Toyota and Nitto leading ahead of key points scoring round in New Jersey
ORLANDO, Florida (June 2, 2024) – Papadakis Racing partners Toyota and Nitto Tire are leading the points in their respective championships as the Formula Drift competition season moves towards its halfway point this month.
Toyota, with 366 points, is 56 ahead of closest challenger Ford in the Auto Manufacturer’s Cup, while Nitto Tire, with 480 points, is 46 ahead of its closest rival in the Tire Cup.
Rockstar Energy Toyota GR Supra driver Fredric Aasbo hoped to keep up the momentum at Round 3 after winning earlier this month in Atlanta. In the first battle on Saturday, No. 1 seeded Aasbo met No 32 seeded Brazilian champion Diego Higa. After an opening pair of head-to-head battles that judges deemed too-close-to-call, the pair lined up again for a rematch. Unfortunately, despite a near-perfect lead run, Aasbo’s struggled in the chase when he got too close and spun, advancing his Brazilian rival.
Rain-X Toyota GR Corolla driver Ryan Tuerck, meanwhile, claimed 12th place this weekend. After advancing past Toyota teammate Jhonnattan Castro in the Round of 32, he advanced to face Irishman James Deane in the Top 16. While the battle was close, Tuerck was not able to defeat the three-time champion.
Aasbo is fourth in the Formula Drift points, while Tuerck sits 15th and is very much still in the hunt. Both drivers are looking to put critical points on the board when they head to New Jersey later this month.
Papadakis Racing Toyotas will next compete in Englishtown, NJ, June 20-22, where battles will take place on the former drag strip modified into a drift course. The new for 2024 championship format means both Tuerck and Aasbo bypass qualifying for this event and will line up for first round competition on Saturday.
The Papadakis Racing team began drifting in 2004 and is the most winning team in Formula Drift history, earning the 2022, 2021 and 2015 titles with driver Aasbo, as well as back-to-back championships with driver Tanner Foust in 2007 and 2008. Tuerck joined the Papadakis Racing team in 2020 and has shown strong results in the Toyota GR Corolla, bringing home the third-place championship trophy in 2022 and 2020. Partner Toyota has won the manufacturer’s cup eight times since 2014.
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 has rapidly grown to one of the most popular youth-oriented motorsports in the world. Here in the United States, Formula Drift officially launched in 2004 and its national schedule of eight events routinely host capacity crowds, while live-streamed multi-platform broadcasts attract millions of online viewers.