Rhys Mad Skills Millen Takes 2nd Place in Long Beach for Round One of Formula Drift

Apr 21, 2010

Rhys Millen gets second place in round one of the 2010 Formula Drift

Taking to the podium at Round One of the 2010 Formula Drift season, the Rhys Millen Racing (RMR) Red Bull Hyundai Genesis Coupe and its pilot, previous FD Champion and reigning Red Bull World Champion, Rhys "Mad Skills" Millen, rounded out the weekend with a second place finish at the Streets of Long Beach. To add to the season opener success, Rhys qualified in first place out of 50 plus drivers, while also managing to throw down the highest qualifying entry speed of the weekend.

Rhys Millen recorded the highest qualifying entry speed of the weekend

This second place feat at Long Beach meant taking out both of the two-time Formula Drift Champions along the way; Sam Hubinette in the Dodge Challenger and Tanner Foust in the Scion tC. Rhys overcame Sam in the top eight, and then moved on to battle it out with Tanner in the final four. Foust finished the event with the third spot atop the podium, after defeating FD newcomer Fredric Aasbo in the consolation round.

Rhys met Vaughn Gittin Jr. in the finals; a driver whom Rhys had run against only twice in the history of Formula Drift, and whom he has proved victorious against both of those times. Unfortunately, this weekend was unlike those previous battles, as Rhys was defeated by Gittin in the finals.

Rhys Millen Racing Red Bull Hyundai Genesis Coupe

Rhys knew he had fought a good and tough battle all day in Long Beach. "We knew the changes we had made in the off-season to the Hyundai Genesis Coupe were for the better," says Rhys. "The question you never know until race day is what the competition has been up to during the off-season."

To keep the RMR Red Bull Hyundai Genesis Coupe in top shape to battle against the toughest competition, the team uses an AEM intake system for their in-house-made engine that produces 650hp and 650lbs torque. "Filtration is key for performance," says Rhys.

Going into Round Two, Rhys finds himself in second place overall in the fight for the Formula Drift Championship, only 8 points behind Gittin. The key to a successful Formula Drift season according to Rhys will be to "start strong, stay consistent throughout the season, and maintain a consistent and reliable set-up and chassis."

Formula Drift Round Two takes place May 8-9 at Road Atlanta. "We have won in Atlanta before," says Rhys. "The goal is to carry the momentum forward and capitalize on a fast great handling and super high drip chassis."

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