do this again next year!
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Rhys Millen
Since its inception in 2003, Formula D has become respected as a mainstay within the motorsports community, and along with it, the names of its most winning competitors. And possibly the most recognizable name among them might very well be Rhys Millen's. Winner of the 2005 Forumla D Championship title, the 2006 Formula D Triple Crown, and more than a few First and Second Place wins scattered throughout, Rhys has rightfully earned his name's ranking among the world's top drifters; a list, as of the Red Bull DWC closing ceremonies, it now tops.
To win the title of "World Champion" as the Red Bull Team owner and driver is nothing short of the perfect feeling. To enter two cars in the event, and have your teammate finish Second and stand tall on the podium is a credit to the strength of team RMR (Rhys Millen Racing). This was an event I wanted to win for several reasons, the obvious being that winning the Red Bull Drifting World Championship with a Red Bull carwould be the best way to go out in style. Second, we fell short of our own personal goal as a team this year: to win the Formula D season championship.
Long Beach was a new venue for all 32 drivers. There was no pre-testing, no private rental; it was a clean canvas on which to paint history. More unique, the paved lot had a distinctive two- to three-degree fall-off on either side from the center of the track (to allow for rain run-off). Adding to this, the pavement had a natural grain that ran parallel to the approach of Turn One, but once you flicked sideways and started to ride the wall, you were not only going up and over a crest, but against pavement that gained and lost grip throughout the slide. And that was only half the battle.
We clocked the highest speed and score during our first round of qualifying. Still, I tried to improve on my second round, and hit an entry speed of 105 mph--too fast, as I clipped the outside barriers and just nicked the last stack of tires of the tire wall.
As the Top 32 tandem runs began on Sunday, Ken Gushi's engine had blown in the Scion tC, so we got a bye-run. I made the most of it and ran just to feel the grip change of the track. Top 16 pitted me against my friend Stephan Verdier in a car we helped prepare at RMR. We defeated Stephan, but not as easily as I thought we would've. Top 8 was against Vaughn Gittin Jr., and we knew it was going to be tricky. He's aggressive, fast and this was seemingly the perfect course for him. The only thing I had on my side was a little more speed, and a lighter car. My plan was to lead him in fast and hope that momentum would force him into an error--a tactic that worked. As I powered down after the initiation into Turn One, I heard Eric on the radio, "Vaughn's in the wall, Vaughn's in the wall!" Potentially my biggest challenger, and the 2007 D1GP World Champion had taken himself out of the event.