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First time podium finisher and with a new tire sponsor on top of that, Federal Tires, Mr. Tyler McQuarrie in the RS-R Honda S2000. Yes, we've all seen the car before previously driven by the "Sliding Hawaiian" Alex Pfeiffer but now it's Tyler's time to shine and he did sitting on the podium!
1. How's it feel to get on the podium, finally?
TM: Getting on the podium in Chicago was like taking a ton of Bricks off my shoulders! I've placed 4th three times in the Jasper Supra but never finished the deal. The way this season started, I was starting to wonder if I would ever get up there. The RS-R Honda S2000 is a great drift car but it has been a steep learning curve coming from the Supra.
2. Anybody you want to thank for getting up there and making this all possible?
TM: I want to thank RS-R for giving me the opportunity to drive for them and for believing in my ability to get the job done. Gotta thank Honda, Federal Tires for making a bad ass tire! Enkei wheels and the best energy drink out there, Shark Energy Drink!
3. What's your background, you've been doing this for a while but what's your racing background?
TM: I started racing Karts when I was 14 and moved up to cars when I was 17. I won the Formula Russell Championship in 1998, as well as the World Scholarship in England. In 1999 I raced Formula Vauxhall in Europe and won the USAC Triple Crown Pro Series Championship here in the States. In 1999 I was voted to team USA, and "Road Racer of the Year" by the Motorsports Press Association. In 2001, I drove a Porsche GT3 RSR for the Racers Group in the American Le Mans Series. Since 2003, I've raced Sprint Cars and the NASCAR Southwest Tour for selected races. I'm currently racing a Honda DC-5 (RSX) for Spoon in the US Touring Car Series and Grand Am.
4. Where do you live and what do you do with you free time?
TM: I live in Walnut Creek, CA. Its 20 mins west of San Francisco. Free time? Whats that? If I'm not Instructing at Infineon or gone racing, I'm out in the city or going to South Lake Tahoe. If there is snow, I'm skiing.
5. Any plans for the S2000 for some upcoming rounds?
TM: Change the oil and throw a couple Federal Tires on. RS-R is building a new Honda S2000 but I'm not sure when it will be done.
6. How is the S2000 different than any other drift cars you've drifted?
TM: The RS-R S2000 is much different than the Jasper Supra. The Supra has 450hp and weights 2900 lbs. The S2000 has 375hp and weights 2300lbs. It responds faster than any drift car I've driven, which can make it tricky to drive. It has tons of grip so you need to be aggressive but at the same time you can't be to quick on the inputs you ask the car to do since it responds so fast.
7. How bout them Federal tires? Seriously they smoke like crazy, what's the story about getting hooked up with Federal?
TM: I'm getting a Federal tires tattoo next week! We used 4 Tires for the Chicago event! No joke. Lots of grip, smoke, and they last. What else could you ask for? We talked to them in the off season more for a plan "B". We went to Long Beach without a tire sponsor so we tested the Federals and we fell in love!
8. What's your daily driver on the streets and how did you get into drifting?
TM: I have an 05 Audi A4 Quattro with Eibach coilovers, 19'BBS , on Advan Tires. Yokohama has been a sponsor of mine since 2000 and they asked me if I wanted to try it. The first drift car I drove was JIC's 350Z. I loved it so they hooked me up with Gene Jasper who was looking for a driver for the first FD event in Houston. My first time in the car was practice for the event. I qualified 4th and finished 4th. I even surprised myself with that result at my first drift event ever.
9. What do you recommend for the fans to do if they want to get in the seat of their own drift machines? First purchases like suspension or what?
TM: Anything cheap! Don't spend to much on the car or modding it. Spend money on tires and track time. I hear Federal tires are good.:) Its all about seat time!
10. I always end with this question so we can get a feel for what you're like, what music is in your Ipod or radio right now?
TM: The question is, whats not in my Ipod! Kanye West, 50 Cent, NOFX, Sublime, Outkast, Air, Bad Religion, Kruder & Dorfmeister, Beasties. You name it, Its in there.
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