Aasbo Finishes Fourth at 2022 Formula DRIFT Long Beach
Defending Formula DRIFT series champion and recent addition to the ENEOS ambassador family Fredric Aasbo came into the opening Long Beach round looking strong in his Rockstar Energy Toyota GR Supra, prepped by Papadakis Racing.
After qualifying seventh, Aasbo defeated fellow Norwegian Simen Olsen during the opening round. He then faced Jhonnattan Castro, pitting the GR Supra against the all-new GR 86 sibling, and both drivers pulled off nearly identical runs that had the judges call for a One More Time rematch. Unfortunately, Castro’s GR 86 developed a technical issue that prevented him from competing, giving Aasbo the win. The Norwegian advanced to face Chelsea DeNofa before pairing against Matt Field for a fierce Final 4 battle, which would be one of the most dramatic moments of the weekend.
Field led first, charging hard into the first turn with Aasbo trailing close behind. Aasbo closed in through OZ1, too close, and as Field transitioned into OZ2, Aasbo touched Field’s bumper, knocking him into the concrete walls, damaging all four corners of the Vette. The judges deemed Aasbo at fault, and his disappointment was clear.
With Aasbo at fault, Formula DRIFT rules permit Field ten minutes to make repairs, along with an optional five minute Competition Time Out that could also be applied. If Field’s team could successfully repair the car, he could continue against Aasbo in the Quarter Final with major points deducted from Aasbo for causing the collision — all Field would need to do is essentially complete the run. However, since Field was unable to fix his car, Aasbo was eliminated for causing the accident, advancing Field to the Final. With his Vette beyond repair, Field eventually settled for second after Ryan Tuerck claimed the Round 1 victory.
“I thought Field would be faster — I needed to stay with him, so I stayed very close, too much, and that was my mistake,” an apologetic Aasbo explained. “I don’t want to be that guy but I was greedy and ruined his day. I feel really bad about it, not only for mangling his car but also for losing that battle.”
After Long Beach, Aasbo ranks fourth in the overall championship standings with 80 points.
NEXT RACE
Aasbo heads to Road Atlanta for Round 2: AutoZone Road to the Championship presented by TYPE S on May 6-7, 2022.
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