Formula Drift Round 1 2011: Long Beach, CA

A shot of the track, photo by J. Martinez

Winner Justin Pawlak, photo by J. Martinez It's all about the fans, photo by J. Martinez

Justin Pawlak in the Falken Tire Ford Mustang earned the victory at the first event of the 2011 Formula DRIFT season. Matt Powers in the Need for Speed Nissan S14 takes second place with Daijiro Yoshihara in the Discount Tire / Falken Nissan S13 rounding out the podium in third place.

 

The Streets of Long Beach event provided fans with action and excitement throughout the weekend. The debut of new vehicles and new drivers added to the anticipation for the new season. The Driftstream brought live coverage to fans watching at home.

“With any new season comes change, so seeing fresh faces to the podium is a part of that,” said Jim Liaw, president and co-founder of Formula DRIFT. “The level of driving skill continues to elevate. It is a sign that the 2011 season will be as competitive as ever. I would not be surprised to see more upsets and new faces to the podium.”

Formula Drift 2011, photo by J. Martinez Formula Drift 2011, photo by J. Martinez Formula Drift 2011, photo by J. Martinez
Formula Drift 2011, photo by J. Martinez Formula Drift 2011, photo by J. Martinez Formula Drift 2011, photo by J. Martinez
Formula Drift 2011, photo by J. Martinez Formula Drift 2011, photo by J. Martinez Formula Drift 2011, photo by J. Martinez

 

Justin Pawlak finds the top of the podium for the very first time in his career. Pawlak remained consistent through the rounds advancing to the Finals against Matt Powers. His consistency paid off and Pawlak was able to secure the victory. The consolation round pitted Daijiro Yoshihara in the Discount Tire / Falken Tire Nissan S13 against 2009 Formula DRIFT champion, Chris Forsberg in the NOS Energy Drink Nissan 370Z.

Formula Drift 2011, photo by J. Martinez

“I owe it all to the guys at ASD and Falken Tire for this victory. Without them this could not have been possible,” said Justin Pawlak, winner of Round 1: Streets of Long Beach. “This victory feels unreal. I have worked so hard for this and can’t believe I’m on top to start out the season.”

www.facebook.com/FormulaDRIFT

 

twitter.com/FormulaDrift/

 

www.vimeo.com/formuladrift

 

www.youtube.com/user/Fdrift11

 

www.myspace.com/formulad

 

Related Articles

BMW unveils 523-horsepower M2 CS BMW unveils 523-horsepower M2 CS
Just when you thought BMW was taking a break from rolling out maximum performance track weapons, the Munich-based automaker announces another banger,...
RAYS Debuts New Matte Translucent Black Finish for the VMF C-01 RAYS Debuts New Matte Translucent Black Finish for the VMF C-01
RAYS has officially expanded the color options for its premium VMF C-01 forged wheel lineup with the introduction of a stunning new finish: Diamond...
Carbon Fiber GMC Hummer EV is faster than a Corvette Carbon Fiber GMC Hummer EV is faster than a Corvette
Yes, it’s true. The forthcoming 2026 GMC Hummer EV Carbon Fiber Edition (pictured) has a quicker 0-60 mph time than a Corvette. But the Hummer EV’s 2....
Porsche confirms end to gas Boxster and Cayman production Porsche confirms end to gas Boxster and Cayman production
It’s official: Porsche has confirmed production for the gas-powered 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman will end later this year. If this seems like old news...
Dodge confirms Charger model lineup changes for 2026 Dodge confirms Charger model lineup changes for 2026
Okay folks, I’m going to do my best here to disentangle the news regarding Dodge’s Charger plans but given the number of variants and launch schedules...
Is Nissan bringing the S platform back? Is Nissan bringing the S platform back?
Before anyone reading this headline gets too excited, Nissan has not officially confirmed a new S platform sports coupe (i.e. Silvia / 240SX) is...