Photos Courtesy of Formula DRIFT
James Deane claims his first victory of the season and moves into the championship lead after a historic all-Irish podium at Stafford Motor Speedway.
Date: June 20, 2026
Location: Stafford Motor Speedway – Stafford Springs, CT
FD PRO Round 4 Results
- James Deane (Ireland) – O'Reilly / Pennzoil Ford Mustang RTR Spec 5-FD
- Jack Shanahan (Ireland) – Pulsar Turbos E82 BMW
- Conor Shanahan (Ireland) – Red Bull / GT Radial / JYR Toyota GT86
Formula DRIFT's first visit to Stafford Motor Speedway delivered a memorable Round 4, producing the first all-Irish podium in series history. When the event concluded, James Deane emerged with his first victory of the 2026 season after defeating Jack Shanahan in the Final.
The result continued Deane's climb back into championship contention following an early exit at Round 1 in Long Beach. After finishing second in both Road Atlanta and Orlando, the O'Reilly / Pennzoil Ford Mustang RTR Spec 5-FD driver finally returned to the top step of the podium in Connecticut and moved into the overall points lead.
Deane's route through the competition bracket included victories over Jhonnattan Castro, Andy Hateley, Ryan Tuerck, and RTR teammate Ben Hobson. In the Final, he faced Jack Shanahan, but steering issues on Shanahan's Pulsar Turbos E82 BMW during the second run prevented the battle from reaching its full conclusion.
The victory gives Deane a 22-point advantage over Aurimas "Odi" Bakchis in the championship standings heading into Round 5.
Jack Shanahan's runner-up finish marked his strongest result of the season and moved him from sixth to fourth in the standings. To reach the Final, Shanahan defeated his younger brother Conor in the Final 4. A technical issue prevented Conor from completing the second run of their battle, but his third-place finish allowed him to maintain fifth place overall.
The result book from Connecticut will also remember Round 4 as the first time Irish drivers swept the entire Formula DRIFT PRO podium, with Deane, Jack Shanahan, and Conor Shanahan occupying the top three positions.
Ben Hobson enjoyed one of the strongest weekends of his Formula DRIFT PRO career. The Pennzoil Ford Mustang RTR Spec 5-FD driver reached the Final 4 before losing to teammate Deane and was rewarded with fourth place on the night. The result propelled Hobson from 22nd to 12th in the championship standings.
After taking victory in Orlando, Bakchis was unable to repeat that success in Connecticut. The Feal Suspension / GT Radial / Subimods Subaru BRZ driver was eliminated by Conor Shanahan in the Great 8 and finished eighth overall, surrendering the championship lead to Deane.
Branden Sorensen continued his consistent start to the season with a sixth-place finish in the Sorensen Motorsports / Quad Lock BMW, allowing him to retain third place in the championship standings. Top qualifier Dylan Hughes also enjoyed a productive weekend, finishing fifth and moving up to sixth overall.
Fredric Aasbo's difficult start to the season continued when a broken axle sidelined the Rockstar Energy Toyota GR Supra driver in the Top 16. The ninth-place result dropped Aasbo from fourth to seventh in the championship standings.
With Cole Richards failing to qualify for Round 4, Cody Buchanan finished as the highest-placed rookie in Connecticut. Buchanan placed 12th in the Life Wide Open / Reboot Energy Nissan 350Z.
In the 2026 Formula DRIFT Auto Cup standings, Ford maintained its lead, while GT Radial continued to lead the FD Tire Cup.
Next Round
Round 5 of the Formula DRIFT PRO Championship and Round 3 of the Link ECU PROSPEC Championship head to another new venue, Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park in Indianapolis, Indiana, from July 30 to August 1.
For tickets, livestream coverage, driver profiles, and additional event information, visit formulad.com.
