Formula DRIFT Round 2 took place yesterday at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. The PROSPEC drive took the track running through the bracket of 32 drivers to decide the event’s winner. The Formula DRIFT course at Road Atlanta has a unique uphill/downhill layout that sees the drivers start and finish at Turn 9.
RESULTS FROM FD PROSPEC ROUND 1
1. Rudy Hansen (USA) – Track Tires / Super Charged Nissan 240SX S13
2. Ben Hobson (USA) – Pedal Commander / Feal Suspension / Koruworks / Motegi Racing Nissan S14
3. Alex Jagger (USA) – Forsberg Racing / NOS Energy Drink Nissan Z
All three drivers on the podium joined the FD PROSPEC Championship in 2021. After qualifying seventh, Hansen claimed his first PROSPEC win with a powerful performance throughout his heats.
Second place driver Ben Hobson was in the number one spot for qualifying. He missed out on the Round 1 victory after the judges ruled against him on a split decision. FD ATL was his second podium finish after his first finishing second at FD Orlando in 2022. Jagger’s third place represents his best finish to date. He qualified 11th on the weekend. View the Top 16 knockout stage for PROSPEC courtesy of Formula DRIFT below.
ROUND 1 FD PROSPEC TOP 16 DRIVER POINTS & CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
| POSITION | DRIVER | POINTS |
| 1 | Rudy Hansen | 100 |
| 2 | Ben Hobson | 91 |
| 3 | Alex Jagger | 76 |
| 4 | Jack Davis | 64 |
| 5 | Jayden Martorana | 49 |
| 6 | Connor O’Sullivan | 48 |
| 7 | Austin Matta | 48 |
| 8 | Nate Chen | 47 |
| 9 | Faruk Kugay | 32 |
| 10 | Cody Buchanan | 32 |
| 11 | Margaritis Katsanidis | 32 |
| 12 | Derek Madison | 32 |
| 13 | Dustin Miles | 32 |
| 14 | Justin Chesnutt | 32 |
| 15 | Matthew Bystrak | 29 |
| 16 | Blake Olsen | 29 |
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The Formula Drift Championship landed at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta in Braselton, GA to start this weekend off for Round 2 of the season. The Formula DRIFT Championship at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta takes place at Turn 10 where drivers navigate elevation changes and tight corners. 32 drivers made the show and tomorrow they will follow a bracket elimination style competition until a winner is crowned.
The 2023 scoring procedure involves three judges to assess line, angle and style, allotting up to 90 points each, with an additional 10 points awarded for the “X factor.” The points awarded are an average of all three judges’ scores. Today qualifying took place for the PRO and PROSPEC classes. After their second runs, the eliminated drivers were Alex Holovnia (Ukraine), Joao Barion (Brazil) and Ryan Litteral (USA). The top 3 finishers in each class were as follows:
RESULTS FROM FD PRO QUALIFYING
1. Vaughn Gittin Jr (USA) – Monster Energy Ford Mustang RTR Spec 5-FD
2. Forrest Wang (USA) – Yellowspeed / NRG Nissan S15
3. Aurimas Bakchis (Lithuania) – Feal Suspension / GT Radial Nissan S15
RESULTS FROM FD PROSPEC QUALIFYING
1. Ben Hobson (USA) – Pedal Commander / Feal Suspension / Koruworks / Motegi Racing Nissan S14
2. Nate Chen (USA) – NCR Toyota 86
3. Jayden Martorana (Canada) – Empire Auto C6 Corvette
Full PRO Atlanta Bracket
Full PROSPEC Atlanta Bracket
About Formula Drift
Formula DRIFT is recognized as the leading international drifting championship. Established on the streets of Japan, drifting has evolved into a worldwide competitive sport that challenges the driver’s skill while demanding a great deal from their vehicle in terms of power and strength. Formula DRIFT provides a series for the best professional drifters from around the globe to compete for the coveted title of Formula DRIFT Champion. As the first official drifting series in North America, Formula DRIFT has taken competitive motorsports to the extreme, attracting drift fans and car enthusiasts from all walks of life, and established itself as the global leader for the sport. For a competition schedule, ticket information, special content and livestream, please visit formulad.com
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Formula DRIFT kicked off its 20th Anniversary season this past weekend. The opening round was the first time the new 2023 rules and judging criteria for were used in a live competition. Additionally, prize money has been increased for 2023 season; offering the drivers more incentives to compete.
In an effort to speed up qualifying and competition heats, Formula DRIFT introduced a number of changes to the judging system. Aside from a three judge format where the final score is average between the three. Scoring also now included an “X factor” score to recognize the drivers who push the limits beyond others in the field. The judges also have access access to additional information, including new light systems in every car that indicate acceleration or deceleration, as well as access to in-car telemetry to really understand what the driver was doing. This will help judges determine when brake and throttle is applied which can offer inside into turn angle and turn initiation complexity.
Photo by Larry Chen32 drivers entered the competition and per the knockout qualifying format (KQF) rules the bottom 8 in qualifying would need to complete a second qualifying session. Drivers relegated to KQF included Mike Power (USA), Nick Noback (USA), Robert Thorne (USA), Matt Field (USA), Jonathan Hurst (USA), Adam LZ (USA), Kyle Mohan (USA) and Joao Barion (Brazil). These drivers had the lowest scores or an incomplete qualifying run. Both Mohan and Barion failed to complete their second runs resulting in them not qualifying.
After James Deane’s qualifying run in his AutoZone Ford Mustang RTR Spec 5-FD scored 92.66 points out of a possible 100. Ryan Tuerck executed an astonishing run that saw him tap the rear bumper of the Rain-X / Nitto Tire / Rockstar Energy Toyota GR Corolla against each Outside Zone. Tuerck received 98.33 points, including a perfect X-factor score. Because two drivers failed to qualifying Tuerck and Deane received first round byes.
Competition
Round winner Matt Field qualified in 27th place after being relegated to the KQF session. Despite this he was able to qualify and comeback and win the overall competition. Field sated, “The gameplan for Long Beach was to just show up. Media Day, test sessions, practice: just show up. Pushing hard at 100% is super-difficult but I spent the entire off-season building a new car and trying to build a team for instances where you have very little time to repair the car.”
He continued by saying, “I’ve been waiting for this win for so long. Long Beach is my absolute favorite track and finally we showed up when it mattered and got the win. I had to rise to the occasion, forget about the mistakes and focus on reaching the podium. After the wreck, the boys absolutely killed it, which is why you need a great team. They got us on the top step of the podium.”
Photo by Larry Chen / Formulad.comWords from the President
After the podium celebrations Formula DRIFT President, Ryan Sage stated : “This was an incredible kick off to the 20th Anniversary in front of a sold-out crowd of our amazing fans who stayed to the very end. And they saw a fascinating story unfold with Matt Field who was among the drivers who really felt the loss of their former tire partner. But he turned it around, found a new tire supplier and title sponsor and was able to arrive seemingly without skipping a beat.”
He contiued, “Despite qualifying horribly, he was able to fight through an incredibly tough bracket to reach the Final against Rome, who had looked phenomenal all day. And with Matt, Rome, Fredric and Jonathan in the top 4 places, we have old and new faces battling each other in what’s shaping up to be a tremendous season. We can’t wait to see what happens at Road Atlanta next month when the PRO and PROSPEC teams take to the track!”
Top 16 Finishers & Championship Points
| POSITION | DRIVER | POINTS |
| 1 | Matt Field | 100 |
| 2 | Rome Charpentier | 88 |
| 3 | Fredric Aasbo | 76 |
| 4 | Jonathan Hurst | 64 |
| 5 | Ryan Tuerck | 54 |
| 6 | James Deane | 52 |
| 7 | Chelsea DeNofa | 50 |
| 8 | Forrest Wang | 48 |
| 9 | Alec Robbins | 32 |
| 10 | Dan Stuke | 32 |
| 11 | Jhonnattan Castro | 32 |
| 12 | Simen Olsen | 32 |
| 13 | Kenshiro Gushi | 32 |
| 14 | Dean Kearney | 32 |
| 15 | Trenton Beechum | 32 |
| 16 | Taylor Hull | 32 |
Auto Cup Top 5 and Points Standings
| Chevrolet | 132 |
| Toyota | 127 |
| Ford | 99 |
| Dodge | 32 |
| Nissan | 16 |
Tire Cup Standings
| Vitour Tire | 152 |
| GT Radial | 132 |
| Nitto Tire | 127 |
| Kenda Tire | 80 |
| Nexen Tire | 64 |
Photo by Larry Chen / Formulad.comNext Round
Drift Atlanta presented by Bud Light at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta will host the Formula DRIFT PRO Championship Round 2: TYPE S Road to the Championship presented by AutoZone on May 11-13. Please visit formulad.com for the competition schedule, ticket information, driver profiles, special content, and the event livestream.
About Formula Drift
Formula DRIFT is recognized as the leading international drifting championship. Established on the streets of Japan, drifting has evolved into a worldwide competitive sport that challenges the driver’s skill while demanding a great deal from their vehicle in terms of power and strength. Formula DRIFT provides a series for the best professional drifters from around the globe to compete for the coveted title of Formula DRIFT Champion. As the first official drifting series in North America, Formula DRIFT has taken competitive motorsports to the extreme, attracting drift fans and car enthusiasts from all walks of life, and established itself as the global leader for the sport. For a competition schedule, ticket information, special content and livestream, please visit formulad.com
It was a clear and sunny day in Long Beach, CA this afternoon as the 2023 Formula Drift season kicked off. This year is the 20th anniversary of the Formula DRIFT series. This season opener also marked the start of some new rule changes to the series: Formula DRIFT Rule Changes. 32 drivers entered Round 1. However, as the drivers pushed the limits of the course some drivers found their limit.
The knockout qualifying format was utilized to set the competition bracket for Saturday. Knockout Qualifying Format requires the bottom eight qualifiers to run a second time. This includes anybody who failed to score on their first run. With 32 drivers competing for 32 competition places, nobody would be eliminated from competition if they successfully completed one run. Due to early contact with the track limits and/or not finishing runs the follow drivers were relegated to KQF: Mike Power (USA), Nick Noback (USA), Robert Thorne (USA), Matt Field (USA), Jonathan Hurst (USA), Adam LZ (USA), Kyle Mohan (USA) and Joao Barion (Brazil)
Photo by Larry Chen Courtesy of Formulad.comAll 8 drivers were required to make a second run to qualify for the main competition. Six made the cut but Barion and Mohan did not complete a clean run and were eliminated form the main competition. You can check out the qualifying coverage here:
Formula DRIFT #FDLB 2023 – PRO, Round 1 – Knockout Qualifying
The top three drivers:
1. Ryan Tuerck (USA) – Rain-X / Nitto Tire / Rockstar Energy Toyota GR Corolla; Score: 98.33
2. James Deane (Ireland) – AutoZone Ford Mustang RTR Spec 5-FD; Score: 92.66
3. Chelsea DeNofa (USA) – Pennzoil / BC Racing Ford Mustang RTR Spec 5-FD; Score: 92.00
Reigning and 3 time champion Fredric Aasbo was only able to manage a 7th place finish in qualifying. Aasbo had a few miscues on the main racing line. He also received some point deductions for not maintaining exit angle after the the first half of the course.
Qualifying results were as follows:
Round 1 Bracket Provided by Formulad.comYou can catch tomorrow’s action here: FormulaDRIFT Live Stream at 10:30am PST
ABOUT FORMULA DRIFT
Formula DRIFT is recognized as the leading international drifting championship. Established on the streets of Japan, drifting has evolved into a worldwide competitive sport that challenges the driver’s skill while demanding a great deal from their vehicle in terms of power and strength. Formula DRIFT provides a series for the best professional drifters from around the globe to compete for the coveted title of Formula DRIFT Champion. As the first official drifting series in North America, Formula DRIFT has taken competitive motorsports to the extreme, attracting drift fans and car enthusiasts from all walks of life, and established itself as the global leader for the sport. For a competition schedule, ticket information, special content and livestream, please visit formulad.com
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Press Release from Formulad.com. This article was not authored by Speed Trap Magazine Staff.
Big things are happening at ENEOS in 2023. As Japan’s largest oil company, supplier of motor oil and transmission fluids to the majority of Asian vehicle manufacturers, and producer of specialized fluids for Electric Vehicles, the company is embarking on a full drift program that not only encompasses both the Formula DRIFT PRO and PROSPEC championships, but will also incorporate events such as Gridlife and a return to the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb for good measure!
Taking a major step forward in its motorsports program, ENEOS has created a talented team for 2023 that includes six experienced drivers competing at every level, from grassroots to series Champions.
2023 TEAM ENEOS:
- Fredric Aasbo
- Aurimas “Odi” Bakchis
- Ben Hobson
- Faruk Kugay
- Rich Whiteman
- Dai Yoshihara
DAI YOSHIHARA
Among the team members is fan favorite Daijiro Yoshihara who not only worked at a Japanese ENEOS gas station in his youth but was a founding member of Team ENEOS back in 2017. Although the 2011 Formula DRIFT Champion retired from the series at the end of the 2021 season, he has continued to be a valued ENEOS ambassador. Among his 2022 highlights, Dai recorded the fastest EV run at Pikes Peak in the Turn 14 Distribution / Yokohama Tire / ENEOS / Evasive Motorsports Tesla Model 3, which placed him ninth overall. And in 2023, Dai will return to the hill climb with a new car and attempt to repeat his Unlimited Class win he claimed in 2020 in the Evasive Motorsports / Turn 14 Distribution / ENEOS 2JZ-powered Toyota 86.
Additionally, ENEOS will be supporting the 2023 “Ride with Dai” program, where drift fans are able to purchase or win a seat alongside the former Champion in his modified FD PRO competition Subaru BRZ. The Japanese driver will also be embarking on a season in the TC America racing series, with the first race already under his belt.
FREDRIC AASBO
With Dai’s departure from Formula DRIFT, ENEOS entered into negotiations with Papadakis Racing to support three-time and reigning Formula DRIFT Champion, Fredric Aasbo. As a result, the Norwegian driver joined Team ENEOS in 2022 and won his most recent title in the Rockstar Energy Toyota GR Supra, lubricated by ENEOS engine and gear oils.
Accumulating FD PRO Championships in 2015, 2021 and 2022, Fredric joined an elite club of drivers with three titles. The two other drivers include Chris Forsberg and James Deane, with only the Irishman winning three in a row. However, if Aasbo claims the 2023 title, he would match Deane’s feat while simultaneously becoming the first four-time Champion in the history of the sport, which would be especially coveted as the series celebrates its 20th Anniversary this year.
With relatively few major changes planned for the car, Fredric hopes to continue his scintillating 2022 form at the opening round in Long Beach on April 7-8. However, he’ll face a new challenger with the return of Deane after a three-year hiatus, in addition to the existing drivers who made Fredric fight for every point last year.
ODI BAKCHIS
One of Aasbo’s main rivals throughout his FD career has been Aurimas “Odi” Bakchis. The Lithuanian driver has been an incredibly strong, consistent contender since he joined the series in 2011. Throughout that time, Odi has been a regular in the top ten standings, finishing third in the Championship in both 2019 and 2021. In the process, Odi has accumulated numerous podium finishes and is always an imminent threat to win his first Championship title.
For 2023, Odi will be running ENEOS motor and gear oils in his Feal Suspension Nissan S15, which has been fully rebuilt during the off-season to prepare for a major title assault. New for the season will be a switch to GT Radial tires, which his 1000hp Vortech-supercharged 7.0-liter Texas Speed LSR engine with Holley management will certainly put to the test. Odi channels the power through a G-Force GSR transmission with ACT twin-plate clutch and Winter’s quick-change diff. Using Wisefab arms and uprights, Odi fitted his own Feal Suspension 443 drift-spec coilover kit and adjustable bump stops. Dressed in new, lightweight glass fiber and carbon fiber bodywork from Seibon and 2F Performance, the car will sport a brand new Feal Suspension / ENEOS livery for maximum impact throughout the season.
Odi Bakchis; Photo Courtesy of Formulad.comBEN HOBSON
Joining Odi at both Team Feal and Team ENEOS is Ben Hobson, who will be mounting a renewed effort in the Formula DRIFT PROSPEC Championship in 2023. After an explosive rookie year in 2021, Ben placed tenth overall and repeated the feat in 2022. However, he’s stepping things up this year with the Pedal Commander / Feal Suspension Nissan S14 built by Team Feal.
In a match made in heaven, both Ben and Odi started their racing careers on two wheels and will be attacking the PRO and PROSPEC titles in almost identical cars shod with GT Radial tires. Ben’s car is a Nissan S14 fitted with the same 7.0L Texas Speed LSR racing engine, although PROSPEC regulations require it to use a Link ECU. However, the car also has the same G-Force transmission, diff, bodywork, Feal 443 drift suspension and more. It will also use the same ENEOS engine and gear oil to significantly reduce wear and offer a small but valuable power advantage.
FARUK KUGAY
The fifth member of Team ENEOS, Faruk has been a crucial component for several years, using ENEOS motor and gear oil both in drift competition and a string of SEMA projects cars he’s built for the Japanese company.
Born in Poland, Faruk started drifting in 2002, organized his own drift events in Europe from 2007 where he also announced, judged and even taught drifting to other enthusiasts. Returning to the California Bay Area in 2012, Faruk dedicated himself to professional competition, earning his Formula DRIFT PRO2 (PROSPEC) license in 2015 and unlocking his PRO license the next year. After completing the 2020 PRO season, Faruk took a sabbatical but is returning to the PROSPEC Championship for 2023 with ENEOS Motor Oil to reignite his ambitions in his “de-tuned” PRO Championship ENEOS / Pedal Commander Nissan S15 with its 900hp 2JZ engine swap.
Outside of FD, Faruk has hosted Sonoma Drift events on Wednesday nights at Sonoma Raceway since 2014 and also organizes the annual Winter Jam drift event. And when he’s not traveling for competitions, you’ll find Faruk at his shop DEVSPEED, located at Sonoma Raceway. This is where he has created a series of SEMA show cars for ENEOS, including an E30 BMW with Honda F20C S2000 engine swap in 2021 and a Porsche 911 GT3 with Subaru STI engine swap in 2022. Plans are already underway for SEMA 2023, so be sure to check out the ENEOS website and social media channels to discover his next incredible creation.
RICH WHITEMAN
The sixth member of Team ENEOS has decided to take a step back from his FD PROSPEC program in 2023. He joined the series in 2021 with an impressive history of claiming podiums in under-powered cars. He continued to find success, placing 11th and 12th overall in the 2021 and 2022 season, respectively. However, Rich has chosen to take a break from FD this year to focus on refining both his 1000hp Toyota JZX100 and his skills.
He plans to return to the series once he’s fine-tuned everything by attending grassroots events such as Gridlife, HyperFest, Final Bout, Super D, LZ Invitationals, and several other pro-am competition series throughout the year. In this role, Rich will continue to be another crucial member of Team ENEOS as he demonstrates the superior engine and transmission protection provided by ENEOS engine and gear oils in a number of vehicles, including his SR20DET-powered Nissan PS13 and his JZX100.
OPENING ROUNDS
The opening round of the 2023 Formula DRIFT PRO Championship takes place at Streets of Long Beach on April 7-8. This is where Fredric and Odi will have their first opportunity to represent Team ENEOS and begin the title chase; with Fredric aiming to claim his fourth Championship or Odi to achieve his first.
On May 11-13, Formula DRIFT moves to Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta for the first round of the PROSPEC Championship, giving Ben and Faruk a chance to wave the flag for ENEOS and size up their competition. The event will also host Round 2 for the FD PRO teams and bring four members of our team together. Please visit formulad.com for the competition schedule and the free-to-view event livestream.
Prior to the Formula DRIFT kick off, Dai completed his first TC America race weekend, which took place on March 30 – April 2 at Sonoma Raceway. After qualifying on pole for his first race and leading from the start, Dai was sidelined with transmission problems. And with the team unable to make repairs, he didn’t compete in race two. Dai will now focus on rounds three and four at NOLA Motorsports Park on 28-30 April.
For Rich, the first event with his FD PROSPEC JZX100 will be Hyperfest on May 19-21 at Virginia International Raceway.
Please visit eneos.us for more information about Team ENEOS, as well as the latest engine and gear oils as well as where to purchase.
Photo Courtesy of Fomrulad.comSOCIAL MEDIA
Fans can follow Team ENEOS at the following links:
ABOUT ENEOS
Established in 1888 and headquartered in Tokyo, ENEOS is Japan’s largest oil company, with manufacturing and sales facilities throughout the world. With a unique position in its home market, ENEOS has worked with Asia’s automakers and leading race teams for decades, creating advanced lubricants with their vehicle engineers to provide optimum fuel economy with maximum power and long-term protection. ENEOS also recently announced a new line of products for future electric vehicle applications, helping to ensure the newest EV technology is operating as efficiently as possible. For more information, please visit eneos.us
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Formula DRIFT kicks of the 2023 season this weekend in long beach California. The will be the 20th anniversary for the series that started as an enthusiasts event and grew into one of the biggest national racing event series in the United States. The Streets of Long Beach competition will take place April 7-8th 2023 on the streets of downtown Long Beach. There are 80 drivers from all corners of the world spread across the PRO and PROSPEC classes this year. You check out the teaser video released by Fomrulad.com here:
For the most up to date announcements from Formula DRIFT be sure to check out their podcast at The Outerzone. You can also find exclusive content on their Youtube channel at Formula DRIFT. For more information about the rule changes for the 2023 season check out our previous coverage Formula DRIFT 2023 Rules.
Information on ticket sales can be found here Ticket Sales.
Formulad.com: This article was not authored by Speed Trap Magazine Staff
Rotating judges and announcers plus new technology will give each round a different feel, while a revised qualifying format and new competition days are among the changes for 2023
As the Formula DRIFT team planned for the 20th Anniversary year, everybody involved wanted to mark the milestone in a special way. We listed a few of the changes last year and some have already started to take shape. For example, the first episodes of Outerzone: The Official Formula DRIFT Podcast are now available at youtube.com/formuladrift or formuladrift.podbean.com. Early episodes include interviews with FD President Ryan Sage, Judge and Commentator Ryan Lanteigne, three-time FD PRO Champion Fredric Aasbo, and Championship contender Matt Field. The Outerzone was introduced to give fans a better insight into the sport and a deeper dive into some of the big storylines.
The 2023 event schedule is relatively unchanged, apart from the opening round of the PROSPEC Championship. It now takes place at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, giving the teams a high-speed challenge to kick-start their season. This has also allowed FD to remove the vehicle count cap, which was introduced in 2022 when smaller tracks were in use.
Behind the scenes, Formula DRIFT has been busy signing new multi-year contracts with many of the tracks to help ensure stability for the series moving forward. It helps with continuity and allows the teams to plan travel budgets into the future. Seven of the eight venues are now under multi-year agreements.
In addition to signing contracts, FD also requested a number of changes from the track owners, including new layouts where possible, new pavement and drainage at St Louis, as well as permanent zone markings to assist with driver precision and judging. These changes will help to provide more consistent conditions for the teams as they travel the country.
As previously revealed, Formula DRIFT will also be increasing the prize money available to the successful teams. Essentially, all the driver registration fees will be invested back into the drivers, resulting in almost $300,000 available to PRO and PROSPEC Championship contenders. The increase is a reflection of the value the series places on the competitors and is significantly more than most motorsports series offer on a relative basis.
After reviewing the 2022 season, Formula DRIFT also elected to return to the previous Championship schedule. This means PROSPEC teams will qualify on Thursday and competition will take place on Friday. The PRO Championship is unchanged and will continue to qualify on Friday and compete on Saturday. The change was made in response to the very long days that resulted from having both series qualify and compete together on the same days.
NEW TIRE PARTNERS
With the departure of Falken Tire, Formula DRIFT worked hard to find a replacement and actually come up with two. For the 2023 season, FD PRO drivers will be able to work with the following brands:
- GT Radial
- Kenda Tire
- Nexen Tire
- Nitto Tire
- Vitour Tires
Nitto has won the Formula DRIFT PRO Tire Cup numerous times, while GT Radial was runner-up last year and will continue to be the spec tire for the PROSPEC teams. Nexen was also able to record a win at the Utah round last year, so teams certainly have competitive options.
JUDGING
A brand-new, intuitive Qualifying format will debut this year, mixing the old and new. A deductive system without sector scores but with judges quantifying mistakes is a nod to the old-school but with a new school twist. That, along with reverting to reverse-order qualifying is bound to keep driver and spectator tension high.
One major addition poised to be a game-changer in terms of the competition heats is the debut of the brand-new Formula DRIFT “Decel Light.” It measures g-force during both acceleration and deceleration, helping the judges see what is going on inside the car. The light is now brighter and is fitted to both A-pillars on each car. Furthermore, live telemetry will debut this year and will be featured not only on the free-to-view livestream broadcasts but is planned to be implemented on a new phone app called FD Unlocked. It is hoped that fans will be able to see live telemetry from each competition car with in-car camera views available on-demand in one slick application.
The Formula DRIFT drones have been a huge success since their livestream introduction several years ago. For 2023, two drones will be active on every run to ensure the fans and judges have the best view of a driver’s line and any indiscretions. It should help to attribute points or blame for a collision more accurately. It’s also hoped that the new technology will help to contain the FD competition livestream to approximately three-hour broadcasts, which is the equivalent of an NFL or MLB game. However, pro football rarely has a car in the barriers or oil on the field, so there will always be an element of the unknown with FD events.
Formula DRIFT President, Ryan Sage Discusses the changes for the 2023 Formula DRIFT Season For the 2023 season, Formula DRIFT is introducing a rotating panel of judges. Regulars Ryan Lanteigne, Brian Eggert and Chris Uhl will be joined ex-driver and FD Japan judge, Robbie Nishida. Three of them will judge each round while the fourth becomes a driver’s steward. They will trade places each round to keep everything fresh.
Fans will also have rotating announcers during the weekend alongside regular Jarod DeAnda. The second seat will be filled by either Ryan Sage, Ryan Lanteigne or Robbie Nishida. Additionally, Matt Soppa will announce all PROSPEC sessions to bring his unique perspective.
HALL OF FAME
Plans for the previously announced Formula DRIFT Hall of Fame are well underway. The City of Long Beach has generously donated a plot near its Convention Center for the series monument, which will bear the names of Hall of Fame inductees as they’re announced. The process will begin at the opening round in Long Beach where the first two inductees will be introduced to the fans.
Each Hall of Famer will receive a commemorative ring designed by Jostens, the company that produces MLB World Series and NFL Super Bowl rings. Each ring is valued at $10,000 encrusted with diamonds and valuable gemstones. The rings play an important role in cementing Formula DRIFT as a genuine force in the global motorsports community. It also allows the series to recognize individuals who have been instrumental in catapulting the sport to its current position of strength.
“Everybody at Formula DRIFT has been looking forward to our 20th Anniversary with a mixed feeling of excitement and disbelief,” said Ryan Sage, Formula DRIFT President. “We’ve come so far in what feels like a very short time but we’ve outlasted many of our competitors and risen to become one of the preeminent motorsports series in the world. To celebrate our success, we wanted to make significant changes that would be recognized by the fans and teams, such as helping to streamline the judging process in both qualifying and competition. We’re also giving back even more to the sport, increasing the prize purse for competitors and recognizing the impact people have had through the Formula DRIFT Hall of Fame.
“We’re also excited to have a number of drivers rejoin the series, such as three-time Champion James Deane and fan favorite Forrest Wang adding to the tremendous talent pool we already have. And while it’s been sad to see a number of top drivers leave, we’re confident our 20th Anniversary season will be the best yet. We’re looking forward to seeing the teams and fans at the opening rounds in Long Beach and Atlanta.”
OPENING ROUNDS
The opening round of the 2023 formula DRIFT PRO Championship takes place at Streets of Long Beach on April 7-8. The first round of the PROSPEC Championship takes place at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta on May 11-13 and will also host Round 2 for the FD PRO teams.
Please visit formulad.com for the competition schedule, ticket information, driver profiles, special content, and the event livestream.
ABOUT FORMULA DRIFT
Formula DRIFT is recognized as the leading international drifting championship. Established on the streets of Japan, drifting has evolved into a worldwide competitive sport that challenges the driver’s skill while demanding a great deal from their vehicle in terms of power and strength. Formula DRIFT provides a series for the best professional drifters from around the globe to compete for the coveted title of Formula DRIFT Champion. As the first official drifting series in North America, Formula DRIFT has taken competitive motorsports to the extreme, attracting drift fans and car enthusiasts from all walks of life, and established itself as the global leader for the sport. For a competition schedule, ticket information, special content and livestream, please visit formulad.com
FOLLOW FORMULA DRIFT ONLINE
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2023 FORMULA DRIFT OFFICIAL SPONSORS
Major Sponsor, Official Vehicle Lighting, Dash Cam & Jump Starter – TYPE S
Major Sponsor, Official Energy Drink – Rockstar Energy Drink
Major Sponsor, Official Military Branch – United States Air Force
Major Sponsor, Official Engine Oil – Royal Purple
Major Sponsor, Official Blockchain Game – Torque Drift
Major Sponsors – GT Radial, Kenda Tire, Nitto Tire
Official Sponsors – Ford Performance, Toyota Racing, BC Racing (Official Suspension), K&N (Official Air Filter & Air Intake, Official Sponsor of Qualifying) NGK & NTK (Official Spark Plug & Sensors), SIMAGIC (Official SIM Racing Hardware)
Official ECU & PROSPEC Title Sponsor – Link Engine Management
PRO Championship Tire Suppliers – Nexen Tire, Vitour Tire
Associated Sponsors – Enkei Wheels, Pedal Commander, RAYS Wheels, Throdle
Official PROSPEC Tire – GT Radial
Official PROSPEC Tire Service Partner – Tire Stacks
Official Education Partner – University of Northwestern Ohio
Official Community Outreach Program – Acceler8
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Formula DRIFT: This press release was not authored by Speed Trap Magazine Staff
Adding another element to its action-packed 20th Anniversary season, Formula DRIFT is partnering with Mint 400; the annual off-road race which takes place around Las Vegas. The collaboration will bring together the world’s top drift and desert drivers.
As part of the program, a select group of FD drivers will display their competition cars on March 10-11, 2023. They will showcase the incredible engineering utilized by these high-performance machines, allowing fans to see the cars up close and to talk to the drivers. Located at the midway start/finish in Primm, NV, the teams will also provide drift demos throughout both days to give visitors a taste of Formula DRIFT competition.
Confirmed* Formula DRIFT drivers for the Mint 400 demos include the following:
- Dylan Hughes
- Richard Advani
- Rye O’Connor
- Faruk Kugay
“Formula DRIFT’s younger market continues to thrive while other motorsport audiences have aged out. Their audience is exactly who we want to introduce to off-road racing,” said Mint 400 CEO and Co-Owner, Matt Martelli. “We’re stoked to partner with them and look forward to extending our relationship with them beyond the Mint 400.”
The 2023 BF Goodrich Tires Mint 400 takes place from March 8-12, 2023 in Las Vegas. The Formula DRIFT demos are scheduled to take place 12PM, 1PM, 2PM and 3:30PM on both March 10 and 11**. Each demo is expected to last approximately 15 minutes and include all drivers.
“With so much crossover between Formula DRIFT and Mint 400 fans, the drift demos at the biggest off-road event in North America is the perfect way to introduce our side of the motorsports spectrum to those who love off-road racing,” said Ryan Sage, Formula DRIFT President. “The audience crossover will be mutually beneficial to both series and we’re looking forward to welcoming a new group of fans to the Formula DRIFT family.”
*Driver list is correct at the time of publication but could be subject to change
**Demo times could be subject to change
ABOUT FORMULA DRIFT
Formula DRIFT is recognized as the leading international drifting championship. Established on the streets of Japan, drifting has evolved into a worldwide competitive sport that challenges the driver’s skill while demanding a great deal from their vehicle in terms of power and strength. Formula DRIFT provides a series for the best professional drifters from around the globe to compete for the coveted title of Formula DRIFT Champion. As the first official drifting series in North America, Formula DRIFT has taken competitive motorsports to the extreme, attracting drift fans and car enthusiasts from all walks of life, and established itself as the global leader for the sport. For a competition schedule, ticket information, special content and livestream, please visit formulad.com
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