words Carlos Cano Estrella @ccedrift
Las Vegas, NV – The curtain closes on the 2014 SEMA show, but the speculation surrounding Formula DRIFT for the 2015 season continues. Here are some rumors and facts for the coming year.
Fact. Vaughn Gittin Jr. will drift the 2015 Ford Mustang during next year’s Formula DRIFT season. The question remains if Justin Pawlak will also debut a new Mustang for next year. Falken has acquired a few dollar chassis from Ford in the past which means that acquiring another vehicle is possible.
The RTR Mustang which was piloted by Gittin Jr. during SEMA was visibly grippier than those of the past and this is due to Ford’s choice to go with an independent rear suspension. There have been many complaints about Formula DRIFT’s technical restrictions against solid axle vehicles and this change in design puts ASD Motorsports and Ian Stewart in a stronger position for the coming season.
Fact. STR Racing adds Odi Bakchis and Kenny Moen to their lineup for the 2015 season. The two European drivers will be joining Forrest Wang in what will be a P1 lineup of 3 S-chassis.
With Bakchis finsishing fourth, Wang fifth, and Moen sixth in last year’s championship it will bring an interesting dynamic to the table for the 2015 season. Moen began the year on fire but leveled off as the year progressed, Bakchis found his first podium and was his consistent self, while Wang was FD’s undisputed style king and finished 3rd at Irwindale for the second straight year.
Rumor. Darren McNamara, pictured here at the FD SEMA party with rookie of the year Geoff Stoneback, will be a judge for next season. With the young McNamara still in his prime his fans probably hope that this one is not true.
Fact. The “Dirty Panda” Andy Luk has a new vehicle from which to handle the on track operations of FD next season. All jokes aside, this van will be a very useful tool in helping FD solve on site issues which will further help transition the series into something more suited for live television.
Thank you guys, as always a pleasure, @ccedrift