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Formula DRIFT Round 5: Throwdown Results

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Formula DRIFT Round 5: Throwdown Results;
Fredric Aasbo Takes the Victory and the Lead in the Standings

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Long Beach, Calif. – July 25, 2015 – Formula DRIFT presented by GoPro returned to Evergreen Speedway for Round 5: Throwdown. Fredric Aasbo in the Rockstar Energy Drink / Hankook Scion tC takes the victory and lead in both the Pro Championship and World Championship standings.

Round 5: Throwdown provided plenty of on-track action and excitement for the capacity crowd at Evergreen Speedway. With shifting weather conditions, the drivers had to make constant adjustments throughout the weekend making for a technical competition. Over 330,000 fans tuned into the Driftstream over the weekend to see the action unfold.

“This was quite an event as we witnessed the consistency of Aasbo to take the victory and see the talents of a young driver in Alec Hohnadell to reach his first podium,” said Jim Liaw, President of Formula DRIFT. “This event saw a shakeup in the Pro Championship standings, which will be interesting to see how the rest of the season plays out.”

The semi-finals saw Alec Hohnadell in the 11 Racing Nissan S14 go against veteran Justin Pawlak in the Roush Performance / Car Crafters Ford Mustang. Hohnadell advanced to the Finals with both drivers receiving a double zero on the second run of their battle and having the advantage on the first run. Pat Goodin in the Enjuku Racing / Falken Tire Nissan S13 lost out to the consistent driving of Fredric Aasbo. Pawlak finished in third place with the higher qualifying position than Goodin. The rain began to pour into the Finals and Aasbo proved that he can handle the wet conditions taking his second consecutive victory and his third victory of the season. Aasbo moves into the top position in both the Pro Championship and World Championship standings. Hohnadell earned second place for his first career Pro Championship podium.

“What a wild rollercoaster of an event,” said Fredric Aasbo, winner of Round 5: Throwdown. “It was wet, it was dry, it was intermediate and I think growing up on the snowy, frozen lakes of Norway was a huge advantage. We kept it cool and ended up with the win and are exactly where we want to be leading the points championship.”

The 2015 Formula DRIFT season will continue to Round 6: Showdown on August 21-22 at Texas Motor Speedway. For more information visit: www.formuladrift.com and find Formula DRIFT on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Tune into Formula DRIFT on CBS Sports and check your local listings for airtimes.

 

Round 5: Throwdown Event Results

 
1. Aasbo, Fredric Rockstar Energy Drink / Hankook Scion tC Winner
2. Hohnadell, Alec 11 Racing Nissan S14 2nd Place
3. Pawlak, Justin Roush Performance / Car Crafters Ford Mustang 3rd Place
4. Goodin, Pat Enjuku Racing / Falken Tire Nissan S13 4th Place
5. Field, Matt CX Racing / Yokohama Nissan S14 5th Place
6. Saito, Daigo Achilles Radial Nissan GT-R 6th Place
7. McQuarrie, Tyler Mobile 1 / GoPro Chevrolet Camaro 7th Place
8. Gittin, Vaughn Monster Energy / Nitto Tire Ford Mustang RTR 8th Place
9. Moen, Kenny Bridges Racing / Achilles / Gatebil Nissan S14 9th Place
10. Gushi, Ken GReddy Racing / Hankook Tire Scion Racing FR-S 10th Place
11. Forsberg, Chris NOS Energy Drink / Hankook Tire Nissan 370Z 11th Place
12. Denofa, Chelsea BC Racing / Chelsea DeNofa Motorsports / GT Radial BMW 12th Place
13. Essa, Michael SLP Performance / Yokohama Tire Chevy Camaro 13th Place
14. Whiddett, Mike RedBull / Mobil 1 Mazda “Radbul” 14th Place
15. Coffman, Matt Coffman Racing Nissan S13 15th Place
16. Stoneback, Geoff Achilles Radial / Parts Shop Max / Enkei Nissan S14 16th Place
 

2015 Formula DRIFT Championship Presented by GoPro Top 3 Standings After Five Rounds

 
1. Aasbo, Fredric Rockstar Energy Drink / Hankook Scion tC 373.00 Points
2. Tuerck, Ryan Ryan Tuerck Racing / Retaks / Maxxis Scion FR-S 297.00 Points
3. Aurimas “Odi” Bakchis Feal Suspension / ARK Performance / Nitto Nissan 240SX 293.00 Points
 

Manufacturers Championship Standings After Five Rounds

 
1. Scion 785.00 Points
2. Nissan 417.00 Points
3. Ford 407.00 Points
4. Chevrolet 300.00 Points
5. Mazda 225.00 Points
6. Dodge 170.00 Points
7. Infiniti 159.00 Points
8. BMW 139.00 Points
9. Toyota 105.00 Points
 

Tire Championship Standings After Five Rounds

 
1. Hankook 751.00 Points
2. Nitto 516.00 Points
3. Achilles 510.00 Points
4. Falken 485.00 Points
5. Yokohama 447.00 Points
6. Maxxis 401.00 Points
7. GT Radial 266.00 Points

Formula DRIFT PRO 2 Evergreen Speedway Results

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Formula DRIFT PRO 2 Evergreen Speedway Results;
James Evans is Victorious

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Long Beach, Calif. – July 24, 2015 – Formula DRIFT PRO 2 continued the season at Evergreen Speedway for the second of four rounds of competition. James Evans in the Sikky Racing Nissan 350Z takes the victory.

PRO 2 continued to the Pacific Northwest at Evergreen Speedway for the second round of the 2015 season. The on-track conditions were demanding with many vehicles seeing damage through the course of the event.

“The level of competition in PRO 2 has created an exciting element to the event weekend,” says Jim Liaw, President of Formula DRIFT. “We are only half way through the PRO 2 season and it will be interesting to see how everything unfolds.”

Evans faced off with PRO 2 points leader, Alex Heilbrunn in the IMR BMW 3-Series, in the finals. On the first battle, Heilbrunn went into the wall and was unable to continue giving Evans his second consecutive victory at Evergreen Speedway. Evans moves into second place in the PRO 2 standings, while Heilbrunn maintains his top position. Faruk Kugay in the Bay Shore Supply / Limitless Motorsports Nissan S14 lands in third place for the event and moves into fourth place in the standings.

“It wasn’t the way I wanted to win out there, but I’ll take the win,” said James Evans, winner of Round 2 of 4 events of PRO 2 Championship. “It was a pretty tough battle to get to the finals, but it’s been a good weekend for us.”

The 2015 Formula DRIFT season will continue to Round 6: Showdown on August 21-22 at Texas Motor Speedway. For more information visit: www.formuladrift.com and find Formula DRIFT on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Tune into Formula DRIFT on CBS Sports and check your local listings for airtimes.

 

PRO 2 Round 2 of 4 – Evergreen Speedway Event Results

 
1. Evans, James Sikky Racing Nissan 350Z Winner
2. Heilbrunn, Alex IMR BMW 3-Series 2nd Place
3. Kugay, Faruk Bay Shore Supply / Limitless Motorsports Nissan S14 3rd Place
4. Hull, Taylor N/A 4th Place
5. Gray, Andy DriftEbisu.com / Achilles Tire Toyota Chaser 5th Place
6. Litteral, Ryan N/A 6th Place
7. Goble, Brody Indy Speed Shop V8 240SX 7th Place
8. Fournier, Ian N/A 8th Place
9. Wicknick, Brandon Chase Bays / RUN2JZ Nissan S13 9th Place
10. Moore, Cameron N/A 10th Place
 

2015 Formula DRIFT PRO 2 Top 3 Standings After Two Events

 
1. Heilbrunn, Alex IMR BMW 3-Series 194.00 Points
2. Evans, James Sikky Racing Nissan 350Z 143.00 Points
3. Gray, Andy DriftEbisu.com / Achilles Tire Toyota Chaser 137.00 Points

Formula DRIFT Round 7: Title Fight Tickets On-Sale, Monday, July 27th

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Formula DRIFT Round 7: Title Fight Tickets On-Sale, Monday, July 27th;
2015 Season Finale to be Held at Irwindale Speedway on October 9-10

Long Beach, Calif. – July 23, 2015 – Tickets for the final event of the 2015 Formula DRIFT Championship season go on sale, Monday, July 27. Round 7: Title Fight on October 9-10, 2015 will be held at Irwindale Speedway. VIP Experience ticket options are available.

The 2015 Formula DRIFT season will come to a close on October 9-10, 2015 at Irwindale Speedway, which may be the last event for the series at the “House of Drift,” as the venue may undergo demolition. For the past five seasons the event has sold out and early purchase is highly recommended. Tickets will go on sale Monday and will be available on www.formuladrift.com.

Reserved tickets are available in the main grandstand and trackside grandstand for Friday, Saturday, and Two-Day. New for this season is the option to purchase a Friday only ticket, which will accommodate more fans over the two days of action. VIP Experience tickets are also available and include a reserved seat ticket in either the main grandstand or trackside grandstand, VIP track walk during Saturday’sopening ceremonies, priority line for the driver autograph session held on Friday, express entrance and a collector’s edition credential. Additionally, the main grandstand sky box VIP suite is available to a limited 24 people that will include a seat in the sky box, food and drinks for both Friday and Saturday and the benefits of the VIP Experience.

“Irwindale Speedway has been the season finale since season one and has always been the biggest and most exciting competition all year” said Jim Liaw, president and co-founder of Formula DRIFT. “To ensure that fans do not miss out on the action and reserve the seat they want, we suggest fans to purchase their tickets early as it has been a sold-out event. The last event of the season has always been a remarkable experience with the chase for the championship coming to an end and a champion being crowned.”

Ticketing options include the following:

Main Grandstand Reserved Seating
– Friday Only Ticket
– Saturday Only Ticket
– Two-Day Ticket
– Includes assigned / reserved seat located in the main grandstand

VIP Experience Main Grandstand Reserved Seating
– Two-Day Ticket
– Includes assigned / reserved seat located in the main grandstand, VIP track walk during opening ceremonies, priority line for autograph signing (Friday), express entrance and collector’s edition credential.

Trackside Reserved Grandstand
– Saturday Only Ticket
– Two-Day Ticket
– Includes assigned / reserved seat located on in-field of track, private bathrooms and concessions

VIP Experience Trackside Reserved Grandstand
– Two-Day Ticket
– Includes assigned / reserved seat located on in-field of track, private bathrooms and concessions, VIP track walk during opening ceremonies, priority line for autograph signing (Friday), express entrance and collector’s edition credential.

2-Day Skybox VIP Suite (limited to 24)
– Two-Day Ticket
– Includes sky box seat in air-conditioned sky box above main grandstand, private bathroom, buffet dinner and drinks (Friday andSaturday), Driftstream live feed inside sky box, VIP track walk during opening ceremonies, priority line for autograph signing (Friday), express entrance and collector’s edition credential.

The championship chase continues into Round 5: Throwdown at Evergreen Speedway this weekend, July 24–25, 2015. For more information visit: www.formuladrift.com and find Formula DRIFT on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. For more information about the Irwindale Event Center visit: www.irwindaleeventcenter.com.

Formula DRIFT World Championship: Japan Round Results

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Formula DRIFT World Championship: Japan Round Results;
Masato Kawabata Wins at Fuji International Speedway

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Long Beach, Calif. – July 13, 2015 – Formula DRIFT Japan presented by G-Shock entered Fuji International Speedway for the 5th Round of the inaugural Formula DRIFT World Championship. Masato Kawabata in the Team Toyo Tires Drift/Trust Racing Nissan 35RX GTR takes the event victory and Aurimas “Odi” Bakchis leads the Formula Drift World Championship with a second place finish.

Formula DRIFT Japan at Fuji Speedway was the first world championship round outside of the U.S. The break in the rainy weather treated fans to a great display of international drifting competition as 63 drivers from 8 nations battled to be at the top of the podium. Almost 300,000 Livestream viewers joined the action and tuned in from around the world.

“Last November we took a bold step to launch the Formula DRIFT World Championship and this round officially kicks off which drivers will be eligible,” says Jim Liaw, President of Formula DRIFT. “Japan is the birthplace of drifting and it’s fitting to start the first international round where it all started.”

The event was challenging as many drivers who have never competed against each other matched up for the first time on this seemingly simple but very technical course. The semi-finals pitted Tadahiro Fukada in his RC-ART Dreamteam with Falken Toyota Mark II against Aurimas Bakchis in his ARK Performance / Feal Suspension / Nitto Tire Hyundai Genesis Coupe with Bakchis edging out Fukada to head into the finals. Number 1 qualifier Masato Kawabata in his Team Toyo Tire Drift / Trust Racing Nissan 35RX GTR defeated Masao Suenaga in his RE Amemiya Mazda RX-7 to face Bakchis in the finals. The final head-to-head battle between Bakchis and Kawabata came to an early end as Bakchis’s motor gave on the second run and was not able to maintain drift. This gave Kawabata his perfect weekend by qualifying 1st and winning the competition.

“It felt really good to compete and be successful against foreign drivers that I have never driven against before,” stated Masato Kawabata, winner for Formula DRIFT Japan. “I was provided with a great car that did not have any troubles all weekend and drove comfortably. I would love to compete more internationally. The world be ready, I am coming.”

The 2015 Formula DRIFT season will continue to Round 5: Throwdown on July 24-25, 2015 at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, WA. For more information visit: www.formuladrift.com and find Formula DRIFT on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Tune into Formula DRIFT on CBS Sports and check your local listings for airtimes.

 

Formula DRIFT Japan: Fuji International Speedway Event Results
1. Kawabata, Masato Team Toyo Tires Drift / Trust Racing Nissan 35RX GTR Winner
2. Bakchis, Aurimas “Odi” ARK Performance / Feal Suspension / Nitto Tire Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2nd Place
3. Fukada, Tadahiro RC-ART Dreamteam with Falken Toyota Mark II 3rd Place
 

2015 Formula DRIFT World Championship Standings After One Round
1. Aurimas “Odi” Bakchis ARK Performance / Feal Suspension / Nitto Tire Hyundai Genesis Coup 358.00 Points
2. Aasbo, Fredric RS-R Japan / Toyota GT86 NZ6 320.00 Points
3. Field, Matt Drift Cave Motorsports / Toyota Chaser JZX100 210.00 Points
4. Yokoi, Masashi D-MAX Racing with Yokohama / Nissan Silvia S15 187.00 Points
5. Kearney, Dean Oracle Lighting / Achilles Motorsports / Nissan 180SX S13 153.00 Points
6. Saito, Daigo Fat Five Racing / Lexus SC430 139.00 Points
7. Nishida, Robbie Team FNATZ x LB Works with ATR Radial / Nissan Skyline GTR 125.00 Points
8. Ng, Charles SoGun Motorsports / Mitsubishi Evo 122.00 Points
9. Whiddett, Mike Team Magic / Mazda RX7 FD3S 72.00 Points

Formula DRIFT Round 4 The Gauntlet Results

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Formula DRIFT Round 4 The Gauntlet Results;
Fredric Aasbo is Victorious

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Long Beach, Calif. – June 28, 2015 – Formula DRIFT presented by GoPro returned to Wall Speedway in Wall Township, New Jersey for Round 4: The Gauntlet. Fredric Aasbo in the Rockstar Energy Drink / Hankook Scion tC takes the victory and moves into third place in the standings.

Round 4: The Gauntlet saw challenging conditions due to the inclement weather. The varying dry and wet conditions on the track through the event created an additional element that the drivers had to overcome in order to advance through the rounds of competition. The action was competitive with many close battles. 300,000 fans tuned in through the event weekend on the Driftstream.

“As we approach the halfway point of the season we are in the tightest race for the championship with only 7 points separating the top three drivers,” said Jim Liaw, President of Formula DRIFT. “With only three events remaining in the season, the championship is still up for grabs. We expect the championship to come down to the wire in one of the most exciting seasons to date.”

The semi-finals saw Ryan Tuerck in the Retaks / Maxxis / Nameless Performance Scion FR-S battle it out against Dean Kearney in the Oracle Lighting / Achilles Motorsports Dodge Viper. Kearney edged out Tuerck to advance to the Finals. Fredric Aasbo faced off against Masashi Yokoi and after a close battle, Aasbo took the victory to face Kearney. Consistency in the wet condition proved to be the deciding factor for Aasbo as he was able to take his second consecutive victory at Wall Speedway moving into third place in the chase for the championship only 7 points behind the leader. Tuerck with his third place finish rises to the top of the standings by a mere point over Aurimas Bakchis in second place.

“What an amazing win! We are back in the hunt for the championship and I couldn’t be happier,” said Fredric Aasbo, winner of Round 4: The Gauntlet. “Big thanks to Rockstar Energy Drink, Scion Racing, and of course Hankook Tire on their home turf. I think we were able to prove our extreme prowess in the rain.”

The 2015 Formula DRIFT season will continue to Round 5: Throwdown on July 24-25, 2015 at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, WA. For more information visit: www.formuladrift.com and find Formula DRIFT on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Tune into Formula DRIFT on CBS Sports and check your local listings for airtimes.

Round 4: The Gauntlet Event Results

1. Aasbo, Fredric Rockstar Energy Drink / Hankook Scion tC Winner
2. Kearney, Dean Oracle Lighting / Achilles Motorsports Dodge Viper 2nd Place
3. Tuerck, Ryan Ryan Tuerck Racing / Retaks / Maxxis Scion FR-S 3rd Place
4. Yokoi, Masashi D-Max Nissan S15 4th Place
5. Gushi, Ken GReddy Racing / Hankook Tire Scion Racing FR-S 5th Place
6. Denofa, Chelsea BC Racing Chelsea DeNofa Motorsports GT Radial BMW 6th Place
7. Bakchis, Aurimas Feal Suspension / ARK Performance / Nitto Nissan 240SX 7th Place
8. Wang, Forrest Get Nuts Lab Nissan S15 8th Place
9. Pawlak, Justin Roush Performance / Car Crafters Ford Mustang 9th Place
10. Goodin, Pat Enjuku Racing / Falken Tire Nissan S13 10th Place
11. Moen, Kenny Bridges Racing / Achilles / Gatebil Nissan S14 11th Place
12. Forsberg, Chris NOS Energy Drink / Hankook Tire Nissan 370Z 12th Place
13. Mordaunt, Pat DriftPaddock.com / Falken Tire Nissan 350Z 13th Place
14. Castro, Jhonnattan E3 / Hankook / Progreso Nissan 370Z 14th Place
15. Field, Matt CX Racing / Yokohama Nissan S14 15th Place
16. Saito, Daigo Achilles Radial Nissan GT-R 16th Place
2015 Formula DRIFT Championship Presented by GoPro Top 3 Standings After Four Rounds
1. Tuerck, Ryan Ryan Tuerck Racing / Retaks / Maxxis Scion FR-S 275.00 Points
2. Aurimas “Odi” Bakchis Feal Suspension / ARK Performance / Nitto Nissan 240SX 274.00 Points
3. Aasbo, Fredric Rockstar Energy Drink / Hankook Scion tC 268.00 Points

Manufacturers Championship Standings After Four Rounds

1. Scion 644.00 Points
2. Nissan 331.00 Points
3. Ford 290.00 Points
4. Chevrolet 215.00 Points
5. Dodge 152.00 Points
6. Mazda 143.00 Points
7. Infiniti 140.00 Points
8. Toyota 105.00 Points
9. BMW 104.00 Points

Tire Championship Standings After Four Rounds

1. Hankook 610.00 Points
2. Nitto 432.00 Points
3. Achilles 390.00 Points
4. Maxxis 360.00 Points
4. Yokohama 360.00 Points
6. Falken 351.00 Points
7. GT Radial 213.00 Points