Another Showdown in Long Beach

The streets of Long Beach roared with excitement once again on Friday, April 19—just one week after the FD season kicked off with an epic first round. This weekend's event was the Formula DRIFT Super Drift Challenge, an exhibition event that brought fans out in large numbers. Unlike last weekend, the weather was dry, but, chilly nighttime temps would affect track conditions.  

The Highlight Reel 

Ken Gushi: Judge, Jury, Commentator

Formula Drift CEO Ryan Sage was joined in the booth by pro driver Ken Gushi, lending his expert insight into the battles. A 21-year veteran of the series, Gushi had a lot to offer in technical analysis and rule interpretation. The judging panel included Gushi himself, 2011 PRO Champion Dai Yoshihara, and new FD series judge Vernon Zwaneveld.

Familiar Format, Unfamiliar Problems

Drivers faced off in a one-and-done style battle, alternating between lead and chase positions with the option for OMT (One More Time) runs. While the format was familiar, we did see an unfamiliar problem that caused a delay in the show.

Event security was less than happy with the hoards of fans spilling over into the aisles of the seats. They stopped the event from continuing until the audience could be corralled, causing a delay that, of course, ignited the livestream chat. Eventually, the competition was given the green light to continue. Safety first, guys! 

Dramatic Moments

The event was not without its drama, as several runs were affected by the changing track conditions. Connor O’Sullivan's spin after transitioning to outer zone 2 resulted in significant front-end damage, highlighting the challenges posed by the cooler track temperatures.

Similarly, Kasey Kohl faced a daunting moment when his steering locked up, narrowly avoiding a crash. In his top 4 lead run against Forrest Wang, Kyle Mohan spun out trying to throw a massive angle at outer zone 3.

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The Final Showdown

Forrest Wang, known as the "Style King," lived up to his name with massive angles and impeccable control in his final runs against Rome Charpentier. Wang's performance was so entertaining that Ryan Sage declared it the best run of the night. Wang doesn’t seem to want to leave his one-of-a-kind style behind, and the fans are certainly thankful for that. 

Results 

-First Place: Forrest Wang – His consistent performance and signature "90 degrees to the wall" style earned him the title for the third time in his career.

-Second Place: Rome Charpentier – Competing in his new E82 BMW, Charpentier narrowly missing the top spot.

-Third Place: Jonathan Hurst – Despite a setback in his lead run against Charpentier, Hurst managed to grab third place.

The Challenge Continues

Day 2 of the Super Drift Challenge kicks off at 6:45 pm PT / 9:45 pm ET on Saturday, April 20. Watch it live, hosted by Formula DRIFT on Youtube.

Photography by: Chuck Murray, Shutter Slayer

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