Team ENEOS Takes First Win of 2025 Formula DRIFT Season!

Coming out of the winter break, Team ENEOS was eager to get back into fighting mode following a successful 2024 Formula DRIFT season that saw PRO drivers Odi Bakchis finish second and Fredric Aasbo in third overall. They marched proudly to the season’s first battle at the Streets of Long Beach for the 2025 opening round, facing a talented pool of international drivers and teams, determined to carry the winning momentum forward.

Based on their 2024 rankings, Bakchis and Aasbo were slotted in second and third respectively in the Top 32 bracket with a high potential of facing one another in the Final 4 if the cards played out right. But no matter how you look at it, the path to victory is never easy in Formula DRIFT competition.

Bakchis had a solid day of practice before the main event but started to experience an electrical gremlin during the last session, causing the team to work overnight to resolve the issue. They managed to get the Feal Suspension / GT Radial Nissan S14.9 back to 100% for game day, and Odi fought hard up to the Great 8 where he was taken out by Branden Sorensen.

“The car worked great in competition with ENEOS lubricants protecting the drivetrain,” Bakchis said. “Got solid points and I’m hungry to charge harder in Atlanta. The high level of driving this season in FD is mind-blowing!”

The Final heat was a confrontation between three-time FD PRO Champion and the most successful driver in the sport’s history — Team ENEOS driver, Fredric Aasbo, pilot of the Rockstar Energy Toyota GR Supra — and the reigning/only four-time PRO Champion James Deane.

For fans of FD, this was a dream pairing, and the Norwegian Hammer showed zero signs of weakness on his almost flawless lead and chase runs — but so did Deane, the judges requesting a One More Time. On the second attempt, Deane made a critical mistake in Outer Zone 3, making contact with the barrier while attempting to match Aasbo’s speed and precision of his second lead run. That impact left Aasbo with few options, causing him to collide with Deane and the wall before he could regain composure. The judges found Deane at fault, then declared Aasbo the winner.

“What a day, this is what dreams are made of,” Aasbo explained after claiming his carbon trophy. “We had a long offseason, but hit the ground running in Long Beach against the best drivers and teams in the world, ending up with a P1. The Supra ran flawlessly thanks to ENEOS products, not a single issue and can’t wait for Atlanta!”

ENEOS made its return as a FD series sponsor and will be attending select rounds throughout the season, the first being Long Beach where the Papadakis Racing JZA80 Supra was on display and an autograph signing for fans during the halftime break. Be sure to stop by if you’re attending Atlanta, New Jersey or the final Long Beach round!

Following the Long Beach opener, Aasbo is ranked first in the overall PRO Championship hunt with 50 points; Bakchis is P6 with 20 points.

NEXT RACE

Team ENEOS heads to Round 2: Road to the Championship at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta from May 8-10.