Tuesday, April 27, 2010

The People of Formula Drift Singapore 2010

Much had been said about Formula Drift 2010 which took place in Singapore from 24th to 25th of April.

Personally, having attended practically all Formula Drift events, I am often touched by the people who make events such as these a success.

This feature is therefore a tribute to some of these people, who braved the sun and the rain to make Formula Drift Singapore 2010 so memorable.


The dedicated team from Formula Drift USA - among them Ryan and Jim, creator of Formula Drift.


Marcus Lim, Technical Director and franchise holder for Formula Drift Asia






Some of the operational crew for Formula Drift Asia, who toiled hard behind the scenes, and often neglected- at the starting grid, on the trackside, for inspections, registrations…the list goes on.




We cannot have a race without drivers, who often double up as models. Kudos to them for decking out in full race suit in this heat!


And we cannot have cars without the mechanics, who happens to be drivers sometimes, and who happens to be models some other times.




A special mention of the Tyrepac team, who over 3 days ensured all tyres change, was well handled and managed.


Various teams in the sponsor’s village kept visitors to the event occupied with merchandize, games, contest, food, and fun.



It is the effort of film crew and photographers, who captured all the pivotal moments of this great event to share and broadcast to the world.



And all these could not have happened without the kind sponsorship of various brands, and it definitely would not have happened without the enthusiastic crowd who came to this event.



Not forgetting (and who could have), the girls who always kept the smile, to make those few days brighter.







Lastly, not forgetting the fire fighters, the safety crew, the marshals, drivers’ support crew, the cleaners, and the security crew. The event was significant because all these people made it so.

Words: Ler Hwee Tiong, Managing Director, Tyrepac

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

TYREPAC announces Formula DRIFT Singapore 2010 Lineup

Tyrepac is proud to announce its Formula DRIFT Singapore 2010 lineup, featuring Ee Yoong Cherng from Malaysia and Charles Ng from Hong Kong. The drivers will feature at Formula DRIFT Singapore under Team TYREPAC Kumho.

Formula DRIFT Pro-Am 2009 Championship Irwindale winner Charles Ng is coming off an impressive debut at the 1st leg of the 2010 Formula DRIFT Professional Championship at Long Beach, finishing in the top 32. Ng gained his Formula DRIFT Pro License in his first year participating in Formula DRIFT Pro-Am, finishing 7th overall at the National Championships. Yoong will be back behind the wheel of his trusted Silvia S13 after pushing eventual winner Tengku Djan close at Formula DRIFT Malaysia 2009 for a place in the last eight.

“Our new team this year, with the addition of Charles from Hong Kong, and support from Kumho, has plenty of potential to do well at the event.” said Tyrepac Managing Director, Ler Hwee Tiong. “Tyrepac is again proud to be represented at the Formula DRIFT series.”

Tyrepac has been supporting Formula DRIFT in Asia since it was brought to the region by DriftPac Pte Ltd, and it has helped in fueling the growth of motorsports in the region. Sponsoring the event for the past two years, Tyrepac was represented at Formula DRIFT Malaysia 2009 with its very own drift team.

“Drifting has proven to be the fastest growing motorsports in Asia, and Tyrepac is committed to supporting the growth.” added Ler.

Special prizes will be given away at the team’s display booth, along with attractive games, topped off by Team TYREPAC Kumho drivers’ autograph sessions and guest appearances by Formula DRIFT USA stars. Tyrepac will also front all tyre changing facilities at Formula DRIFT Singapore.



About Team TYREPAC Kumho
Team TYREPAC Kumho was established in 2009 by Tyrepac - Asia’s First Tyre Portal. In line with one of their key objectives about educating consumers about tyres, Tyrepac is utilizing drifting as a platform for education on tyre safety, as tyres can make or break a drift.

Drifting is recognised as the fastest growing motorsport in Asia, and Tyrepac is proud to bring that passion to the fore and encompass its commitment to demonstrate its product knowledge and professionalism by sponsoring their own team to take part in regional drift tournaments. Team TYREPAC Kumho is yet another significant benchmark for Asia’s First Tyre Portal.

Team Tyrepac comprises of Ee Yoong Cherng from Malaysia & Charles Ng from Hong Kong. Yoong takes charge of a Nissan Silvia S13 and Charles struts his stuff in a Nissan Skyline R33.

About Tyrepac
Tyrepac is Asia's first and largest online tyre retailing website. It provides consumers with a portal to compare tyre brands, patterns, and prices. Upon purchase, customers can choose one of its island-wide fitment stations for fitment, or opt for Tyrepac’s mobile service – which does door step tyre fitment and oil change. Tyrepac is registered and headquartered in Singapore.

About Kumho
Kumho Tire Co, Ltd. is a South Korean industrial conglomerate headquartered in Gwangju, South Korea. Kumho is a subsidiary of the Kumho Asiana Group. The company currently has eight manufacturing facilities across South Korea, China & Vietnam. In addition, it also has three centers in South Korea, USA & the United Kingdom for research and development.

About Ee Yoong Cherng
Ee Yoong Cherng has been drifting competitively since 2004, and is one of the pioneers of the drifting community in Malaysia, establishing Malaysia's Premier Drift Enthusiast Website- drift.com.my. Yoong’s consistent performance has seen him finish in the top 16 in last year’s Singapore and Malaysia legs of Formula Drift. Yoong’s passion for drifting has seen him help organize and judge on various drifting competitions in Malaysia & Singapore, and feature as a stunt driver in Malaysia's own hit film Evolusi: KL Drift Part 1 & 2.

About Charles Ng
Charles started racing when he was 18, and has gone on to win multiple achievements, winning the famous USA Skip Barber Mazdaspeed MX-5 Challenge West 2008/2009 and receiving the rookie of the year award amongst others. He debuted at the 2009 Redline Time Attack Season Opener with a win in the Modified Rear wheel drive category, dominating the rest of the class by over 3 seconds.

Charles’ foray into drifting in 2009 saw him win the Formula Drift Pro-Am Championship at the Irwindale Toyota Speedway, and obtained his Formula Drift Professional License by qualifying 7th at the Formula Drift Pro-Am National Championship. His debut at the 2010 Formula Drift Professional Championship saw him place 29th in the opening round at Long Beach, CA. Charles will also be racing in the full season of the Asian Touring Car Series this year.

Friday, April 9, 2010

Michelin Pilot Sport 3 is available at Tyrepac

The Michelin Pilot Sport 3 is now available in Singapore, though in limited sizes.
With regards to speculation that the Michelin Pilot Sport 2 will be discontinued, sources confirm that initially the Pilot Sport 3 will run alongside the Pilot Sport 2.



For the full range of Michelin Pilot Sport 3 tyres available, please visit Tyrepac.

The Michelin Pilot Sport 3 follows the success stories of the Pilot Sport and Pilot Exalto range which had over 200 homologations (approvals) from car manufacturers including Audi, Porsche, BMW, Ferrari and Merecedes to name a few. The Michelin Pilot Sport was also fitted to a Bugatti Veyron which set a world speed record of over 250 mph in 2005.

About Michelin Pilot Sport 3
The Michelin Pilot Sport 3 delivers high levels of grip. On wet surfaces, it holds the road better when cornering and stops three metres shorter than its predecessor, the reigning benchmark sports tyre. In addition, the Pilot Sport 3 tyre provides very precise steering for an enjoyable driving experience. It also boasts outstanding fuel efficiency and extended mileage among its dynamic qualities

The Michelin Pilot Sport 3 has been built with unique, highly advanced technologies, such as the Green Power Compound, the Anti Surf System and Programmed Distortion tyre architecture.