After the tropical storm that dominated last year’s competition heats, the Formula DRIFT PRO Championship teams were relieved to run under dry conditions for Round 3: TYPE S Scorched presented by AutoZone.

Upon arrival at Orlando Speed World, the teams discovered Formula DRIFT had made some minor revisions the layout of the figure-8 course for this year. Outside Zone 1 was lengthened and Outside Zone 2 shortened slightly to improve the flow of the course. The result was an improved spectacle for spectators at the track and via the free-to-view livestream, resuling in an extremely close K&N Qualifying session and exciting competition.

PRO QUALIFYING

Commencing at sunset and continuing into the evening, all PRO teams were required to use Type S undercar lighting, helping the fans to follow the action through the tire smoke.

The top qualifier was Ryan Tuerck (USA) who put his Rain-X / Nitto Tire / Rockstar Energy GR Corolla in first position with a 94.6-point run, thanks in part to a high X factor: a 10-point discretionary score the judges are able to award to particularly impressive runs. 

Tuerck was also the top qualifier at the opening round in Long Beach but was unable to make much impression, languishing in 11th in the 2023 FD PRO Championship battle coming into Orlando. Undoubtedly, Papadakis Racing would be hoping Tuerck’s flawless qualifying run would initiate the launch of the GR Corolla driver’s title chase.

In reality, Tuerck’s advantage was marginal, with second place Chelsea DeNofa (USA) scoring 94 points in his Pennzoil / BC Racing Ford Mustang RTR Spec 5-FD, and third place Kazuya Taguchi (Japan) awarded 93.6 points in the Upgarage / ISR Performance / GT Radial / Jerry Yang Racing Toyota 86. This meant one point separated the top three drivers, while less than ten points separated the top 18. The changes to the course had certainly brought out the best from the entire field, although there were some hiccups. 

Championship leader Matt Field (USA), for example, scored 87 points, which placed the Borla Performance / GT Radial Corvette in a rather disappointing 16th, but everybody understood he’d undoubtedly be a major factor in the competition heats.

Reigning Champion Fredric Aasbo (Norway) fared better, scoring 91.6 points in the Rockstar Energy Toyota GR Supra, which meant he placed fifth in qualification.

With 35 drivers again contesting 32 competition places, there would inevitably be disappointment. And while the Knockout Qualifying Format (KQF) ensured the top 24 drivers automatically qualified, the remainder were required to run a second time. Once the points were tallied, Joao Barion (Brazil), Kyle Mohan (USA) and Ola Jaeger (Norway) were cut from competition.

PRO COMPETITION

For the second time in three events, it was a Mustang RTR driver who climbed to the top step of the podium. Two weeks ago in Atlanta, fans had witnessed the incredible return of team leader Vaughn Gittin Jr. But with Gittin Jr sharing a car with Adam LZ throughout the 2023 season and sidelined for Orlando, it was Chelsea DeNofa (USA) who took his Pennzoil / BC Racing Ford Mustang RTR Spec 5-FD to the win. 

And it was a battered and bruised Mustang RTR that transported DeNofa to his first victory since Round 6 in Seattle 2022. With an incredibly tough bracket, DeNofa fought valiantly for the win, and the carnage began in the Top 32 where he collided with Alex Holovnia (Ukraine).

After two clean runs, the judges requested they go One More Time (OMT), repeating both runs to help them find a winner. Unfortunately, the rookie driver of the Huragan Racing / Cheap Racing Toyota GT86 experienced power steering problems as he initiated into Outside Zone 1 (OZ1) on the fourth run. Unable to control the car, it was pulled into the wall, giving a committed DeNofa nowhere to hide. Hitting the rear corner of the Toyota, the Mustang RTR was thrown into the air, landing hard and suffering considerable damage.

With a two-hour intermission before the Top 16 heats, RTR Motorsports replaced the damaged components in time for a blockbuster battle against three-time FD PRO Champion Chris Forsberg (USA) in the NOS Energy Drink / GT Radial Nissan Z. With both drivers setting extraordinary lead runs, it was DeNofa’s chase that tipped the close decision in his favor. 

Advancing to the Great 8, Chelsea faced three-time FD PRO Champion and teammate James Deane (Ireland) in the AutoZone Ford Mustang RTR Spec 5-FD. Again, it was a clash of the titans, with both drivers matching speed and precision. And again, it was the finesse of DeNofa’s chase run that allowed him to progress to the Final 4. 

The explosive power DeNofa brings means opponents are always under pressure to match his speed, and sometimes that ends badly. In this instance it was Taguchi who used his Toyota 86 as a spear. It was aimed directly at the Mustang’s door as Taguchi lost composure at Inside Clip 2 (IC2), causing more suspension damage to the Ford. 

After making the necessary repairs, DeNofa defeated Taguchi in their second run despite an engine misfire. With new plugs and leads fitted to the 1100hp V8, DeNofa faced three-time FD PRO Champion Aasbo in an extremely close Final that saw both drivers take it to the limit. 

“It was a gnarly event and the team worked extremely hard all weekend,” DeNofa told us after spraying the champagne. “We worked through a number of gremlins in practice and the car was there when I needed it. Everything went well, and after our One More Time in the Top 32 we won all the battles with the chase run and clean leads. It worked out really well because we have a great car for this track – it’s only one turn, so it can’t be that hard!

“We need to fix the car before New Jersey because it’s so battered. The crew will get it back together and we’ve got a good set up for Englishtown, so we’ll try to get on the podium again.”

The victory lifted Chelsea from tenth to second in the 2023 FD PRO Championship and kickstarted his title chase. While Aasbo’s second place meant he amassed sufficient points over the first three rounds to lead the 2023 FD PRO Championship by a narrow 13 points despite not claiming a victory thus far. 

Conversely, Matt Field – who was leading the Championship by a healthy 40-point margin coming into Orlando – was eliminated from the Top 16 by Tuerck after a monumental conflict that saw them run six times before the judges declared a winner. Finishing 14th on the night, Field dropped to third in the title race but will remain a real threat. 

Taguchi finished third, reflecting his qualifying position and reinforcing the respect given to him by an increasing number of drift teams and experts. After a poor start to the season, the Orlando result catapults Taguchi from 25th to 12th in the FD PRO Championship table.

Dylan Hughes (USA) finished fourth in the Whip Racing / Royal Purple BMW after a very close contest against Aasbo in the Final 4. He also received a healthy bump from 13th to 6th in the title race. Hughes had purged Aasbo’s Papadakis Racing teammate Tuerck from the Great 8, and although the top qualifier in the Corolla GR finished 5th in Orlando, he only collected enough points to rise from 11th to 10th overall.

With only Holovnia and Diego Higa (Brazil) competing for the 2023 Rookie of the Year title, both were eliminated from the Top 32 heats. However, Higa’s superior qualifying position put him in 28th while Holovnia finished 31. They sit 29th and 32nd in the Championship table, respectively.

After the third round, Ford extended its lead of the 2023 Formula DRIFT PRO Auto Cup, while Nitto regained the lead of the Tire Cup thanks largely to the performance of both DeNofa and Aasbo.

“After a fast start to the 2023 season, we find ourselves almost at the halfway point and see Fredric Aasbo take a lead in the PRO Championship with another consistent performance," Formula DRIFT President, Ryan Sage reflected. “We saw a lot of One More Times throughout the competition heats but it was Chelsea DeNofa who emerged victorious in his hometown after an incredible evening that saw his team repeatedly fixing the vehicle. He and the team were able to navigate the chaos and get the victory, which is a big result for both Chelsea and RTR. It’s going to be fascinating to see if the team can continue its momentum at the next round in New Jersey on June 22-24.”

2023 FORMULA DRIFT CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS

ROUND 3 FD PRO TOP 16 DRIVER POINTS

2023 FD PRO TOP 16 DRIVER CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

2023 AUTO CUP STANDINGS

2023 TIRE CUP STANDINGS

NEXT ROUND

Englishtown Raceway will host Formula DRIFT PRO Championship Round 4: TYPE S The Gauntlet presented by AutoZone and FD PROSPEC Round 2 on June 22-24. Please visit formulad.com for the competition schedule, ticket information, driver profiles, special content, and the event livestream

Practice and qualifying are in the books for the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli Memorial Day Classic at Lime Rock Park. Matthew Brabham in the No. 20 GYM WEED Ford Mustang captured his first-career Motul Pole Award in the Trans Am Series with a new track record lap time of 49.141 seconds. Brabham will be joined on the front row by CD Racing team owner Chris Dyson in the No. 16 GYM WEED Ford Mustang as the pair celebrates the 40th anniversary of Dyson’s family team, Dyson Racing.

“It’s great to have the GYM WEED, CD Racing cars lock out the front row and start 1-2, especially with the Dyson family history here; we’re celebrating the 40th anniversary with the team this weekend,” said Brabham. “Lime Rock is awesome, it’s such a great track with so much history. The cars were superfast and we’re really happy as a team; qualifying couldn’t have gone any better for us. I went off a little bit on the first flying lap, and there’s so much pollen here that I almost couldn’t stop sneezing; that was kind of interesting.”

TA Qualifying Top Five:

1. Matthew Brabham, No. 20 GYM WEED Ford Mustang (49.141)

2. Chris Dyson, No. 16 GYM WEED Ford Mustang (49.475)

3. Tomy Drissi, No. 8 Lucas Oil Ford Mustang (50.024)

4. David Pintaric, No. 57 Kryderacing Ford Mustang (50.659)

5. Amy Ruman, No. 23 McNichols Co. Chevrolet Corvette (51.248)

XGT Qualifying:

1. Danny Lowry, No. 42 Bennett/BridgeHaul/Pitboxes.com Mercedes AMG GT3 (52.387)

2. Randy Hale, No. 31 Hale Motorsports/Marsh Racing Chevrolet Corvette (54.409)

3. Nathan Byrd, No. 88 Sonesta/Tilson/Hopegivers Porsche 911.1 GT3 Cup (54.410)

SGT Qualifying:

1. Lee Saunders, No. 44 LandSearch LLC Dodge Viper (55.400)

2. Ricky Sanders, No. 18 BridgeHaul/Bennett/Pitboxes.com Porsche 991.1 (55.827)

GT Qualifying:

1. Michael Saia, No. 13 KMC/Rabid Wraps/Rapid Performance Management Porsche GT3 Cup 997.1 (56.470)

2. Michael Attaway, No. 91 Bennett/BridgeHaul/Pitboxes.com Audi R8 (1:01.092)

Full qualifying results can be found here.

TA Practice Top Five:

1. Justin Marks, No. 99 Trackhouse Chevrolet Camaro (50.011)

2. Matthew Brabham, No. 20 GYM WEED Ford Mustang (50.174)

3. Chris Dyson, No. 16 GYM WEED Ford Mustang (50.244)

4. Tomy Drissi, No. 8 Lucas Oil Ford Mustang (50.878)

5. Amy Ruman, No. 23 McNichols Co. Chevrolet Corvette (52.027)

XGT Practice:

1. Danny Lowry, No. 42 Bennett/BridgeHaul/Pitboxes.com Mercedes AMG GT3 (53.443)

2. Randy Hale, No. 31 Hale Motorsports/Marsh Racing Chevrolet Corvette (58.212)

SGT Practice:

1. Ricky Sanders, No. 18 BridgeHaul/Bennett/Pitboxes.com Chevrolet Corvette (57.587)

GT Practice:

1. Michael Saia, No. 13 KMC/Rabid Wraps/Rapid Performance Management Porsche GT3 Cup 997.1 (58.403)

2. Michael Attaway, No. 91 Bennett/BridgeHaul/Pitboxes.com Audi R8 (1:03.142)

Full practice results can be found here.

The TA/XGT/SGT/GT race will be contested today at 1:10 p.m. ET and will be streamed live here. The TV broadcast of the race will air on MAVTV on Thursday, June 1 at 9:00 p.m. ET. 

Lilou Wadoux, the first official female driver in Ferrari's GT program, made motor  sport history by becoming the first woman to win a FIA WEC round.

The #83 Richard Mille AF Corse Ferrari won the LMGTE Am class at the  TotalEnergies 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps on Saturday. The trio of Luis Perez  Companc, Lilou Wadoux and Alessio Rovera dominated the class and crossed the  finish line 18 seconds ahead of the Corvette Racing Chevrolet.

Lilou Wadoux thus became the first female driver to win in the FIA WEC. "I am  super happy that we signed a result like this," said the 22-year-old  Frenchwoman. "In Portimão, we came close to winning (2nd at 0"260 from the  winner). It also proves that we are ready to fight for the championship. It  promises great things for the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the rest of the season."

The lady from Amiens was keen to praise the performance of her teammates,  who started and finished the race. "We started in Slicks, it was quite dangerous  and we saw it well from the warm-up laps. Luis (Perez Companc) did a great job.  During his two stints, he was in the best ones and he gave me the car in a good  position and that's really nice (...) When I arrived in the lead and I gave the car  back to Alessio (Rovera), I knew that he was going to do the job and that we had  a gap. I had no doubt that it was going to happen. When we see the checkered  flag, we're a little relieved!"

Lilou more than contributed to the #85 Ferrari's success. It was her who took the  lead in LMGTE Am with an authoritative overtake on the #88 Dempsey Proton  Racing Porsche. The Frenchwoman then managed her efforts perfectly to give  Richard Mille AF Corse a lead. "For my first stint, it wasn't necessarily easy. I  pushed a little too hard with the cold tires even though, in the end, I was first  when I stopped during my first stint. The second stint went pretty well, with a  good pace. The car was easy to drive, it was very enjoyable."

In the long history of women drivers in motorsport, Lilou Wadoux joins a  prestigious line of winners on the world stage. "This is a new part of history. I  hope it will make other women, who don't necessarily want to go, want to take  the plunge. In the end, we are all capable of doing the same thing, and we are all  proving it. We can fight, women and men, behind a wheel."

With the Monaco Grand Prix this weekend, VegasInsider talked to F1 great Emerson Fittipaldi who talked about the glamour of the race and also gave us his Mount Rushmore of drivers of the Monaco GP.

Here's a summary of what he had to say:

Monaco GP Mount Rushmore

"It's difficult after so many years of racing in Monaco, but for sure Ayrton. He won so many times."

"He always was very aggressive and determined with his driving. Monaco was his style."

"I'd say another one who was very impressive was Graham Hill who by some reason always adapted himself to Monaco. He won the GP five times."

"In my time, who I raced with, it was impressive to see Jackie Stewart drive in Monaco. For sure."

"Niki was very good in Monaco too."

"Then of course, the Schumacher era. He was very good. He won five times there. Very impressive."

The glamour of Monaco is unmatched - I remember meeting Grace Kelly there in 1971

"I think the history of Monaco, the place of choice for jet-setting people, very international, the yachts, the marina, the royal family, they all give the glamour to Monaco."

"I remember the first time I went there, when Prince Rainier III and Grace Kelly were Monaco, and I on a Saturday night they invited me to the castle, after qualifying for the first time in 1971."

"There were cocktails for the drivers, for the sponsors, for the people involved in racing. 

"And then I remember talking to international people from all the world, famous people, glamorous people and then there was a big silence in the room. Everyone stopped talking and started looking - the whole hall, you could hear a fly - and the reason was that Grace Kelly walked in."

"For us as racing drivers, it's a lot of work in a good sense. You cannot walk, people ask, there's a lot of demand."

"But, it's very glamorous. Monaco is unique in the world for sure."

"I met so many celebrities in Monaco. For a few years, David Niven was in my pits. He was a true British gentleman. Elizabeth Taylor, Sophia Lauren, Brigitte Bardot. I was a young guy at that time racing, and I went 'my god, I'm in Monaco'."

The race is getting less exciting because of the cars getting longer and bigger

"I think it is difficult to supersede Monaco because it has the charm and glamour of the marina, the yachts. People fly from all over the world to be there. Italian fans and the tifosi are there."

"Monaco will always stay a part of F1 but it's getting less exciting because qualifying is 95 percent of the result."

"The cars are so long now and so big. And not just that but you only have one flying lap on the tires." 

"Supposing I was driving in Formula 1 right now and I finish my flying lap and did my time, for sure I will go slower back to the pits. And then where do I put the car if someone wants to overtake me, coming faster on the qualifying lap."

"I think there will be a lot of strange, critical situations in qualifying that can help or can damage people's fast times. It could be luck, you know, to get a completely clear lap because you have no place to put your car if you're slow and have to make space for the other guy. Nearly impossible."

Thanks again to VegasInsider. You can find a link to the article here.

Mad Protection. Incredible Value. SA1NT, a leading Australian motorcycle apparel company and innovators of the world’s strongest single-layer denim, is expanding its moto denim collection with the introduction of an all-new, entry-level ‘ENGINEERED’ line. The ENGINEERED collection by SA1NT is 120% stronger than regular denim and delivers the same sleek, SA1NT style synonymous with its industry-leading, single-layer UNBREAKABLE line.

At $199, the ENGINEERED riding jean combines a stylish design with next-level protection. A CE AA rating means riders are well protected while an engineered stretch delivers all-day comfort on and off the bike. SA1NT’s ENGINEERED line comes standard with built-in hip and knee armor, providing high-grade abrasion and tear protection, and a reflective cuff for improved visibility among other motorists.

With the introduction of its new line, SA1NT has reengaged the North American market and has filled inventory at its Utah-based warehouse.

"We're thankful to have refocused our business after challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Aidan Clarke, SA1NT Moto CEO. “We’ve doubled down on our moto range offering and have expanded from just a handful of moto jean styles, to now offering several CE-rated jackets that look like fashion, but heavily protect the rider if things go random. We don't want style choices to compromise protection, and our SA1NT garments allow riders to look smart without giving up safety. We love to armor the risk takers."

On top of an expanded moto denim offering, SA1NT has developed a range of base-layer compression products that were developed in medical grade hosiery factories. From arm sleeves that can reduce forearm pump and grip issues, to compression socks that improve circulation and minimize swelling.

To date, SA1NT has successfully entrenched itself with riders around the world as the outright innovators in protective motorcycle apparel, because it did something other riding apparel brands had not – made technical gear that didn’t look or feel technical. The brand plans to continue to expand its men’s and women’s apparel offerings in 2023 and will soon have several different cuts and colors available.

For more information, visit saint.cc, or follow along on Facebook (@saintridefastridefree), Instagram (@saint.cc) and YouTube.

Today, NASCAR named Xfinity as a founding partner of its inaugural Chicago Street Race Weekend, which will be held from July 1-2 in Grant Park. This announcement represents an exciting new chapter in the longstanding partnership between the two leading brands over the last nine years.  

As a founding partner, Xfinity will have official presenting, marketing, and promotional rights for the Chicago Street Race Weekend including the NASCAR Cup Series’ Grant Park 220 and NASCAR Xfinity Series’ The Loop 121 races. Xfinity joins McDonald’s and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois as the founding partners of NASCAR’s Chicago Street Race Weekend.  

The Xfinity 10G Network will be featured prominently and integrated on the course with significant branding in Turn 10, which will fittingly be called the Xfinity 10G Turn. The Xfinity brand will have visibility throughout the Chicago Street Race Weekend with additional on-course branding in a dedicated founding partner section as well as the historic start-finish line near Buckingham Fountain, fan entrances, concert stage, wayfinding signage, and other locations throughout the event’s footprint. 

“The Chicago Street Race is an incredible moment in NASCAR history, and we can’t think of a better platform to showcase the Xfinity 10G Network and Xfinity Mobile with the iconic Chicago skyline as a backdrop,” said Matt Lederer, Vice President, Xfinity Brand Partnerships.  

Xfinity is in its fourth season as a Premier Partner of NASCAR and ninth season as entitlement partner of the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Xfinity also entitles the Xfinity 500, the Championship 4 elimination race of the Cup Series Playoffs at Martinsville Speedway.   

To download the Xfinity and Chicago Street Race logo, click here. 

“Whenever we want to do something bold to advance the sport and the fan experience, Xfinity has always been there to help us move NASCAR forward,” said Julie Giese, Chicago Street Race President. “The Founding Partner model is really unique to the Chicago Street Race, and we can’t think of a better organization to add to this incredible list of partners for our first-ever street race.” 

“Over the last nine years, NASCAR and Xfinity have become intrinsically linked, and this announcement represents the next step in that proud partnership,” said Jeff Wohlschlaeger, SVP, Chief Sales Officer, NASCAR. “This is an opportunity to showcase our wonderful Founding Partners like Xfinity to a global audience of millions in a brand-new setting here in Chicago.” 

Xfinity and the Chicago Street Race have committed to share future announcements on the organizations’ collaborative support for programs that will have a positive and lasting impact in the Chicago community.  

Chicago Street Race 

As part of NASCAR’s 75^th anniversary season, the first-ever Chicago Street Race Weekend will feature the NASCAR Cup Series’ Grant Park 220 and NASCAR Xfinity Series’ The Loop 121 competing on a 12-turn, 2.2-mile street course, along with full-length concerts by The Chainsmokers and Miranda Lambert with the support of The Black Crowes and Charley Crockett over Fourth of July Weekend on July 1-2. 

General admission and reserved tickets are on sale for the Chicago Street Race. Two-day general admission ticket start at $269 and reserved tickets that offer an array of opportunities including reserved seating and a wide variety of premium experiences start at $465. To purchase tickets, fans can log onto NASCARChicago.com or call 1-888-629-7223.  

The Grant Park 220 will be nationally broadcast on NBC on Sunday, July 2 at 5:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. CT and The Loop 121 will be broadcast nationally on USA Network at 5:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. CT. 

To stay up to date with the Chicago Street Race, fans can subscribe to receive exclusive Chicago Street Race emails, follow @NASCARChicago on Twitter and Facebook and download the NASCAR Tracks App for the latest real-time updates on all aspects of the event. 

As Mercedes are bringing in upgrades for the Monaco GP, two-time F1 World Champion Emerson Fittipaldi gave his take on what upgrades can help in Monaco.

Here's a summary of what he had to say:

• Aerodynamic upgrades won't have a major difference in Monaco
  
  

  “Aerodynamic upgrades will help but less because of much lower speeds."

  "In Imola, a small difference in downforce would make a major difference in the corners as there are a lot of fast corners.”

  “Monaco, a good aerodynamic change always helps but not so critical as on a fast track.”

  “Mechanical upgrades, for sure they will help in Monaco.”
  
  
  

• If Mercedes' new upgrade improves the turning on slow corners, it will show in Monaco
  
  

  “But it will be interesting to see because Monaco is different from anything else. You need tremendous traction, a good front end, turning and supporting the weight of the car being transferred to the front of the car in a very aggressive way.”

  “And the rotation has to be fast in these cars and they’re huge. They have such a long wheelbase now. This is why if Mercedes’ new upgrade improves the turning on slow corners, that’s going to show in Monaco.”
  
  
  

The quotes were obtained by MyBettingSites.co.uk and can be found here.