Over the past four years, Formula D’s Rookie of the Year award has gone to an international driver who has made the transition to compete in Formula D. This year, the award seems up for grabs, with several pro-am graduates competing with a few international drivers for the right to be crowned Rookie of the Year. Several of the previous ROTY award winners have gone on to sign lucrative sponsorship deals, so earning the trophy can truly change someone’s career. We’re giving you a look at this year’s rookie class.
Walker Wilkerson
Team Walker Wilkerson Racing
Car 1992 Fatlace / Intec Racing Nissan 240sx
Entering last year’s ProAm finale at Irwindale, Wilkerson earned a top qualifier award and a podium finish in his local Evergreen Drift proam series, but was unable to make all events in the series and finished 7th overall. At the ProAm final, he earned a humble 8th place qualifying effort, but utilized his tandem skills to earn a 2nd-place overall finish. However, as the 2011 Formula D season got underway, it was clear that Walker has been practicing in the off season. Walker has become known for his ‘backwards’ entries and extreme steering angle, despite driving one of the only SR20-powered cars on the FD roster. He has lead the rookie-of-the-year points standings for the first half of the season, but will have a target on his back for the second half of the year. Will he have enough to hold off the competition?
Age 21
Height 5’ 7”
Weight 145
Nickname Masamori
Car Number 95
Hometown Snohomish, WA
Occupation College Student
Engine 2.3L Stroker SR20DET
Horsepower 500whp/440wtq
Sponsors Fatlace, Garage Autohero, Falken Tire, Intec Racing, APEXi, NorthwestNissans.com, AW Films, Seibon, EastInde Records, Exedy,
S-Gear, 326 Power, ShaftMasters, Factory 83, KAAZ, Yaer Productions
Pat Cyr
Team Drift Posse
Car 1986 HSD Suspension Toyota AE86
Pat Cyr was probably the biggest favorite during the off season due to his experience in the Drift Mania series in Canada. Pat has won 5 rounds in the DMCC series, finishing 2nd in points overall last season. Cyr also won the year-end Pro-Am event at Irwindale last season after qualifying second overall, showing his experience particularly in tandem. In the off season, Cyr focused on lightening his AE86 chassis even further, fabricating his own fiberglass doors, fenders, hood, trunk, and roof. Pat’s Corolla is powered by a turbocharged F20C motor out of an S2000, making his car one of the most unique cars on the grid.
Age 27
Height 5’ 10”
Weight 175
Nickname Lord Cyr
Car Number 68
Hometown Ontario, CA
Occupation Mechanic
Engine F20C Turbo
Horsepower N/A
Sponsors HSD Suspension, Falken Tires, Misimoto, JRP, u2ndyno.com, visual sugar.com, Cyrious Production, Weir Performance
Otto Graven
Team Drift Posse
Car 1986 HSD Suspension Toyota AE86
A relative unknown coming into the 2011 season, Otto Graven is only the second driver ever to be born in the continent of South Africa (Tony Brakohiapa was born in Ghana) and the first driver to earn a championship in Africa before coming to the US. Graven is the reigning two-time champion of the South African National Drifting series, and has previously trained with famed Team Orange driver Nobushige Kumakubo in Japan. Graven is an entrepreneur in his native country of South Africa, having purchased a local race circuit to convert it into a world class circuit as well as body shop, mechanic shop, and driving school all open to the public. Drifting in South Africa is relatively new, with competitive drifting having only 3 years of presence in the country. Look for Graven to be the first of many South Africans to come to Formula D.
Age 36
Height 6’ 2”
Weight N/A
Nickname N/A
Car Number 113
Hometown Kimberley, SA
Occupation Entrepreneur
Engine 3.8L Stroked Twin-Turbo’d VQ35
Horsepower N/A
Sponsors Monstermob Racing
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