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Adam LZ Secures Round 4 Victory In 2025 Formula DRIFT Pro Championship At New Jersey
The New Jersey Round of the 2025 Formula DRIFT Championship faced unexpected challenges due to a severe storm on Thursday evening. The storm, which followed the PROSPEC qualifying Seeding Bracket, caused significant damage at Englishtown Raceway. High winds and heavy rain uprooted trees and disrupted the paddock area, forcing organisers to postpone events for only the third time in FD history.
With many teams unable to service their cars due to the damage, the PRO Seeding Bracket was rescheduled for Friday morning. After a massive clean-up effort, participants and spectators were greeted by clear skies and a refreshing breeze as qualifying resumed. The event continued smoothly until Saturday evening when the PRO Championship winners were announced.
The Link ECU PROSPEC Seeding Bracket Qualification determined the first 20 positions based on results from Round 1. The remaining 15 drivers competed for 12 spots through tandem runs. Rookie Jerry Johnson (USA) emerged victorious despite facing challenges during his final run against Brian Hoplamazian (USA). A false start led to confusion and a collision, but Johnson's determination secured his win.
Hoplamazian also reached the final after two One More Time battles but ultimately lost to Johnson. Both drivers gained valuable points towards the Rookie of the Year title, with each Seeding Bracket heat win earning three points. Johnson accumulated 12 points from qualification.
Cole Richards (USA) claimed victory in Round 2 of the Link ECU PROSPEC Championship with his Koruworks / Richards Racing Toyota GR86. This marked a return to form for Richards, who had previously won in New Jersey during his rookie year in 2023. Despite a challenging 2024 season, he expressed optimism about his recent success.
"The start of the weekend was absolutely terrible," Richards said after winning. "We fried the alternator and wiring but worked hard to fix everything." He thanked those who provided spare parts and support, adding that they plan to build a better car for St Louis.
PRO Competition Overview
In an interesting twist, Adam LZ (USA) mirrored Richards' achievement by repeating his first FD win at Englishtown Raceway in 2023. Driving the Drift HQ E36 BMW, LZ dominated throughout the competition heats. His journey included victories over Dan Burkett (USA), Chris Forsberg (USA), Daniel Stuke (USA), and Connor O'Sullivan (USA).
LZ faced Fredric Aasbo (Norway) in the final showdown. Aasbo made an uncharacteristic mistake by hitting a wall during his chase run, allowing LZ to secure victory. "I had so much fun driving here," LZ stated after receiving his trophy.
Rookie Performances and Challenges
Apart from Johnson's success, other rookies faced difficulties during the event. Chellee Hansen's team managed to repair her car after it rolled over following a collision with Carsen Ruger (USA). However, she was eliminated in her Top 32 battle against Trevor Root (USA).
Thirteen-year-old rookie Camren Sorensen was eager for his Top 32 heat against sister Amanda Sorensen but couldn't compete due to mechanical issues with his BMW's differential. Amanda advanced past Cory Talaska but was later defeated by Nate Chen on her way to the Top 8.
Championship Standings Update
The standings saw significant shifts following this round's results. Fredric Aasbo extended his lead in the championship standings with a total of 150 points, while James Deane remained second with 130 points. Adam LZ climbed from ninth place to third overall after securing enough points from his win.
{TABLE_1}{TABLE_2}Upcoming Events
The next round of the FD PRO Championship will take place at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, IL from July 17-19 alongside Round 3 of the Link ECU PROSPEC Championship. Fans can visit formulad.com for ticket information and livestream details.
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