Giti Tire (USA) Ltd.'s GT Radial brand secured the 2026 Formula DRIFT Tire Cup Championship with one round remaining. 

GT Radial drivers Conor Shanahan and Matt Field delivered a 1–2 finish on GT Radial Champiro SX2 RS tires at Formula DRIFT Round 7, which took place on Sep. 26 at The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The win marks GT Radial's second consecutive championship and third Tire Cup title in four years. 

The Champiro SX2 RS, produced at Giti Tire’s passenger and light-truck tire manufacturing facility in Richburg, S.C., is the only Formula DRIFT competition tire manufactured in the United States. The championship helps reinforce the “Made in USA” messaging for the GT Radial brand, according to officials. 

Shanahan raced to the top in the Red Bull/GT Radial/JYR Toyota GT86, while Field, driving the Borla Performance/GT Radial Corvette, finished second. The Las Vegas results gave GT Radial 470 points in the Tire Cup standings, a 180-point advantage with only the season finale remaining. 

“Winning back-to-back Formula DRIFT Tire Cup championships is a tremendous accomplishment for everyone involved with the GT Radial program,” says Mike Meeiem, motorsports manager for GT Radial. “It takes exceptional drivers, teams and tires to perform consistently at this level throughout an entire season. We’re extremely proud of Conor, Matt and all our GT Radial drivers and teams who contributed points toward this championship. 

“We’re also especially proud of the people at our Richburg plant who produce the Champiro SX2 RS competition tires. Winning another championship on tires made right here in the USA is a great demonstration of the technology, manufacturing expertise and commitment to quality we have at our plant.” 

The GT Radial brand captured the Tire Cup in 2023 and again in 2025 before successfully defending the title this season. 

Shanahan's Las Vegas win brings him into first place in the Formula DRIFT PRO Driver Championship standings with 212 points – 47 points ahead of second-place James Deane. 

“Securing the Tire Cup before the final round says a lot about the strength and consistency of our program this season,” says Meeiem. “But we still have important business ahead of us. Conor is leading the Driver Championship, and everyone at GT Radial will be behind him and the JYR team as they pursue what would be our first Formula DRIFT Driver Championship.” 

The final round of the 2026 Formula DRIFT PRO Championship is scheduled for Oct. 23–24 in Long Beach, Calif.