ThunderDrift: Nor-Cal Formula Drift Pro-Am Round 3
Willows, CA – June 30th was Round 3 of the 2010 ThunderDrift Pro-Am Series, with Nor-Cal’s top drifters gathering to go for a shot at a pro license. Of the three points leaders, two returned in new cars. Andy Gillespie was driving Tomasz Olech’s SR-powered Corolla while his Miata was down, and Ryan Kado was in his new orange S14, recently purchased from Inland Drift. Luke Lonberger was still using his Turbo LS1 S14.
NOS Energy Drink was out in full force, with photographers and models
making
the rounds and handing out free NOS to anyone who looked thirsty.
Resident
judge Richard Kong was joined by Don Ahn and Conrad Grunewald to round
out the
judging staff for this round.
Kado qualified first and was favored to win, but a stroke of fate pitted
him
against 8th qualifier Julian Jacobs in the Top 8 round. On the second
run, Kado
was following just a tad too close, hit the brakes, and straightened out
for a
second in turn 3, costing him the battle and giving him 5th place. Had
he
qualified 2nd, he would have finished 6th and lost out on an additional
30
points.
Lonberger and Virgil Brosseau went One More Time in the Top 8 after
Lonberger
made an epic pass on the inside of Turn 3, sending him far off the track
at the
exit. Lonberger also went One More Time against Gillespie in the Final
4, and almost got another One More Time against Jacobs in the Championship
Round, but
Jacobs got the win. Gillespie went up against Josh Sher in the
Consolation Round
and came away with 3rd place. This was Jacobs’ second win of the
series,
but he’s still in 4th place overall with 261 points, due to a poor
finish in
Round 2. Lonberger is still in 3rd with 285 points, Gillespie is hanging
on to
2nd with 288, and Kado has the tenuous lead with 295.
In addition to the Prizes and Trophies the drivers usually receive, NOS
Energy Drink presented the winners with NOS Hats and Hoodies!
With only 10 points separating 1st and 3rd, the series could still go to any of the top four drivers. All Kado has to do is show up to Round 4, and 5th Place Brosseau won’t be able to squeeze by.
The 4th and final round is August 31st at Thunderhill Raceway. NOS Energy Drink will be there providing refreshments and adding to the excitement as the drivers make their final attempt at achieving Formula Drift greatness!
For a more in depth look at all of the action from Round 3 of the ThunderDrift Pro-Am Series, check out this great video from our friends at Lab17:
ThunderDrift ProAm 2010 Round 3 from Lab17 on Vimeo.
