TANNER FOUST TAKES PODIUM AT FORMULA DRIFT ROUND 3 – THE GAUNTLET

WALL, NJ (June 6, 2010, PAPADAKIS RACING) – Two-time Formula DRIFT champion Tanner Foust scored his second podium of the season this weekend in the Rockstar Energy Drink SCION tC at Wall Speedway in New Jersey.

The result moves Foust into third-place in the series standings, with four rounds remaining in the season.

Fans packed the stands in the clear, 90-degree-plus weather to watch the action on the challenging banked-oval track, while Formula DRIFT's live webcast saw hundreds of thousands of hits over the course of the two-day contest. The enthusiastic crowd was treated to plenty of action, multiple crashes and tough competition.

"Consistency is obviously the key with such a short season and, with drifting, the only thing you can count on is chaos," said Foust. "I was surprised at how much carnage there was this weekend; in one round, I almost had a car flip over right in front of me."

The team saw one of the closest calls of the contest when a competitor lost a wheel and launched over it just inches from Foust's front bumper during the Top 16 round. A quick reaction on Foust's part allowed him to avert disaster and he moved ahead to the next round.

The Rockstar Energy Drink SCION tC, prepared by Papadakis Racing, proved sturdy when Foust had a brush with a notoriously treacherous trackside barrier later in the contest. The incident knocked off some bodywork, but did no further damage.

The podium finish was a redemption of sorts for the driver, who found himself knocked out in the Top 32 round at this contest in 2009.

"Last year, two podiums in three starts would have put me in the lead in the championship," said Foust. "Everybody still has work to do but we're feeling good about our chances."

The team is looking forward to the next rounds where, team owner Stephan Papadakis said, the higher-speed tracks will favor the NASCAR V-8 power in the Rockstar Energy SCION tC.

"The car is handling well, and we've got the power to excel at the next rounds," said Papadakis. "We're happy with where the development is going during our second season with the car."

The two-time Formula DRIFT champion is campaigning the series for a second year in the V8-powered Rockstar Energy Drink SCION tC. Foust is looking to become the first driver to earn three championship titles in the series.

The Rockstar Energy team put in a strong performance at the opening two rounds of the series, with Foust securing third-place points in front of a sell-out crowd at the season opener in Long Beach. Round 2 saw Foust knocked out during the Top 16 in a surprising upset.

Drifting is a high-skill, high-powered motorsport with an emphasis on car control skill. Drivers compete in knock-out heats on a closed course, sliding sideways at high speed in trials judged on speed and style. With origins in Japan, it is the fastest growing form of motorsport in the world.

Foust and the Rockstar Energy Drink SCION tC return to Formula DRIFT competition July 9-10 when the action continues at Round 4: Throwdown at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Washington.