Dai qualified fourth among a crowded field of 32 who advanced to the second round. Team Falken’s regular quintet of factory-supported drivers were present along with privateers Ross Petty, Walker Wilkerson and several others.
Defending Formula Drift Champion Vaughn Gittin, Jr.¸ competing in the Monster Energy/Falken Tire 2011 Ford Mustang, qualified 12th, and advanced to the Top 16 Round after dueling against Falken teammate Tyler McQuarrie.
By the Top 8, it was “Falken against Falken” as Yoshihara defeated Gittin and Darren McNamara won over Justin Pawlak. In the final, it was Dai who bested McNamara to take the win, the third of his Formula D career as a Team Falken member, and his second consecutive victory at Road Atlanta.
Standings after two rounds place Dai in first, followed by Pawlak in second, McNamara in fourth, McQuarrie 8th, Petty 18th and Gittin 21st.
“We’re two-for-two and that’s a good place to be,” declared Jonathan Bradford, Falken’s Drift motorsports manager. “The set-ups the teams are running, the horsepower our cars are getting and the grip, courtesy of our Falken Azenis RT615Ks, is exceptional.”
