Baltimore, Md. (August 25, 2010) – The Need for Speed team rolled into Sin City for Round 5 of the Formula Drift Championship, located at Las Vegas Motor Speedway’s custom-built, high-speed-entry course. The hot desert temperatures were not enough to keep a sell-out crowd from packing the stands for some up-close drifting action.   

During top 32 qualifying on Friday, Matt Powers put down a solid run and earned himself a score of 71.6, landing him in 23rd place. During Mad Mike Whiddett ’s top qualifying run, he clocked an entry speed of 81.1 MPH – one of the higher speeds of the day – and earned a score of 86 points. He held the 1st place spot for quite some time during qualifying, but after more and more drivers stepped up their game, Mike ended up taking 9th place out of the top 32 qualifiers.

Mike was paired with Irish drifter James Deane for his top 32 battle. Mike and his Team Need for Speed/ Red Bull RX-8 would lead first with an incredible run, as Deane pushed to stick with him. When it was Mike’s turn to give chase, he gave it all he had in order to stay glued to Deane’s door while following his line and maintaining intense angle.

Mad Mike was paired with the winner of Round 2 in Atlanta and Round 3 in New Jersey – Daijiro Yoshihara – for his Sweet Sixteen battle. Mike had battled against Yoshihara in the top 32 in Atlanta and had been knocked out. He was determined to put it all on the line this event in order to outdrive Dai, who has had an incredible 2010 season thus far.

“It was a great feeling to be in the parade after the national anthem and to have Team Need for Speed make the main event,” says Mike. “A huge thanks to V-LEDS for kitting the car out with full strobe cop lights and LED bulbs as a surprise for my Need for Speed crew to coincide with ‘Hot Pursuit’.” Check out Mike’s interview which was live on the Drift Stream (skip to 0:48:45 to view) before heading into the Sweet Sixteen.

Mike gave chase first and followed Dai’s fast, intense-angle entry all the way into the wall. He threw it in so hard trying to keep the same pace and angle as his competitor that he just wasn’t able to maintain, resulting in a spin right in front of the grandstands. The fans didn’t seem to mind as Mike waved out the window at the crowd who were on their feet screaming with excitement.

On the second pass, Mike put down an incredible run proving exactly why he had qualified top in the top 10. “My lead run was nuts,” says Mike. “My entry scared me as I scraped the large outside concrete wall at a speed of ninety miles per hour. It was an awesome run, but not enough to take the advantage from Dai.” When the Falken Tire smoke had settled, the judges deemed Yoshihara the winner. Mike would finish Round 5 in 10th place overall. Check out Mike’s top 16 run via the Drift Stream (skip to 1:23:00 to view).

The Need for Speed Electro Lounge was packed as usual on Saturday, with enthusiasts getting their chance to beat a high score in either Need for Speed Hot Pursuit or Need for Speed World. DJ Miki Taka was in presence keeping the beats flowing, with the occasional dance contest of course. "The blistering 105 degree weather couldn't keep the fans away,” says Miki. “As the sun went down, we turned up the heat in the Need for Speed lounge while Mad Mike repped us in the top sixteen."

About Team Need for Speed

Team Need for Speed consists of an all-star roster of drivers renowned for their skill on the track and passion for the automotive lifestyle including Vaughn Gittin Jr. (Drift/USA), Christian Rado (Time Attack/USA), Matt Powers (Drift/USA), Darren McNamera (Drift/Europe), Edward Sandström (GT Racing/Europe), Patrick Söderlund (GT Racing/Europe) and Mad Mike Whiddett (Drift/USA, New Zealand, Japan).

With over 100 million units sold, Need for Speed is the best-selling racing game franchise in the world and is known for delivering unparalleled white-knuckle racing, creative customization and street style. Last fall EA published Need for Speed SHIFT, the highest rated Need for Speed game in years, featuring an intense first-person crash dynamic and a signature cockpit view that delivers a true driver’s experience. Need for Speed World is a massive multiplayer online action racing game now available on the PC. In Need for Speed Hot Pursuit available November 16, players will experience stunning speeds, takedowns and getaways as they chase, battle, escape or bust their buddies.