Category: Behind The Scenes

Behind the Scenes – Life of FD Staff

Deane x Więcek: One Step Closer by Speedhunters

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The speed at which the 2017 Formula Drift season is passing, is frightening. It feels like only a couple of weeks ago that James Deane and Piotr Więcek shared their plan to compete a full FD campaign in 2017, but in reality, it was 10 months back. By the time the Irwindale final comes around in October, it will have been over a year since the decision was made.

From the outside, expectations have been high for the newest team in the paddock. In particular, expectations for what James would achieve in his first season have been astronomical. It hasn’t been quite that straight-forward, but what the Worthouse Drift Team have achieved in what has only ever been intended as a learning year, has far exceeded even their own expectations.

2017 Formula Drift Seattle Speedhunters Worthouse by Paddy McGrath-1

When I caught up with the team in Monroe last week, James was narrowly leading the points standings with Piotr being miles ahead of his nearest rival for Rookie of the Year honours.

2017 Formula Drift Seattle Speedhunters Worthouse by Paddy McGrath-2

The cars had been transported from the previous round in Montreal, all the way back to the Bridges Racing workshop in Huntington Beach, California, before making the long drive north along PCH to Washington state. While at Bridges, both cars were checked over, and in Piotr’s case, repaired after his run in with the wall at the Autodrome St-Eustache.

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Things Heat Up At Formula Drift Seattle By What Monsters Do

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Essa BMW

The 2017 Formula Drift season is now well on the later half of the championship now that Round 6 in Seattle has concluded. For 11 years FD has been visiting Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Washington. Sitting Just outside of Seattle, it is by far one of the favorites on the series schedule, given it has not only a high speed bank after the initiation zone, but allows for several dramatic zones as the course wraps up. Evergreen Speedway already had smoke in the air from the nearby wildfires, and Round 6 surely wasn’t about to help the situation. Odi Bakchis won Seattle last year, would he repeat in front of the packed house? Let’s recap and find out.

Aasbo Toyota Seattle

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In The Moment: Throwdown For The Title Article by Speedhunters

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A championship isn’t won in the final rounds, but it most certainly can be lost.

We’ve just wrapped Thursday practice at the sixth round of the 2017 Formula Drift championship at Evergreen Speedway, north of Seattle. Going into this event, the title race is still technically wide open, but I think that in reality, there are three main contenders.

2017 FD06 - Thursday Practice Gallery by Paddy McGrath-6

 

At the top of the standings, in his first full Formula Drift season, is James Deane. With two wins so far in 2017, Deane has been top of the points standings since round three at Atlanta. It’s more than he ever could have dreamed of, considering that this year was intended as a recce year for the Worthouse Drift Team.

2017 FD06 - Thursday Practice Gallery by Paddy McGrath-14

 

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Formula DRIFT Round 6: Throwdown Results

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Formula DRIFT Round 6: Throwdown Results;

James Deane Continues His Winning Ways

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FD-RD6-Final-600

Long Beach, Calif. – August 5, 2017 – Formula DRIFT Black Magic Pro Championship presented by BlackVue Dash Cameras returned to Evergreen Speedway for the Round 6: Autozone Throwdown. Points leader James Deane once again finishes on top of the podium to increase his lead in the Pro Championship standings.

Round 6: Autozone Throwdown was a highly competitive event that sets up a two-way battle for the championship between Deane and former Formula DRIFT champion, Fredric Aasbo with only two events remaining in the season. The capacity crowd was kept entertained throughout the event weekend, while the Livestream drew over 1 million views over the course of the weekend.

“Year in and year out the fans in the Pacific Northwest have proven to be some of the most diehard drifting fans out there,” said Jim Liaw, President of Formula DRIFT. “This event truly showcased what drifting is all about with the drivers putting on one amazing show for the fans.

In the Top 4, number one qualifier and current points leader, James Deane in the Worthouse Drift Team / Falken Tire Nissan 240 faced off against former champion Dai Yoshihara in the Falken Tire / Turn 14 Distribution Subaru BRZ. It was a hard fought battle, but Deane was able to take advantage of an error by Yoshihara to move into the Finals. On the other side of the Top 4 bracket, former champion Fredric Aasbo in the Rockstar Energy / Nexen Tire Toyota Corolla iM faced Aurimas “Odi” Bakchis in the Falken Tires / Drifz Wheels / ARK Performance Nissan 240SX. Aasbo edged out his opponent to face the current points leader in a battle that could effect the rest of the season. Both drivers put it all on the line with the first battle too close to call forcing the judges to call a One More Time. The final battle was also very close, but after deliberation Deane was able to earn the victory to increase his points lead on Aasbo with only two events remaining.

“This was the toughest event so far this year for me,” said James Deane, winner of Round 6: Throwdown. “This track was really challenging, but somehow the stars aligned and we managed to qualify first and go against my teammate Piotr Wiecek, Dai Yoshihara, and finally Fredric Aasbo, who is really fast and doesn’t make mistakes and really is like a robot. I just had to give it every everything I got and it worked out, but I was dancing with the devil.”

The action continues to Round 7: Showdown at Texas Motor Speedway on September 8-9. For more information visit, www.formulad.com and find Formula DRIFT on Instagram @formulad, Facebook www.facebook.com/formuladrift, Twitter @FormulaDrift, and Snapchat – formula_drift. Tune into Formula DRIFT on CBS Sports and check your local listings for airtimes.

Round 6: Throwdown Results

1. Deane, James

Worthouse Drift Team / Falken Tire Nissan 240

Winner

2. Aasbo, Fredric

Rockstar Energy / Nexen Tire Toyota Corolla iM

2nd Place

3. Bakchis, Aurimas “Odi”

Falken Tires / Drifz Wheels / ARK Performance Nissan 240SX

3rd Place

4. Yoshihara, Dai

Falken Tire / Turn 14 Distribution Subaru BRZ

4th Place

5. Wiecek, Piotr

Worthouse Drift Team / Falken Tire Nissan 240

5th Place

6. Denofa, Chelsea

BC Racing / Nitto Tire Ford Mustang RTR

6th Place

7. Coffman, Matt

Nexen Tire / Coffman Racing Nissan 240

7th Place

8. Pawlak, Justin

Roush Performance Ford Mustang

8th Place

9. Tuerck, Ryan

Gumout / Nameless Performance / Hankook Toyota 86

9th Place

10. Essa, Michael

Achilles Tire / Essa Autosport BMW E46

10th Place

11. Bluss, Kristaps

HGK / Mast / Motul / Wisefab BMW E46

11th Place

12. Gittin, Vaughn

Monster Energy / Nitto Tire Ford Mustang RTR

12th Place

13. Heilbrunn, Alex

Monster BMW E46

13th Place

14. Burkett, Dan

RAD Industries / Nexen Tire Toyota Supra

14th Place

15. Moore, Cameron

Nameless Performance / BN Sports / Nexen Tire GT86

15th Place

16. Castro, Jhonnattan

Gerdau Metaldom / Nexen Toyota GT86

16th Place

2017 Formula DRIFT Black Magic Championship Presented by BlackVue Standings After 6 Events

1. Deane, James

Worthouse Drift Team / Falken Tire Nissan 240

475.00 Points

2. Aasbo, Fredric

Rockstar Energy / Nexen Tire Toyota Corolla iM

418.00 Points

3. Bluss, Kristaps

HGK / Mast / Motul / Wisefab BMW E46

329.00 Points

2017 Manufacturer Championship Standings After 6 Events

1. Toyota

718.00 Points

2. Ford

530.00 Points

3. BMW

295.00 Points

4. Dodge

257.00 Points

5. Nissan

192.00 Points

6. Infiniti

138.00 Points

2017 Tire Championship Standings After 6 Events

1. Falken

889.00 Points

2. Nexen

773.00 Points

3. Achilles

735.00 Points

4. Nitto

562.00 Points

5. Hankook

526.00 Points