The Top 16 competition is about to begin. The fans are getting ready for an exciting show under the lights of the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

The first round of the Top 16 pits Robbie Nishida vs. Tyler McQuarrie. Robbie leads with a great initiation and McQuarrie stays close in the 1st half of the run and loses distance into the 2nd half. McQuarrie leads in the 2nd run of the battle of the 350Z. Nishida stalls at the 2nd clipping point. McQuarrie moves on.

Battle 2 in the Top 16. Ross Petty vs. Michael Essa. Essa leads and Petty goes really shallow but catches up through the midway point of the course. Run 2 Petty leads and Essa sticks close to Petty throughout the course. Great run by Essa. Essa moves on to the Great 8.

Battle 3 Joon Maeng vs. Tanner Foust. Foust leads and drops a smoke screen on pretty much everyone. Entry speed for Foust is 88.4 mph the fastest of the day. Run 2 Maeng leads and hits the wall, which straightens out Foust. Maeng loses a tire in the process. Judges deliberate if there was contact between the cars. Foust moves on to Great 8.

Battle 4. Kazu Hayashida vs. Patrick Mordaunt. Mordaunt with a great entry and clean run with Hayashida following behind. Run 2 has Hayashida leading Mordaunt. Hayashida is followed tightly by Mordaunt, but Mordaunt with a huge correction. Hayashida moves on.

Battle 5. Ueo vs Tuerck. Ueo leads and Tuerck is stuck to bumper literally and they HIT. Tuerck leaves the ground and “hops”. Ueo car needs a tow. Both cars limp off. Judge Tony Angelo explains that fault seems to go to Tuerck for going in really hot on the lead car. 5 min rule is in effect. Both cars are back to the start line. Tuerck leads and gets a good start and Ueo has a couple small corrections throughout the run. Judges call a OMT!!! Run 1 of OMT Ueo leads and Tuerck is aggressive on his rear bumper. Run 2. Tuerck leads and Ueo gives chase. Great run by both drivers, Ueo small correction…judges say OMT! OMT2 Run 1. Ueo leads Tueck at his door and has a small correction while attacking Ueo takes a shallow line. Run 2 Tuerck leads and great chase by Ueo. Tuerck with a mis-shift it seems like…and both cars come to a stop. Tuerck moves on to the Great 8.

Battle 6. Takatori vs. Forsberg. Forsberg leads and sticks to the wall all the way through the first half of the course. Takatori with a shallow line chasing. Run 2. Takatori leads and Forsberg chases and sticks to Takatori hanging with him. Chris Forsberg moves on to Great 8!

Battle 7. Pawlak vs. Gittin. Drift Alliance teammates do battle. Great run by both with Pawlak leading throughout and Gittin sticking right behind. Run 2. Gittin leads and Pawlak chases close behind. Gittin loses it after first clip and taps the wall and straightens out. Gittin with a flat tire. Pawlak advances.

Battle 8. Hubinette vs Miki. Hubinette leads and Miki right on his rear door throughout the course. Run 2. Miki leads Hubinette and Hubinette sticks to the door in the first entry sweeper and keeps up until the end of the run. Miki advances to Great 8!

Great 8 coming up…next blog post

First battle #1 qualifier Robbie Nishida vs. Casper Canul. Nishida proves why he earned the top qualifying position and moves on to the Top 16.

Battle 2 pits Ken Gushi vs. Tyler McQuarrie. Gushi sticks to McQuarrie’s bumper in 2nd run, but overshoots the last clipping point. Judges deliberate and decide on a One More Time.

OMT battle with Gushi and McQuarrie. 1st run Gushi leads and both lay an awesome line. Great run by both drivers. 2nd run Ken Gushi spins while applying pressure on McQuarrie. McQuarrie moves on.

Battle 3 Stephan Verdier vs. Ross Petty. Verdier lays down a great run and Petty does his best to follow. Petty leads Verdier. Verdier spins on initial entry and Petty continues to Top 16.

Battle 4 Michael Essa vs. Yasu Kondo. Essa lays down a good run in his RX-7. 2nd run Essa runs a shallow line, but sticks to Kondo’s bumper. Judges determine a One More Time.

Run 1 in the OMT. Essa leads with a huge gap on Kondo and runs way past Kondo. Kondo leads Essa in run 2 and Essa gives a close chase. Kondo spins. Essa moves on to Top 16.

Battle 5 Haraguchi vs. Maeng. Haruguchi with an aggressive entry and eventually spins, while Maeng continues to finish the course. Maeng with the advantage. Run 2 Maeng leads Haruguchi and Haruguchi sticks to the door of Maeng. Haruguchi goes shallow. Maeng advances to Top 16.

Battle 6 Eric O’Sullivan vs. Tanner Foust. Battle of the Rockstars. Awesome first run with Foust sticking to O’Sullivan’s bumper. 2nd run Foust leads and gets a small gap on O’Sullivan. Great run by both. Foust moves on.

Battle 7 Dai Yoshihara vs. Kazu Hayashida. Yoshihara goes hot on entry and crashes into tire wall. Hayashida finishes run.

Run 2 Yoshihara’s car is ok and he is ready to go. Good run by both. Hayashida moves on.

Battle 8 Mohan vs Mordaunt. Mordaunt sticks close to Mohan. Run 2 Mohan chases Mordaunt, Mohan gives a slight adjustment towards mid run. Judges can’t decide. OMT called.

Run 1 of the OMT. Mohan creates a big gap on Mordaunt through the course. Mordaunt catches up slightly at the end of the run. Run 2 amazing entry by Mordaunt and Mohan. Mohan loses his line. Judges deliberate and decide on a 2nd OMT as their is no decisive winner.

OMT2 Run 1 Mohan leads and gives a great entry, but Mordaunt gives a good chase. Mordaunt with a small hiccup mid run. 2nd run. Good run by both, but Mohan ran a shallow line. Mordaunt moves on.

Battle 9 Matt Powers vs K. Ueo. Ueo with a good run, but Powers gives a close chase. Powers with a correction. Run 2 Matt Powers with a good enty, but Ueo sticks to his door and shows the rookie his driving skill. The judges decide on a OMT.

OMT run 1 . Ueo creates a gap on Matt Powers. Powers makes a correction mid run. Run 2 of OMT Powers with a good initiation. Ueo sticks to his door by inches. Ueo moves on.

Battle 10 Ryan Tuerck vs. Taka Aono. Tuerck creates a large gap that can not be closed by the smaller AE86 Corolla of Aono. Run 2 Aono leads Tuerck sticks to the rear bumper, Aono with great angle and Tuerck stays on him. Tuerck moves on to the Top 16.

Battle 11. Takatori has a bye run and will advance as Carl Rydquist crashed last night during practice after Qualifying and failed to make it to the competition.

Battle 12. Forsberg vs. Sherman. Sherman with a correction. Forsberg with the advantage. Run 2 Sherman leads goes really wide, straightens out and Forsberg barely misses him. They both finish the run safely. Forsberg advances.

Battle 13. Justin Pawlak vs. Tony Brakiohiapa. Justin leads and gives a good run, while Tony B stays close. Run 2 great run, but Tony B spins on last clipping point and gives JTP the win.

Battle 14. Kenji Yamanaka vs. Vaughn Gittin. Yamanaka leads and Gittin sticks to Yamanaka realy close. Great run by both. Run 2 Gittin leads and Yamanaka returns the favor by sticking to his door. Gittin moves on.

Battle 15. Sam Hubinette vs. Alex Pffeifer. Sam leads and has great speed on his entry and creates a good gap on the entire course over the Corvette. Run 2 Sam chases and mimics Alex throughout the course. Sam moves on.

Battle 16. Tommy Suell vs. Ryuji Miki. Suell leads and both give a good run. Run 2 Ryuji Miki leads and creates a large gap on the Corolla. No clear winner…OMT.

OMT run 1 Suell leads Miki and Miki sticks to bumper of Suell. Run 2 of OMT huge lead by Miki. Suell goes wide, but Miki gives a correction. Judges want a clear winner again and it goes OMT.

OMT 2 run 1 Suell leads and Miki gives super close chase. Great initiation by Miki and scrubs the back wall with his bumper. Run 2 Miki creates a very large gap leading Suell. Miki advances.

halftime…check back around 9:30 (PST) for more LIVE updates.