Creating a Winning TeamBridgestone brand unites two drifting greats on one team

Nashville, Tenn. (March 24, 2008) – They’ve battled each other for the winner’s circle, earned each other’s respect and now they’ll be calling each other teammates. Two of the biggest stars in drifting, Rhys Millen and Daijiro Yoshihara, have joined forces to form a new team determined to dominate the Formula D Drift Series. Both drivers will be flying the Bridgestone brand colors and drifting on Bridgestone
Potenza™ RE-01R™ Ultra high performance tires.

As 2005 Formula D champion and 2006 Triple Crown series winner Rhys Millen of team RMR/Red Bull/Pontiac prepares for a winning season on the track, a few things are essential: high-powered vehicles and Ultra high performance street and track tires. The Pontiac Solstice GXP generates more that 500 horses giving Rhys the power to navigate the grid at incredible speeds. While the Bridgestone Potenza RE-01R tires deliver the grip and handling performance necessary for the high speed banks and turns of the Formula Drift circuit.

To create this new team, Millen decided to unite his old friend: his Red Bull Pontiac GTO, with his new teammate, Daijiro Yoshihara. This was not a decision to be taken lightly. Millen drove the Red Bull Pontiac GTO to the 2005 Formula D championship. So, he only wanted someone very special to drift in his GTO. Yoshihara was the perfect fit.

“As team principal and driver of the Pontiac Solstice GXP, I felt it was in the best interest of the crew and our sponsors to recruit an aggressive yet talented driver, a drifter who could handle the horsepower of the GTO. I hit the jackpot with Daijiro Yoshihara,” said Millen. “Dai’s one of those personalities that has talent to perform on and off the track, at all levels. I felt he was a natural fit for the team.”

Moving from a 425 hp car to the 550 hp GTO is not an easy task. Yoshihara is ready to drift and can’t wait to get behind the wheel for some much needed seat time to get the feel of his new car.

“I know the car has a lot of potential and I’m up for the challenge. My biggest hurdle will be driving a left-handed V8 with extreme amounts of torque; I am excited to start testing before the season begins,” said Yoshihara

“Teaming up with the Bridgestone brand and Dai has great potential,” Millen said. “We know that Bridgestone produces an excellent product because the tires have carried the team to the winner’s circle multiple times during the last two years we have been working together. I look forward to hitting the track for our first Formula D competition in Long Beach.”

“This combination of Bridgestone brand, Rhys and Dai creates the first super team in Drifting,” said Tim Netzel, Bridgestone Brand Consumer Tire Specialist. “We are very excited to have two very talented drifters performing on Bridgestone brand Potenza RE 01R Tires. This is going to be a fun season for us.”

Both drivers have a higher combined total of podiums and firsts than any other team on the Formula D circuit. The 2008 Formula D season kicks off at the Streets of Long Beach in April. Let the drifting begin.