Formula DRIFT 2025 Schedule – Here’s What’s Changing

Formula DRIFT releases its 2025 schedule announcement, and it’s probably not going to deliver the shake-up many fans were hoping to see.

The biggest news for this year isn’t what’s new but what’s missing.

As many of you will know, after 21 years of crowning America’s drifting champions and creating unforgettable moments, Irwindale Speedway, affectionately dubbed the “House of Drift,” announced it will close its gates forever.

The End Of An Era

During the announcement, Formula DRIFT stated: “The elephant in the room has to be the recent announcement that Irwindale Speedway will padlock its gates in 2025. Despite every PRO Championship battle being decided at the legendary House of DRIFT in the series’ 21-year history, Formula DRIFT must bid a sad farewell to the venue in 2025.”

They also explained what’s in the pipeline: “Talks with officials for the replacement Southern California venue are well underway, and while signatures have yet to be inked on the dotted line, an announcement is expected shortly.”

Replacing something as legendary as Irwindale certainly won’t be easy, especially since it’s the season finale.

So, Irwindale’s Gone. What’s The Good News?

Their X (Twitter) announcement says, “Aside from Irwindale, the 2025 Formula DRIFT PRO and @Link_ECU PROSPEC Championship schedule retains the same venues as this year.”

That means we’ve had almost the same schedule since 2022 (minus swapping Monroe for Seattle back in 2023), marking four years of a near-identical calendar.

Going Sideways Isn’t Always A Good Thing

Don’t get me wrong, there’s still plenty to look forward to on the calendar with many of the proven tracks, but it would be great to see some fresh ideas brought to the table.

While finding new locations for such a huge competition can’t be easy, remember the awesome entries and technical inside zones that had us all on the edge of our seats when Utah was introduced? The “Japanese style” layout they used the first time around was much more popular with the fans than the layout we saw this year. Instead of building on that excitement, it left most fans disappointed.

Integrating simple changes like inside clips mixes things up and makes the events more exciting. If new venues aren’t possible, positive layout changes and new ideas can go a long way in keeping things interesting.

Meanwhile, Across The Pond

Europe’s Drift Masters series once again pulled off something incredible this year. For the final round, they built a one-off drift layout in a 58,500-seater stadium, used it for one epic weekend of drifting, and then returned it to the grass pitch used by Poland’s soccer team immediately after.

While Formula DRIFT was once considered the pinnacle of drifting, many of FD’s top drivers (including James Deane, Adam LZ, and Conor Shanahan) are also opting to compete in Drift Masters. Not only for the tracks but also for the fresh and exciting talent that Europe has to offer. If things continue, we might see even more FD drivers heading to Europe for a change of scenery.

Time For Something New?

While we hope the new addition to the series will deliver something new and exciting, the fans are vocal about what they want to see – something unique and different.

Social media channels overflow with calls for venues like Vegas. A street venue on the strip would certainly be a good way to shake things up and generate fresh interest!

Hopefully, we won’t have to keep watching FD play it safe with the same old venues and layouts. Right now, it’s getting left behind, but the loss of Irwindale could potentially become the bittersweet wake-up call that FD needs. Here’s to hoping!

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