Photos courtesy of Formula Drift
Conor Shanahan secured his first Formula Drift PRO Championship at the season-ending Shoreline Showdown in Long Beach, while James Deane closed the year with a Round 8 victory.
Date: October 24, 2026
Location: Long Beach, California
FD PRO Round 8 Results
- James Deane (Ireland) – O’Reilly / Pennzoil Ford Mustang RTR Spec 5-FD
- Jack Shanahan (Ireland) – Pulsar Turbos E82 BMW
- LZ (USA) – Drift HQ E36 BMW
2026 FD PRO Championship Results
- Conor Shanahan – 224 points
- James Deane – 218 points
- Jack Shanahan – 206 points
- Branden Sorensen – 165 points
- Matt Field – 150 points
- Fredric Aasbo – 149 points
- Aurimas Bakchis – 132 points
- Dylan Hughes – 91 points
- LZ – 88 points
- Ryan Tuerck – 88 points
- Chris Forsberg – 82 points
- Cole Richards – 79 points
- Dan Stuke – 68 points
- Ben Hobson – 67 points
- Vaughn Gittin Jr – 62 points
- Dan Burkett – 58 points
Conor Shanahan Clinches His First PRO Championship
Jack Shanahan qualified first, followed by Deane and Conor Shanahan. Branden Sorensen qualified fifth, eliminating him from title contention but keeping him in the fight for a top-three championship finish.
Conor Shanahan clinched the 2026 Formula Drift PRO Championship by defeating Jhonnattan Castro in the Top 32. Castro momentarily dropped two tires outside the track limits in Zone 4, giving Shanahan the battle win and the championship. The 23-year-old secured the title in his third Formula Drift season before being eliminated by Simen Olsen in the Top 16.
James Deane Wins Round 8 as Irish Drivers Sweep the Championship Podium
Deane advanced to the Final against Jack Shanahan, where Jack spun in Zone 6 while attempting to maintain proximity to the Mustang. The five-time champion took the Round 8 victory and secured second in the final championship standings, while Jack completed an all-Irish championship podium in his second Formula Drift season.
Adam LZ earned his best result of the season with a third-place finish after losing to Jack Shanahan in the Final 4. The result moved him from 14th to ninth in the standings. LZ also announced that he would step away from Formula Drift competition in 2027, while leaving open the possibility of returning in the future.
Matt Field finished fourth after making contact with Deane during their Final 4 battle. The result moved Field from seventh to fifth in the championship. Sorensen’s hopes of finishing in the championship top three ended when a broken power-steering pulley eliminated him from the Top 32, leaving him fourth overall.
Cole Richards Named 2026 Formula Drift Rookie of the Year
Cole Richards was named the 2026 Formula Drift Rookie of the Year. Engine problems that began during qualifying persisted into competition, where Richards lost his Top 32 battle against Tommy Lemaire. Fellow rookies Cody Buchanan and Nate Chen were also eliminated from the Top 32, leaving Richards with enough points to secure the award.
Ryan Tuerck, Simen Olsen and Brian Eggert Depart Formula Drift
Round 8 also marked Ryan Tuerck’s final Formula Drift appearance following his previously announced departure from the series. Tuerck began his drifting career in 2002 and joined Formula Drift in 2008, with his best championship results coming in 2020 and 2022 when he finished third overall.
Simen Olsen also departed the series after joining Formula Drift in 2021 and recording a career-best fourth-place championship finish in 2023. Longtime Formula Drift judge Brian Eggert stepped down after 15 years with the series.
2026 Formula Drift Season Highlights
The 2026 season also marked the introduction of the Universal Drift Scoring Method to assist with PRO qualifying scores and competition analysis.
Ford claimed the 2026 Auto Cup with 346 points, while GT Radial earned its second consecutive Tire Cup with 532 points.
Preliminary standings. Final results pending official confirmation.
Visit the official Formula Drift website for complete 2026 championship results, driver profiles, event coverage, and updates on the 2027 Formula Drift schedule.
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