Bakchis edges Deane for Orlando Formula DRIFT victory

Aurimas “Odi” Bakchis scored a well-deserved victory after beating James Deane in the Final of the Formula DRIFT PRO Championship round at Orlando Speed World in Orlando, Fla. It was the Lithuanian's first victory since Round 7 in 2024, where he also defeated Deane.

The result also marked Bakchis' first win at the wheel of his new Feal Suspension / GT Radial / Subimods Subaru BRZ after switching from his faithful Nissan S15 chassis. The new car has brought instant results, placing fifth at Round 1, qualifying first and finishing third at Round 2, and now winning Round 3, carrying him to the lead of the the FD PRO championship.

Dramatic climatic swings forced drivers cope with scorching heat, heavy rainfall and inconsistent track conditions throughout the day and evening. On his path to victory, Bakchis defeated Simen Olsen in the Top 32, then Dan Burkett, Jack Shanahan and Branden Sorensen in the Final 4.

Second-place Deane lost a tough battle against Bakchis but maintained his position in the championship standings, albeit second to Bakchis rather than Conor Shanahan, and by a reduced eight-point margin.

The younger Shanahan sibling had a poor qualifying session. He placed 23rd and faced Deane in the Top 32 Competition heats – an all-Ireland tussle he lost and scored no Competition points in Orlando. As a result, he dropped from first to fifth overall. Brother Jack Shanahan fared better in the Pulsar Turbos E82 BMW, finishing sixth on the night and rising to sixth overall.

Third-placed Fredric Aasbo lost a titanic battle against Deane in the Final 4 but his podium position allowed him to recover some of the points lost in Round 2 following his Top 32 exit. The Norwegian jumped from ninth to fourth in the title race.

Chris Forsberg, the leading qualifier, placed fifth after losing to Sorensen in the Great 8 and secured eighth position overall.

For the third time in three rounds, the leading rookie was Cole Richards driving the Richards Racing Toyota GT86. He finished ninth in Orlando and sits ninth overall.

In the 2026 Formula DRIFT Auto Cup, Ford maintained its lead over Toyota, while GT Radial continues to lead the FD Tire Cup.

Round 4 of the Formula DRIFT PRO Championship and Round 2 of the Link ECU PROSPEC Championship will take place at a new venue: Stafford Motor Speedway in Stafford Springs, CT on June 18-20.

Watch all the Formula DRIFT action on RACER Network and RACER+ app.

ROUND 3 FD PRO TOP 16 DRIVER POINTS

2026 FD PRO TOP 16 DRIVER CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS*

2026 AUTO CUP TOP 5 STANDINGS*

2026 TIRE CUP STANDINGS*

* Preliminary standings. Final results pending official confirmation

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