FALKEN 2009 DRIFT TEAM (Drivers Announced)

[Bebop]

Don't get me wrong guys, I love Wan. He is a great driver, one of the first USA guys I see do it good. But he just hasn't done much, 2 podiums over 3 years ago....

We throw taka who is a falken ICON

Hiro who is a proven driver, and a legend in his zombie chaser

And Petty who gets better year after year and has some personality to him like JR

And we all forgot to mention SEIGO YAMAMTO!!!!! Veteran drifter in general, podium finisher.

Ive said it for a long time now that falken needed to simplify there team, but instead they get rid of some of they're best dudes and just added some bigger names. Why do they need Tyler... who not just finish the car and see if any of the drivers they have are able to drive it?

Instead of falken cutting people out and getting bigger names, I think they shoulda broke the team up in 2 totally separate programs.

One for traditional builds, AE86 S13 S15 JZ etc

And one for these "nontraditional" cars they have, mustang v8z33 sky IS

I almost feel that JR should just be in a team of his own underneath just a ford banner.

[Brian]

Why would they keep people that aren't winning?

I think it is as simple as that...

It is SAD, but, "business" is higher than "friends"

[brainfood]

And Tyler is super marketable, if they want to start promoting in redline time attack series Tyler is the man and it opens up even more opportunities for Falken advertising.

[johnAW]

Don't forget Tyler was able to Podium the Porsche I think once this year. That alone is a major job. Tyler is also one of the few drivers in the series that's a racer that's adapted to drifting. He's driven ALMS and other forms of grip racing. So with Falken having a ALMS team maybe their thoughts are a bit of double dipping. Plus maybe their are some future plans to have some time attach dates also.

[Toycoma]

And Tyler is super marketable, if they want to start promoting in redline time attack series Tyler is the man and it opens up even more opportunities for Falken advertising.

I would say that is why Calvin Wan is still on the team. He is a multi purpose driver. Same can be said for JR. Not only is he the man when it comes to drifting but he has been branching out to other motor sports. PLUS he has been sponsered by Falken since the first year of FD and has done nothing but improve year after year.