Triple Crown of Formula Drift Belongs to Chris Forsberg and his Nissan 350Z

Chris Forsberg has won the Triple Crown of drifting. He clinched the series title at the House of Drift, also known as Toyota Speedway at Irwindale, California.

Chris Forsberg defeated Doug Van Den Bink in a round of tandem competition to take the Formula Drift Championship Title at the Toyota Speedway in Irwindale, California
Chris Forsberg defeated Doug Van Den Bink in a round of tandem competition to take the Formula Drift Championship Title at the Toyota Speedway in Irwindale, California

Nissan 350Z with K&N products will have an upgraded drive and engine package for the 2010 Formula Drift Series
Nissan 350Z with K&N products will have an upgraded drive and engine package for the 2010 Formula Drift Series
Forsberg went into Round 7: Judgment Day with a sizeable points lead over Ryan Tuerck and Vaughn Gittin, Jr. However, his title was not guaranteed at the start of the event.
Vaughn Gittin Jr and others congratulate Chris Forsberg on winning the Triple Crown of Drifting after Round 7: Judgment Day
Vaughn Gittin Jr and others congratulate Chris Forsberg on winning the Triple Crown of Drifting after Round 7: Judgment Day

Formula Drift Triple Crown Winner Chris Forsberg plans to meet and greet fans at the SEMA show in Las Vegas, Nevada
Formula Drift Triple Crown Winner Chris Forsberg plans to meet and greet fans at the SEMA show in Las Vegas, Nevada

“We had to qualify for a spot in the top 32,” said the 27-year-old from Huntington Beach, California. “I tried not to let the points lead get to me mentally. I did not want to mess myself up. I focused on qualifying and made sure our speed was high enough. We qualified 7th and that was a huge weight off my shoulders.”

Drivers started in the half-mile of the Turn 2 corner and raced down the back straight into Turns 3 and Turns 4. They transitioned into the tracks third mile oval and veered into a 90 degree turn before ending at the starting point. This all took place in front of a crowd of nearly 12,000 fans.

Forsberg only needed to win one round of the tandem competition to take the win in the NOS Energy/ Maxxis Tire Nissan 350Z. He defeated Van Den Brink and clinched the series title. When it was over, his crew pulled him out of the car and tossed him into the air. “It was great,” he said. “We’d gotten so close in the past few years and we pushed hard for it every year. It feels great.”

Forsberg is one of the original drivers in the six-year-old Formula D series. He also claimed the most wins in the 2009 season from the season opener in April at the Long Beach Grand Prix to Road Atlanta.

“We’ve been chasing the championship for the past 6 years since Formula DRIFT first started and everyone was out to do the same thing,” he said. “We just ran as hard as everyone else and did the best we could. I’m totally psyched for what my team was able to accomplish to win the championship.”

Formula Drift was established on the streets of Japan and evolved into a worldwide competitive sport that challenges each driver’s ability and vehicle control. “It’s not about racing,” said Forsberg. “It’s an extreme sport where you are judged on how well you do on the track and on your driving ability.”

Forsberg plans to compete in Formula Drift in 2010. His Nissan 350Z will have an upgraded drive and engine package. “One thing that will remain the same is our K&N air filters,” he said. “K&N is critical to our engine package because it’s the only barrier between the dirt, rocks, burned rubber and debris from the track. K&N keeps us running clean and is reliable enough to push us to the championship.”

Forsberg’s next event will be at the SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) Show in Las Vegas, Nevada during the first week of November. He will be signing autographs and talking to fans.

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