Papadakis Racing prepares for all-new Formula Drift course at Indianapolis
CARSON, California (July 29, 2026) — Papadakis Racing heads to Indianapolis Raceway Park this week as Formula Drift makes its debut at the venue for Round 5: Midwest Mayhem, July 30 to August 1.
Drivers Fredric Aasbo and Ryan Tuerck will take on a completely new course designed for the series. Formula Drift and Indianapolis Raceway Park officials added new pavement to the existing facility to produce a purpose-built layout designed for close tandem competition.
“There is something special about competing in Indianapolis, where motorsport is such an important part of the culture,” said Aasbo. “Starting from zero on a completely new course is exciting. Everybody has to learn quickly, adapt and find the limits. We’re going there ready to attack.”
Papadakis Racing enters Indianapolis with both drivers fighting for the title among a close Top 10 in the Formula Drift PRO Championship standings.
“A new venue always creates an interesting engineering challenge because nobody arrives with years of setup data or experience to rely on,” said team owner Stephan Papadakis. “Our priority will be to understand the course quickly and give Fredric and Ryan cars they can trust from the first session.”
Three-time champion Aasbo scored a runner-up finish in the Rockstar Energy Toyota GR Supra at the Long Beach opener and returned to the podium with third place in Orlando. He enters the Indianapolis round eager for another podium to keep him in the championship fight after a 9th place result in Connecticut.
Tuerck is eighth in the standings after advancing to the Great 8 twice during the opening half of the season. He most recently finished seventh at Stafford Motor Speedway, where he qualified fourth before a close battle with eventual event winner James Deane ended his weekend.
“New tracks tend to reward commitment and adaptability, and that’s the kind of challenge I enjoy,” said Tuerck. “I’m looking forward to getting there, seeing it in person and figuring out where we can make a difference.”
Indianapolis Raceway Park is one of three new venues on the eight-round 2026 Formula Drift schedule. The facility opened in 1960 and is well known for its drag strip and oval-track competition. The Indianapolis round follows Formula Drift’s successful debut at Stafford Motor Speedway in Connecticut, where fans packed the grandstands for a full weekend of PRO and PROSPEC competition.
Formula Drift PRO qualifying is scheduled for Thursday evening, July 30. The main event takes place Saturday, August 1, with the opening Top 32 battles beginning at 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time and the Top 16 competition starting at 7 p.m. Coverage will stream live at FormulaD.com/live and Racer+.
Norwegian driver Aasbo has won three Formula Drift championships since joining Papadakis Racing in 2011, earning his first title in 2015 before securing consecutive championships in 2021 and 2022. He is the most successful driver in Formula Drift history and has earned more than 100 podium finishes in competition around the world.
Tuerck joined Papadakis Racing in 2020 and has twice finished third in the Formula Drift championship. The New Hampshire driver is also known for an ambitious collection of custom Toyota builds, including the Ferrari-powered GT4586, Formula Supra, Toyota Stout and Celica GT411.
Based in Carson, California, Papadakis Racing began competing in drifting in 2004 and is the most successful team in Formula Drift history. The team has earned five driver championships, winning with Aasbo in 2015, 2021 and 2022, and with Tanner Foust in 2007 and 2008.
Drifting is a high-skill, high-powered motorsport with an emphasis on car control. Drivers compete in head-to-head knockout heats on a closed course, sliding sideways in runs judged on line, angle and style. Formula Drift launched its professional United States championship in 2004 and now presents an eight-round national series in front of live and online audiences around the world.