Vaughn Gittin JR

Vaughn Gittin

Vaughn Gittin, Jr. (born September 20, 1980), commonly known as JR, is an American self-taught professional drifter from Maryland who currently competes in the Formula D series in his 2013 Monster Energy Nitto Tire Ford Racing Mustang RTR. Vaughn is the creator of Mustang RTR, his version of a new generation of Mustang that is available at Ford dealers.

Racing career

Drifting

Vaughn Gittin Jr. has become one of drifting’s most iconic figures and his machine, the Monster Energy Nitto Tire Ford Racing Mustang, one of the sport's most identifiable cars. Vaughn is known best by his aggressive, foot to the floor, big smoke driving style. Being such a fierce competitor, Vaughn is known as the only American to win a D1 Grand Prix event twice. In 2005 Vaughn won the D1GP USA vs. Japan. In 2007, he brought America the gold once more by winning the D1GP World Championship. In 2010, Vaughn earned his first Formula Drift Championship, becoming the second-ever Champion with a strictly-drifting background. In 2011, Vaughn competed in China's premier drift series, WDS, and took home the Championship. In 2012, Vaughn was shy just one spot of the Championship, taking second place overall. He has achieved five wins and multiple podiums throughout his Formula Drift career.

In 2011, Vaughn had a Formula Drift season of ups and downs, but finished off the year with one podium. Vaughn traveled to China throughout the year to compete in WDS (World Drift Series) and came out on top with the Championship. Vaughn also had the opportunity to travel to Saudi Arabia, to share drifting with the Middle East. That is where he created his video “Drifting in the K.S.A”. In 2011, Ford launched their “Octane Academy” with Vaughn as one of the featured drivers, alongside Ken Block, Brian Deegan, and Tanner Foust.

For the 2010 season, Vaughn made the switch over to a 2011 Monster Energy Falken Tire Ford Mustang. When the season ended, Vaughn had been on the podium for 6 out of 7 Formula Drift events. Vaughn’s consistency within the season earned him his first Formula Drift Championship, a goal Vaughn has chased after for the previous seven years. In 2010, Vaughn also continued to travel the world performing drifting exhibitions to help promote drifting.

Also in 2010, Vaughn launched his brand for a new generation of Mustang with the RTR. This is a dealer-installed package for the 2011 Ford Mustang GT V8 available at select Ford dealerships.

Vaughn became the new face of the Ford Mustang in 2009, as he introduced the 2010 version to the world by drifting it onstage during its live reveal on Speed TV. He also had the opportunity to tour Japan with a 2010 Mustang while stopping to drift at legendary tracks. Competition-wise in the 2009 season, Vaughn retired his 2005 Ford Mustang for the new 2010 version, a car that gave him much success. In this year Vaughn came close to the Championship with a 5th-place finish.

Vaughn began his career as a professional driver in 2004 when he drove his personal Nissan S13 in Formula Drift. In 2005, he switched machines to a new Ford Mustang, which brought him many victories. In 2008, Vaughn got the attention of Ford Racing who decided to back this American Mustang driver.

NASCAR

On August 4, 2014, Gittin announced he would make his NASCAR Canadian Tire Series debut at Circuit Trois-Rivières in the No. 9 for Micks Motorsports. Qualifying 32nd and the only American in the field, Gittin spun in turn six on lap 7, but finished on the lead lap in 14th.

2013 Monster Energy Nitto Tire Ford Mustang RTR specs
Engine: Ford Racing / Roush Yates built 6.7L V8
Tires: Nitto NT05
Filtration: K&N Air, Oil & Breather Filters
Clutch: Exedy Twin Plate.
Suspension: Tein coilovers
Brakes: Wildwood front and rear big brake kit
HP/Torque: 845 horsepower / 623 ft.lbs torque

Sponsors

Monster Energy

Nitto Tires

Ford

K&N Filters

Bosch Auto Parts

HPI Racing

Magnaflow

Exedy Cluches

Electric Vision

Mustang RTR

Alpinestars

Ford Racing

Hoonigan

Gumout

Achievements

2012 

1st-place winner at Formula D Rd. 4, Wall Staudium 

1st-place winner at Formula D Rd. 5, Evergreen Speedway 

1st-place winner at WDS, Tianjin, China 

2011 

Placed 2nd at Formula Drift Round 3, Palm Beach International Raceway, Florida 

JR to be featured in Shift 2: Unleashed as a mentor and with his Monster Energy / Falken Tire Ford Mustang GT as a drifter. 

JR to be featured in Need for Speed - The Run with his Team Need for Speed Ford Mustang RTR-X. 

Placed 11th overall in the Formula D series (375 points) 

2010 

Placed 1st at Formula Drift Round 1, Streets of Long Beach Raceway. 

Placed 2nd at Formula Drift Round 2, Road Atlanta Raceway. 

Placed 2nd at Formula Drift Round 3, Wall Speedway, New Jersey 

Placed a podium finish in 6 of 7 events 

Won the 2010 Formula D Championship

2009 

Placed 2nd at Formula Drift Round 3, Wall Speedway, New Jersey 

Placed 5th place overall in the Formula D series (451.50 points) 

2008 

Placed 1st at Formula Drift Round 7, Irwindale Speedway 

Placed 8th place overall in the Formula D series (356.5 points) 

2007 

Placed 1st at D1 Grand Prix USA All-Star World Championship, Irwindale Speedway 

Placed 2nd at Formula D Round 5, Infineon Raceway 

Placed 2nd at Formula D Round 4, Evergreen Speedway 

Finished 6th place overall in the Formula D series (376.50 points) 

2006 

Finished 4th place overall in the Formula D series 

2005 

Placed 1st in the D1 Grand Prix America vs. Japan Competition 

Placed 3rd at Formula D Round 4, Infineon Raceway 

Finished 4th place overall in the Formula D series 

2004 

Finished 10th place overall in the Formula D series

Other appearances

Vaughn appears in the racing game Shift 2: Unleashed, as he is guiding the player through his career and teaching the player how to drift. He is also one of the rivals the player have to beat in two career modes, Drift and Muscle and if they beat him in the 2 story modes, you could earn his Monster Energy Falken Tire Ford Mustang in drift mode and his RTRX in muscle mode. In the game, the most important thing that Vaughn wants is that the player reaches the FIA GT1 Championship.