2008 Formula Drift PRO/AM East Divisional Championship presented by Mazda
held in conjunction with GTLive 7 and the KONI Challenge Finals.
October 3-5, 2008 – VIRginia International Raceway, Alton, VA
10 Drivers Awarded 2009 Formula Drift Professional Series Licenses:
Brian Wilkerson
John Wagner
Nathan Brasz
Dan Savage
Dennis Mertzanis
Matt Waldin
Ron Ewerth
Ali Aljibouri
Stewart Leask
James Robinson
For a complete run by run breakdown of the event, please follow the jump down and see who was there, who did what and where they ended up.
PRO/AM Final Event Results:
1. Brian Wilkerson
2. John Wagner
3. Nathan Brasz
4. Dan Savage
5. Dennis Mertzanis
6. Matt Waldin
7. Ron Ewerth
8. Ali Aljibouri
9. Stewart Leask
10. Russell Walker
11. Gary Simmons
12. Dan Willie
13. Greg Blair
14. Mike Pollard
15. Rod Campos
16. James Robinson
Tandem Bracket:
Finals:
Brian Wilkerson v. John Wagner
Wilkerson leading Wagner:
Wagner goes wide into turn 2 and slides through clip zone 1 and 2 and ends up going off course.
Wagner leading Wilkerson:
Both drivers have solid runs, Wilkerson closes gap some between turns 2 and 3.
Wilkerson wins.
Consolation:
Nathan Brasz v. Dan Savage
Brasz leading Savage:
Brasz solid run, Savage off in turns 2 and 3
Savage leading Brasz:
Decent sized gap entering into turn 1, Brasz closes in between turns 2 and 3.
Brasz wins.
Top 4:
John Wagner v. Dan Savage
Wagner leading Savage:
Wagner is off line in turn 1 and both drivers have shallow lines on outside clip zone.
Savage leading Wagner:
Decent gap throughout the run, Wagner has better lines throughout course.
One more time.
John Wagner v. Dan Savage
Wagner leading Savage:
Savage straightens between turn 1 and turn 2 and goes off line for outside clip zone, and then turn 2.
Savage leading Wagner:
Savage is shallow on outside clip zone, whereas Wagner is all over them, Savage off course in turn 3.
Wagner advances.
Nathan Brasz v. Brian Wilkerson
Brasz leading Wilkerson:
Wilkerson is all over outside clip zone with one tire in the dirt and closes in on Brasz at turn 2.
Wilkerson leading Brasz:
Both drivers have solid runs, however, the gap between both is never closed by Brasz.
Wilkerson advances.
Top 8:
Matt Waldin v. Dan Savage
Waldin leading Savage:
Savage slightly off line in turns 1 and 2.
Savage leading Waldin:
Waldin is shallow on outside clip zone, then slides over the turn 3 clipping point.
Savage advances.
Ali Aljibouri v. John Wagner
Wagner leading Aljibouri:
Aljibouri straightens at outside clip zone, then goes off course in turn 3. Wagner has solid run.
Aljibouri leading Wagner:
Both drivers straighten at outside clip zone.
Wagner advances.
Brian Wilkerson v. Dennis Mertzanis
Wilkerson leading Mertzanis:
Dennis runs shallow on outside clip zone, goes off in turn 3. Wilkerson lots of angle.
Mertzanis leading Wilkerson:
Wilkerson puts down a solid run, Mertzanis is shallow again on outside clip zone.
Wilkerson advances.
Nathan Brasz v. Ron Ewerth
Brasz leading Ewerth:
Brasz enters with lots of angle, Ewerth has shallow line entering.
Ewerth leading Brasz:
Brasz straightens in turn 1, Ewerth runs shallow at outside clip zone.
Brasz advances.
Top 16:
Stewart Leask v. Dan Savage
Leask leading Savage:
Leask on point entering turn 1, but by turn 3 car is coasting.
Upon inspection, passenger side axle is broken. Car is towed to paddock, 5 minute timer is started to allow driver to resolve issue. Axle isn’t replaced in 5 minute window…however, only took 8 minutes.
Savage advances.
Matt Waldin v. Greg Blair
Blair leading Waldin:
Waldin spins out on the straight between turns 1 and 2. Blair straightens at turn 3.
Waldin leading Blair:
Blair has lots of angle entering turn 1, but straightens at outside clip zone and into turn 2.
Waldin advances.
Russell Walker v. Ali Aljibouri
Walker leading Aljibouri:
Aljibouri has solid run on line, Walker decent run.
Aljibouri leading Walker:
Walker enters turn 1 too fast, has to correct and straightens to avoid collision, and still gets back on it.
Aljibouri advances.
Dennis Mertzanis v. Mike Pollard
Pollard leading Mertzanis:
Big gap throughout run, Mertzanis has more solid run on line.
Mertzanis leading Pollard:
Mertzanis is shallow on clip zone and Pollard closes gap, however, slides over turn 3 clipping point.
One more time.
Pollard leading Mertzanis:
Mertzanis closes gap by turn 2, Pollard goes over turn 3 clipping point again.
Mertzanis leading Pollard:
Pollard is all over Mertzanis, but ends up spinning out on turn 3.
Mertzanis advances.
Brian Wilkerson v. Rod Campos
Wilkerson leading Campos:
Wilkerson has huge angle in turn 1. Campos enters late and wide on straightaway and into turn 2.
Campos leading Wilkerson:
Big gap in turn 1, Campos goes off line and Wilkerson closes gap between turns 2 and 3.
Wilkerson advances.
Dan Willie v. Ron Ewerth
Willie leading Ewerth:
Willie enters with too much angle and spins out, Ewerth doesn’t complete rest of course.
Ewerth leading Willie:
Willie off line in turn 1 and too many corrections rest of run.
Ewerth advances.
Nate Brasz v. James Robinson
Brasz leading Robinson:
Solid run for both drivers, Robinson closes gap by turn 3.
Robinson leading Brasz:
Brasz has too much angle in turn 1 and corrects. Robinson straightens between turns 2 and 3.
One more time.
Brasz leading Robinson:
Robinson has to correct for outside clip zone, then goes off course in turn 2.
Robinson leading Brasz:
Robinson shallow line for outside clip zone and goes across clipping point in turn 2.
Brasz advances.
Qualifying Results: (name/score/speed)
1. Stewart Leask (95.67) 66mph
2. Nathan Brasz (95.67) 65mph
3. Brian Wilkerson (95.00) 66mph
4. Russell Walker (94.67) 69mph
5. Gary Simmons (94.00) 66mph
6. Dennis Mertzanis (93.67) 64mph
7. Dan Willie (89.00) 64mph
8. Matt Waldin (88.67) 57mph
9. Greg Blair (87.00) 61mph
10. Ron Ewerth (85.33) 57mph
11. Mike Pollard (84.67) 57mph
12. John Wagner (84.67) 55mph
13. Ali Aljibouri (84.33) 57mph
14. Rod Campos (84.00) 61mph
15. James Robinson (83.67) 59mph
16. Dan Savage (82.67) 63mph
17. Marc Rozzo (82.67) 53mph
18. Chris Orsini (80.67) 61mph
19. Clinton Florczyk (80.67) 53mph
20. Jodin Lejeune (79.67) 58mph
21. Jayitr “Sammy” Sritongkham (78.67) 57mph
22. Zoltan Hajdu (78.67) 54mph
23. Kiely Mackey (78.00) 53mph
24. Zachary Catlin (75.33) 52mph
T-25. Lee Alexander (0.00)
T-25. Doug Artus (0.00)
T-25. William “Bill” Cook (0.00)
T-25. Jose Duarte (0.00)
T-25. Rob Fallowes (0.00)
T-25. Mike Feiock (0.00)
T-25. Max Hellstern (0.00)
T-25. James Lauther (0.00)
T-25. Doug Van Den Brink (0.00)
T-25. Jonathan Voskinarian (0.00)
T-35. Ryan Clemens (DNQ)
T-35. James Evans (DNQ)
PRO/AM Team Drift Results:
1. Hot Property (Wilkerson, Wagner, Waldin, Leask)
2. Three Amigos (Van Den Brink, Orsini, Sritongkham)
3. Lookout (Brasz, Florczyk, Blair, Simmons)
4. Team X (Duarte, Hellstern, Walker)
Misc:
PRO/AM Judges:
Ernie Fixmer, Vaughn Gittin, and Mike Schneider.
PRO/AM Team Drift Judges:
3 randomly chosen spectators (think Monster Truck Jam and flip cards).
Congrats Brian and everyone who got licenses! Great weekend!