Barrett-Jackson, The World’s Greatest Collector Car Auctions, will rev up Las Vegas with an impressive selection of late-model performance vehicles that will cross the block during the Las Vegas Auction, June 22-24. Boasting groundbreaking hybrid performance, a 986-horsepower 2021 Ferrari SF90 (Lot #741) selling with No Reserve represents Ferrari’s leap into the future of electrified automotive performance.

“We’re heading into Las Vegas with several desirable and collectible high-performance vehicles,” said Craig Jackson, chairman and CEO of Barrett-Jackson. “You don’t have to be a gearhead to appreciate the design and performance that automakers poured into their halo vehicles, like the Ford GT, Ferrari SF90 and Aston-Martin DBS Superlegerra. These vehicles both turn heads on the street and offer an exceptional ownership experience. Each will be sold with No Reserve, giving our Las Vegas Auction bidders the chance to own the ultimate high-performance collectible vehicles.”

The hybrid supercar 2021 Ferrari SF90 (Lot #741) blends a twin-turbocharged V8 with three electric motors to deliver a jaw-dropping 986 horsepower. The most powerful production Ferrari yet, it is capable of zero to 60 mph in just 2.5 seconds. Loaded with options and carbon fiber, it is a masterpiece of design and engineering. The interior features a driver-centric layout that combines luxury and cutting-edge technology with premium materials, an advanced infotainment system and configurable digital instrument cluster. This SF90 embodies Ferrari’s relentless pursuit of performance and has only 577 actual miles.

Featuring the coveted Lightweight Package, a 2019 Ford GT (Lot #749) on the docket is finished in Liquid Gray paint with protection film, ceramic coating and windshield protection film. It is powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine capable of producing 647 horsepower. The Lightweight Package reduces total weight by approximately 40 pounds and features exposed carbon-fiber stripes and wheels, as well as a titanium exhaust system. The Alcantara suede interior features carbon-fiber seats, and exposed carbon fiber on the door sills, dashboard, center console and seat backs. This one-owner Ford GT comes with the original Window Sticker, factory books, shipping documents, build photos, promotional materials, battery tender, and indoor and outdoor car covers.

“These supercars crossing our block in Las Vegas will be among the most anticipated vehicles on the docket,” said Steve Davis, president of Barrett-Jackson. “The electricity in the arena for these elite cars will be incredible when they roll up on our block as bidders compete for a chance to take one home. I encourage everyone to join us in Las Vegas and experience the excitement in the air during the auction of these highly coveted automobiles.”

Powered by a twin-turbocharged V12, the 2020 Aston Martin DBS Superleggera (preview) is backed by a ZF 8-speed automatic transmission. The exterior features a splitter, carbon-fiber diffuser and smoked rear lamps. The interior includes a Bang & Olufsen premium sound system with window grid diversity antenna, heated and ventilated front seats, carbon-fiber trim and 360-degree parking cameras. The one-owner Aston Martin has less than 7,500 miles and was kept in a climate-controlled garage.

Collector car enthusiasts interested in registering to bid for Barrett-Jackson’s 2023 Las Vegas Auction may do so here. Those interested in being a part of the auction may consign their collector vehicle here.

To purchase advance tickets to the event, click here. On Location, Barrett-Jackson’s new VIP hospitality partner, is offering several VIP Experience packages, including access to Craig Jackson’s Skybox, the Luxury Lounge and the Staging Lanes for auction-goers interested in taking in all the auction action with a one-of-a-kind experience. To learn more about On Location’s offerings, click here.

Join Barrett-Jackson’s online conversation with #BarrettJackson and #BJAC on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

15-Year-Old Brent Crews is the first Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli winner on the brand-new Detroit Grand Prix course on the downtown streets. After taking over the lead on lap 12, the Young Gun held off champions Rafa Matos and Thomas Merrill to win his fifth-career race and earn his second-career street circuit victory in the 3-Dimensional Services Group Muscle Car Challenge.

Connor Zilisch in the No. 7 Silver Hare Racing Chevrolet Camaro started Race 1 of the Big Machine Vodka SPIKED Coolers TA2 Series doubleheader from the pole and got off to a great start, effortlessly pulling ahead of second-place driver Austin Green in the No. 89 3-Dimensional Services Group Camaro. As Zilisch pulled ahead of the field, Crews in the 70 Franklin Road/Mobil 1/GearWrench Ford Mustang maneuvered around Green and into the second position. Zilisch and Crews had the rest of the field in their wake through the first full-course caution on lap seven for competitor Mike Skeen in the No. 86 3-Dimensional Services Group Camaro making hard contact with the wall.

When the race returned to green on lap 11, Zilisch initially pulled ahead, but Crews was quick to get to his tail and pull to the inside of Zilisch going into Turn 5. With Crews going wide into the tight lefthander, the pair ran out of room and Zilisch nosed into the tire barrier. Only drawing a local caution, Zilisch had to wait for traffic to pass before righting himself, dropping him down to the 21st position. Refusing to give up, Zilisch fought his way back up to eighth within 20 laps. Unfortunately, he lost traction on the bumpy surface and once again made contact with the wall. With heavy right-side damage, the 16-year-old was forced to visit pit road and was out of contention for the victory.

After Crews took over the lead, he was hounded by former champions Matos (No. 88 3-Dimensional Services Group Mustang) and Merrill (No. 26 Bennett/HP Tuners/Mike Cope Race Cars Ford Mustang) in second and third. He continued to hold them off, but a full-course yellow on lap 19 regrouped the field for the lap-29 green flag. Evan Slater in the No. 6 Franklin Road Apparel Camaro was the reason for a caution, as the young driver had a mechanical failure and made hard impact with the tire barrier in a runoff.

Following an extensive cleanup, Crews had a perfect restart and was able to pull away from Matos and Merrill. Merrill now had competition from Thomas Annunziata (No. 90 Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang), slowing him down. Crews and Matos pulled way ahead of the third and fourth-place competitors and Matos had a few flawless laps which would allow him to challenge for the lead. Unfortunately, Matos had to go into preservation mode with just a few laps to go, as he felt something was amiss and wanted to ensure he made it to the finish. Crews was able to open up a gap in front of Matos, and he crossed the finish line to win his second race of 2023. He was followed by Matos, Merrill, Annunziata and Dillon Machavern in the No. 17 SLR-M1 Race Cars Ford Mustang.

“First, this wouldn’t be possible without our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,” said Crews. “I just want to say ‘thank you’ to my whole team and to [Matos and Merrill] for racing hard. That was a blast. There definitely was not a dull moment and it wasn’t easy. My Nitro Motorsports team did an incredible job. To be able to hold pace like that and to be able to turn those fast laps at the end of the race is truly amazing. I want to thank my whole family, everyone at Franklin Road Apparel, Ken Thwaits, everybody who got us here. I also want to thank Tony Parella and everyone at Trans Am. This is an incredible series and it’s not often that you get to come to an amazing street course like this and be able to race with INDYCAR.”

“I can’t thank my 3-Dimensional Services Group team enough,” said runner up, Matos. “This is a very important weekend for [team owner] Doug Peterson and his company, which is sponsoring the race, so it was really important for us to get a good result. I was hoping that we could catch Brent at the end. I kept the pressure on him but faced some issues toward the end of the race and I had to choose between finishing the race or potentially suffering a parts failure trying to win. I’m really proud of my team and to be racing against these two very talented drivers. Hopefully we will win tomorrow.”

Notes of Interest

Today’s victory was the second for Crews in 2023. His first win was Round 2 at NOLA Motorsports Park.

This is the second street course victory of Crews’ career. Crews won the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix last August at the age of 14.

This was Matos’ fourth podium in five races this season, which includes one race victory in the season-opener at Sebring International Raceway.

Doug Peterson’s 3-Dimensional Services Group, which is sponsoring both of this weekend’s races and the 3-Dimensional Services Group Triple Track Tournament, was the highest-finishing Masters competitor. 3-Dimensional Services Group employs 500 people at their nearby Rochester Hills facility.

Last fall, Peterson was inducted into the Michigan Motor Sports Hall of Fame.

“This is like a homecoming for me, because I’m originally from the Detroit area,” said Peterson. “I love Detroit. Let’s do it again tomorrow.”

TA2 Top Five:

1. Brent Crews, No. 70 Franklin Road/Mobil 1/GearWrench Ford Mustang

2. Rafa Matos, No. 88 3-Dimensional Services Group Ford Mustang

3. Thomas Merrill, No. 26 Bennett/HP Tuners/Mike Cope Race Cars Ford Mustang

4. Thomas Annunziata, No. 90 Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang

5. Dillon Machavern, No. 17 SLR-M1 Race Cars Ford Mustang

TA2 Masters Award:

Doug Peterson, No. 87 3-Dimensional Services Group Ford Mustang

TA2 Pro/Am Winner:

Bruce Raymond, No. 54 Optima Batteries/FM3 Marketing Ford Mustang

COOLSHIRT Cool Move of the Race:

Brent Crews, No. 70 Franklin Road/Mobil 1/GearWrench Ford Mustang

Omologato Watches Fastest Lap of the Race:

Connor Zilisch, No. 7 Silver Hare Racing Chevrolet Camaro

Serck Precision Clean Up:

Ty Young, No. 22 Ty J Young Wealth Management Ford Mustang

Bassett Hard Charger:

Misha Goikhberg, No. 10 BC Race Cars Ford Mustang

Full official race results can be found here.

The Big Machine Vodka SPIKED Coolers TA2 Series returns to the track tomorrow at 11:05 a.m. ET with the 3-Dimensional Services Group Motor City Showdown.

A highlight show combining Race 1 and Race 2 in Detroit will air on MAVTV on Thursday, June 8 at 8:00 p.m. ET. 

Antron Brown powered to his first Top Fuel No. 1 qualifier in nearly six years on Saturday, claiming the top spot at the NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway.

Funny Car’s Chad Green also qualified No. 1 at the seventh of 21 races during the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season. Saturday’s second qualifying session, as well as the finals of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge, were canceled due to weather. No points were awarded in the challenge and the bonus prize money was divided among the participating competitors.

Sunday’s eliminations were also bumped up to a 10 a.m. ET start from New England Dragway.

With a near 40-degree temperature drop from Friday, Brown, a three-time world champion, made one of only two three-second runs during Saturday’s lone qualifying session with an impressive pass of 3.729-secomds at 329.99 mph in his 11,000-horsepower Matco Tools/Toyota dragster. It is Brown’s 50th career No. 1 qualifier, but first since 2017 in Seattle, where he also won the race.

Brown, who won earlier this year in Las Vegas, has impressed in varying conditions this weekend, making a run in the 3.80s during the heat on Friday, and following it up with another strong run in considerably cooler conditions on Saturday.

"It feels really good today. What made it feel so good is just how our team was so good to adapt to all the different conditions,” Brown said. “Today, we were able to bounce back and be one of the only cars that made it down because the track got super tight. I'm super proud of my guys. It makes me feel good to see where we're at the way we can adapt to so many different circumstances.

"Our main focus through this whole journey that we've been on is to constantly get better. We never really harped on qualifying. We've been just working on it steadily to get better and better and to pick up those bonus points. We made the right judgment calls and ended up No. 1. Do we want to qualifying No. 1 more? Heck yeah. But we have to keep working to know how we got there and not throw shots at it."

Shawn Langdon made the only other three-second run on Saturday, qualifying second with a run of 3.738 at 327.66. He’s looking for his first win of the 2023 campaign, as is Leah Pruett, whose 3.856 from 319.37 put her third heading into Sunday’s eliminations.

Clay Millican and Pruett advanced to the finals of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge, with Millican collecting the biggest share of the bonus purse after making the quickest winning run in the first round of the bonus race.

In Funny Car, Green held onto the No. 1 spot on a tricky day, with his run of 4.100 at 310.98 from Friday in his 11,000-horsepower Bond-Coat, Inc. Ford Mustang holding up. It gave Green his first career No. 1 qualifier as he continues to enjoy a strong season in the Funny Car ranks.

After a string of semifinal appearances this season and now claiming his first career No. 1 qualifier, Green, who is currently sixth in points, will aim for his first career Funny Car victory on Sunday.

"It feels pretty great, it's pretty unexpected,” Green said. “When I woke up this morning, I never thought that our run yesterday would hold up for No. 1 today. I'm very proud of my crew, my team for navigating the track yesterday and be able to make that run to get us in this position. Tomorrow is going to be another day like today. We'll put our heads together and see what we come up with.

"I haven't had really No. 1 qualifier on my mind as much as I've had winning a race. There are some really tough teams out here, it's really tough to be No. 1. I'm definitely happy about it and proud of my guys."

Points leader and defending event winner Matt Hagan stayed second with his 4.123 at 309.13 from Friday as he looks for his NHRA-best fifth career win at New England Dragway. Alex Laughlin, in his first year in Funny Car, moved to third with a run of 4.190 at 289.63.

Ron Capps and Tim Wilkerson advanced to the finals of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge, with Capps collecting the biggest share of the bonus purse after making the quickest winning run in the first round of the bonus race.

Eliminations for the NHRA New England Nationals are set to begin at 10 a.m. ET on Sunday at New England Dragway.

(Courtesy of NHRA Communications)

Third generation racer Nicolas Giaffone captured his fourth win of the season – and third in succession for DEForce Racing – following a spirited drive this afternoon in USF Juniors Presented by Cooper Tires competition. There was little breathing room throughout the opening round of the Cooper Tires VIR Grand Prix tripleheader for the 18-year-old from Sao Paulo, Brazil, who rebounded from a crash in practice earlier in the day.

Jack Jeffers, from San Antonio, Texas, claimed his third podium of the season for Exclusive Autosport with Quinn Armstrong, of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, rounding out the top three with his fourth podium for DEForce Racing.

Results

Ethan Ho of DC Autosport displayed consistent top-five pace during the trio of test sessions yesterday on the challenging 3.27-mile road course. The 17-year-old Korean-American based in Los Angeles posted only the 10th fastest time in practice this morning, but when it counted in qualifying, he laid down a fast lap early. His time of 1:55.327 was matched, precisely, on the final lap by Joey Brienza of Exclusive Autosport, but it was Ho who was credited with his first Cooper Tires Pole Award.

After a solid start, Ho came under attack almost immediately from a charging Jeffers, who had lined up third on the grid and displaced Brienza in the opening turns, and then Giaffone, who started fourth but had moved into second by Lap 3.

Ho’s podium hopes were extinguished on Lap 5 when contact from VRD Racing’s Max Taylor – who had dropped a wheel off track – resulted in a spin and the loss of seven positions.

Lap 6 proved to be a pivotal point in the race as a brief rain cell moved into the area, catching several drivers out and necessitating the caution flags. The running order for what would be a five-lap dash to the finish saw Jeffers leading Giaffone followed by Hudson Schwartz (VRD Racing), Lucas Fecury (DEForce Racing) and Armstrong.

A tremendous battle ensued between Jeffers and Giaffone when the field went back to green on Lap 11, with Giaffone managing to finally make his pass for the lead stick with three laps to go. Armstrong was able to work his way by Schwartz and Fecury, who lost ground after contact with Brienza but still managed to finish fifth behind Taylor and earn the Tilton Hard Charger Award. It was also an impressive drive from Taylor, who had dropped back to 11th at one stage, and set the fastest lap of the race.

Brienza’s promising day from a front-row starting spot ended with an unrepresentative 14th-place finish after suffering right-rear tire damage.

Giaffone now holds a 40-point edge in his quest for a Discount Tire Driver Advancement Scholarship valued at $241,800 which will enable the series champion to progress onto the next step of the USF Pro Championship ladder in 2024.

Another PFC Award went to winning car owners David and Ernesto Martinez of DEForce Racing.

The action will continue with two more races tomorrow. The first is slated to start at 9:10 a.m. EDT, with the finale set for a green flag at 12:55 p.m. As usual, full coverage can be found on the free USF Pro Championships App, YouTube channel and the usfjuniors.com website.

Provisional championship points after 6 of 16 races:

1. Nicolas Giaffone, 171

2. Quinn Armstrong, 131

3. Joey Brienza, 127

4. Jack Jeffers, 106

5. Lucas Fecury, 102

6. Jimmie Lockhart, 97

7. Max Taylor, 86

8. Ethan Ho, 82

9. Ethan Barker, 77

10. Erick Schotten, 75

Nicolas Giaffone (#19 OMNI-DEForce Racing Tatuus JR-23): “We started the day with a crash in practice, which was unfortunate, but it showed me once again how good my team is and how good they are working under pressure. I have never been to VIR before and the team had never been here with this car, so I think we did an amazing job in setting the car right for qualifying and then setting the car even better for the race. The race here is difficult because the draft keeps everyone kind of close. You can be a half-a-second faster but you won’t be able to pull away. This made things interesting with the rain. Overall, a pretty solid race. We still have two to go and I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but it is very good to be starting the weekend P1.”

Jack Jeffers (#92 Corpay Cross Border Solutions-Exclusive Autosport Tatuus JR-23): “I knew I had the pace to pull away or at least make it tough for him to keep up with me, so that was my strategy. It was just to hit my marks and make him have to really work for it to keep up with me. He gave me a run every lap into Turn One and we battled side-by-side. It was really fun and some of the best racing I have had in a long time and he is a really respectful driver. It started raining and that put a wrench into things as we followed the pace car around. Once it was safe enough to go, we started racing again. We battled for a few laps and he finally got ahead of me. On the last lap, I used the tow to get up alongside and almost ahead of him. We battled in the last sector and he came out on top.”

Quinn Armstrong (#16 NDA-DEForce Racing Tatuus JR-23): “I really didn’t think we would end up third after the first start didn’t go well and then the restart again really didn’t go our way. I am really happy to be back on the podium. This is three in a row and I want to continue this momentum because DEForce puts so much work in. When they show up with cars like this, I believe we can keep showing up to the podiums.”

Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Rogers Racing/SDI Racing FTR750) earned his 25th-career Grand National Championship Mile victory in split-second fashion in Saturday night’s Red Mile presented by Indian Motorcycle of Lexington at the Red Mile in Lexington, Kentucky.

The triumph proved to be the latest round in a season of Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, that has taken shape as a heavyweight title fight between reigning Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle champ Mees and his ascending challenger, points leader Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT).

The two broke free from the start and spent the next 14 minutes plus two laps testing each other in preparation for the decisive final lap. The cagey Mees sat in tight formation behind his young rival during the waning laps before finally striking as the two sprinted into Turn 3 for the final time.

He then struck and, despite suffering a couple small slides on exit, had the steam to hold on to the checkered flag by a minuscule 0.042 seconds.

The victory was Mees’ fifth in six attempts at the Red Mile. It also saw him join legends Bubba Shobert and Bryan Smith for third all-time in career Mile wins.

Mees said, “We were playing cat-and-mouse a little bit, and he was definitely strong in some areas…I just knew what I wanted to do there on the last lap and made it work, really. It’s good to win those Miles like old school where it’s there right at the line.”

For Daniels, it was the fourth time this season he’s finished a close second to Mees. But any sense of frustration that may have otherwise started to creep in was overcome by the reality that he continues to hold the points advantage due to a season-long run of firsts and seconds that he kept intact.

The fight for third was a spirited four-way affair, involving Briar Bauman (No. 3 Parts Plus/Jacob Companies KTM 790 Duke), Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750), JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT), and Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Indian FTR750).

Bauman again showed off an ideal pace nearly on par with that of Mees and Daniels when everything worked just perfectly aboard an unruly machine that made that perfection impossible to attain with any consistency. Still, its impressive motor provided him with the tools necessary to secure a third podium of 2023 with Beach fractionally behind in fourth, followed by Fisher and Vanderkooi.

Kolby Carlile (No. 36 G&G Racing/Yamaha Racing Yamaha MT-07), who ran third on the opening laps, rebounded from an early mistake to overhaul Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) for seventh by 0.050 seconds at the stripe.

Jeffrey Lowrey (No. 223 Lowery Racing/Gray Hogs Yamaha MT-07) and Bronson Bauman (No. 37 Fastrack Racing/2 Wheelz KTM 790 Duke) completed the top ten.

While Mees chipped off another four points, Daniels still boasts a 16-point advantage (180-164). Third-ranked Bauman is nearly two full races back of first at 131.

Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER

Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) added more evidence to support the old racing adage that a rider’s second win comes a whole lot easier than their first with a triumphant run in Saturday’s Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER pack war.

A seesawing battle that expanded to a nine-rider lead pack as the pivotal final two laps opened, the race for the win appeared almost certain to be decided amongst Turner Honda teammates Lowe and Chase Saathoff (No. 88 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) and the Estenson Racing Yamaha duo of Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) and Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F).

Sacramento winner Drane looked like the odds-on favorite due to his optimal blend of high-speed chops, low-pro aerodynamics, ultra-light weight, and big-time horsepower. However – despite repeatedly demonstrating the capacity to blast up to first from three or four positions back seemingly at will – the Aussie’s last-lap strategy was blown up by a lapped rider as the huge lead group dove into Turn 3 for the final time.

As a result, Drane could finish no better than third with Lowe and Saathoff handing Honda a hard-earned 1-2.

Whether or not Drane might have been able to run the Hondas down with a cleaner run is as impossible to guess as it is irrelevant at this point. Ultimately, Lowe put himself in the perfect position to capitalize in the chaos and scoop his second-career victory.

“It feels so great to come out on top,” Lowe said. “I knew I had to keep my corner speed up and that was the one thing I had going for me. Leading and going into (Turn) 3 was definitely my best option. I’m happy for the whole Turner Racing team. Everyone has put in so much effort. It’s unreal to think about the time that people put in and the dedication that they have.”

Brunner finished just 0.057 seconds back off his teammate but once again came up just short of the podium He was followed home by Red Bull KTM teammates Max Whale (No. 18 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) and Kody Kopp (No. 1 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) – Kopp closing in from a distant ninth to make himself a factor late.

Kopp continues to lead in his title defense with 151 points to his credit. However, Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 D&D Racing/Certified KTM 450 SX-F) was shuffled back to seventh in the melee, a development that allowed Saathoff to join him level at 136 points. Whale is fourth at 130, followed by Brunner (123), Lowe (117), and Drane (105).

Next Up:

Progressive American Flat Track will conclude its midseason run of three consecutive Miles with the much-awaited return of the DuQuoin Mile at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds on June 17 in DuQuoin, Illinois. Visit https://www.tixr.com/groups/trackenterprises/events/duquoin-mile-70363 to reserve your seats today.

For those that can’t catch the live action from the circuit, FansChoice.tv is the live streaming home of Progressive AFT. Sign up now and catch every second of on-track action starting with Practice & Qualifying and ending with the Victory Podium at the end of the night at https://www.fanschoice.tv.

FOX Sports coverage of the Red Mile presented by Indian Motorcycle of Lexington, featuring in-depth features and thrilling onboard cameras, will premiere on FS1 on Sunday, June 11, at 10:30 a.m. ET (7:30 a.m. PT).

For more information on Progressive AFT visit https://www.americanflattrack.com.

After the tropical storm that dominated last year’s competition heats, the Formula DRIFT PRO Championship teams were relieved to run under dry conditions for Round 3: TYPE S Scorched presented by AutoZone.

Upon arrival at Orlando Speed World, the teams discovered Formula DRIFT had made some minor revisions the layout of the figure-8 course for this year. Outside Zone 1 was lengthened and Outside Zone 2 shortened slightly to improve the flow of the course. The result was an improved spectacle for spectators at the track and via the free-to-view livestream, resuling in an extremely close K&N Qualifying session and exciting competition.

PRO QUALIFYING

Commencing at sunset and continuing into the evening, all PRO teams were required to use Type S undercar lighting, helping the fans to follow the action through the tire smoke.

The top qualifier was Ryan Tuerck (USA) who put his Rain-X / Nitto Tire / Rockstar Energy GR Corolla in first position with a 94.6-point run, thanks in part to a high X factor: a 10-point discretionary score the judges are able to award to particularly impressive runs. 

Tuerck was also the top qualifier at the opening round in Long Beach but was unable to make much impression, languishing in 11th in the 2023 FD PRO Championship battle coming into Orlando. Undoubtedly, Papadakis Racing would be hoping Tuerck’s flawless qualifying run would initiate the launch of the GR Corolla driver’s title chase.

In reality, Tuerck’s advantage was marginal, with second place Chelsea DeNofa (USA) scoring 94 points in his Pennzoil / BC Racing Ford Mustang RTR Spec 5-FD, and third place Kazuya Taguchi (Japan) awarded 93.6 points in the Upgarage / ISR Performance / GT Radial / Jerry Yang Racing Toyota 86. This meant one point separated the top three drivers, while less than ten points separated the top 18. The changes to the course had certainly brought out the best from the entire field, although there were some hiccups. 

Championship leader Matt Field (USA), for example, scored 87 points, which placed the Borla Performance / GT Radial Corvette in a rather disappointing 16th, but everybody understood he’d undoubtedly be a major factor in the competition heats.

Reigning Champion Fredric Aasbo (Norway) fared better, scoring 91.6 points in the Rockstar Energy Toyota GR Supra, which meant he placed fifth in qualification.

With 35 drivers again contesting 32 competition places, there would inevitably be disappointment. And while the Knockout Qualifying Format (KQF) ensured the top 24 drivers automatically qualified, the remainder were required to run a second time. Once the points were tallied, Joao Barion (Brazil), Kyle Mohan (USA) and Ola Jaeger (Norway) were cut from competition.

PRO COMPETITION

For the second time in three events, it was a Mustang RTR driver who climbed to the top step of the podium. Two weeks ago in Atlanta, fans had witnessed the incredible return of team leader Vaughn Gittin Jr. But with Gittin Jr sharing a car with Adam LZ throughout the 2023 season and sidelined for Orlando, it was Chelsea DeNofa (USA) who took his Pennzoil / BC Racing Ford Mustang RTR Spec 5-FD to the win. 

And it was a battered and bruised Mustang RTR that transported DeNofa to his first victory since Round 6 in Seattle 2022. With an incredibly tough bracket, DeNofa fought valiantly for the win, and the carnage began in the Top 32 where he collided with Alex Holovnia (Ukraine).

After two clean runs, the judges requested they go One More Time (OMT), repeating both runs to help them find a winner. Unfortunately, the rookie driver of the Huragan Racing / Cheap Racing Toyota GT86 experienced power steering problems as he initiated into Outside Zone 1 (OZ1) on the fourth run. Unable to control the car, it was pulled into the wall, giving a committed DeNofa nowhere to hide. Hitting the rear corner of the Toyota, the Mustang RTR was thrown into the air, landing hard and suffering considerable damage.

With a two-hour intermission before the Top 16 heats, RTR Motorsports replaced the damaged components in time for a blockbuster battle against three-time FD PRO Champion Chris Forsberg (USA) in the NOS Energy Drink / GT Radial Nissan Z. With both drivers setting extraordinary lead runs, it was DeNofa’s chase that tipped the close decision in his favor. 

Advancing to the Great 8, Chelsea faced three-time FD PRO Champion and teammate James Deane (Ireland) in the AutoZone Ford Mustang RTR Spec 5-FD. Again, it was a clash of the titans, with both drivers matching speed and precision. And again, it was the finesse of DeNofa’s chase run that allowed him to progress to the Final 4. 

The explosive power DeNofa brings means opponents are always under pressure to match his speed, and sometimes that ends badly. In this instance it was Taguchi who used his Toyota 86 as a spear. It was aimed directly at the Mustang’s door as Taguchi lost composure at Inside Clip 2 (IC2), causing more suspension damage to the Ford. 

After making the necessary repairs, DeNofa defeated Taguchi in their second run despite an engine misfire. With new plugs and leads fitted to the 1100hp V8, DeNofa faced three-time FD PRO Champion Aasbo in an extremely close Final that saw both drivers take it to the limit. 

“It was a gnarly event and the team worked extremely hard all weekend,” DeNofa told us after spraying the champagne. “We worked through a number of gremlins in practice and the car was there when I needed it. Everything went well, and after our One More Time in the Top 32 we won all the battles with the chase run and clean leads. It worked out really well because we have a great car for this track – it’s only one turn, so it can’t be that hard!

“We need to fix the car before New Jersey because it’s so battered. The crew will get it back together and we’ve got a good set up for Englishtown, so we’ll try to get on the podium again.”

The victory lifted Chelsea from tenth to second in the 2023 FD PRO Championship and kickstarted his title chase. While Aasbo’s second place meant he amassed sufficient points over the first three rounds to lead the 2023 FD PRO Championship by a narrow 13 points despite not claiming a victory thus far. 

Conversely, Matt Field – who was leading the Championship by a healthy 40-point margin coming into Orlando – was eliminated from the Top 16 by Tuerck after a monumental conflict that saw them run six times before the judges declared a winner. Finishing 14th on the night, Field dropped to third in the title race but will remain a real threat. 

Taguchi finished third, reflecting his qualifying position and reinforcing the respect given to him by an increasing number of drift teams and experts. After a poor start to the season, the Orlando result catapults Taguchi from 25th to 12th in the FD PRO Championship table.

Dylan Hughes (USA) finished fourth in the Whip Racing / Royal Purple BMW after a very close contest against Aasbo in the Final 4. He also received a healthy bump from 13th to 6th in the title race. Hughes had purged Aasbo’s Papadakis Racing teammate Tuerck from the Great 8, and although the top qualifier in the Corolla GR finished 5th in Orlando, he only collected enough points to rise from 11th to 10th overall.

With only Holovnia and Diego Higa (Brazil) competing for the 2023 Rookie of the Year title, both were eliminated from the Top 32 heats. However, Higa’s superior qualifying position put him in 28th while Holovnia finished 31. They sit 29th and 32nd in the Championship table, respectively.

After the third round, Ford extended its lead of the 2023 Formula DRIFT PRO Auto Cup, while Nitto regained the lead of the Tire Cup thanks largely to the performance of both DeNofa and Aasbo.

“After a fast start to the 2023 season, we find ourselves almost at the halfway point and see Fredric Aasbo take a lead in the PRO Championship with another consistent performance," Formula DRIFT President, Ryan Sage reflected. “We saw a lot of One More Times throughout the competition heats but it was Chelsea DeNofa who emerged victorious in his hometown after an incredible evening that saw his team repeatedly fixing the vehicle. He and the team were able to navigate the chaos and get the victory, which is a big result for both Chelsea and RTR. It’s going to be fascinating to see if the team can continue its momentum at the next round in New Jersey on June 22-24.”

2023 FORMULA DRIFT CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS

ROUND 3 FD PRO TOP 16 DRIVER POINTS

2023 FD PRO TOP 16 DRIVER CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

2023 AUTO CUP STANDINGS

2023 TIRE CUP STANDINGS

NEXT ROUND

Englishtown Raceway will host Formula DRIFT PRO Championship Round 4: TYPE S The Gauntlet presented by AutoZone and FD PROSPEC Round 2 on June 22-24. Please visit formulad.com for the competition schedule, ticket information, driver profiles, special content, and the event livestream

Practice and qualifying are in the books for the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli Memorial Day Classic at Lime Rock Park. Matthew Brabham in the No. 20 GYM WEED Ford Mustang captured his first-career Motul Pole Award in the Trans Am Series with a new track record lap time of 49.141 seconds. Brabham will be joined on the front row by CD Racing team owner Chris Dyson in the No. 16 GYM WEED Ford Mustang as the pair celebrates the 40th anniversary of Dyson’s family team, Dyson Racing.

“It’s great to have the GYM WEED, CD Racing cars lock out the front row and start 1-2, especially with the Dyson family history here; we’re celebrating the 40th anniversary with the team this weekend,” said Brabham. “Lime Rock is awesome, it’s such a great track with so much history. The cars were superfast and we’re really happy as a team; qualifying couldn’t have gone any better for us. I went off a little bit on the first flying lap, and there’s so much pollen here that I almost couldn’t stop sneezing; that was kind of interesting.”

TA Qualifying Top Five:

1. Matthew Brabham, No. 20 GYM WEED Ford Mustang (49.141)

2. Chris Dyson, No. 16 GYM WEED Ford Mustang (49.475)

3. Tomy Drissi, No. 8 Lucas Oil Ford Mustang (50.024)

4. David Pintaric, No. 57 Kryderacing Ford Mustang (50.659)

5. Amy Ruman, No. 23 McNichols Co. Chevrolet Corvette (51.248)

XGT Qualifying:

1. Danny Lowry, No. 42 Bennett/BridgeHaul/Pitboxes.com Mercedes AMG GT3 (52.387)

2. Randy Hale, No. 31 Hale Motorsports/Marsh Racing Chevrolet Corvette (54.409)

3. Nathan Byrd, No. 88 Sonesta/Tilson/Hopegivers Porsche 911.1 GT3 Cup (54.410)

SGT Qualifying:

1. Lee Saunders, No. 44 LandSearch LLC Dodge Viper (55.400)

2. Ricky Sanders, No. 18 BridgeHaul/Bennett/Pitboxes.com Porsche 991.1 (55.827)

GT Qualifying:

1. Michael Saia, No. 13 KMC/Rabid Wraps/Rapid Performance Management Porsche GT3 Cup 997.1 (56.470)

2. Michael Attaway, No. 91 Bennett/BridgeHaul/Pitboxes.com Audi R8 (1:01.092)

Full qualifying results can be found here.

TA Practice Top Five:

1. Justin Marks, No. 99 Trackhouse Chevrolet Camaro (50.011)

2. Matthew Brabham, No. 20 GYM WEED Ford Mustang (50.174)

3. Chris Dyson, No. 16 GYM WEED Ford Mustang (50.244)

4. Tomy Drissi, No. 8 Lucas Oil Ford Mustang (50.878)

5. Amy Ruman, No. 23 McNichols Co. Chevrolet Corvette (52.027)

XGT Practice:

1. Danny Lowry, No. 42 Bennett/BridgeHaul/Pitboxes.com Mercedes AMG GT3 (53.443)

2. Randy Hale, No. 31 Hale Motorsports/Marsh Racing Chevrolet Corvette (58.212)

SGT Practice:

1. Ricky Sanders, No. 18 BridgeHaul/Bennett/Pitboxes.com Chevrolet Corvette (57.587)

GT Practice:

1. Michael Saia, No. 13 KMC/Rabid Wraps/Rapid Performance Management Porsche GT3 Cup 997.1 (58.403)

2. Michael Attaway, No. 91 Bennett/BridgeHaul/Pitboxes.com Audi R8 (1:03.142)

Full practice results can be found here.

The TA/XGT/SGT/GT race will be contested today at 1:10 p.m. ET and will be streamed live here. The TV broadcast of the race will air on MAVTV on Thursday, June 1 at 9:00 p.m. ET. 

Lilou Wadoux, the first official female driver in Ferrari's GT program, made motor  sport history by becoming the first woman to win a FIA WEC round.

The #83 Richard Mille AF Corse Ferrari won the LMGTE Am class at the  TotalEnergies 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps on Saturday. The trio of Luis Perez  Companc, Lilou Wadoux and Alessio Rovera dominated the class and crossed the  finish line 18 seconds ahead of the Corvette Racing Chevrolet.

Lilou Wadoux thus became the first female driver to win in the FIA WEC. "I am  super happy that we signed a result like this," said the 22-year-old  Frenchwoman. "In Portimão, we came close to winning (2nd at 0"260 from the  winner). It also proves that we are ready to fight for the championship. It  promises great things for the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the rest of the season."

The lady from Amiens was keen to praise the performance of her teammates,  who started and finished the race. "We started in Slicks, it was quite dangerous  and we saw it well from the warm-up laps. Luis (Perez Companc) did a great job.  During his two stints, he was in the best ones and he gave me the car in a good  position and that's really nice (...) When I arrived in the lead and I gave the car  back to Alessio (Rovera), I knew that he was going to do the job and that we had  a gap. I had no doubt that it was going to happen. When we see the checkered  flag, we're a little relieved!"

Lilou more than contributed to the #85 Ferrari's success. It was her who took the  lead in LMGTE Am with an authoritative overtake on the #88 Dempsey Proton  Racing Porsche. The Frenchwoman then managed her efforts perfectly to give  Richard Mille AF Corse a lead. "For my first stint, it wasn't necessarily easy. I  pushed a little too hard with the cold tires even though, in the end, I was first  when I stopped during my first stint. The second stint went pretty well, with a  good pace. The car was easy to drive, it was very enjoyable."

In the long history of women drivers in motorsport, Lilou Wadoux joins a  prestigious line of winners on the world stage. "This is a new part of history. I  hope it will make other women, who don't necessarily want to go, want to take  the plunge. In the end, we are all capable of doing the same thing, and we are all  proving it. We can fight, women and men, behind a wheel."

With the Monaco Grand Prix this weekend, VegasInsider talked to F1 great Emerson Fittipaldi who talked about the glamour of the race and also gave us his Mount Rushmore of drivers of the Monaco GP.

Here's a summary of what he had to say:

Monaco GP Mount Rushmore

"It's difficult after so many years of racing in Monaco, but for sure Ayrton. He won so many times."

"He always was very aggressive and determined with his driving. Monaco was his style."

"I'd say another one who was very impressive was Graham Hill who by some reason always adapted himself to Monaco. He won the GP five times."

"In my time, who I raced with, it was impressive to see Jackie Stewart drive in Monaco. For sure."

"Niki was very good in Monaco too."

"Then of course, the Schumacher era. He was very good. He won five times there. Very impressive."

The glamour of Monaco is unmatched - I remember meeting Grace Kelly there in 1971

"I think the history of Monaco, the place of choice for jet-setting people, very international, the yachts, the marina, the royal family, they all give the glamour to Monaco."

"I remember the first time I went there, when Prince Rainier III and Grace Kelly were Monaco, and I on a Saturday night they invited me to the castle, after qualifying for the first time in 1971."

"There were cocktails for the drivers, for the sponsors, for the people involved in racing. 

"And then I remember talking to international people from all the world, famous people, glamorous people and then there was a big silence in the room. Everyone stopped talking and started looking - the whole hall, you could hear a fly - and the reason was that Grace Kelly walked in."

"For us as racing drivers, it's a lot of work in a good sense. You cannot walk, people ask, there's a lot of demand."

"But, it's very glamorous. Monaco is unique in the world for sure."

"I met so many celebrities in Monaco. For a few years, David Niven was in my pits. He was a true British gentleman. Elizabeth Taylor, Sophia Lauren, Brigitte Bardot. I was a young guy at that time racing, and I went 'my god, I'm in Monaco'."

The race is getting less exciting because of the cars getting longer and bigger

"I think it is difficult to supersede Monaco because it has the charm and glamour of the marina, the yachts. People fly from all over the world to be there. Italian fans and the tifosi are there."

"Monaco will always stay a part of F1 but it's getting less exciting because qualifying is 95 percent of the result."

"The cars are so long now and so big. And not just that but you only have one flying lap on the tires." 

"Supposing I was driving in Formula 1 right now and I finish my flying lap and did my time, for sure I will go slower back to the pits. And then where do I put the car if someone wants to overtake me, coming faster on the qualifying lap."

"I think there will be a lot of strange, critical situations in qualifying that can help or can damage people's fast times. It could be luck, you know, to get a completely clear lap because you have no place to put your car if you're slow and have to make space for the other guy. Nearly impossible."

Thanks again to VegasInsider. You can find a link to the article here.