Young Guns Shake Up Orlando In New ‘House of Drift’ Episode

The latest episode of the series revisits one of the most exciting rounds of the year, featuring the youngest Top 4 in Formula DRIFT history.

Relive the action from the sweltering heat of Orlando Speed World in the third episode of Formula DRIFT’s House of Drift docuseries.

The unassuming oval track, notorious for its bumps and technical layout, set the stage for one of the most dramatic shake-ups in drifting history.

It was an early start for the drama as three-time champion and previous-round winner Fredric Aasbo made an unexpected exit in the Top 32, spinning out during a close battle with Brazilian driver Diego Higa.

This, alongside other surprise exits, opened the door for newer talents to shine, including 14-year-old Hiroya Minowa. On his impressive run through the brackets, the Japanese sensation knocked out several top contenders, including Adam LZ.

The real story of the night was Conor Shanahan’s performance. The 20-year-old Irish rookie, who had to qualify through the Seeding Bracket at the event after missing Round 2, stunned the field with his door-to-door driving.

Shanahan’s journey included a fierce all-BMW one-more-time battle in the Top 4 against Brandon Sorensen, with Sorensen laughing, “I hit him like six times going around the track, and he just kept his foot in it and kept on going. So, you know, props to him. Some people out here wouldn’t do that.”

Shanahan’s persistence and determination handed him a spot in the all-Irish final against his idol – the legendary James Deane.

Unsurprisingly, the final battle was a true nail-biter, with neither driver willing to hold back. It was too close for the judges to call, resulting in the drivers needing to go one more time to decide a winner.

Then, in a dramatic turn of events, Deane made significant contact while going all-out, handing the victory to Shanahan. The young driver’s emotional win marked his first Formula Drift victory, but we suspect it won’t be his last!

With a mind-blowing average age of under 22 for the Top 4 finishers in Orlando, it once again proves that the young guns aren’t to be underestimated.

If you enjoyed this and missed the previous episodes in the ‘House of Drift’ series, you can head back to Round 1 at Long Beach and Round 2 in Road Atlanta.

Photography credits

We thank the following entities for the use of their photography in this article:

Larry Chen | Formula DRIFT

Written by Bill Jefferies

Bill is a drifting journalist and photographer who has been part of the Drifted team since 2015. His work extends to various print and online publications, including Wangan Warriors.

As part of the King of Nations team, he traveled extensively for several years, capturing top-tier international drift events worldwide. His hands-on experience, including rebuilding his own Nissan Silvia S15 drift car, gives him unique insights into drift car building and global drift culture.

When not behind the lens or keyboard, Bill can be found browsing classifieds for his next JDM project or shredding virtual tires on popular simulators like Assetto Corsa, CarX, and Forza.

You can learn more about Bill's story here or follow his socials on X (formerly Twitter), Flickr, Facebook, and Instagram.