2024 FDLB WALL TAPS
Photo courtesy of DRIFTEM Correspondent Ian Ramirez.
HIGHEST FIVE
Another Feather For Foust!
It’s hard to think of professional drifting (let alone rally, rallycross, ice racing, time attack, or hill climbing!) without considering Tanner Foust’s (@tannerfoust) contribution to it all. Foust is a racing and stunt-driving animal, with an incredible laundry list of achievements, including everything from co-hosting 73 episodes of Top Gear, to several wins in nearly every X, RX, and X-Prix event on the planet, to Formula DRIFT’s first two-time champion. With all these incredible accolades, it’s no surprise this super-driver was named this season’s Formula D Hall of Fame recipient!
Photo courtesy of DRIFTEM Correspondent Daniel Gooda.
James ‘The Machine’ Deane And The Feals
Sound like a band name? HA! What can we say? This three-time FD champion is back with a FURY - not to be confused with FIERY - which is how the Long Beach event began for James Deane (@jamesdeane130). Valiant efforts earned this Irish chap another #1 on the podium, beautifully flanked by both Feal Suspension PRO drifting veterans, Odi Bakchis (@odidrift) and Simen Olsen (@simenolsendrifting). Nice job, boys!
Photo courtesy of DRIFTEM Correspondent Daniel Gooda.
Super Drift Props!
Huge congrats to all the Super Drift podium winners! This event occurs during the Long Beach Grand Prix event, one week after the FD Long Beach season opener. First place on comp one night went to FD PRO Forrest Wang (@forrestwang808), with Charpentier (@romecp) and Noback (@nicknoback) taking second and third respectively. FD PRO Robert Thorne (@robert_thorne8) took first place in Saturday night’s, with Wang coming in second, and PROSPEC driver Connor O’Sullivan (@connor_osully) placing third.
Photos courtesy of DRIFTEM Correspondent Daniel Gooda.
Konnichiwa, Wonder Hiro!
If there were a real-life Speed Racer, we think Hiro Minowa (@hiroya.minowa) could be the guy! Not only did this Japanese teenager earn a second-place trophy in last season’s Formula DRIFT Japan circuit, but he effortlessly stole fan’s hearts by winning the first-ever Formula DRIFT U.S. seeding bracket competition. As if that wasn’t enough, he proceeded to continue battling his way into the Great 8 of the weekend’s main event. This kid will be one to watch, FO SHO!
Photo courtesy of Larry Chen.
Driven Experience Program!
In partnership with Acceler8, University of Northwestern Ohio, and the United States Air Force, Formula DRIFT launched the 2024 Driven Experience program, targeting at-risk youth and introducing them to motorsports and career avenues in the automotive industry. The program will be offered to local high school students from each of the eight FD round regions, with FD Long Beach kicking everything off by drawing in over 300 students from greater Los Angeles high schools. Each student received free entrance to the series event, a guided track walk, and exclusive presentations and talks with FD staff, drivers, crew chiefs, brand ambassadors, Air Force personnel, and more.
IN AND OUTS
PRO Drifting In Technicolor
Check out the 2024 livery lineup! This season, the theme seems to be the loudest color combinations you can imagine, with a ton of ‘salt and pepa’ sprinkled in.
The Professionals
Hobson, Hansen, Hateley and Brutskiy (@rudyhansen119, @benhobson213, @hateleydrift, @dimabrutskiy) aren’t exactly lawyers or architects, but it’s a string of names with a nice ring. Especially in Formula DRIFT, where these professionals have earned props for moving from PROSPEC to FD’s PRO league. Along with inbound international rookies Shanahan (@conorshanahan79) and Minowa (@hiroya.minowa).
Musical Drivers
Anyone up for a game of ‘musical drivers’? Let’s see if you can keep up. Adam LZ (@adam_lz) left RTR and Ben Hobson slid into DeNofa’s yellow Penzoil ‘Stang. Jerry Yang Racing/JYR (@jerryyangracing) welcomed 14-year-old Hiroya Minowa from Japan, but said sayonara to Nick Noback. A new Beemer showed up on the Garagistic fleet, but not for DMEC champion Conor Shanahan (@conorshanahan79). He’s got Charpentier’s beloved E36 this season and Rome introduced an inbound E82 chassis.
‘The Shanahan’
Speaking of Shanahan. It’s a rare moment not to see ‘The Shanahans’ competing together. Even so, Conor’s brother Jack (@jackshanahan59) followed his bro to Long Beach to root for him from a different vantage point.
Beechum’s First Parade!
Each year, FD’s season opener is marked by an awesome stampede with thousands of automotive horses roaring up and around the track’s southside and through the Long Beach downtown core. The drivers settle under a covered breezeway leading into The Pike shopping center, where the night ends with drivers mingling amongst a huge throng of fans who’ve been waiting all year for the moment. Participation is by invitation, and this year, Trenton Beechum (@trenton_beechum) proudly led the pack!
Photo courtesy of DRIFTEM Correspondent Daniel Gooda.
WHOAS AND WOES
More Than A Wall Tap
If you’re familiar with the Long Beach course, you know it has a long history of generating carnage and this year was no exception. Hobson crashed twice - once in practice and once more in the seeding bracket round. Hansen pinballed the same day into Outer Zone Three, and Power (@mikepowerdrift) broadsided the wall at Outer Zone One with a 4G hit (according to Scott, Power’s crew chief).
Photo courtesy of DRIFTEM Correspondent Ian Ramirez.
Strange Things
For starters, Shanahan told press conference attendees it was super weird, “to be drifting a car with the steering wheel on the wrong side.” Don’t mind us, but watching this boy slay the Long Beach track in a hand-me-down Beemer -- despite said weirdness -- was pretty mind blowing!
What happens when you find Robbie Nishida (@robbienishida) and Ryan Lanteigne wandering through the crowd looking [somewhat] aimless? You nab them for DRIFTEM Skid Pod interviews! (coming soon) Neither of these awesome guys had jobs to do this round and Lanteigne readily admitted how odd it was. “It’s so strange to be a spectator!” he said.
Unfortunately, both Matt Field (@mattfield777) and Ryan Litteral (@ryanlitteral) had unexpected mechanical issues that forced them to also be spectators during the main competition. We hope you had a chance to see these great fellows as they took advantage of this rare opportunity to casually visit with fans.
Photo courtesy of Larry Chen
Even Stranger
As if the inconsistency of the course wasn’t enough, Mother Nature added her own wrench into the mix. “It’s been a long time since we’ve done it in the rain!” FD competition director, Kevin Wells, told us.
STYLIN’ AND SMILIN’
Finally, a few feel-good snaps from this year’s FD season opener!
Fun Candids!
Jarod The DeAnderthal (@jaroddeanda)
Everybody Gotta Eat! (@jcastroracing)
Drift Wizarding
Barkers Everywhere!
Valentina The Italian Pooch (@simona_veizi)
Wendy The RAD Dog! (@by_renee)
Food Barkers
Best Quotes!
Vendor:
“We do jumpy trucks and slidey cars,”
Ed Koczan, Kenda Motorsports (@driverimage, @jonsibal)
Photo courtesy of Kenda Motorsports.
FD:
“Pickin’ up collectables,”
Jarod DeAnda
(re: Beechum vs Aasbo carnage)
Photo courtesy of DRIFTEM Correspondent Ian Ramirez.
Fan:
“I didn’t know magazines like that still existed!”
Yep! That’s how we roll!!!
See you all again in Atlanta this weekend!