In a reversal of fortunes from Round 1, four-time Champion Deane beats three-time Champion Aasbo in dramatic OMT Final. Talaska claims his first PROSPEC victory
As the original venue for the first ever Round of Formula DRIFT, Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta has become a special place for drift teams and fans. Its natural amphitheater, high-speed approach and changeable weather adds to the spectacle. It’s also where the Link ECU PROSPEC Championship joins the 2025 party, adding another level of drama to the Atlanta weekend. And if that wasn’t enough to entertain fans, this weekend marked the inaugural Formula DRIFT x Gridlife joint event, guaranteeing additional full course action throughout the FD weekend.
Despite the almost overwhelming sights and sounds, it would be mother nature who grabbed the headlines, transforming from sunny skies on Friday into almost continuous rain on Saturday. And since Formula DRIFT is an all-weather sport, the show doesn’t stop for a wet track. Instead, the drivers displayed their prodigious skill in tackling the conditions behind the wheel of the most powerful cars in motorsports this side of the NHRA.
In addition to the wet track for PRO competition, the drivers also had to adapt to several minor changes made to the course for the 2025 season. The position of a number of outside zones, inside clips plus the Touch & Go were adjusted, primarily to keep drivers out of the grass and gravel to enhance safety.
PROSPEC SEEDING BRACKET QUALIFICATION
With the introduction last year of competitive, tandem qualification via a Seeding Bracket, the Link ECU PROSPEC class of 2025 would have to negotiate a Top 16 battle on Thursday to earn the right to compete on Friday. And with the first 24 places locked in based on Final Standings from 2024, the majority of drivers in the Top 16 Seeding Bracket were series Rookies.
Among the new arrivals were two female drivers – Collete Davis (USA) and Chellee Hansen (USA) – plus a 13 year-old – Camren Sorensen (USA). They were joined by fellow Rookies Brian Hoplamazian (USA), Joshua “Jerry” Johnson (USA), Ryan Kaufman (USA), Feras Qartoumy (USA), Carsen Ruger (USA), Justin Ruth (USA) and Collin Zielinski (USA).
The winner of the Seeding Bracket was Camren, the third Sorensen sibling in the Formula DRIFT series, joining sister Amanda in PROSPEC and brother Branden in PRO. As the youngest driver to ever compete in the series, the teenager performed flawlessly in the Sorensen Motorsports / Spyder E46 BMW to win the Bracket and claim position 25 in the PROSPEC competition heats on Friday.
To finish second, Collete Davis had to overcome technical issues with her Collete Racing E46 BMW during qualification, including a handbrake problem during the Top 8 battle against Jerry Johnson. However, both Johnson and Adam Heishman (USA) also suffered mechanical problems during their battles with Davis, allowing her to advance. She would lose the Final to Sorensen by a narrow margin.
Third place Chellee Hansen, wife of FD PRO driver Rudy Hansen (USA), scored a dominant win in the first heat driving the Team Hansen Supercharged Nissan S13 for the first time in competition. She was knocked out of the Final 4 by Sorensen
A new rule introduced for the 2025 season sees PRO and PROSPEC drivers receive three points per heat win in the Seeding Bracket, with Sorensen scoring 12 points thanks to his four wins.
Unfortunately, Hoplamazian and Ruger failed to win their heat and were eliminated from competition with the lowest rankings.
All teams in the Link ECU PROSPEC Championship must use Link engine management and GT Radial tires.
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