UTI Hosts Formula D Pre-Season Tech and Preview Day

Formula D Day
Universal Technical Institute
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
April 4, 2009


Ever wonder what makes your favorite drift car tick? Well the wait is over, as Universal Technical Institute (UTI), The Official Technical Institute of Formula IMG_2920_optDrift, kicked off the 2009 Formula D Series with its first ever pre-race tech day inspection party. Drift teams were invited to UTI鈥檚 Rancho Cucamonga, CA campus to get their cars inspected before the opening race in Long Beach. Students from the campus were involved with performing safety checks and assisting teams with any adjustments that needed to be made to the cars.

UTI will be providing students to teams like Forsberg / NOS and Pawlak / NITTO Racing to help out in the pits during five of the seven races this year under a project called the UTI Student Slider Progam. UTI is also looking into a future initiative that would open up the campuses during the Drift season to teams that may not have shops readily available to them. At the impressive campus they can use lifts, tools, dynos, and an assortment of other resources to get their vehicles ready for race day.

This was a great event for students because they got a first look at some of the pro drift cars that are debuting this season like Tanner Foust鈥檚 new Scion and some old favorites like Tanaka Racing鈥檚 insane Corvette. A lot of students want to get into motorsports and now they get to use the training they receive at UTI for just that.

IMG_2945_opt IMG_2942_opt IMG_2978_opt


More than 1,300 enthusiasts got the opportunity to check out UTI鈥檚 campus and see how technical education can lead from turning their passion for cars into a career in motorsports.

Attendees also had the opportunity to meet Formula D drivers, teams and techs, and watch the pre-race inspection live and a chance to talk to UTI graduates who are actually working with drift teams and getting real-world experience while still in school.

IMG_2918_opt IMG_2952_opt IMG_2932_opt


As magazine editors we occasionally take our insider media access for granted, often kicking it in the pits for a much closer look at the cars, drivers and crews, but thanks to UTI and Formula D every enthusiast in attendance was granted this rare VIP access. The event was a great opportunity to check out UTI鈥檚 automotive training programs and get hands on with some of the racing industry鈥檚 newest drift cars. Be sure to visit for more information.

Related Articles

PASSWORD: JDM  - Dry Carbon GT-R Parts PASSWORD: JDM - Dry Carbon GT-R Parts
The Timeline: Rewind about ten years ago and carbon fiber was for real race cars only. You almost needed an 8-figure budget just to get it right. If...
Project R32: Proper Exedy Racing Clutch Selection Project R32: Proper Exedy Racing Clutch Selection
One of the most important systems in your car, yet often overlooked is the clutch and flywheel system. These components are a vital part of any manual...
Getting Hyphy: Calvin Wan's 1993 Mazda RX-7 Getting Hyphy: Calvin Wan's 1993 Mazda RX-7
Written by Dave Pankew |Photos by Chris Manacop (Cipher Media Group) Ever noticed how a message can get totally lost in translation? Often it&...
BIG BALLIN' BIG BALLIN'
When Dan Quibell bought this full-size Denali in the summer of 鈥04, and his original vision for it was not to transform it into the show-stopping,...
Rugrat: Sean Driscoll's 2004 Scion xB Rugrat: Sean Driscoll's 2004 Scion xB
Written by Dave Pankew | Photos by Edwin Villanueva  There isn’t much you can tell me about kids that I haven’t heard already....
Project R32: Adjustable Suspension Links Project R32: Adjustable Suspension Links
When ya wanna go fast, you have to look at every nut and bolt on your car. Because when you are piloting a chunk of steel and composites at unreal...