Continuing his incredible season, Team Falken driver James Deane took yet another first place in the 2017 Black Magic Formula Drift Pro Championship in Round 7’s “Showdown” at Texas Motor Speedway. Falken teammate Aurimas “Odi” Bakchis took home third.
Deane – who qualified in first place – has now earned a podium in five of the seven Formula D events thus far this season, including four victories, increasing his lead in the championship by 96 points, going into the final event of the season.
“This has been just an unbelievable experience,” Deane stated. “I am so excited about the performance of my Falken tires and what our team has been able to deliver all year long. My heart goes out to all the people here in Texas for what has happened recently due to Harvey, but their enthusiasm was incredibly strong at the racetrack and that really contributed to my win.”
“We’re all incredibly proud of what James has done this season,” added Steve Wong, Falken’s Supervisor, Passenger Car Events. “He’s proven to be a force to reckon with in Formula D, as he has with multiple wins and championships in his native Ireland.”
With 28 entrants in round seven, Team Falken drivers qualified well – with Deane in first; Bakchis, 3rd; Piotr Wiecek, 6th; Daijiro “Dai” Yoshihara, 11th; Justin Pawlak, 13th; and Matt Field, 14th.
“The Title Fight will be an interesting one, to be sure,” Deane declared. “Only 96 points separate second place Fredric Aasbo, who has two victories, and has battled me all season. I’m counting on a full team effort and my Falken Azenis 615K+ tires to carry me to victory at Irwindale.”
The championships – both driver and tire – will be decided at the final Formula Drift event of the season at the soon-to-close Irwindale Speedway, the “House of Drift,” Round 8, October 13-14.
Falken also maintains its lead in the Formula D Tire Cup. Among the top 10, besides Deane in first, Bakchis sits in 3rd place in the championship, with Yoshihara in 8th.
