April 29th, 2009 | 
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LONG BEACH – Kyle Mohan has been coming to the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach since before he was born. His father has been coming since the first race 35 years ago.
Mohan, one of the Formula Drift drivers who will be competing this weekend, counts the time his mom came to the grand prix when she was pregnant with him. Even as a toddler, Mohan said he dreamed of getting a chance to race on the streets of Long Beach.
“Everybody has their lifelong dream,” said the 27-year-old Mohan, who lives in Long Beach and graduated from Lakewood High. “They got something they’re aiming for that’s probably out of reach. They’re not actually going to get to do it.
“Mine truly was to drive at the Long Beach Grand Prix. That started when I was 2 years old.”
Mohan will be driving a Mazda RX8. He works on his own car out of the Mazda Trix shop in Signal Hill. He builds his own engines, maintains his own car with the help of his dad and a few friends.
Mohan said his dream of racing in the Grand Prix of Long Beach faded as he got older. He realized when he reached high school that becoming a famous race car driver was probably not going to happen.
But when the Formula Drift series put Long Beach on its schedule, Mohan’s dream of racing in Long Beach came a little closer to actually happening.
“When the series as it was growing actually made the commitment to stop here and to run the full course, it brought tears to my eyes,” Mohan said. “Same for my dad, for him being a fan of this grand prix and it being in our hometown. We were so amazed the first time we got to do it. It almost didn’t set in for a couple of weeks.”
Mohan will be teamed with Conrad Grunewald and Samuel Hubinette for the Formula Drift events this weekend. The competition is a little different than the Formula Drift championship format. Drivers will be judged as they maneuver around the Long Beach street course in teams of three cars.
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