CENTER LINE, Mich. -- Fresh off his Round 1 Need For Speed Formula D Drift victory in Long Beach, Calif., last weekend, Samuel Hubinette is set to tear up the streets of Long Beach yet again. Hubinette, also known as the “Crazy Swede” for his dynamic drifting style, will take part in three drifting exhibitions during the 2006 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach this weekend.

Hubinette, the current Formula D points leader after his Long Beach win, will join with Rhys Millen in his Pontiac and Ken Gushi in his Ford to form a “Team America” drifting trio. The three will take to the Long Beach streets in an attempt to duplicate the reception at the 2005 Long Beach Grand Prix, when the crowd of 150,000 gave a standing ovation to the drifting display, demonstrating the rising popularity of the sport.

“This year has been unbelievable so far,” said Hubinette, who will pilot his Mopar SRT10 Dodge Viper at the exhibition. “I finished fourth in the D1 drifting event in March, took the Formula D win last week, and now I have the chance to show the world what drifting is all about. I can’t wait to get out and drift the whole course this time. I think these exhibitions really help expose the sport of drifting to a wider audience.”

Hubinette and his fellow drivers will stage twenty-minute drifting exhibitions at 5:05 p.m. on Friday, 3:10 p.m. on Saturday, and 3:20 p.m. on Sunday (all times PST). For more info on the 2006 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, log on to www.lbgp.com.

Round 2 of the Need For Speed Formula D Drift series will take place May 12-13 at Road Atlanta in Georgia. Hubinette will look to debut his new Mopar Dodge Charger SRT8 at the event. It will also mark his second Formula D event with new BFGoodrich g-Force T/A KDW tires. For more info on Mopar, Hubinette or the Need For Speed Formula Drift Series, log on to www.moparspeed.com, www.mopar.com, www.samuelhubinette.com or www.formulad.com.

Mopar is based in Center Line, Mich., and is the exclusive original equipment supplier of parts and accessories for Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep® vehicles.