Fredric Aasbø vant i helgen sesongens første seier i det amerikanske Formula Drift-mesterskapet.
Løpet ble kjørt i Orlando, Florida, og med sin seier tok Fredric over ledelsen i mesterskapet. Han vant løpet foran Kristaps Bluss fra Latvia, og med Chris Forsberg fra USA på en tredjeplass.
Sammenlagt leder Aasbø med sine 206 poeng foran Vaughn Gittin Jr. som har 194.
Her følger pressemelding fra Fredrics team Papadakis Racing:
Fredric Aasbo wins Formula Drift in Orlando
Rockstar Energy Drink driver leads points heading into fourth round
ORLANDO, Florida (June 4, 2016) – Defending Formula Drift champion Fredric Aasbo battled through extreme heat, tough competition and multiple one-more-time rounds en route to his first victory of the 2016 season. The driver of the Rockstar Energy Drink / Nexen Tire SR by Toyota tC now leads the standings heading into the fourth round of championship competition.
Drifting fans in the Florida panhandle were treated to an action filled event at Round 3: Uncharted Territory. The drift course on the Orlando Speedworld oval featured a high-banked, high-speed right-hand first turn, tricky power and transition zone, and a long sweeping left-hander that produced dramatic tandem battles with exciting wall-riding slides and plenty of smoke.
«We came into Orlando with a conservative setup and wanting to be as reliable as possible,» said team owner Stephan Papadakis. «We decided to focus a little less on power, and more on driving and line and car setup.»
With the team hoping to rebound from a disappointing second round in Atlanta, the Rockstar Energy Drink / Nexen Tire SR by Toyota tC was consistent through practice and qualifying. And it didn’t take long for the competition to heat up during the elimination rounds.
«The car was fantastic all day, and we were able to keep it cool in this insane heat and take it all the way to the top,» said Aasbo, who recorded his seventh career win in Formula Drift this weekend. «I have to thank the team. They definitely did their part to keep me in check, and to keep the car in check.»
After qualifying a solid fourth-place position, Aasbo faced a gruelling competition ladder that saw him make multiple «One-More-Time» re-runs over the course of two days of competition. His battle into the final bracket of the weekend, against veteran Tyler McQuarrie took a total of six runs to decide.
«There’s something to be said about keeping it the same lap after lap, and that’s what paid off today,» said Aasbo. «We definitely had some luck on our side,» said Aasbo. «The driving level in FD is extremely high right now. There’s no easy battle in FD and all of these guys are definitely bringing it.»
The team heads to New Jersey’s Wall Speedway in two weeks for the fourth round of the 2016 Formula Drift Championship June 17-18.
Drifting is a high-skill, high-powered motorsport with an emphasis on car control skill. Drivers compete in knockout heats on a closed course, sliding sideways in trials judged on speed and style. With origins in Japan, it is one of the fastest growing forms of motorsport in the world.
In 2016, the series again offers live and on-demand online coverage on the Formula Drift Livestream, its widely viewed online broadcast. Formula Drift also returns this season to CBS Sports Network for 20 half-hour television programs. The fast-paced action featuring bracketed head-to-head match-ups will anchor the coverage.
ABOUT FREDRIC AASBO
Defending champion Fredric Aasbo returns to Papadakis Racing in 2016 for his sixth season with the team. The Rockstar Energy Drink driver is a fan favorite and championship contender. He has achieved more than 100 podium results and wins on three continents over the past decade of competition and is the defending Formula Drift World Champion and Formula Drift Pro Champion this year.
A two-time Nordic Drifting champion (2007, 2008), Aasbo made his U.S. debut at a global drifting invitational in 2008 and turned heads when he won the 2010 Formula Drift Rookie of the Year title. He is now a global contender and in 2016, he is running the full Formula Drift schedule as well as select events worldwide in Europe and in Asia. Originally from Ski, Norway, Aasbo now splits his time between his native country and Southern California.
ABOUT PAPADAKIS RACING
Papadakis Racing is the most winning drift team in history, with an unmatched record of three Formula Drift Championship titles. Team driver Fredric Aasbo won the 2015 Formula Drift title, while Papadakis Racing scored back-to-back championships with driver Tanner Foust in 2007 and 2008.
Known as a professional organization that develops innovative and reliable competition vehicles that win championships, the Rockstar Energy Drink / Nexen Tire SR by Toyota tC is the team’s latest competition build.
Team owner Stephan Papadakis is a legend of sport-compact racing who began building his reputation in the 1990s with the first front-wheel-drive, tube-chassis drag car in the U.S. Before its successes in drifting, the team earned multiple records and championships in the drag racing, turning in elapsed times and trap speeds previously thought unattainable in front-drive drag cars. Papadakis’ successes in front-wheel drive were matched by his efforts in rear-wheel drive when he campaigned a Civic that became only the fifth car to join the NHRA’s Sport Compact 200 MPH club.