Årets Formula Drift-mesterskap vil avgjøres i finalen, og Fredric Aaasbø har muligheten til å vinne. Les pressemelding på engelsk her:
Championship fight comes down to final round for Fredric Aasbo
Rockstar Energy Drink driver to battle for Formula Drift title at the House of Drift
DALLAS, Texas (September 16, 2019) – Despite a wild weekend that saw the Rockstar Energy Drink / Nexen Tire Toyota Corolla Hatchback crash out of Formula Drift competition, Team Toyota locked up the Auto Cup for manufacturers and driver Fredric Aasbo will start next month’s series finale at Irwindale Speedway in contention for the championship title.
«I’ve been part of the Toyota family for my entire professional career and it feels very special to be able to lock up a sixth manufacturer’s championship here in Texas,» said Aasbo. «It’s a whole team effort and I’m grateful to be part of it.»
The track is located just 30 miles from Toyota’s American headquarters and many of Aasbo’s biggest fans in the company packed into a VIP trackside suite to catch the championship action. They were not disappointed. The Texas Motor Speedway drift track features sweeping, high speed turns and a course configuration that delivered some of the most exciting competition of the year.
After qualifying 11th and advancing past Kyle Mohan in the opening round of 32, Aasbo met Kazuya Taguchi in the Round of 16. After judges deemed Taguchi at fault for contact during their match, Aasbo advanced to the Great 8 to battle Piotr Wiecek.
Starting in the chase position, Aasbo delivered one of his strongest performances of the weekend. The competition intensified as the drivers swapped positions and Wiecek delivered a flawless performance until disaster struck on the final turn and he crashed into Aasbo, sending both cars spinning.
«Putting that pressure on during our first run forced Piotr to push really hard and he made a mistake,» said Aasbo. «I know he didn’t do it on purpose. His chase was the run of the day — right up until it wasn’t anymore, and we were both backwards on the racetrack.»
Although Aasbo was unharmed and judges awarded him the battle win, his vehicle was severely damaged and it was not immediately clear whether he would be able to make the next round. The veteran Papadakis Racing team was able to straighten key structural components in the limited time available and, despite only having one working taillight and flashlights tied to the front of the car in place of headlights, Aasbo fired the engine and headed out to face his next match.
After a few tentative slides to evaluate the vehicle’s handling and put some heat in the tires, he pulled up beside Chelsea DeNofa for the Final 4. The driver put on a fantastic show for the fans, but it was not quite enough to take the battle win and his rival advanced while Aasbo had to settle for fourth place points.
Up next for Aasbo and the Papadakis Racing team is the season finale in Irwindale, California, October 18 – 19. Aasbo is a serious contender for the title, just 19-points behind series leader and two-time defending champion James Deane.
The Irwindale track, known among racers as the «House of Drift,» is considered the spiritual home of the sport. Aasbo finished second there in 2019. His most recent win at the track was in 2015, when he also secured the Formula Drift title. He said he is feeling good about his chances next month.
«The only way for us to finish off the season strong is to treat it as any other race weekend — which means one corner at a time,» he said. «We have shown all season long that we can hang with the best of them and we have every right to head into the final round with a strong confidence in our team. Bring it on.»
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.