Formula Drift 2015: Round 1 – Day 1

Matt Field was glued to Tanner Foust's door (Photo Credit: Ken Stouffer / My Life at Speed)

The new Formula Drift season couldn’t start fast enough for me. I have been looking forward to this since I left Irwindale on the last night of last season. A dozen different story lines all coming together in what I expect will be the best and most closely contested FD season in its history. More on that later…

Today was qualifying day. Most seemed ready to play, while others were literally finishing construction of their machines in the pit area. Several cars had little to no practice before getting on track for qualifying, hoping against all hope for the stars to align and they could make the show. Only 38 cars were on hand to try to make the 32 car field. A bit different from other years, since the introduction of and full implementation of the PRO2 category. A stepping stone series – a minor league, if you will, which allows drivers to hone their skills without having to contest the most seasoned veterans in the FD ranks. Their season, PRO2, doesn’t begin until the third round, which will be held this year in Orlando.

Here are my favorites from today’s action:

Ryan Tuerck heading into turn 9

Yokoi and Dai Yoshihara through turn 10

Our good friend Charles Ng

Matt Field making big smoke

Ken Gushi in the Pikes Peak livery rounding turn 11 with Justin Pawlak

Ryan Tuerck. The new Toyota livery looks amazing

Tanner Foust tangles with the wall in turn 10 just before qualifying was set to begin

Fredric Aasbo like he never took a day off from last season

Chelsea DeNofa making contact with the turn 10 wall

Joon Maeng couldn’t get things to go well today an missed making the show.

Ryan Tuerck

Robbie Nishida making heavy contact in turn 10. He would continue and qualify 16th

Fredric Aasbo through turn 10

Masashi Yokoi crossed the Pacific to race here. The car looks great and he would qualify 30th

Odi Bakchis coming down the chute between 9 and 10

Charles Ng through 10

Ryan Tuerck through 10 in a hurry

Matt Field was glued to Tanner Foust’s door

Nate Hamilton made the show, but not before having a scrape with the tires in turn 11

Michael Essa, your 2013 FD Champion did not qualify. Tough day in the new car.

JTP Justin Pawlak chasing down Pat Goodin

Ryan Tuerck blasting through the hairpin with downtown Long Beach in the background.

More to come on Saturday! Stay tuned.

Ken Stouffer

I've been around some form of racing since I was a kid. First hanging around Ascot in Southern California. Then, after moving to Texas as a teen, I got hooked on drag racing and did that for almost fifteen years. In between I have raced Dirt bikes and Quads. 2011 Marked my 8th and final year racing up Pikes Peak: Five in the Pro Quad division and three in Time Attack. Future racing plans are in the works, but until then I'm at the track shooting for My Life at Speed as much as I possibly can.