Formula Drift Round 3: Palm Beach International Raceway

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Tyler McQuarrie took out Charles Ng.

The first pair up was Chris Forsberg and Sam Hubinette. The NOS 370Z was able to throw down a great entry and keep a tight line past the rear zone, all while gapping the Discount Tires Challenger. On Sam’s lead run, he was able to get a great angle in the first clipping point, but because of the stall by Sam, Forsberg was given the win and moved on to the Great 8. Next up was Tyler McQuarrie in his Falken Tire 350Z and the Evasive RX-7 driven by Charles Ng. In the first run by Ng, he followed Tyler into the first turn, but drove it too deep and had stalled out while McQuarrie continued on with a great run. In Ng’s lead run, he over shot again and gave the win to McQuarrie.
 

Chris Forsberg
Chris Forsberg was able to move on to the Great 8!

Next was the 2010 Champion going up against a 2011 Rookie, Gittin and Graven. With Gittin leading, Graven put on a great follow run, but towards the end, Vaughn was able to gap Graven. While Graven was leading, his hatch popped open and began to wave at Vaughn, but that distraction wasn’t enough and Vaughn Gittin, Jr. moved on to the Great 8. The next tandem saw Rhys Millen in his Red Bull Genesis go up against Kyle Mohan and his Nexen/Mazdatrix RX-8. Rhys led first as Daijiro Yoshihara watched from the Judges stand with Jarod Deanda and put on a great, smooth line. Mohan wasn’t far behind and on his lead run was able to put on a great run, but with Rhys following close by the Judges needed another look and called for a One More Time. Rhy’s second lead run was just as smooth as his first and Mohan stayed right with him, but had a bobble on initiation and had to use less angle to keep up. On Mohan’s second lead run it was too little too late as Rhys Millen moved on to the Great 8.

Jr dispatched Otto Graven after a one more time.
Darren McNamara
Darren McNamara takes out fan favorite Taka Aono.

Darren McNamara in his Falken Tire Sky took on the Nexen Tire/Megan Racing Corolla of Taka Aono in the next tandem. While Taka did his best to stay off McNamara at initiation, it cost him with the speed that the Sky was able to produce from the second clipping point on and created a huge gap on Taka’s Corolla. While Taka was leading, he really began to shine and had a gap created with the more nimble Corolla, but it wasn’t enough and Darren McNamara went on to the Great 8. Next it was the GM V8 power battle of Conrad Grunewald in the Hankook Tire Chevy Camaro against Toshiki Yoshioka in the Retaks 240LS. Toshiki would lead next and Grunewald would follow and at the initiation, Yoshioka came in early and inverted! Grunewald was not expecting that and had to get on the binders before hitting the slowing Yoshioka! While Grunewald’s line had become so far off, Toshiki pulled away. However, because Yoshioka had stalled out, he was penalized heavily for it and while Yoshioka made a great follow run prior to it, it wasn’t enough and Conrad went on to the Great 8. The fans didn’t like it and showed the Judges their appreciation with boos, but Yoshioka did stall and did not make a fluid transition from inverted to clipping point two.

Ryan Tuerck
Ryan Tuerck was stopped by Justin Pawlak on his way to the Great 8.

The next battle was a Drift Alliance members race of Falken’s Justin Pawlak and Gardella’s Ryan Tuerck. Justin Pawlak lead Tuerck first and Ryan was hot on the gas pedal! The battle was close, but was it close enough? With Daijiro still in the Judges stand watching on, JTP began his follow run. With good initiations by both drivers and a great battle between them, would Tuerck defeat JTP, his fellow Drift Alliance member? Could Dai get away with as little of a points loss as possible? No, the Judges went in favor of Justin T. Pawlak and he went on to the Great 8 and more points were taken from Dai as his downward slide continued. Next was the final tandem for the Top 16 with Need for Speed driver, Matt Powers and the rookie that could, Ryan Kado. With Kado leading first, he had the initiation and began to gap Powers, but by the second clip, Matt caught Ryan and closed in on him at the rear clipping zone, by the finish, Matt Powers was right on Ryan giving the advantage to Matt. On Matt’s lead run, Kado gave a great chase but had too much of a gap to get an advantage and Matt Powers went on to the Great 8.

Matt Powers
Matt Powers takes out Rookie Ryan Kado.

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