Steph Drifting into the Future

This is the Statt Mann Baby. Time to Scatt a little bit…

I once loved Formula Drift. Loved the competition, drivers, atmosphere and all.

The Freaks have a special friend who runs one of the most successful teams in the sport: Steph Papadakis.

Last night at Irwindale Speedway in Southern California – known as the House of Drift – Steph and Papadakis Racing won the team’s fourth championship and second with Fredric Aasbo.

The four titles include two straight with Tanner Foust in 2007 and 2008. All records in Formula Drift.

But I still believe co-founders Jim Liaw and Ryan Sage are the pony in the pile. They took a relative unknown motor sport to a global standard in 18 years through a global recession and global pandemic. Their decisions have been that crucial.

Next year there’ll be changes, though. Jim is leaving to take over PRI. And former champions Dai Yoshihara and Vaughn Gittin are leaving. Dai retiring. Vaughn says he might be back.

Somehow the series will survive it all. Great show.

Peace.