Round Two 2021 Formula DRIFT PRO Championship Results
This weekend, Orlando Pace Planet hosted Spherical Two of the 2021 Components DRIFT Pro Championship, as effectively as the opening spherical of the new PROSPEC Championship (previously PRO2). This gave the potential group its 1st chance to witness the new weekend format, which lets both Pro and PROSPEC drivers to qualify on Friday and compete on Saturday. With PROSPEC functioning in the center of the day and Pro in the afternoon, both Championships have equivalent exposure to admirers and the preferred, absolutely free-to-watch Components DRIFT livestream.
Hyperlink Ecu Prospec Qualifying
The weekend permitted PROSPEC teams to expertise the new Knockout Qualifying Structure (KQF), which has the prime seeded drivers operate 1st, location the regular for subsequent opponents. Drivers are only permitted just one operate to set their qualifying posture, other than the bottom 8 drivers, who are permitted a second operate. This provides teams who might have knowledgeable complex issues, or had the operate judged incomplete, to make it into the remaining 32 sites.
FD ORL would see 35 drivers compete for 32 starting positions, which put supplemental force on the sixteen rookies who joined the series. For many, Orlando Pace Planet was the 1st time they’ve knowledgeable a banked track, which makes a exclusive obstacle as drivers combat to regulate velocity as they accelerate off the banking while keeping a steady drift.
On prime of that, GT Radial is the Formal Tire of the 2021 Hyperlink Ecu PROSPEC Championship, with teams serviced by TireStacks at every spherical. And all over again, FD ORL would be the 1st time many drivers had applied the new rubber below aggressive ailments.
Qualification seeding for the opening spherical was primarily based on 2020 Championship positions, so 1st to operate was reigning winner Dmitriy Brutskiy (Belarus) driving his Essa Autosport/ISC Suspension BMW E46. As the 2020 title holder, Brutskiy had the chance to attain an FD Pro license this calendar year, but decided to stay in the feeder series and attain more expertise in advance of leaping up to the leading group.
Following a powerful operate, Brutskiy placed fifth in the remaining standings, with Nick Noback (United states) getting the prime spot in his KoruWorks BMW E46. Awarded ninety four points by the judges for design, angle and line via the class, Noback was head and shoulders above the level of competition. His closest challenger teammate Blake Olsen (United states), who scored 88 points driving the KoruWorks/GT Radial BMW E92. 3rd put went to Tommy Lemaire (Canada) who scored 87 points in his TLO Drift Faculty Nissan S14.5 V8.
Finest rookie in qualifying was Prosperous Whiteman (United states) who put his Freedom Motorsports Toyota JZX100 in a pretty respectable sixth put, giving him a huge leg up for Saturday’s level of competition heats.
Hyperlink Ecu Prospec Levels of competition Heats
Getting certified 1st, Noback would acquire his KoruWorks BMW E46 to the prime action of the podium. His journey would see him get a bye operate in the Leading 32 level of competition heats as a final result of many drivers currently being eliminated in the course of qualifying. Noback’s 1st battle would be in the Leading sixteen versus rookie Alex Jagger (United states) in the Forsberg Racing/TireStacks Nissan 370Z. Both equally drivers pushed hard on their two runs, forcing the judges to connect with for One Much more Time (OMT), obtaining them repeat both runs.
When they lined up all over again, Noback ran a exceptional direct operate and built significantly less faults in the chase posture, acquiring excellent proximity in Exterior Zone one and Inside clip one. This was sufficient to sway the judges in his favor, allowing Noback to progress to the Leading eight where he confronted Austin Matta (United states).
With an amazing direct operate, Noback did enough to get rid of the Never Matta Racing Nissan S14 and go onto the Leading four to fulfill the reigning winner, Brutskiy. On the 1st operate, Noback all over again did his most effective operate in the direct posture and preserved superior proximity on his chase operate, which propelled him into the Remaining.
With Brutskiy confirmed 3rd put by advantage of a top-quality qualifying posture above fourth placed rookie Prosperous Whiteman. So Noback’s KoruWorks BMW E46 only required to conquer teammate and second-put qualifier Blake Olsen (United states) in the KoruWorks/GT Radial BMW E92 to declare the trophy.
Their 1st operate was a belter, with Noback all over again finding a wonderful line in the course of the class, while Olsen preserved excellent proximity. With the force on Olsen, he slid up into the wall on Exterior Zone one. And although Noback spun as he crossed the line, Olsen’s collision had presently ended the operate and specified Noback the earn.
As a rookie in 2020, Noback scored his 1st earn at FD ORL in the inaugural spherical of the 2021 Hyperlink Ecu PROSPEC Championship. It was the conclusion to a excellent weekend and a continuation of the momentum he proven past calendar year with a second put at the Remaining spherical at Irwindale Speedway.
“I’m stoked to have won versus a wonderful buddy and teammate, Blake Olsen, just after we certified 1st and second,” stated a shocked Noback just after the podium ceremony. “I need to give a huge thank you to my loved ones, KuroWorks and all our partners because we realized we had a wonderful car but also realized we had some huge battles. My strategy was to set excellent direct runs and get shut enough on the chase runs to gather the wins. So, we turned it up a minimal in the course of the heats but built guaranteed we didn’t operate out of tires, and managed to arrive out on prime. I can’t wait for the next spherical!”
All a few of the Spherical One Hyperlink Ecu PROSPEC podium sites were occupied by BMW drivers. The prime Rookie, Prosperous Whiteman, was fourth driving the Freedom Motorsports Toyota JZX100.
Pro Qualifying
With the recurring absence of Ryan Litteral (United states) in his Powerstop Brakes Nissan S15, the remaining 32 FD Pro drivers were confirmed a put in the level of competition heats delivered they were ready to entire a qualifying operate. And while a few were judged incomplete on their 1st operate, all highly developed by means of a second operate in the KQF bottom eight.
The prime 20 qualifiers were divided by a mere 12 points, with the prime 5 scoring the same ninety four points. With the judges scoring on design, angle and line, priority is specified to the driver with the optimum design rating. And where there’s a tie, priority goes to angle. And that’s how Chelsea DeNofa (United states) grew to become the prime qualifier in his BC Racing/Nitto Tire Ford Mustang RTR Spec 5-D.
He conquer Justin Pawlak (United states) in the Falken Tire Ford Mustang by just one angle stage, while Fredric Aasbo (Norway) was 3rd driving the Rockstar Electrical power Consume Toyota GR Supra.
The 2021 FD Pro Championship chief, Aurimas Bakchis (Lithuania) certified fourth in the Falken Tires/Feal Suspension Nissan S15, with reigning FD Pro Winner, Vaughn Gittin Jr (United states), and teammate to DeNofa, in ninth driving the Monster Electrical power Ford Mustang RTR Spec 5-D. The prime Rookie driver, 17-calendar year-aged Branden Sorensen (United states), certified in a pretty spectacular sixth posture driving his 212 Efficiency/Sorensen Motorsports BMW.
With two championships functioning on the same day, the Pro teams operate into the evening, necessitating all to use undercar LED lighting provided by Formal Lights Lover, Type S.
Pro Levels of competition Heats
Mimicking the PROSPEC Championship, Chelsea DeNofa won Spherical Two of the FD Pro Championship following his 1st put qualifying posture. But the driver of the BC Racing/Nitto Tire Ford Mustang RTR Spec 5-D didn’t have an quick route to the podium.
His 1st match up was versus Joshua Reynolds (United states), who however ran his Drift Force/Nexen Tire F22 Eurofighter BMW into the wall soon just after initiation. The staff identified as for a 5-moment Levels of competition Time Out but was unable to make the repairs in time.
Shifting into the Leading sixteen, DeNofa confronted Travis Reeder (United states) in the Travis Reeder Motorsports/Hyperlink Ecu BMW M3. The heat started with DeNofa in the direct posture location a blistering pace, but Reeder dug deep, producing many corrections to preserve proximity via the class. On the second operate, Reeder executed a direct operate excellent enough for the judges to ask for OMT, unable to independent them.
On the repeat runs, both drivers gave every thing but DeNofa identified another gear to reach amazing proximity in the chase posture, securing the earn.
Shifting into the Leading eight, DeNofa satisfied teammate, manager, and reigning FD Pro Winner Vaughn Gittin Jr (United states) in the Monster Electrical power Ford Mustang RTR Spec 5-D. With identical autos and overflowing aggression, these two hardly ever disappoint, so DeNofa led the 1st operate at a frantic pace, which appeared to capture Gittin by shock. He then ignored social distancing protocols and climbed all above the Winner in the chase posture, guaranteeing his put in the Leading four.
Struggling with the Spherical One winner and Championship chief, DeNofa applied equivalent techniques versus Aurimas “Odi” Bakchis (Lithuania) in the Falken Tire/Feal Suspension Nissan S15. An additional hard charger, DeNofa realized he could not present any mercy to Bakchis, who built a slight mistake on his chase operate in the challenging changeover zone. With the positions reversed, DeNofa all over again got nearer, respiration down the neck of Bakchis to earn the heat.
His opponent in the FD Pro Spherical Two remaining would be 2015 FD Winner, Fredric Aasbo (Norway) in the Rockstar Electrical power Consume Toyota GR Supra. His Leading four heat drew him versus Justin Pawlak (United states), driving the Falken Tire Ford Mustang. Qualifying in second put gave Pawlak the direct posture on the 1st operate and he set off quick, producing a smoke display screen that proved extremely hard for Aasbo to negotiate, forcing him to leave the class rather than crash.
What wasn’t promptly clear was that Pawlak’s tire smoke was bolstered by smoke from a blown motor. Acknowledging he had a dilemma at the start of the operate, he decided to “stay on it because the motor was even now producing energy.” Though his bravado entertained the admirers, track officials had to crystal clear an oil slick that ran the length of the class and was pooled throughout the start line.
Following a valiant exertion and repositioned start line, the Remaining commenced with Pawlak retired and DeNofa foremost Aasbo into the 1st change. Both equally drivers had taken a sighting lap to evaluate ailments and Aasbo seemed understandably circumspect as he initiated in Exterior Zone one. DeNofa had no such qualms and gapped the Norwegian winner in the course of the class.
With the positions reversed, DeNofa was all over again ready to share accurately the same piece of asphalt as Aasbo in the course of the operate and promised to fulfill his mom at the time they crossed the complete line. With amazing proximity in the course of the evening, DeNofa deservedly won the heat and Spherical Two, elevating himself from 14th to 3rd put in the 2021 FD Pro Championship.
“Orland Pace Planet went truly effectively,” DeNofa advised us just after the podium celebrations. “I certified 1st thanks to excellent design points. That intended I direct my heats for the overall celebration, so it expected a various strategy to be certain we had enough tire on the chase operate. During all the battles, it was about obtaining a excellent equilibrium between aggression and design while keeping the tires. This track is very long and abusive on the suitable rear tire, but if you push it suitable, you can preserve enough to get the job accomplished. The banking is just one of the most challenging to chase on, so I still left some space on entry in advance of closing the hole. But I sealed the deal by diving in at Internal Clip two and acquiring on their door to complete rubbing tires throughout the complete line.
“We caught to the strategy all weekend and built some improvements to the car because most people is acquiring so quick we had to keep rising the energy and grip to stay aggressive. And the staff did a phenomenal job, putting in a whole lot of exertion all weekend. So, it feels wonderful to complete in 1st put and rating maximum points just after not undertaking so effectively in FD Atlanta. I’m super-pumped to be again on the podium just after qualifying 1st and finishing 1st, which provides us momentum heading into the new track in New Jersey.”
With Aasbo finishing second, Pawlak placed 3rd and Bakchis finished fourth, retaining his direct in the 2021 FD Pro Championship. Leading placed FD Pro Rookie was Simen Olsen (Norway) driving a Toyota GR Supra who finished 15th.
For the remaining phrase we change to Components DRIFT President, Jim Liaw, “It was an epic day in the historical past of Components DRIFT due to the fact it was the 1st time we have operate two Leading 32 Championships in just one day. We were grateful for the excellent climate all weekend and to see a potential group – more than we have at any time had at this venue. We’re grateful that the admirers have caught with us via this challenging time and were surprised at the energy levels in the course of two complete competitions. It is a wonderful indication for our 18th Pro time and the new PROSPEC Championship. We truly missed the admirers past calendar year and it’s wonderful to have so many arrive out to aid us this weekend. It is set a new bar for this venue, the Championships and the 2021 time. And we can’t wait to see most people at the brand name-new Englishtown drift stadium next thirty day period!”
2021 Components DRIFT Championship Results
Spherical Two FD Pro Leading sixteen Driver Factors
- Chelsea DeNofa (100 points)
- Fredric Aasbo (91 points)
- Justin Pawlak (80 points)
- Aurimas Bakchis (80 points)
- Matt Discipline (sixty seven points)
- Vaughn Gittin Jr (sixty seven points)
- Kazuya Taguchi (sixty seven points)
- Deane Kearney (sixty seven points)
- Ryan Tuerck (fifty two points)
- Chris Forsberg (fifty two points)
- Jeff Jones (fifty two points)
- Travis Reeder (fifty two points)
- Dan Burkett (fifty two points)
- Alec Robbins (fifty two points)
- Simen Olsen (fifty two points)
- Yves Meyer (fifty two points)
2021 FD Pro Championship Leading sixteen Standings
- Aurimas Bakchis (180 points)
- Matt Discipline (158 points)
- Chelsea DeNofa (152 points)
- Justin Pawlak (147 points)
- Vaughn Gittin Jr (147 points)
- Fredric Aasbo (143 points)
- Dean Kearney (134 points)
- Jeff Jones (132 points)
- Kazuya Taguchi (119 points)
- Yves Meyer (119 points)
- Ryan Tuerck (104 points)
- Travis Reeder (104 points)
- Adam LZ (102 points)
- Branden Sorensen (87 points)
- Chris Forsberg (87 points)
- Jhonnattan Castro (87 points)
2021 Car Cup Leading Five Standings
- Ford 327 points
- Toyota 247 points
- Chevrolet 158 points
- Dodge 134 points
- Nissan 87 points
2021 Tire Cup Standings
- Falken Tire 351 points
- Nitto Tire 338 points
- Nexen Tire 253 points
- GT Radial 251 points
- Federal Tire 191 points
Spherical One Prospec Leading sixteen Driver Factors & Championship Standings
- Nick Noback (100 points)
- Blake Olsen (91 points)
- Dmitriy Brutskiy (80 points)
- Prosperous Whiteman (80 points)
- Tommy Lemaire (sixty seven points)
- Joshua Really like (sixty seven points)
- Cory Talaska (sixty seven points)
- Austin Matta (sixty seven points)
- Evan Bogovich (fifty two points)
- Ben Hobson (fifty two points)
- Josiah Fallaise (fifty two points)
- Alex Schlagel (fifty two points)
- Amanda Sorensen (fifty two points)
- Alex Jagger (fifty two points)
- Daniel Stuke (fifty two points)
- Kelsey Rowlings (fifty two points)
Next Spherical
Previous Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, NJ, will host Spherical A few of the Components DRIFT Pro Championship and Spherical Two of the Hyperlink Ecu PROSPEC Championship on June 18-19. Make sure you visit formulad.com for the level of competition program, ticket information, driver profiles. specific written content, and the celebration livestream.
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