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techtrix
10-31-2009, 01:26 PM
For more information
Michael Harley – Los Angeles 949-333-0841


For immediate release
GSR Autosport and Michael Essa to Campaign a BMW 335i in the
2010 Formula Drift Championship Series

LOS ANGELES, Calif., October 30, 2009 – GSR Autosport and Michael Essa have partnered to campaign a 2008 BMW 335i sport coupe in the upcoming 2010 Formula Drift Championship Series. It will be the first BMW 3 Series, powered by a turbocharged BMW M3 engine, to campaign in a national drifting series.
“The BMW 335i is a powerful rear-engine sports coupe with a rock-solid chassis leaving us plenty of room for aftermarket development—the platform will easily handle the 550-hp turbocharged 3.2-liter M3 powerplant which we are finishing development on. Michael Essa was the natural choice to drive this innovative new drift car. Not only does he have a strong motorsport racing background, but he possesses the demanding drifting creativity and competitiveness necessary to win,” says Nick Richards, President of GSR Autosport.
Entering its sixth season, Formula DRIFT is recognized as the North American professional drifting championship series. As the first official series in North America, Formula DRIFT has taken competitive motorsports to the extreme, attracting fans and car enthusiasts from all walks of life. This high-skilled, high-powered motor sport where drivers intentionally maneuver their cars into well executed, controlled sideways slides at high speeds through a marked course, has more than 60 professional drivers competing in all seven competitions this year. Judged on execution and style, rather than who finishes the course in the fastest time, drifting is a guaranteed crowd pleaser, and is often compared to the freestyle nature of skateboarding and motocross. Formula DRIFT and the drivers serve as ambassadors for the sport of drifting bringing exhibitions to traditional/mainstream motor sports events across the country which have included: multiple Champ Car World Series races, American Le Mans, USAC, NASCAR Busch North & Featherlite Southwest and the SPEED World Challenge, among others.
Residing in Los Angeles, Michael Essa has been racing cars since he was seventeen. He has always focused on the machine and the track, building a solid foundation to create a legacy in global motorsports. He has held positions as Crew Chief and Lead Tech Inspector building and developing his talent from the ground up. Essa not only worships racing but supports the community by offering driving instruction for both Porsche racers and drift drivers. Essa opened Tech Trix Motorsports in Anaheim, California, in the Spring of 2001. The company supplies custom fabrication, specialized maintenance, optimization and management of privately owned Porsche racecars. He and his expert team maintain an average of 20 cars annually and are significant players on the P.O.C. and P.C.A. circuits. Essa campaigned a Mazda in the 2009 Formula Drift Championship Series where he was runner-up for the 2009 Rookie of the Year.
Headquartered in Los Angeles, GSR Autosport is a multi-facetted professional automotive racing business. Founded and operated by genuine racing enthusiasts, GSR Autosport is a race car manufacturer that designs, develops, and builds turn-key vehicles, competitive automotive components, and race safety equipment in various facilities around the country. GSR Autosport is also the parent company to GoSpecRacing.com, a retail race parts supplier, and SpecBoxster.com, a club-level record-holding Porsche Boxster racing team.

GSR Autosport Press Contact:
Michael Harley
949-333-0841
[email protected]

wow-thats-a-cool-car
10-31-2009, 01:31 PM
SO SO SO cool!!!

I <3 bmw drift cars!!

But what year 335i?

SUPERSTAR
10-31-2009, 01:50 PM
Sweeeeeeeetness.

ThatGuy
10-31-2009, 01:55 PM
So, you copy-pasta'd something about a BMW and decided CHAT was the spot to post it?

:duh: :duh: :duh:

Moving to Off Topic.

ZX88
10-31-2009, 02:56 PM
fuck yes bmw.

blueshark123
10-31-2009, 05:11 PM
SO SO SO cool!!!

I <3 bmw drift cars!!

But what year 335i?


it say a 2008

SleepR 240sx
10-31-2009, 05:44 PM
Glad to see you got a sponsor. Loved seeing your car in ATL and look forward to seeing the BWM there next season. Good luck!

ZenkiKid
10-31-2009, 07:25 PM
Good stuff! Now I hope that Matt Powers gets the same love from sponsors

tricky_ab
10-31-2009, 09:44 PM
You've peaked my interest...

nieko
11-01-2009, 01:44 PM
Ill take the FC mike.

thanks, let me know when you want me to come pick it up for you.

THE PROPHET
11-01-2009, 02:30 PM
Congratz Mike!!!

techtrix
11-02-2009, 11:00 AM
thanks guys! Yeah it is a 2008 335. We will be using a 2005 e46 m3 (3.2 inline 6) engine though, its easier to make big power with that engine.

Jimmy Up
11-02-2009, 11:02 AM
Thats beautiful man, congrats. Tear some shit up out there.

let5l1de
11-02-2009, 11:46 AM
Congrats to you and GSR Autosport! Looking forward to following the progression of this new drift venture!

~mario

allntrlundrgrnd
11-02-2009, 12:04 PM
I <3 335's. I WILL own one someday.

gl, cant wait to see finished car

TheWolf
11-02-2009, 03:21 PM
I hate to say it but at some point this car is gonna hit the wall.. and I don't want to see the repair bill from that...

SUPERSTAR
11-02-2009, 03:47 PM
Drifting and walls? News to me.

let5l1de
11-02-2009, 08:22 PM
Drifting and walls? News to me.

never heard of it...

~m

Dousan_PG
11-02-2009, 11:33 PM
this
is
so
fucking
amazing.

im so happy for you mike
i want.
so much.

:)

SUPERSTAR
01-18-2010, 09:42 PM
http://www.vimeo.com/8803645 (http://www.vimeo.com/8803645)

240XTC
01-18-2010, 10:01 PM
Lookey what i found here.... GOOO Mike!!! GOOO Ernie!! GOOO TJ fry!! :)

Part 1. Tech Trix/GSR BMW Build Episode 1 - Car Videos on StreetFire (http://videos.streetfire.net/video/Tech-TrixGSR-BMW-Build-1_720747.htm)
Part 2. Michael Essa's BMW Build: Part 2 - Car Videos on StreetFire (http://videos.streetfire.net/video/Michael-Essas-BMW-Build-2_729651.htm)

Z33dori
01-18-2010, 10:18 PM
Congrats, i hope you get say in the build... Dont let them build a gay car...

remember drifting is all about the Style and the Fun.....

Bubbles
01-18-2010, 10:18 PM
Fucking great video. Can't wait to see this car build. BMW v10 that's insane I wish you the best and fucking kill it this year in FD.

SUPERSTAR
01-24-2010, 03:15 PM
Lookey what i found here.... GOOO Mike!!! GOOO Ernie!! GOOO TJ fry!! :)

Part 1. Tech Trix/GSR BMW Build Episode 1 - Car Videos on StreetFire (http://videos.streetfire.net/video/Tech-TrixGSR-BMW-Build-1_720747.htm)
Part 2. Michael Essa's BMW Build: Part 2 - Car Videos on StreetFire (http://videos.streetfire.net/video/Michael-Essas-BMW-Build-2_729651.htm)


lol, Eddy.

Xbroke_kidX
01-24-2010, 06:33 PM
^ "Hes good for having beers, So we will stay friends for that reason."
Hahahaha classic

word sux
01-24-2010, 07:39 PM
bad ass!


can't wait to see what this beast looks like! keep us updated.

tricky_ab
01-25-2010, 07:33 AM
Damn, super nice engine choice! That's going to sound MEAN!

fckillerbee
01-25-2010, 10:15 AM
saw the vids...looking great mike. I'm here in anaheim now. I might stop by on my lunch. send me your address! lol

SUPERSTAR
01-27-2010, 09:31 AM
^ "Hes good for having beers, So we will stay friends for that reason."
Hahahaha classic


Hahaha. Well it's true.
He always has beers, always. :naughty:

SUPERSTAR
03-15-2010, 11:02 PM
http://vimeo.com/10128604 (http://vimeo.com/10128604)

Sileighty_DRFT89
03-15-2010, 11:47 PM
haha. who is this mystery girl??

I do agree with her in saying a garage is relaxing. its like therapy for me

essforteen
03-16-2010, 01:43 AM
This reminds me of the Office. LOL!
Great vids keep them coming!!

allntrlundrgrnd
03-16-2010, 08:25 AM
holy huge engine. this is going to be super rad

SUPERSTAR
03-16-2010, 09:05 AM
I do agree with her in saying a garage is relaxing. its like therapy for me

You are wierd.

tricky_ab
03-16-2010, 10:09 AM
http://vimeo.com/10128604 (http://vimeo.com/10128604)

Aromatherapy?! HAHA and I love the intro music...That V10 is going to be MEAN!

Sileighty_DRFT89
03-16-2010, 12:31 PM
so what if I am. tell me you don't get high off the smell of hot metal and burnt rubber.

you love me

SUPERSTAR
03-16-2010, 05:08 PM
I love the smell of burnt rubbers, but not tires.

Paul2x
03-17-2010, 12:22 AM
Awesome,

Were running a 335i sedan in Redline Time Attack this year.

Would love to exchange notes =)

Good Luck and keep us posted!!

:drool:

lucky7
03-17-2010, 04:34 AM
thanks guys! Yeah it is a 2008 335. We will be using a 2005 e46 m3 (3.2 inline 6) engine though, its easier to make big power with that engine.

thats the first (and probably last time) i'll ever hear that. can you elaborate?? the S54 is well known to be difficult to extract more power out of, without going FI. and FI, is very, very costly. a chipped N54 makes great power with nothing else. if you want to make big power and have some cash to throw around (obviously money is no object if an S54 is "easy to make power"), look into an S38 with a turbo. europes own 2jz. :)

fckillerbee
03-17-2010, 09:18 AM
thats the first (and probably last time) i'll ever hear that. can you elaborate?? the S54 is well known to be difficult to extract more power out of, without going FI. and FI, is very, very costly. a chipped N54 makes great power with nothing else. if you want to make big power and have some cash to throw around (obviously money is no object if an S54 is "easy to make power"), look into an S38 with a turbo. europes own 2jz. :)

he is now running a v10.

BurdenInOurHands
03-17-2010, 03:39 PM
he is now running a v10.

I'm still interested to hear why he'd prefer the E46 M3 engine over the 335i's N54 inline six - it seems like a step backward, given the N54's already set up for forced induction.

Either way, the V10 setup will be awesome, and I'll definitely be following this thread - we just added a 335i sedan to our stable at home, and that + this thread are the reasons I decided to start posting on Zilvia instead of just lurking like I've been for the past couple years.

Awesome,

Were running a 335i sedan in Redline Time Attack this year.

Would love to exchange notes =)

Good Luck and keep us posted!!

:drool:

I'd like to hear about this project as well, I haven't seen many people running a 335i sedan in motorsport yet. Have you guys done a lot in terms of weight reduction? The car's got great torque and (I'm assuming) enough space for something like 245 front/275 rear front and back given its 225 front/255 rear factory setup, but it's a little porky, more so than the coupe, anyway.

lucky7
03-18-2010, 04:39 AM
probably because they're all open-diff cars. i have no idea who makes an LSD for them

SUPERSTAR
03-24-2010, 09:05 AM
YouTube - bmw350r test day 1.wmv (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bi7wCGTACk&feature=player_embedded)

don't know how to post it. sorry.

fckillerbee
03-24-2010, 11:03 AM
YouTube - bmw350r test day 1.wmv (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bi7wCGTACk&feature=player_embedded)

don't know how to post it. sorry.

wow...didn't think he would have this thing completely running already. Doesn't look like too much power. How much is this thing putting down right now?

Oilcover
03-24-2010, 02:17 PM
Doesn't look like too much power.

you're joking, right?

SUPERSTAR
03-24-2010, 04:56 PM
Guesstimating about 450 to wheels. He will be on Dyno soon, so we will know then.

Z33dori
03-24-2010, 05:11 PM
wow i underestimated his working abilities


def cant wait to see this beazy at long beach... def owe him a hand shake

eli_eli
03-24-2010, 09:16 PM
wow i underestimated his working abilities


def cant wait to see this beazy at long beach... def owe him a hand shake

really? lol...dude, Mike is the sickest man I've seen pick up a wrench lol...best machanic/fabricator around...and off course :mephfawk:

car looks awesome Mike, cant wait to see it at the track, I got dibs on the first ride along ;)

ZilviaKid
03-24-2010, 09:51 PM
best video build of all time!

hoooooly shit

fckillerbee
03-25-2010, 10:20 AM
Guesstimating about 450 to wheels. He will be on Dyno soon, so we will know then.

has he already weighed it?


I said looks underpowered cause mike is usually driving it balls to the wall.

He could also barely be driving the car...not as hard as he usually would.

and 435 is plenty of power in a light car, Even though it is stripped, its much heavier than his fc and his fc had about the same power.

fckillerbee
03-25-2010, 10:25 AM
really? lol...dude, Mike is the sickest man I've seen pick up a wrench lol...best machanic/fabricator around...and off course :mephfawk:

car looks awesome Mike, cant wait to see it at the track, I got dibs on the first ride along ;)

even though I have not seen mike personally pick up a wrench, I know he can corner balance a porsche really quick and effective! lol

MIKE WTF! WHEN ARE WE GONNA PLAY SOME PHUCKING FORZA 3 DAMNIT! lol

foreverdark
03-29-2010, 10:41 AM
YouTube - Michael Essa's BMW Build: Part 4 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CB-hruzS810)

Z33dori
03-29-2010, 03:50 PM
really? lol...dude, Mike is the sickest man I've seen pick up a wrench lol...best machanic/fabricator around...and off course :mephfawk:

car looks awesome Mike, cant wait to see it at the track, I got dibs on the first ride along ;)

i didnt really know any of his history before this thread.... i just knew he drove a FC ....and was pretty bad ass at driving it....

lol

Z33dori
04-07-2010, 09:08 PM
btw this car sounds so fucking rad echoing off the long beach streets.....