Text and Photos by Rex Tokeshi-Torres, Contributor
There are some battles that you wish for... Jordan vs. Kobe. The 2000 Baltimore Ravens vs. 1985 Chicago Bears. Audi R10 vs. Peugeot 908. Transformers vs. GoBots. Okay, maybe not that last one -- it would've been one-sided anyways (if you got that, realize that you're also a geek). This year's Formula Drift: Round 7 at Toyota Speedway in Irwindale, California (just east of Los Angeles), on Saturday night saw two of drifting's greatest drivers, Tanner Foust and Vaughn Gittin Jr., fight to the end.
With a series that has names like Samuel Hubinette, Rhys Millen, Gittin Jr. and Foust, it's hard to pick a favorite in the beginning of each season since any one of those names could take the championship. Indeed, there are many other drivers on the field who are equally skilled in making a car gracefully drift sideways on a track and that's how Formula Drift grew to where it is now. Grassroots drivers, professional stunt drivers, racecar drivers, you name it -- they're here.
As exciting as the Top 16 was, it was the Final Four matchup that really made the Saturday's event worthwhile. The Final Four lasted what seemed like an eternity- in a good way. The war was between Vaughn Gittin Jr. in his Mustang vs. Michihiro Takatori in what looked to me like the former Signal Auto S15. The other bout was between Tanner Foust in his NASCAR V8-powered, RWD, Scion tC and Darren McNamara in his 800+ hp Falken Tire-sponsored Saturn Sky.
Gittin Jr. won the Formula D championship earlier in the day due to his inclusion into the Top 16. He was ahead of Foust in the points standing, but Foust was once again in the top 3 at this event. Foust would eventually take second in the championship. Gittin vs. Takatori was a great fight, but Tanner and McNamara had a greater duel since they had to do a "One More Time." In drift judging, a "One More Time" means just that -- it's where the drivers have to drift against each other once again because the competition was so close that there was no clear winner. It was a really good see-saw battle between the two, with Foust winning the second time around clearly due to McNamara over-rotating on a drift which resulted in him spinning out.
Then came the main event: Gittin Jr. vs. Foust. One couldn't ask for a more fitting end to the season. This battle was equally close with the drivers going through a "One More Time" because the V8-powered tC and the Mustang were pretty evenly matched. The match was even closer than the one vs. McNamara since neither committed any mistakes the second time around. It could've gone to another "One More Time" but the judges felt that they saw everything they needed to see to signal a winner. The multi-talented Foust, the X Games 16 winner of Rally and SuperRally, won Formula Drift's Round 7. He also won the Tires.com "triple crown." I can't wait for next season to start!
kyolml says:
11:19 PM, 10/12/10
My friend Charles Ng got a big ZERO one speed when qualifying on Friday, which caused him the points to become rookie of the year.
Sometime it's really hard to understand why the heck the judges is doing when it's clearly otherwise.
lostboyz says:
04:10 AM, 10/13/10
I really try to hate on drifting as not being a real sport or racing, but it is definitely entertaining
throwback says:
07:32 AM, 10/13/10
Drifting is entertaining, but I have a tough time with any motorsport that bases it's winner on judge's scoring.
actualsize says:
08:11 AM, 10/13/10
Is that a Falken Saturn Sky? Who's driving that Falken Saturn Sky? I've never seen a Falken Saturn Sky before.
Come to think of it, I've never seen a rear-wheel drive Scion, either.
medalineman says:
08:52 AM, 10/13/10
@actualsize Thats Darren McNamera, its running a pretty big V8 at about 800HP this year.
And there are two scion tc rear wheel drive cars, Foust's car, which is pictured, runs a retuned TRD Nascar V8, with a last gen supra rear subframe that has been modified to fit.
The other is Ken Gushi's, from RSR. Hes running the same rear supra subframe, but with a turboed 4AG.
trackwrex says:
02:33 PM, 10/13/10
@kyolml: congrats to charles. i know he's looking forward to next season like joon maeng. :)
actualsize says:
05:16 PM, 10/13/10
@medalineman: Sarcasm doesn't translate, I suppose. I think it is laughable to the point of false advertising that Scion has RWD drift cars when they don't even sell anything of the sort.
Yes, NASCAR also uses fake RWD profile cars built in the vague shape of FWD family sedans, but at least the entire field is doing it. At least that type of competition isn't based around huge powerslides and the very glorification of RWD.
Drifting rules should insist that the car being drifted be based on a car that comes in RWD in stock form. It the automaker doesn't make one, tough. They don't get to use this venue to promote their FWD econoboxes against real RWD cars that actually do have the potential for power oversteer coursing through their veins.
If a car company wants to reap the benefits of a performance image, then they'd better attempt to back that up with product at the dealership. Otherwise it's just false promotion. Toyota should be made to wait until the rumored FT-86 Scion RWD car is a reality.