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Two-time US drift champion takes on Japan
TOKYO, Japan (Samuel Hübinette Racing; March 24, 2010) — Two-time drift champion Samuel Hübinette is in Japan this weekend to make a surprise appearance in the D1 Grand Prix championship drifting series.
“It’s an honor to be competing in Japan where the sport of drifting started,” said Hübinette. “The style is different here and I’m really looking forward to competing against these guys.”
Hübinette was expected to show some American muscle, taking on the largely Japanese field in a Dodge Viper, but the logistics of this round mean he will take part in a vehicle provided by D1 veteran Takahiro Ueno.
The event will pose some unique challenges for Hübinette, who said he expects to have only about an hour of testing in the right-hand drive car before the contest starts on Saturday.
“Being in a right-hand drive car definitely makes it more challenging,” said Hübinette. “In drifting you need to make quick adjustments and there is no time for thinking – you just have to react. It’s going to take some time to get used to having the e-brake and the gear shift on the left side.”
Hübinette will next appear in competition in the United States for Round 1 of Formula Drift at Long Beach, California, in April. He is taking on a new role as team owner this season, while also making a bid for the series title in a factory-backed Dodge Challenger.
The D1 series developed in Japan over a decade ago and, for 2010, boasts top drivers from Japan competing one-on-one against American talent.
— SAMUEL HÜBINETTE RACING PARTNERS
Dodge, BFGoodrich, Mopar, Eibach, Weld Racing, AIT, Sparco, K&N, AEM, Stack Performance, ES Motorsports, Royal Purple, Wilwood, Tilton Engineering, Os Giken, ITI Performance, Magnaflow, Azunia Tequila, Meguiar’s.
— ABOUT SAMUEL HÜBINETTE
A native Swede, Hübinette has been living and competing in the United States since 2001. He became a US citizen in 2006.
When he isn’t drifting, Hübinette is also a working stunt driver in car commercials and in Hollywood productions including the Fast and the Furious franchise, Crank2, and the upcoming film Knight and Day.
Hübinette developed a taste for speed in his native Sweden, where he earned a reputation for pushing snowmobiles, motorcycles and cars to their limits. He competed as a driver in Touring Car racing for Volvo from 1997 through 2000 and worked for Volvo Cars for nine years as a stunt driver and test driver in product development for the company.
He has also worked as a performance-driving instructor, including a three-year stint at the Skip Barber Racing School, where he was a member of the elite Special Product Group.
In 2009, Samuel became a “specialist reserved officer” with LAPD.
— FOR MORE INFORMATION
To arrange interviews or find out more, visit www.samuelhubinette.com or contact Eva-Stina Hübinette at (949)-350-6569 / stina@hubinetteracing.com