Well let’s cut right to the chase of this story, Rhys is building a Hyundai Genesis which we think will come out great and no one else should really have any doubts on that. With all the rumors about GM and Rhys Millen that fly through the pits about troubles seem to have possibly come true? Why is Rhys not working with General Motors over that event, hopefully as time rolls by some more light will be shed on the situation but it appears that maybe a new partnership has been born. Could Rhys Millen be this mysterious Hyundai Drifting Team we have been hyping since the car’s debut at the NY Auto Show? The car does have Bridgestone decals which is consistent with RMR. The only thing out of place seems to be the Korean auto manufacturer.  

So we kind of unveiled Wrecked v.2.0 in the middle of the night yesterday. We wanted to push some more hype with the launch but our old server was getting tapped out on resources and we wanted to make a quick move to avoid downtime. Please leave any feedback and be sure to visit the new section we added called The Drivers Lounge where you can find some of your favorite drivers with their own personal blog space. We broke our all time bandwidth record today with the new launch so that is cause for some excessive celebration. 

Hyundai realizes for this car to be accepted in youth subculture it needs an aftermarket backing. They invited several tuners to come look over the car that will be released in 2010. This means they should have some great concern with Drifting in 2009 in some form. It also looks like they are formulating track versions of the Genesis for tuners looking to get a head start on the rest of the field.

Hyundai officials also confirmed today that the company will offer Track versions of both the four-cylinder turbo and the V6 coupe. “They’ll be a low percentage of the mix,” Joyce admitted, “but they will be uncompromised in their performance.”

In addition to retuned suspension compared to the standard versions of the coupe, the Genesis Track models will pick up a front strut tower brace and a full set of Brembo brakes, including four-piston monobloc calipers up front.

Regardless of the engine underhood, Track models will come with Bridgestone Potenza RE050A summer tires, sized 225/40R19 up front and 245/40R19 in back. Non-Track Genesis coupes get 225/45R18 Bridgestone Potenza RE092As in front and 245/45s in back.

We have confirmed with as many sources as we can that this is an official announcement. NOPI Nationals will cease to exist and same with NOPI Englishtown. For those who have attended events of the series this year it shouldn’t really come as a shock.

July 16, 2008 It is with great regret that NOPI Motorsports, LLC has suspended operations for the summer and fall 2008. This will include NOPI Drag Racing Series, NOPI Drift Series and the NOPI NATIONALS Motorsports Supershow. The company is undergoing an organizational restructuring in light of severe adverse affects of a disappointing spring season. The economy and unfavorable weather resulted in underperformance of all spring events. Michael Meyers, president of NOPI Motorsports, reports that NOPI Motorsports is working with its clients and sponsors to minimize the uncertainty going forward. This is a reflection of the economic times in which we currently live. The countrywide economic and industry downturn has caused a slowdown and tightening of belts. This affects everyone and companies, at all levels, and NOPI Motorsports is no different.We understand the position this puts everyone in and we hope you can find in your heart to work with us through this terrible time. All of you are our friends and we have felt for many years that we were all a big family.

NOPI Motorsports hates this more than anyone as the many years of hard work, tradition and an industry we helped to shape would come to this.

Please watch nopi.com for future announcements.

Okay so this isn’t true AT ALL but Formula D gave us a good chuckle on Sunday by uploading this error on the main site. They labeled third place winner Sam Hubinette as Rhys Millen. Millen was eliminated from competition over the Vegas weekend after a hard hit into the turn one wall. Formula D quickly took down the page and made the proper changes to it’s Formula D official site. Click the image to view a full resolution version. 

 
Formula D announced in the middle of the Las Vegas event that Red Bull would become an exclusive partner for a World Series event at the Piers of Long Beach on November 15th, 2008! This comes as huge news to the Drifting community who was wondering what would happen to the traditional All-Star event. More details on an exact location and information will be coming soon. The event will be invite only driver wise. The top 16 drivers at the end of the 2008 Formula D points season will be guaranteed a seat in the event along with 16 other invited international drivers. Rumors have already been spreading they are speaking with drivers from New Zealand, Singapore, Ireland and more! 

Vaughn Gittin’s car remains in Los Angeles during Friday practice as it is having motor issues currently. This is the second event in a row Vaughn Gittin has been unable to perform due soley to car issues.  He had to forfeit his top 16 first round run against Chris Forsberg as he was unable to get the car running. Vaughn has been hunting for a car all day and has been rumored to be driving Forest Wang’s 240sx? We will keep you posted on if that will happen. The real question is why cannot Vaughn drive Darren McNamara’s Saturn Sky? We will try and see what is going on at the track here in Vegas.

We just received word that Darren McNamara’s was held up at U.S. Customs and was sent back to Ireland! His perfectly running Saturn Sky is sitting inside the Falken rig with no one to drive it. He was carrying an improper visa while trying to enter the United States and was sent back home to Ireland on the next flight. This comes as a huge blow to Darren who was a top 10 driver before the event started. Darren will fall out of the top 10 after this event and spend the rest ofthe season playing catch up in the points chase. We will try and find out why Falken didn’t have a work VISA for Darren when trying to enter the United States! We will keep you posted.

NOPI Drift fired all their judges last year (Wes Hamichi, Jacob Leveton, and Ernie Fimxer) in what seemed to unfold as the worst move of the 2008 season for them. The 08 season without them present launched with controversy in Miami and resulted in some reorganization off the bat. Apparently Formula D admired the talents of Ernie Fixmer a little more than the NOPI camp and has hired him as the new judge for Formula D! Ernie had this to say!
“I am very excited and honored to have been chosen to fulfill this responsibility as a Formula DRIFT judge, and hope that my contributions will help the development of this motorsport, not only in the United States, but internationally,” said Ernie Fixmer, Formula DRIFT judge. “I believe that my experience will help guide my input so that we, as a collective panel of judges, continue to make fair and unbiased decisions.”

We will see former D1 driver Ernie Fixmer in action on the stand in Las Vegas.

Jim from Formula D sent us a nice picture of Oridio’s car before it was boxed up and shipped to the USA! We will be on the case next week to get you photos of Alex P’s car and the Aristo in Vegas next week!