[COVERAGE] FormulaDRIFT: New Jersey The Gauntlet

June 30th, 2025 by Elusive Media

Adam LZ returned to the top of the podium at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park, securing his second career Formula DRIFT PRO Championship victory in stunning fashion. Repeating his winning performance from 2023, LZ piloted his Drift HQ E36 BMW to victory in Round 4, edging out Fredric Aasbo in a dramatic Final showdown.

LZ’s win rocketed him from ninth to third in the overall standings, firmly placing him in the championship hunt. Aasbo, driving the Rockstar Energy Toyota GR Supra, put up a fierce fight, especially after an exhausting semifinal battle with James Deane that went to a One More Time call. Despite settling for second, Aasbo extended his lead in the championship to 20 points.

Deane, representing the AutoZone Mustang RTR team, rounded out the podium in third after a tense Top 8 battle with Hiroya Minowa and a wild Top 16 moment that saw his car mount the hood of Rome Charpentier’s BMW. The Irishman remains second in the standings.

Rookie sensation Connor O’Sullivan impressed with a career-best fourth-place finish. Despite a power disadvantage in his OSully Racing / US Army BMW, O’Sullivan held his own, even giving eventual winner LZ a challenge in the Top 4. His breakout performance vaulted him from 29th to 11th in the standings and into the lead for Rookie of the Year.

Hiroya Minowa, who won Round 3, dropped to fourth in the championship after falling to Deane in the Top 16.

One of the night’s most emotional moments came when Jeff Jones rolled up to the starting line in his Nissan 370Z, which had been crushed by a fallen tree just days earlier. Thanks to support from fellow teams, the car was repaired in time, but Jones was eliminated in the Top 32 by Daniel Stuke.

In manufacturer standings, Toyota extended its lead in the Auto Cup thanks to Aasbo’s finish, while BMW overtook Nissan for second. GT Radial surged ahead in the Tire Cup, passing Kenda for the top spot.

The drama, resilience, and fierce competition made Round 4 one for the books—and fans are already counting down to Round 5.

2025 FD PRO TOP 16 CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

POSITION	DRIVER	POINTS
1	Fredric Aasbo	150
2	James Deane	130
3	Adam LZ	100
4	Hiroya Minowa	100
5	Aurimas Bakchis	100
6	Jhonnattan Castro	90
7	Matt Field	80
8	Branden Sorensen	70
9	Chris Forsberg	60
10	Dan Stuke	52
11	Connor O`Sullivan	42
12	Rome Charpentier	40
13	Dylan Hughes	40
14	Ken Gushi	40
15	Conor Shanahan	40
16	Ryan Tuerck	40