Photos by: Weston – Slip-N-Slidephotography, Matt – ImportMeet.com
Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, WA was filled with thousands of people eager to check out the latest Formula DRIFT event this weekend. It was a beautiful summer day in the Pacific Northwest and perfect weather for a drift event. There were some epic battles between many of the professional drifters in the series and according to Formula DRIFT officials, attendance was up 10% from the previous year.
At noon, spectators started to flood the venue as they tried to find the best location to watch the action. It was busy during the practice runs, but once the top 32 started at 3:00 PM, the grandstands and paddock were completely packed with cheering fans. NOS Energy Drink did a great job providing refreshments and keeping fans entertained in the lull between heats.
One of our favorite battles to watch was between Fredric Aasbo and Tyler McQuarrie. The judges had a difficult time choosing a winner and made them square off a total of 3 times before coming to a decision. Aasbo eventually beat McQuarrie, which allowed him to compete with Rhys Millen for 3rd place. Daijiro Yoshihara battled Chris Forsberg for the final match and although it was very close, the judges awarded 1st place to Yoshihara.
Thank you to Formula DRIFT for having such a well-organized event and for all of the sponsors who helped make it possible. We can't wait until next year!
| Formula DRIFT Professional Championship 2011 Point Standings after 5 Rounds | ||
| 1. Yoshihara, Daijiro | Discount Tire / Falken Tire Nissan S13 | 412 Points |
| 2. Pawlak, Justin | Falken Tire Ford Mustang | 397 Points |
| 3. Forsberg, Chris | NOS Energy Drink / Hankook Tire Nissan 370Z | 369 Points |
| 4. McNamara, Darren | Falken Tire Pontiac Saturn Sky | 345.50 Points |
| 5. Powers, Matt | Need for Speed Nissan S14 | 328.50 Points |
| 6. McQuarrie, Tyler | Falken Tire Nissan 350Z | 317 Points |
| 7. Tuerck, Ryan | Gardella Racing / Mobil 1 Chevrolet Camaro | 308 Points |
| 8. Grunewald, Conrad | Hankook Tire Chevy Camaro | 300 Points |
| 9. Gittin, Vaughn | Monster Energy / Falken Ford Mustang | 291 Points |
| 10.. Mohan, Kyle | Nexen Tire / Mazdatrix Mazda RX-8 | 266 Points |
| 11. Aasbo, Fredric | Need for Speed / Hankook Scion TC | 250 Points |
| 12. Yoshioka, Toshiki | Retaks Nissan S13 | 238.25 Points |
| 16. Millen, Rhys | Red Bull / Hankook Hyundai Genesis Coupe | 207 Points |
| 14. Gushi, Ken | RS*R / Hankook / Scion Racing TC | 188.75 Points |
| 15. Bakchis, Aurimas | Bakchis Racing / Forged Racing Nissan 240SX | 185.50 Points |
| 16. Wilkerson, Walker | Fatlace / Intec Racing Nissan 240 | 185 Points |
| Tires.com Triple Crown (after 2 of 3 events) | ||
| 1. Yoshihara, Daijiro | Discount Tire / Falken Tire Nissan S13 | 212 Points |
| 2. Forsberg, Chris | NOS Energy Drink / Hankook Tire Nissan 370Z | 153 Points |
| 3. McNamara, Darren | Falken Tire Pontiac Saturn Sky | 144.50 Points |
| Round 5: Throwdown Event Results | ||
| 1. Yoshihara, Daijiro | Falken Tire / Discount Tire Nissan 240SX | Winner |
| 2. Forsberg, Chris | NOS Energy Drink / Hankook Tire Nissan 370Z | Second Place |
| 3. Aasbo, Fredric | Need for Speed / Hankook Scion TC | Third Place |
Check out the ImportMeet.com Formula DRIFT Round 5 Picture Thread for even more great photos from the event.
[Sources: FormulaDrift.com]
