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american flat trackFORMULA DRIFT

American FLAT TRACK

www.americanflattrack.com

Photos Courtesy of American FLAT TRACK

Progressive American Flat Track is the world's premier dirt track motorcycle racing series and one of the longest-running championships in the history of motorsports. Sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing in Daytona Beach, Fla., the series is highly regarded as the most competitive form of dirt track motorcycle racing on the globe. Progressive American Flat Track is televised on FOX Sports and streams live via FloRacing. For more information on Progressive American Flat Track,

Formula DRIFT

www.formulad.com

Photos Courtesy of Formula DRIFT

Formula DRIFT (also known as Formula D or FD) is a United States-based motorsport drifting series. Formula DRIFT was co-founded by Jim Liaw and Ryan Sage in 2003 as a sister company to Slipstream Global Marketing, the same partnership that introduced D1 Grand Prix to the United States. The new entity would solely own, operate and launch the first official drifting series in North America. Formula DRIFT is not associated with the FIA series of formula racing championships

CONOR SHANAHAN IS THE 2026 FORMULA DRIFT PRO CHAMPION, DEANE WINS THE FINAL ROUND 8 IN LONG BEACH

Round 8: Shoreline Showdown of the 2026 Formula DRIFT PRO Championship saw a new Champion crowned, a five-time Champion win the Final Round, and three Irish drivers – brothers and friends – occupy the PRO Championship podium at the end of another remarkable season.

The introduction of the Universal Drift Scoring Method (UDSM) to assist with scoring in PRO Qualifying and Competition analysis undoubtedly changed the sport, and brought individual skill into sharp focus. Teams, drivers, Judges and fans gained greater insight into the ability of drivers to place their car at speed in tandem competition, with UDSM applying numbers to the precision. Its development throughout the season has allowed drivers to better understand how to score points and advance through each Round. And in the end, the very best drivers have been recognized.

The Formula DRIFT community also came together to celebrate the contribution and bid farewell to family members, whose contribution will never be forgotten, but all will be missed.

PRO QUALIFYING

Arriving at the Final Round with a 47-point advantage over second place James Deane (Ireland), meant Conor Shanahan (Ireland) could have potentially sealed the 2026 FD PRO Championship by receiving four points for qualifying first in his Red Bull / GT Radial / JYR Toyota GT86 on the proviso Deane and third-place Branden Sorensen (USA) failed to qualify. It was an unlikely scenario, which didn’t transpire. In fact, Conor placed third in Qualifying, gaining two points, while his closest rivals fractionally closed the gap.

Brother Jack Shanahan (Ireland) placed first driving the Pulsar Turbos E82 BMW and was awarded four Championship points. Fellow Irishman Deane placed second and gained three points. Both drivers would need Conor to lose his Top 32 Competition heat, and would have to win Round 8 to claim the title. It was a tall order but anything can happen under the heat of competition.

The only American driver in the title hunt was Branden Sorensen (USA) in the Sorensen Motorsports / Quad Lock BMW who arrived in Long Beach in third place, 48-points behind Conor. He qualified fifth and scored one point, which took himself out of title contention. However, he’d remain firmly in the chase for a Top 3 position.

With 31 drivers Qualifying for the Top 32 Competition places, it meant top qualifier Jack Shanahan earned himself a Bye Run through the first heats, giving him an advantage over his closest rivals.

In contrast, Deane would face Andy Hateley (USA) in the Top 32, although the Drift Wizard had experienced mechanical gremlins in his Drift Wizard E46 BMW during Qualifying but could hopefully resolved it before the Top 32.

Conor’s opponent in Top 32 heat would be Jhonnattan Castro (Dominican Republic) who qualified 30th and also appeared to struggle with his Metaldom Toyota GR86. Inevitably, there would be a number of teams hoping Castro could also rectify the problems to challenge Conor for the heat win...

The leading Rookie driver was Nate Chen (USA) who placed 14th in the NCR Toyota GT86 with JYR. Both he and fellow Rookie Cody Buchanan (USA) would need a good result in Competition to claim the 2026 Rookie of the Year title from points leader Cole Richards (USA).

With a 41-point advantage over Buchanan, Richards appeared to have a hand on the trophy, but engine problems for the Richards Racing Toyota GT86 in Qualifying appeared to leave the door ajar for Buchanan and Chen.

PRO COMPETITION

With the success of his rivals reliant upon the misfortune of Conor Shanahan, all eyes were on his Red Bull / GT Radial / JYR Toyota GT86 as it pulled to the starting line for the Top 32 heat against Castro. Tension rose as Castro’s GR86 applied pressure on their first run. Castro had returned to form and anything could happen. However, a small mistake in Zone 4 saw the Dominican driver momentarily drop two tires outside the track limits, and that’s how 23 year-old Conor Shanahan became the 2026 Formula DRIFT PRO Champion in only his third year in the Series.

“As a 10 year-old kid I had a dream of coming to the States to drive, never mind fighting for a Championship. And today’s the day!” said an emotional Conor after the FD Judge’s decision was announced. “I want to thank everybody who supported me over the years, especially my Mum and Dad. My brother is the reason I’m Champion, the reason we won. And, of course, Jerry Yang Racing. I walked into his workshop at the beginning of the year and within the first 15 minutes I felt like we had a good shot at the Championship this year.”

Shanahan’s consistency throughout the 2026 season had allowed him to claim the title after the Top 32 heat. The Irishman was subsequently knocked out of the Top 16 by Simen Olsen (Norway), leaving his rivals to fight for the Round 8 win.

For the popular Norwegian driver Olsen, the victory was bittersweet. He was eliminated from the Top 8 by Matt Field (USA) and said goodbye to the Series he joined in 2021; finishing fourth in 2023 and winning a great deal of admiration. Olsen is departing to focus on other things and will be missed by the Formula DRIFT community.

Matt Field advanced to the Final 4 heats where a collision with Deane’s Mustang while initiating into Zone 1 put him out of contention. Field had to be aggressive in order to pressure the Irishman, but the error ended his night. The driver of the Borla Performance / GT Radial / Heat Wave Visual / Logitech / Liqui Moly Corvette finished in fourth place and the points haul jumped him from seventh to fifth overall.

Five-time PRO Champion James Deane went on to win Round 8, allowing him to clinch second in the 2026 FD Championship by beating Jack Shanahan in a very close Final. The heat was decided when the elder Shanahan spun out at Zone 6 as he fought to maintain contact with Deane’s Mustang.

“These days don’t come easy with the level of driving in FD,” a relieved Deane pronounced. “It’s been an amazing weekend for Irish drifting – to have myself and Jack in the final, Conor winning his first Formula DRIFT Championship, and for us to be 1-2-3 in the championship is unbelievable!”

Jack Shanahan’s spin meant he retained third in the 2026 PRO Championship standings, which can’t be considered a poor result for only his second season in FD. “I felt like I had him beat, until I didn’t!” Jack proclaimed before climbing the podium to stand beside his brother Conor and neighbor James to collect their trophies, completing the remarkable Irish domination of the 2026 Formula DRIFT PRO Championship season.

Joining James and Jack on the Round 8 podium was LZ, who placed third after losing a very close BMW battle to Jack in their Final 4 heat. Third represented LZ's best result of the season and catapulted him from 14th to ninth overall. However, the result was also bittersweet for LZ…

“I wanted to get a podium tonight so I could announce I won’t be back in 2027. It’s not over for me, but I’m stopping for now and so proud to be standing here,” LZ told the packed Long Beach grandstands. A fan favorite, he explained there were other priorities he needed to focus on, but hoped to return in the future.

In a night packed with jubilation and despair, Branden Sorensen (USA) saw his 2026 title bid crumble. Arriving in Long Beach in fourth position, he was fighting for a Top 3 Championship place until a broken power steering pulley on the Sorensen Motorsports / Quad Lock BMW ended the dream. Knocked out of the Top 32 by the random part failure, Branden placed 17th on the night, remained fourth overall, and has shown he’s a serious contender for 2027.

Cole Richards (USA) could have suffered a similar fate after he experienced engine problems in his Richards Racing Toyota GT86 during Qualifying. The problem persisted into Competition and Cole was eliminated from his Top 32 battle by Tommy Lemaire (Canada). But so were his Rookie rivals Cody Buchanan (USA) and Nate Chen (USA). Fortunately, Richards had amassed enough points to become the 2026 Rookie of the Year.

As if the departures of Olsen and LZ weren’t enough, veteran driver Ryan Tuerck (USA) had announced he was leaving the Series at the start of the season, and Round 8 was his final opportunity to say goodbye. After Ryan’s drift career began in 2002, he joined FD in 2008 where his best results saw him finish third in both 2020 and 2022. Sadly, the highly respected driver of the Rain-X Toyota GR Corolla was eliminated from the Top 32 but he received a great send off by friends and fans alike.

Round 8 also saw the departure of long-time Formula DRIFT Judge Brian Eggert, who had been with the Series for 15 years and was finally hanging up his headphones and clipboard.

“This was easily the hardest and most tide-turning season in our 23 years, but also very likely the most inspiring and motivational,” said Ryan Sage, President of Formula DRIFT. “We seem to say it every year, but somehow the drivers and their cars keep getting better, raising the level of competition to a previously unimagined level. Against that backdrop, we saw our first all-Irish podium at Round 4, with five-time Champion James Deane flanked by the Shanahans. We also battled the weather, introduced three new markets, and tackled the challenging task of creating real-time, trackable, displayed data to assist with judging, driver analysis, and provide greater insight to the fans.

“We also have to acknowledge the incredible contribution of the people who are leaving the Series, from veteran Ryan Tuerck to LZ and Simen Olsen, as well as our Judge Brian Eggert, who has been a key part of the Series’ growth over the past 15 years. We’re going to miss them all, but we’re always excited to see what the future will bring. And with that in mind, we’ll shortly be announcing our 2027 schedule to allow the teams, drivers and fans to prepare for another epic season.”

The 2026 Auto Cup was won by Ford, largely thanks to the success of James Deane, but not forgetting Vaughn Gittin Jr’s Round 2 win. The 2026 Tire Cup went to GT Radial for the second year in a row, and by a significant margin.

ROUND 8 FD PRO TOP 16 DRIVER POINTS*

POSITION	DRIVER	POINTS
1	James Deane	50 +2
2	Jack Shanahan	40 +3
3	LZ	30 +1
4	Matt Field	30 +1
5	Fredric Aasbo	20 +1
6	Rome Charpentier	20 +1
7	Simen Olsen	20 +1
8	Ryan Litteral	20 +1
9	Conor Shanahan	10 +2
10	Tommy Lemaire	10 +1
11	Dan Stuke	10 +1
12	Wataru Masuyama	10 +1
13	Jeff Jones	10 +1
14	Dan Burkett	10 +1
15	Vaughn Gittin Jr	10 +1
16	Rudy Hansen	10 +1

2026 FD PRO TOP 16 DRIVER CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS*

POSITION	DRIVER	POINTS
1	Conor Shanahan	224
2	James Deane	218
3	Jack Shanahan	206
4	Branden Sorensen	165
5	Matt Field	150
6	Fredric Aasbo	149
7	Aurimas Bakchis	132
8	Dylan Hughes	91
9	LZ	88
10	Ryan Tuerck	88
11	Chris Forsberg	82
12	Cole Richards	79
13	Dan Stuke	68
14	Ben Hobson	67
15	Vaughn Gittin Jr	62
16	Dan Burkett	58

2026 AUTO CUP TOP 5 FINAL STANDINGS*

Ford	346
Toyota	287
BMW	244
Chevrolet	151
Nissan	120

2026 TIRE CUP FINAL STANDINGS*

GT Radial	532
Nitto	346
Kenda	332
Kumho	284

* Preliminary standings. Final results pending official confirmation

2026 FORMULA DRIFT PRO CHAMPIONSHIP COMPETITION RESULTS FROM ROUND 8 IN LONG BEACH

Conor Shanahan is the 2026 Formula DRIFT PRO Champion, James Deane wins Round 8

EVENT DETAILS

Date: Saturday, October 24, 2026

Location: Long Beach, CA

Event: Competition results for Formula DRIFT PRO Championship Final Round 8; Shoreline Showdown

RESULTS FROM FD PRO ROUND 8

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

FD PRO CHAMPIONSHIP TOP 3

Conor Shanahan (Ireland) – Red Bull / GT Radial / JYR Toyota GT86
James Deane (Ireland) – O'Reilly / Pennzoil Ford Mustang RTR Spec 5-FD
Jack Shanahan (Ireland) – Pulsar Turbos E82 BMW

NOTES

By winning his Top 32 Competition heat against Jhonnattan Castro (Dominican Republic), Conor Shanahan became the 2026 Formula DRIFT PRO Champion in only his third year in the Series. Driving the Red Bull / GT Radial / JYR Toyota GT86, Shanahan’s consistency throughout the season allowed him to claim the title after his Top 32 heat. The 23 year-old was subsequently knocked out of the Top 16 by Simen Olsen (Norway), leaving his rivals to fight for the Round 8 win
“As a 10 year-old kid I had a dream of coming to the States to drive, never mind fighting for a Championship. And today’s the day!” said an emotional Conor. “I want to thank everybody who supported me over the years, especially my Mum and Dad. My brother is the reason I’m Champion, the reason we won. And of course, Jerry Yang Racing: I walked into his workshop at the beginning of the year and within the first 15 minutes I felt like we had a good shot at the Championship this year.”

By winning Round 8, five-time Champion James Deane clinched second in the 2026 FD PRO Championship. He beat Jack Shanahan in a very close Final, which saw the elder Shanahan spin out of Zone 6 as he fought to maintain contact with the Mustang driver
“These days don’t come easy with the level of driving in FD,” a relieved Deane pronounced. “It’s been an amazing weekend for Irish drifting – to have myself and Jack in the final, Conor winning his first Formula DRIFT championship, and for us to be 1-2-3 in the championship is unbelievable!”
Jack Shanahan’s spin meant he retained third in the Championship standings, which can’t be considered a poor result for only his second season in FD. “I felt like I had him beat, until I didn’t!” Jack proclaimed before climbing the podium to stand beside his brother Conor and neighbor James
LZ finished third in Round 8 after losing a very close BMW battle to Jack in the Final 4 heats. It was LZ's best result of the season and catapulted him from 14th to ninth overall. However, the result was bittersweet for LZ…
“I wanted to get a podium so I could announce I won’t be back in 2027. It’s not over for me, but I’m stopping for now and so proud to be standing here,” LZ told the packed Long Beach grandstands. A fan favorite, he explained there were other priorities he needed to focus on but hoped to return in the future
Matt Field (USA) claimed fourth place in the Borla Performance / GT Radial / Heat Wave Visual / Logitech / Liqui Moly Corvette. He lost to Deane in the Final 4 heats, primarily because the Vette driver collided with the Mustang while initiating into Zone 1. Needing to remain close to his rival, Field had to be aggressive and a slight error ended his night. However, the points haul jumped him from seventh to fifth overall
Branden Sorensen (USA) saw his 2026 title bid crumble. Arriving in Long Beach in fourth position, he was fighting for a Top 3 Championship place until a broken power steering pulley on the Sorensen Motorsports / Quad Lock BMW ended the dream. Knocked out of the Top 32, Branden placed 17th on the night, remained fourth overall, and has shown the world he’s a serious contender for 2027
Cole Richards (USA) became the 2026 Rookie of the Year despite the Richards Racing Toyota GT86 experiencing engine problems with during practice and into Top 32 Competition. He lost his Top 32 battle against Tommy Lemaire (Canada), but so did his Rookie rivals Cody Buchanan (USA) and Nate Chen (USA). Fortunately, Richards had amassed enough points to be crowned ROTY
Veteran driver Ryan Tuerck (USA) announced his departure from the Series at the start of the season, and Round 8 was the final opportunity to say goodbye. After Ryan’s drift career began in 2002, he joined FD in 2008 where his best results saw him finish third in both 2020 and 2022. Sadly, the highly respected driver of the Rain-X Toyota GR Corolla was eliminated from the Top 32 but he recieved much love from friends and fans alike
Round 8 also saw the departure of long-time Formula DRIFT Judge Brian Eggert, who had been with the Series for 15 years and was finally hanging up his headphones and clipboard
We also said goodbye to popular Norwegian driver Simen Olsen, who joined the Series in 2021 and finished fourth in 2023, narrowly missing out on the Top 3
The 2026 Auto Cup was won by Ford, largely thanks to the success of James Deane, but not forgetting Vaughn Gittin Jr’s Round 2 win
The winner of the 2026 Tire Cup was GT Radial for the second year in a row, and by a significant margin

ROUND 8 FD PRO TOP 16 DRIVER POINTS*

POSITION	DRIVER	POINTS
1	James Deane	50 +3
2	Jack Shanahan	40 +4
3	LZ	30 +1
4	Matt Field	30 +1
5	Fredric Aasbo	20 +1
6	Rome Charpentier	20 +1
7	Simen Olsen	20 +1
8	Ryan Litteral	20 +1
9	Conor Shanahan	10 +2
10	Tommy Lemaire	10 +1
11	Dan Stuke	10 +1
12	Wataru Masuyama	10 +1
13	Jeff Jones	10 +1
14	Dan Burkett	10 +1
15	Vaughn Gittin Jr	10 +1
16	Rudy Hansen	10 +1

2026 FD PRO TOP 16 DRIVER CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS*

POSITION	DRIVER	POINTS
1	Conor Shanahan	224
2	James Deane	218
3	Jack Shanahan	206
4	Branden Sorensen	165
5	Matt Field	150
6	Fredric Aasbo	149
7	Aurimas Bakchis	132
8	Dylan Hughes	91
9	LZ	88
10	Ryan Tuerck	88
11	Chris Forsberg	82
12	Cole Richards	79
13	Dan Stuke	68
14	Ben Hobson	67
15	Vaughn Gittin Jr	62
16	Dan Burkett	58

2026 AUTO CUP TOP 5 FINAL RESULTS*

Ford	346
Toyota	287
BMW	244
Chevrolet	151
Nissan	120

2026 TIRE CUP FINAL RESULTS*

GT Radial	532
Nitto	346
Kenda	332
Kumho	284

* Preliminary standings. Final results pending official confirmation

FORMULA DRIFT LONG BEACH RECAP

A recap of all the action from FD LB2 with event images will be available on Monday.

ABOUT FORMULA DRIFT

Formula DRIFT is recognized as the leading international drifting championship. Established on the streets of Japan, drifting has evolved into a worldwide competitive sport that challenges the driver's skill while demanding a great deal from their vehicle in terms of power and strength. Formula DRIFT provides a series for the best professional drifters from around the globe to compete for the coveted title of Formula DRIFT Champion. As the first official drifting series in North America, Formula DRIFT has taken competitive motorsports to the extreme, attracting drift fans and car enthusiasts from all walks of life, and established itself as the global leader for the sport. For a competition schedule, ticket information, special content and livestream, please visit formulad.com

WATCH FORMULA DRIFT

Fans can find the free-to-view event livestream at formulad.com/live and on Racer Network through the Racer+ app and Racer Select. The PRO Championship Top 16 will only be available via the Racer Network

FOLLOW FORMULA DRIFT ONLINE

formulad.com

instagram.com/formulad

facebook.com/formuladrift

x.com/FormulaDrift

youtube.com/Formuladrift

2026 FORMULA DRIFT OFFICIAL SPONSORS

Major Sponsor, Official Vehicle Lighting – TYPE S

Major Sponsor, Official Energy Drink – Rockstar Energy Drink

Major Sponsor, Official Auto Parts Retailer – O’Reilly Auto Parts

Major Tire Sponsors – GT Radial, Kenda Tire, Kumho Tire, Nitto Tire

Official Sponsors – Pennzoil (Official Oil), K&N (Official Performance Filter), Canon (Official Imaging Partner), Ford Performance, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing, BC Forged, BC Racing (Official Suspension), SIMAGIC (Official SIM Racing Hardware), Fast Orange (Official Hand Cleaner)

Associated Sponsors – Enkei Wheels, RAYS Wheels, Meguiar’s car care, NGK Spark Plugs

Official ECU & PROSPEC Title Sponsor – Link Engine Management

Official PROSPEC Tire – GT Radial

Official PROSPEC Tire Service Partner – Tire Agent

Official PROSPEC Oil - ENEOS Motor Oil

Broadcast partner – RACER Network

Official Education Partner – University of Northwestern Ohio

Official Community Outreach Program – Acceler8

\FORMULA DRIFT PRO CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFYING RESULTS FROM FINAL ROUND 8 IN LONG BEACH

EVENT DETAILS

Date: Friday, October 23, 2026

Location: Long Beach, CA

Event: Formula DRIFT PRO Championship Final Round 8 Qualifying

RESULTS FROM FD PRO QUALIFYING

Jack Shanahan (Ireland) – Pulsar Turbos E82 BMW
James Deane (Ireland) – O'Reilly / Pennzoil Ford Mustang RTR Spec 5-FD
Conor Shanahan (Ireland) – Red Bull / GT Radial / JYR Toyota GT86

PRO NOTES

Arriving at the Final Round with a 47-point advantage over second place James Deane, Conor Shanahan could have potentially sealed the 2026 FD PRO Championship by receiving four points for Qualifying first if Deane and third-place Branden Sorensen failed to Qualify. It was an unlikely scenario, and Conor placed third on the night, gaining two points
Ahead of him was brother Jack Shanahan in first position, with fellow Irishman Deane in third. Both drivers need Conor to be beaten in his Top 32 Competition heat tomorrow. And then one of them must win Round 8 to claim the title. If none of this happens, Conor will win his first FD PRO Championship
The only American driver in the title hunt was Branden Sorensen (USA) in the Sorensen Motorsports / Quad Lock BMW who arrived in third place, 48-points behind Conor. By qualifying fifth and scoring one point, he took himself out of title contention but remains firmly in the chase for a Top 3 position
With 31 drivers Qualifying for the Top 32 Competition places, it meant top qualifier Jack Shanahan earned himself a Bye Run through the first heats, giving him an advantage over his closest rivals. Deane will face Andy Hateley (USA) in the Top 32, but the Drift Wizard was experiencing mechanical gremlins in his Drift Wizard E46 BMW. Hopefully he's able to come out strong in the Top 32
Conor’s opponent in his Top 32 heat will be Jhonnattan Castro (Dominican Republic) who qualified 30th and appeared to be struggling with his Metaldom Toyota GR86. There will be a number of teams hoping Castro is also able to rectify the problems and challenge Conor for the heat win...
The leading Rookie driver was Cody Buchanan (USA) who placed 20th in the Life Wide Open / Reboot Energy 350Z. He needs a good result in Competition to claim the 2026 Rookie of the Year title from points leader Cole Richards (USA). With a 41-point advantage over Buchanan, Richards would appear to have a hand on the trophy but engine problems for the Richards Racing Toyota GT86 in Qualifying has left the door ajar for Buchanan
Formula DRIFT PRO Qualifying utilizes UDSM (Universal Drift Scoring Method) technology from Race Data Labs. The telemetry and data system has automated the objective aspects of scoring individual qualifying runs with up to 80% of each PRO driver’s Qualifying score for drift Line and car Angle quantified and scored entirely by UDSM Driving Style. The remaining 20% for Style continues to be assessed and awarded by the existing panel of three Formula DRIFT judges
The top qualifier receives four Championship points, second place receives three, third gets two, and all other drivers receive one point

FD PRO ROUND 8 TOP 16 QUALIFYING RESULTS*

POSITION	NAME	POINTS
1	Jack Shanahan	4
2	James Deane	3
3	Conor Shanahan	2
4	LZ	1
5	Branden Sorensen	1
6	Tommy Lemaire	1
7	Fredric Aasbo	1
8	Rome Charpentier	1
9	Dylan Hughes	1
10	Aurimas Bakchis	1
11	Matt Field	1
12	Ken Gushi	1
13	Dan Stuke	1
14	Nate Chen	1
15	Wataru Masuyama	1
16	Ben Hobson	1

FD PRO ROUND 8 TOP 32 COMPETITION BRACKET

* Preliminary standings. Final results pending official confirmation

FORMULA DRIFT LONG BEACH RECAP

Competition results from FD PRO Final Round 8 will be available on Saturday evening. A recap of all the action from FD LB2 with event images will be available on Monday.

ABOUT FORMULA DRIFT

WATCH FORMULA DRIFT

FOLLOW FORMULA DRIFT ONLINE

formulad.com

instagram.com/formulad

facebook.com/formuladrift

x.com/FormulaDrift

youtube.com/Formuladrift

2026 FORMULA DRIFT OFFICIAL SPONSORS

Major Sponsor, Official Vehicle Lighting – TYPE S

Major Sponsor, Official Energy Drink – Rockstar Energy Drink

Major Sponsor, Official Auto Parts Retailer – O’Reilly Auto Parts

Major Tire Sponsors – GT Radial, Kenda Tire, Kumho Tire, Nitto Tire

Official Sponsors – Pennzoil (Official Oil), K&N (Official Performance Filter), Canon (Official Imaging Partner),Ford Performance, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing, BC Forged, BC Racing (Official Suspension), SIMAGIC (Official SIM Racing Hardware), Fast Orange (Official Hand Cleaner)

Associated Sponsors – Enkei Wheels, RAYS Wheels, Meguiar’s car care, NGK Spark Plugs

Official ECU & PROSPEC Title Sponsor – Link Engine Management

Official PROSPEC Tire – GT Radial

Official PROSPEC Tire Service Partner – Tire Agent

Official PROSPEC Oil – ENEOS Motor Oil

Broadcast partner – RACER Network

Official Education Partner – University of Northwestern Ohio

Official Community Outreach Program – Acceler8

Official Casino Partner – Yaamava’

Technical Partners – PCI Race Radios

GRIDLIFE & WORLD RACING LEAGUE ANNOUNCE RETURN OF LEGENDARY 25 HOURS OF THUNDERHILL

“GRIDLIFE Thunderhill” will launch the 2027 GRIDLIFE National Championship season. As part of the weekend, the 25 Hours of Thunderhill endurance race will run in collaboration with WRL, seeded within a full GRIDLIFE motorsports program across the entire facility – day and night.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WILLOWS, CA. 22 October 2026. GRIDLIFE and World Racing League (WRL) today announced GRIDLIFE Thunderhill, a new motorsports event at Thunderhill Motorsports Park in Willows, CA scheduled for April 2-4, 2027.

The innovative event format will serve as the opening round of the 2027 GRIDLIFE National Championship season. And the event will mark the highly anticipated return of the legendary 25 Hours of Thunderhill, which last ran in 2023.

WRL, in partnership with GRIDLIFE, will revive the best-known grassroots endurance racing event and surround it with a full GRIDLIFE competition program, creating a motorsports celebration that will continue long after the sun sets.

“Bringing back the 25 Hours of Thunderhill is a big deal for grassroots motorsports, and we want the whole weekend to match that,” explained Chris Stewart, GRIDLIFE President and Co-Founder. “With WRL leading the endurance race, we’re building a full GRIDLIFE experience around it. We want Thunderhill Raceway Park to feel alive across the whole site, with fans and drivers coming together, and the energy carrying on long after dark. It’s the kind of weekend we’d want to spend at the track ourselves, and we can’t wait to share it with everyone as we kick off the 2027 season!”

RETURN OF GRASSROOTS ENDURANCE RACING

For years, the 25 Hours of Thunderhill occupied a unique place in American grassroots endurance racing. Its extended duration put an enormous strain on drivers, teams and machinery, helping to establish it as the defining challenge for grassroots endurance racing. And after a four-year absence, the race is set to return in 2027.

The 25 Hours race is scheduled to begin Saturday afternoon, run through the night and conclude 25 hours later.

“The 25 Hours of Thunderhill has always been the ultimate test of endurance, strategy, and sheer determination," said RJ Till, WRL President. "After a four-year hiatus, WRL is excited to revive this legendary race alongside GRIDLIFE, introducing a new generation of drivers and fans to the world of endurance racing."

The return of the big race will be the centerpiece of a larger motorsports experience, designed to connect endurance racing competitors to GRIDLIFE drivers, enthusiasts, families, and the surrounding community.

SIX MOTORSPORTS DISCIPLINES – ONE UNFORGETTABLE EVENT

GRIDLIFE Thunderhill will deliver the full GRIDLIFE National Championship competition experience alongside the World Racing League 25-hour endurance race.

The weekend will feature:

Eibach GRIDLIFE Touring Cup (GLTC) — GRIDLIFE's wheel-to-wheel touring car racing series.
GRIDLIFE Grand Touring (GLGT) — Grand Touring competition as part of the GRIDLIFE racing program.
GRIDLIFE TrackBattle Time Attack — Drivers competing against the clock to record their fastest lap.
GRIDLIFE Drift — Drift action showcasing car control, driving style, and the excitement of grassroots motorsports.
WRL Grand Touring (GT) – WRL’s Grand Touring competition as part of the WRL endurance racing program.
WRL General Production (GP) - WRL’s General Production competition as part of the WRL endurance racing program.

GRIDLIFE and WRL will simultaneously activate all these motorsports activities at Thunderhill Motorsports Park, using all race tracks and surfaces throughout the weekend.

The result will be an immersive environment where spectators can experience a broad spectrum of motorsports in one destination, from wheel-to-wheel competition to time attack, drifting and around-the-clock endurance racing.

A MOTORSPORTS DESTINATION

GRIDLIFE Thunderhill will combine national-level competition with the welcoming atmosphere of a grassroots automotive gathering. The planned attractions include on-site camping, the GRIDLIFE Arcade, automotive vendors, drifting, racing, and more. Everything is intended to engage enthusiasts and families alike.

The event is being developed for both longtime racing fans and first-time attendees to experience motorsports from multiple perspectives at an event where there is always something happening, both on and off the tracks.

START OF 2027 GRIDLIFE SEASON

As the opening round of the 2027 GRIDLIFE National Championship, GRIDLIFE Thunderhill will establish the stage for the season ahead. Additional information regarding the event schedule, competition registration, camping, and spectator experiences will be announced in the coming months.

Driver registration and spectator tickets are coming soon.

For the latest event announcements, visit grid.life/news or follow @gridlifeofficial on Instagram and Facebook.

Rules, and event specifics for the WRL 25 Hours of Thunderhill will be announced soon at racewrl.com. For team inquiries, contact race@racewrl.com

ABOUT GRIDLIFE

Since 2014, GRIDLIFE has redefined the intersection of grassroots motorsports and festival culture. By blending competitive track action, high-speed drifting, and main stage music into immersive national events, GRIDLIFE breaks down barriers and builds community for both hardcore enthusiasts and the car-curious. Now operating as part of the F=ma network alongside RACER Media and The ID Agency, GRIDLIFE continues to power the next generation of shared automotive experiences on and off the track. For more information and full season schedules, visit www.grid.life

ABOUT WRL

Founded in 2014, World Racing League (WRL) is North America's premier grassroots endurance series designed to provide a highly professional, multi-class racing experience for teams across a wide spectrum of budgets. Founded on the principle of bridging the gap between club-level racing and high-cost professional motorsport, WRL features highly competitive endurance events at some of North America's most iconic road courses. Driven by a culture of clean racing, strict parity, and driver development, the series welcomes everything from grassroots garage-prepped production cars to factory-built GT4 machinery across four power-to-weight competition classes.

ABOUT THUNDERHILL RACEWAY PARK

Thunderhill Raceway Park, in Willows, California, is Northern California’s home for serious grassroots motorsport. With multiple tracks and layouts, long on speed and history, the park hosts club racing, endurance events, track days, and rentals year-round, and is home to a loyal community of racers, crews, and fans. Old-school track, modern energy: from weekend club racing to flagship events like Thunderhill Open, Thunderhill is where people come to race, build, and hang out in the paddock. Learn more at thunderhill.com.

MEGUIAR’S® HEADS TO LONG BEACH FOR THE FINAL ROUND OF THE 2026 FORMULA DRIFT SERIES

IRVINE, CA. October 21, 2026. Meguiar’s – the original car care brand – continues its support of the Formula DRIFT Championship Series as it heads to the Shoreline Showdown where the 2026 PRO Championship will be decided this weekend in what will be a thrilling Final Round.

With four drivers vying for the title – Conor Shanahan, James Deane, Branden Sorensen and Jack Shanahan – there will be fireworks, especially since being held at night for the first time. Conor holds a commanding points lead but Formula DRIFT is a punishing series, especially with the course taken at high speed between unforgiving concrete walls. Anything could happen!

The event takes place on October 23-24 at the Long Beach Convention Center. Qualifying is scheduled for Friday evening and the main event on Saturday.

The Meguiar’s team will be in the paddock as always. Its team of experts will be ready to share advice on car care and its latest products to get the job done on everything from Imports and Euros to Domestics, Classics, Overlanders and beyond.

The Meguiar’s booth will display a stunning G80 BMW M3 from longtime SEMA builder, Umair Zubair of Riamu Design for visitors to enjoy.

RIAMU DESIGN BMW M3

When Umair Zubair of Riamu Design chose to continue his 25-year run of custom SEMA project cars, he selected a G8X M3. However, it took him nearly two years and more than 3,000 miles to find the right car in Jacksonville, FL. That’s where the rare G80 M3 in Tanzanite Blue with Silverstone carbon bucket seats was located.

When deciding on the project’s direction, he drew inspiration from previous SEMA builds such as his first; an ’84 VW GTI, and hits including a ’97 Integra GSR, B5 Audi S4, Subaru Legacy GT Wagon, plus a pair of Teslas.

“What makes the M3 unique is the overall design and attention to detail,” Zubair explained. “One of the highlights is the custom livery my brother designed by, which made it a real showstopper.”

The vinyl graphics were wrapped over a number of body mods, including a DTM Fiberwerkz GTR hood, Shepherd Design carbon splitter, side skirts and rear spoiler, as well as a Vorsteiner grille.

The chunky 20x10” front and 20x11” rear HRE Classic 305 wheels wrapped in Toyo Proxes Sport 2 tires also contribute to the “showstopper” theme. But the perfect wheels meaning nothing without a solid stance, and this four-dour tucks its rims thanks to an air-ride system utilizing Universal Air Solutions struts and bags, which are filled by a pair of VIAIR 444 polished compressors. The components are mounted in a custom trunk enclosure and the ride height is controlled an Air Lift ALP4 management system.

Never one to leave the engine stock, Zubair specified a FemtoEVO ECU unlock for the S58 six-cylinder motor. Updated with a JordanTuned E85 tune, the M3 is good for 710hp, necessitating a billet CSF Charge Air Cooler, BlackBoost cold-air intakes, and a valved Eisenmann exhaust.

Inside the cabin, those special BMW sports seats are protected by a Riviera Blue StudioRSR Tesseract roll bar, which anchors the Racetech Pro harnesses, necessitating a rear seat delete. Other upgrades include a Sparco L360 steering wheel with an OLED display thanks to a JQ Werks hub.

Inevitably, there’s a lot more modifications than we can cover here, so attendees at this weekend’s Formula DRIFT Final Round should head to the Paddock area and visit the Meguiar’s booth to see the Tanzanite blue beauty for themselves.

FORMULA DRIFT ANNOUNCES VIP TICKET PACKAGES FOR FINAL ROUND AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY THROUGH STUBHUB

Ahead of the Final Round of the Formula DRIFT PRO Championship taking place on the Streets of Long Beach on October 23-24, the Series is partnering with StubHub to offer reserved tickets and to exclusively provide access to exciting new VIP packages designed to give a small number of fans unrivalled access to experience Formula DRIFT in a totally new way!

As Formula DRIFT’s Official Open Distribution Partner, Stubhub will be the source of two new VIP options that will provide everything a dedicated fan of the series could ask for.

The first is the Ride-Along Package. This will only be available to five people who purchase the package on StubHub. Each individual will get to sit alongside a Formula DRIFT PRO driver and experience the speed, sliding and smoke of a full-blooded drift on the Long Beach street course.

In addition, each of the five ticket holders will receive the following:

Formula DRIFT Hardcard
Early access to the venue
Reserved VIP Weekend Seating
Formula DRIFT Gift Bag

Each Ride-Along Package holder will be allocated a PRO driver for their ride, which will take place on Friday. The VIP Seating and Early Access will be available for both Friday and Saturday.

The second package is to be a Team Member for the Day. This option is far more immersive and will be available with the following teams:

Sorensen Team
Dylan Hughes
Matt Field
Rome Charpentier

As a Team Member for the Day, the ticket holder will have access to their designated team on both Friday and Saturday. They will receive the following benefits:

Official Team Shirt
Friday Hot Lap Ride-Along during Friday Practice
Saturday Lunch with the Team
Hot Pit access
Attend the Opening Ceremony with the Team
Photo with the Team and Driver
Weekend Early Entry to the Long Beach Venue
Reserved VIP Seating for the Weekend
Formula DRIFT Gift Bag

Given the exclusive nature of these new VIP Packages and the small number available, they are on sale now exclusively on StubHub.com. The packages will be available on a first come, first served basis, while supplies last.

“We’re excited to bring to market these unique and exclusive offerings in partnership with StubHub for our Season Finale. By partnering with Stubhub, a clear leader in the ticket vendor space, I think it says a lot about how Formula DRIFT has developed and where we hope to go,” said Ryan Sage, President of Formula DRIFT.

The Ticket Vendor also has a number of General Admission tickets available for the Final Round 8 of the Formula DRIFT PRO Championship in Long Beach on October 23-24.

“Formula DRIFT has built an incredibly passionate fan community, making it a natural fit as we continue to expand StubHub’s presence across motorsports,” said Matthew Stallknecht, Director of Motorsports Partnerships at StubHub. “As Formula DRIFT’s Official Open Distribution Partner, we’re excited to give fans trusted access to tickets and exclusive VIP packages that bring them closer to the drivers, teams and action.”

NEXT ROUND

The Final Round 8 of the Formula DRIFT PRO Championship will take place on the street circuit in Long Beach, CA on October 23-24. Please visit formulad.com for ticket information, driver profiles, special content, and the event livestream.

ABOUT STUBHUB

StubHub is a leading global ticketing marketplace for live events. Through StubHub and its international brand viagogo, the company services customers in over 200 countries and territories, supporting over 30 languages and accepting payments in over 45 currencies – from sports to music, comedy to dance, festivals to theater. StubHub offers a safe and convenient way to buy or sell tickets to live events across the world for memorable live experiences.

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2026 FORMULA DRIFT OFFICIAL SPONSORS

Major Sponsor, Official Vehicle Lighting – TYPE S

Major Sponsor, Official Energy Drink – Rockstar Energy Drink

Major Sponsor, Official Auto Parts Retailer – O’Reilly Auto Parts