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Formula DRIFT introduces the 2009 Miss Formula DRIFT, Miki Taka. Taka is an experienced model, TV host, and DJ has been chosen as the official spokesmodel for Formula DRIFT and will be at the remaining 4 events of the season.

Originally from Nagoya, Japan, Taka is a Japanese-American that currently resides in Columbus, OH. She is pursuing her degree in Criminal Law, while establishing herself as an import model with Prestigious Models. She has been featured in other events including NHRA, Goodguys, Hot Import Nights, Professional Bull Riders Tour (PBR), Tuaca Body Art Ball and now adds to her resume the title of Miss Formula DRIFT.

“Being chosen as Miss Formula DRIFT is a real honor,” says Miki Taka, 2009 Miss Formula DRIFT. “I am a huge fan of motorsports and look forward to this experience of a lifetime.”

Aside from modeling Taka has appeared in numerous television and film productions such as on VERSUS, Driftstyle on SPEED, and on Nickelodeon, where she interviewed celebrities. Taka is also a featured DJ at the hottest clubs around the country.

For those of you following the Formula Drift series, Round 2 is set to begin this coming weekend in Atlanta, Georgia. You can follow the series online at the official www.formulad.com website.

Atlanta is an amazing track and will be a fantastic venue for the country’s top drifting competition series. Round 2: Proving Ground marks the first of three Tires.com Triple Crown events this season. The bonus prize was won last year by Rhys Millen and his victory at Road Atlanta helped lead him to his 2nd Tires.com Triple Crown trophy.

Tickets are still available for this event and start at $22 online and 2-day ticket packages are available. Tickets can be purchased via the Formula DRIFT website. Both Friday and Saturday event hours will be from 10 AM - 10 PM.

I am SOOOO kicking myself for missing this year’s events - but it couldn’t be helped… family stuff. Still, watching this video just really shows me what I missed. Hoping we get to another event this year - what a blast!

Check it out - very cool…

Here’s last year’s Drift Annual Grip Video - just makes me anxious for the start of the 2009 Formula Drift season… I’ve already got my tickets and am just counting down the days…

Check out this killer video - just a short one, but slowed down in slow-mo so you can see the precise skill and action required by these drifting drivers in order to accomplish such moves. This is from a drifting exhibition in Tokyo - will post more as soon as I track them down.

You know I’ll be watching - drifting is HOT and I’m getting very excited about the upcoming 2009 season and have definitely firmed up plans to go. Until then I can bide my time watching the World Champ episode this Sunday on SPEED - what a nice EARLY holiday gift from FD and SPEED!

The highly anticipated Red Bull Drifting World Championship program will air this Sunday, December 21 on SPEED at 1 PM (PST). The 1 hour episode will feature all of the highlights of the largest drifting event in history that took place on November 15-16 at the Port of Long Beach.

CarRacingBlog.com would like to extend our congratulations to Rhys Millen for winning the 2008 Red Bull Drifting World Championship in Long Beach, California this past weekend. We’ve enjoyed the 2008 season immensely and as stated in a previous post, one race and we were HOOKED!

The level of competition was at an all-time high and created one of the most exciting events in drifting history. The Top 32 drivers battled round by round and the semi-finals pitted (4) Formula DRIFT drivers against each other. Yoshihara got the best of 2-time Formula DRIFT Champion Samuel Hubinette in the Nuformz / Mopar Dodge Viper placing him into the Finals. Current Formula DRIFT champion Tanner Foust battled against Rhys Millen, with Millen coming out on top. The consolation round with Foust and Hubinette was a close fought battle, but Foust’s consistent driving proved to be the deciding factor placing him in 3rd place. The final battle between teammates Millen and Yoshihara was a close fight, but Yoshihara decided his fate with a spin in the last round, giving the inaugural Red Bull Drifting World Championship to Rhys Millen.

For more information on the Formula DRIFT series, visit www.formulad.com.

While CarRacingBlog.com does NOT advocate amateur do-it-yourself drifting, we definitely thought this how-to video on drifting a Lamborghini Gallardo was too cool to pass up. Kids - don’t try this at home!

At CarRacing.com we added the Formula Drift series to our weekly news and reviews - and we’ve really gotten into it on a personal level! I recently checked out the action and was just swept away by seeing it in person - video, TV and film just doesn’t do it justice. Confession - it made me want to try and drift my OWN car on the way home.

Check out their blog and view the kick ass videos and exclusive behind-the-scenes photos they post. We promise to have some of our own next season for you to view right here at CarRacingBlog.com!

If you are in the Los Angeles area this weekend, the Red Bull Drifting World Championship is set to run in Long Beach, California - it is definitely a must-see event. Get the details at www.formulad.com.