Newport Coast, Calif. (SAMUEL HÜBINETTE RACING) -- Two-time Formula DRIFT (FD) champion Samuel Hübinette is returning to the FD series with a new factory-backed Dodge team in 2010.
After six successful seasons with the NuFormz Mopar/BFGoodrich team, Samuel Hübinette is moving on to a new chapter in his illustrious career. Hübinette will strike out on his own in 2010, forming his own racing operation, Samuel Hübinette Racing (SHR). With support from sponsors including Dodge and BFGoodrich tires, Hübinette's SHR organization will field a two-car team for the 2010 FD season.
"This is a new chapter for us," said Hübinette. "I'm very excited to be back in competition and to take on a new role as team owner this year."
<img xsrc="http://blog.toxicdrift.com/wp-content/uploads/2010dodgedriftchlngr3-300x100.jpg" alt="2010dodgedriftchlngr3" title="2010dodgedriftchlngr3" width="300" height="100" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-584" />
The veteran Hübinette will drift his new Dodge Challenger, while FD newcomer Andrew "ACP" Comrie-Picard will take the wheel of the team's familiar Dodge Viper SRT10.
"We're looking at a strong year and a strong team for 2010," said Hübinette. "We're pleased to bring the Dodge Challenger into the series, while still showing off the capabilities of the Dodge Viper. I'm excited to see what ACP can accomplish."
Comrie-Picard is an accomplished rally driver who won the 2009 North American Rally Championship.
Both Hübinette and Comrie-Picard will be competing on BFGoodrich g-Force T/A KDW tires.
Turning the wrenches for both Comrie-Picard's SHR-Dodge/BFG Viper and Hübinette's Challenger is Brad Manka. The SHR crew chief maintained Hübinette's NuFormz Viper during the 2008 and 2009 FD campaigns.
Hübinette has competed in the FD Series under the NuFormz Racing banner since the series' inception in 2004, capturing two championships in his first three seasons. Hübinette to date owns the most wins (nine) of any FD Series driver.
The two-time FD champion was dealt an enormous blow when NuFormz team owner Shaun Carlson passed away suddenly last October. Hübinette will carry on in memory of his departed friend and colleague.
"Shaun's tragic death was a shock to us all," said Hübinette. "We hope to do him proud out there this season."
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 on a team 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.
Last year Samuel became a "specialist reserved officer" with LAPD.
SHR Partners: Dodge, BFGoodrich, Mopar, Eibach, Weld Racing, AIT, Sparco, K&N, AEM, Stack Performance, ES Motorsports, Royal Purple, Wilwood, Tilton Engineering, Os Giken, APR, ITI Performance, Magnaflow, Azunia Tequila, And more to come!!