TONY BRAKOHIAPA

Tony Brakohiapa began his racing career with victories and top 5 finishes in the Jim Russell Open-Wheel Formula Mazda Championship from 2001 to 2004. He is an experienced go-kart racer, winning the Yokohama Karting Championship Series’ 2004 “Rookie of The Year” and finishing 2nd in the overall championship. Looking to the possibility of stock car racing, Tony worked with the Buck Baker Stock Car Racing School in its advanced Nextel Cup racing courses. That same year, he also tested with the American Le Mans team J3 to race its Porsche GT3RSR. Tony has raced other sportscars and touring cars in the 25 hours of Thunderhill, the longest endurance road race in the world. Aside from his own racing activities, Tony is also a senior instructor at Jim Russell Racing School featuring the new open-wheel F3 Lola and Audi Sportscar Experience featuring the Audi R8 V10 at Infineon Raceway. Tony also coaches drivers who campaign their Porsche Cup, GT3RS and Ferrari race cars in the American Le Mans, Rolex Sports Cars Services, and Ferrari Challenge Series.

Since 2004, Tony has been a top competitor in the Formula Drift National Championship, campaigning a 650hp Ford Mustang and managing the team’s operations. Tony battled inside the top 10 during the 2009 Championship, and was the Top Privateer beating many factory supported drivers and teams. In 2010, Tony joined a new team, Top Cover Racing, a team that partnered with the famous Tuskegee Airmen. Through TCR, Tony had the opportunity to help raise awareness and educate fans on the historical significance of the first all black fighter squadron of World War II. Other highlights of Tony’s 2010 Formula D season include a hard fought battle for a top 4 finish in Las Vegas. Throughout the season, Tony battled and won against drivers like 2-time Formula Drift Champion, Samuel Hubinette, known Japanese D1GP driver Michihiro Takatori, and drivers from the factory supported Falken tire team. In 2011, he competed in the first professional drifting competition at the Yas Marina Formula 1 track in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, and another Formula Drift event in Doha, Qatar. There, he was the crowd favorite racing the only American muscle car in competition and achieving a top 4 result. Tony was also invited to a second Formula 1 track in Sepang, Malaysia as a “special guest” instructor and driver for a corporate Lexus ISF track day. Tony has also been honored with the inclusion into Drivers Inc. The most well-known and experienced stunt driving organization in Hollywood!

Outside the racing world, Tony is an accomplished film/tv stunt driver, doing work for many top car manufacturers. Tony was the stunt driving double for the rap artist Bow Wow in the movie “The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift.”