For a sport that got its start in Japan, drifting seems to be dominated by domestic muscle cars right now. Don’t believe us? Well last year, Vaughn Gittin Jr. dominated the series, winning the most races and the 2010 championship crown. And since the inaugural year of 2004, 4 of the past seven Formula D champs have driven American muscle.
But just as 2010 was the year of Vaughn Gittin Jr. and the Ford Mustang, there looks to be a new star rising through the ranks. His name is Justin Pawlak, and over this past weekend he beat out none other than Vaugh Gittin Jr. himself to take home first place in Round 3 of the 2011 Formula D series.
This was the first Formula Drift race in Florida in the series’ history, taking place at none other than Palm Beach International Raceway. Vaughn Gittin Jr. was off to a rocky start this year, earning a DNF in the first race and failing to make the podium in Round 2. But in Round 3 he turned up the heat, beating out former Formula Drift champ Chris Forsberg to earn his spot in the finals.
He would face off against none other than Justin Pawlak, another 5.0 Mustang driver who races for the Falken Tire team. Pawlak is this year’s rising star, taking home first place in Round 1 and making it to the Round of Eight in Round 2. But in Florida, Pawlak would find himself facing off against the mighty Vaughn Gittin Jr., hungry to get back into the hunt.
Neither racer had an easy battle to the final race, and all eyes were on the field as these two competitors faced off. Ultimately it would be Pawlak who pulled off the win, taking a commanding lead in the Formula Drift standings with a total of 272 points out of a possible 300 so far, with 36 point buffer between his closest competitor, Darren McNamara.
The second place finish for Vaughn Gittin Jr. was enough to catapault him 11 places, from 21st to 10th place. Even with a DNF, Gittin isn’t out of the running yet, though he has a long slog ahead of him if he wants to remain competitive. For now though, the spotlight is Justin “JTP” Pawlak. Does he have what it takes to put another Mustang on the championship podium? Or does the former champ have it in him to make one hell of a comeback?