The 2024 Formula DRIFT season's second round in Atlanta was nothing short of electrifying. Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, known for its challenging downhill approach to the first turn, delivered high-speed thrills and relentless action from Thursday afternoon through Saturday evening. The event featured the GT Radial-shod 2024 Link ECU PROSPEC Championship joining the PRO teams, transforming the weekend into a three-day drift festival. With 82 drivers, including some of the most formidable competition cars in the world, the battle for supremacy was fierce.
In a shake-up to the traditional format, the new Seeding Brackets replaced solo qualifying laps, bringing head-to-head matchups that allowed drivers to showcase their skills in tandem runs. With 64 competition spots up for grabs, 18 drivers would leave early but not before demonstrating their prowess.
In the PRO Championship, the top 24 spots were set based on Round 1 results. The remaining drivers competed in the Seeding Bracket, aiming for one of the eight remaining spots in the Top 32. This new format brought intense tandem competitions, with drivers fighting to secure their positions for Saturday’s battles.
The PROSPEC Seeding Bracket was equally competitive, with only the top 16 positions preset based on 2023 standings. The remaining drivers faced sudden death tandem battles to secure their places in the Top 32, making each run critical.
Formula DRIFT introduced several rule changes this season, including restrictions on judges' ability to request One More Time (OMT) runs, redefined criteria for “incomplete” runs, and eliminating on-site appeals to streamline the action.
PRO SEEDING BRACKET
The K&N PRO 16 Seeding Bracket saw 13 drivers compete, with three advancing via bye runs. The Final pitted Jeff Jones in the Evol Auto Works / Prisma Labs / BIG Drift Energy Nissan 370Z against Dan Burkett in the RAD Industries Mk4 Toyota Supra. Jones clinched the win after Burkett's error in Outside Zone 2. Diego Higa and Joao Barion rounded out the top four, while Dmitriy Brutskiy qualified for both PRO and PROSPEC championships.
PRO COMPETITION
The wide-open spaces of Road Atlanta offered a different challenge from the concrete barriers of Long Beach. Unfortunately, Kyle Mohan's RX8 found one of those barriers, while Rome Charpentier's BMW endured numerous hits but fought valiantly to finish fifth. Aurimas Bakchis faced a fiery end to his run but not before securing a spot in the Final 4 alongside Fredric Aasbo, Simen Olsen, and James Deane.
Aasbo's path to victory included a bye run and overcoming strong challenges from Kazuya Taguchi and Forrest Wang. His precision driving led to a showdown with Deane, where Aasbo's superior line secured his spot in the Final. Against Olsen, Aasbo delivered consistent performance, with an OMT run ultimately giving him the win due to Olsen's mechanical issues.
Aasbo's win propelled him to third in the standings, while Olsen's second-place finish put him close to leader Deane. Bakchis' fourth-place finish was tempered by the need for major repairs before the next round.
PROSPEC SEEDING BRACKET
Rain made for a challenging start to the PROSPEC 32 Seeding Bracket, with 29 drivers vying for 16 spots. Rookies faced immense pressure, with six newcomers advancing. Tommy Lemaire made a triumphant return, hinting at what was to come in PROSPEC Competition later on.
PROSPEC COMPETITION
Lemaire’s comeback story culminated in a victory at the season opener. His path to the top included a series of clean runs and close battles, ultimately defeating Alex Jagger in the Final. Jagger’s second place was his best result, while Josh Love's third place marked a significant achievement since his return to PROSPEC.
Rookie Brian Wills emerged as the top new talent, with several other newcomers making their mark despite early exits.
Ryan Sage, President of Formula DRIFT, reflected on the season's intense battles and the excitement brought by the new format. “While our 20th season was crazy, the 21st has already managed to top it with some incredibly tight battles taking place,” he says. “It was great for all the amazing Road Atlanta fans to come out to see even more action thanks to our new format. They also saw Fredric Aasbo rise back to the top of the podium, remaining unbeaten against Simen Olsen. But James Deane has been the most consistent driver over the first two rounds and you have to imagine he or Freddy could be looking down the barrel of their fourth Championship."
With Aasbo's win and Toyota leading the Auto Cup, the stage is set for an exhilarating season ahead. The next stop: Orlando.
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