06/18/2026
Stafford Shutdown Alert: This Weekend’s Formula DRIFT RD4 is About to Get CHAOTIC! 🔥
Formula DRIFT makes its historic debut at Stafford Motor Speedway (CT) this June 18-20. A converted oval with fresh asphalt, unknown grip lines, and zero prior competitive data for the field — this is the kind of track where the script gets rewritten.
While Aurimas Bakchis leads the championship and vets like James Deane and Branden Sorensen bring the heat, the real story this weekend is the underdogs with something to prove.
In PRO, watch Dan Stuke ( #527)
In his fifth season with that wild 2JZ-powered, carbon-kevlar S14/240SX, Stuke has always been a fan favorite for his high-energy runs. But true students of the sport remember Irwindale 2021: starting the final PROSPEC round in 12th place, he fought his way to the championship final and defeated Dmitriy Brutskiy to claim the round win. That one weekend launched him from 12th all the way to 4th in the standings — earning his PRO license and cementing his place in the pro ranks.
This brand-new track could trigger a Stuke takeover.
In PROSPEC, don’t sleep on 15-year-old rookie Braden Lons ( #13) — or Adam Heishman ( #988).
Lons, the Oklahoma kid in the 2JZ S13, already destroyed the seeding bracket in Atlanta with poise beyond his years. Raw talent + zero fear = serious upset potential.
Meanwhile, Heishman brings a subtle edge: he was one of the few drivers who put in valuable testing laps at Stafford just over a week ago, sampling layouts on the fresh surface. That extra seat time on an unknown track could prove invaluable.
New track = equalizer. One perfect run, one veteran mistake, brackets explode.
Who's shaking the podium this weekend — Stuke showing that Irwindale magic, Lons proving he is the real deal, Heishman with his local track knowledge?
This is Formula DRIFT! Stay tuned!
racing lons
