Team Norway-fører Fredric Aasbø er klar for sesongfinalen i Formula Drift på Irwindale utenfor Los Angeles. Les pressemelding på engelsk her:
IRWINDALE, California (October 17, 2019) – Fredric Aasbo is fighting for the Formula Drift championship title at the House of Drift this weekend as series returns home to Irwindale Speedway for its thrilling season finale.
«This championship is as close as it’s ever been and I’m prepared to give the fans a show this weekend,» said Aasbo. «The energy at Irwindale is always amazing and I can’t wait to get out there and drive.»
This year, Aasbo enters the season ender challenging for the title in the Rockstar Energy Drink / Nexen Tire Toyota Corolla Hatchback. He sits just 19 points behind two-time defending champion James Deane. With a maximum of 106 points up for grabs this weekend between qualifying and competition, the title is within reach.
«You have to take it one battle at a time,» said Aasbo. «The championship is always on the line and this event is no different.»
The driver finished second in Irwindale last year and won a perfect event at Irwindale in 2015 to clinch his first championship title that season. So far this year, Aasbo has earned a win at Road Atlanta, and finished on the podium in New Jersey and St. Louis. He led the points standings mid-season, but dropped to second last month after a disastrous event in Texas.
There, contact with a rival competitor left his car battered in the Great 8. Even though Aasbo was unharmed in the crash and judges declared the other driver at fault, the damage was severe and he was unable to advance past the Final 4.
The team has spent the past month rebuilding the Rockstar Energy Drink / Nexen Tire Toyota Corolla Hatchback at the shop in Carson, California. «The car is in fantastic shape and we’re ready,» said team owner Stephan Papadakis. «It’s going to be another big weekend.»
Last year, the Irwindale event saw Aasbo finish a very close second in the championship — just four points shy of victory — after the final battle against Vaughn Gittin Jr. saw judges call for two One-More-Time re-runs. The champions put on an escalating demonstration of commitment and precision until a wall tap in the sixth and final head-to-head fight forced a course correction from Aasbo and he had to settle for second.
«Being here at the home event for so many of our partners including many friends Toyota, Rockstar Energy Drink, Toyota and Nexen Tires, is fantastic,» said Aasbo. «We know they’re in our corner, cheering us on and that means everything to us.»
Drifting is a high-skill, high-powered motorsport with an emphasis on car control. In the Formula Drift series, drivers compete in knockout heats on a closed course, sliding sideways in trials judged on speed and style. With origins in Japan, the sport’s growing popularity has meant that livestream and content views for Formula Drift have topped 5.7 million or more for each round.