Formula D Rd.8 Irwindale Speedway Title Fight Gallery

 

Formula Drift made its final stop of the year at the House of Drift Irwindale Speedway for it’s signature final round of the season. Three drivers would enter into the round in contention for the championship – Points leader Chris Forsberg, 2nd place Fredric Aasbo and 3rd Vaughn Gittin Jr. Forsberg would be chasing down his 3rd championship title trying to pass Samuel Hubinette and Tanner Foust on the list with 2 titles. Aasbo would be defending by trying to defend his 2015 title and become the second driver to win consecutive championships.

Forsberg was able to put down a Qualifying run of 85 putting him in 4th place beating out his Championship contenders.

Daijiro Yoshihara showed a resurgence and put down one amazing Qualifying run and earning the #1 Qualifier position and in doing so earned him one of the three bye run’s for the weekend due to zeroes and mechanical failures in qualifying.

Here is gallery from Qualifying day

 

Main Event Day

Gittin’s championship hope’s would end with him hitting the wall on the outer bank due to parts failure handing the win to Pat Mordaunt who eliminates Jr. for the second time in the Finals. This would bring the championship battle down to Forsberg and Aasbo.

Irwindale always knows how to make a event exciting and full of drama. One of the days first crazy happening was between Ken Gushi and Mike Whiddett. Gushi come into center clip with an insane amount of angle and wasn’t able to correct and Mike was just trapped and had no where to go. Gushi would be given fault and Mike would move on to the Top 16 but this is were it gets controversial, Mike would advance past top 32 but due to team not getting car safe to run in time allotted by Formula D he would have to forfeit his top 16 run.

Yet again Irwindale was a sell out event.

Mad Mike put on a show after drivers introductions allowing his fans to see some flame throwing action

And then yet again Irwindale added to the drama as it claimed the Points leader Forsberg. It was one hard hit on the inner bank and was good to see Chris walk away uninjured. Now he would have to site on the sideline and wait it out to see how the points would end out. Also becoming the #1 fan of Matt Fields.

Field’s would prevail and take out the defending champion Aasbo giving the championship to Forsberg.

This is the 3rd Championship For Forsberg, moving him past Samuel Hubinette and Tanner Foust on the all time Champion list.

The finals would see Daijiro Yoshihara and Matt Field battle it out. In the end Dai would push it way to hard into the final turn and hit the wall giving the win to Field’s for back to back win’s to finish out the season.

Field’s has shown he is a future title contender  and one to watch out for in 2017.

Along with the US formula D Championship Forsberg would also win the 2016 Formula D world Championship title. Well it has been another great season of Formula D, now to take a little break cause Long Beach will be here before ya know it.  Look for the 2017 Formula D Schedual to Drop during their SEMA press conference next month.

Main Event Gallery