“We are headed up to Connecticut this week for Round 2 of Formula Drift. We are seeded already (based on season standings) for Top 32 so our first battle will be in the Top 32 bracket on Friday…�

Hooman currently sits 26^th out of 40 drivers in the PROSPEC category.

Images: Jerry Hughes & Justin Oxphoto

“Going into my very first drift competition, I was super nervous, and I could feel the adrenaline pumping as soon as I woke up that morning. We started off with the drivers’ briefing and track walk, and shortly after, it was time for me to get suited up, warm the car up, and get ready to go.

“As I sat on the line waiting to head out on track for my first practice laps in front of 13,000 people, I really didn’t know what to expect.

“Straight after that first lap, the nerves settled and the game head was well and truly screwed on, ready to push as hard as I could. Even then, I still had no expectations – I just wanted to drive my best and see how I got on.”

“After practice, we noticed a slight leak coming from the diff, but my amazing team and I instantly got to work and resolved the issue. By this point, it was time for my one-lap super qualifying run. I put everything I had on the line and gave it my all, and shortly after, I found out that it had paid off – I qualified P1.

“With all the mixed emotions going through me and knowing I was about to head into my first battle, all I could focus on was remaining calm and reminding myself to drive the way I had been all day.

“After pushing myself and the car to the limit in my battle against such an amazing driver, Warren Lee, I genuinely didn’t know what the result was going to be, as we both put on an incredible battle and real masterclass for the fans.

“This resulted in a ‘One More Time’, which I honestly didn’t expect at all. Once again, I did everything I could and drove the best I could, and we managed to take home the win. Wow – what a feeling that was. I’ve never felt anything like it.”

“For me, the win was an incredible result, and I was extremely proud of myself and my team. But most importantly, this weekend proved something to me – I belong here.

“None of this would have been possible without the support behind me. Every sticker on the car represents people and businesses who believed in me before there were results, before there was experience, and before there was proof. Your support gave me the opportunity to stand on that grid and fight for something bigger than myself. And this is only the beginning.

“Now I understand what it truly takes to compete at this level. I know where I need to improve, I know how hard I’m willing to push, and I’m leaving this weekend more motivated, focused, and hungry than ever before.”

“Thank you for backing me, believing in the vision, and being part of this journey from day one. We’re building something real, and I’m going to keep pushing until we make serious noise in this sport.

“This first competition lit a fire in me that isn’t going out. Let’s keep moving forward…�

“Drift France Round 1 certainly set the season off with a bang!

“With the car doing double duty—Luke competing in Pro and myself in Elite – it made for a challenging weekend full of highs and lows. Luke received a wildcard entry to compete at the home track of LM Autosport 86 at Val d’Vienne just a few weeks before the event, which meant a huge push from the whole team to get everything dialled in for the season opener.”

“The event kicked off on Friday with media day. This included practice sessions and passenger runs for sponsors, the public, and championship officials. During testing, I was able to really push the car to its limits, although the day ended slightly early after breaking a lower arm on a rumble strip. The team worked hard that evening to repair and realign everything, getting the car ready for Saturday.

“Saturday consisted of practice and qualifying. During practice, Luke unfortunately bent the steering arm twice, but thanks to support from another driver, we were able to get back out in time for qualifying. With the Pro class running first in worsening weather conditions, Luke delivered a strong performance and secured 5th place.”

“I followed in the Elite qualifying session and managed a solid first run scoring 75 points, placing me 7th. On my second run, I pushed harder and went wider, but a slight wheel drop on clip 5 meant I matched my previous score—frustrating, as it likely cost a top 3 position.

“Sunday was race day. Luke drove a strong Top 16 battle to secure a place in the Top 8, but unfortunately had to withdraw due to a cracked rear diff plate causing an oil leak on track. Despite this, he finished an impressive 7th place in his first ever CFD event—great job!”

“After a rapid repair, the car was ready for my Top 32 battle. However, we quickly discovered a major loss of power. Post-run checks revealed a split inlet plenum, causing a significant loss of boost across the rev range. Up against a 1000hp competitor on one of the fastest tracks of the season, it was always going to be tough. I gave it everything, but multiple corrections in the chase run ultimately cost the battle.

“Overall, Round 1 was an incredible start to the season and a true team effort under pressure. It’s shaping up to be one of the most exciting CFD seasons yet.

“As always, thank you for your continued support—we look forward to seeing you all at the next event. Round 2 is just two weeks away, featuring an all-night battle at Vesoul.”

“Well… I’ve finally settled back into reality, wiped the tears away, and said goodbye to another amazing season of Drift France.

“The final took us to a brand-new circuit — and what an experience it was! The track was absolutely breathtaking: a sweeping layout with banked corners, fast inclines, and steep declines. It was quick, intense, and honestly terrifying for the first few laps!

“We kicked off the weekend strong — first lap as a feeler, then two solid push laps. Unfortunately, just as I was going out for a fourth lap, the battery voltage dropped to zero and the car lost all power. Limped it back to the pits and found the alternator had failed.

“What followed was a mad scramble: found a loaner (huge thanks to the community!), took a 2-hour drive to a nearby workshop, and just barely made it back in time for one last lap of final practice.

“Made some last-minute changes to prep for Sunday — we knew the weather was going to be bad — and tried to get some rest.”

“Woke up to the heaviest rain I’ve ever seen in France. The pits looked more like a lake. Gazebos were down all around us, but thankfully ours survived — albeit soaking wet.

“Warmed the car up and headed out for a very limited, wetter-than-wet practice session. The loan alternator held up (despite everything running: wipers, fans, lights, heaters — the lot), and we got some valuable laps in.

“Straight into Top 32 battles — my opponent: FIA Swiss driver Jahan. First time driving with him, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I’d seen his battles — big angles, a flashy style similar to mine — but this was our first head-to-head.

“I led the first run and felt strong through the first five clips, but pushed a bit too deep on the final hairpin and lost traction on the rumble strips — giving Jahan the upper hand.

“Chasing, I threw down everything I had — close proximity and solid mirroring despite the awful conditions — but that’s where my 2025 season ended.”

“What. A. Season! From mechanical failures to torrential rain to unforgettable battles, it’s been emotional. It’s been epic.

“I’m proud to say I finished Top 20 overall: something our small team can truly stand tall about. I’ve made lifelong friends, locked in my spot for 2026, and opened the door to potential new opportunities in France and across Europe.

“Massive thank you to everyone who’s been a part of this journey — whether in the pits, on the track, or supporting from afar. You made this season unforgettable.

“Here’s to 2026. Let’s see what’s next…�

“Where do I even start? Round 5 of Drift France took us deep into another idyllic French mountain setting — Calmont. The recipe? Winding mountain roads, scorching southern sun, stunning views… and mosquitos. Lots of mosquitos!�

Saturday – Slippery Start

“Saturday’s practice kicked off under wet conditions, which actually played in my favour thanks to plenty of previous experience in the wet. I was feeling confident and pushing the car hard — maybe a little too hard at times! The rear bumper was the first casualty, followed by a piece of the rear light, and eventually the full lens met the barrier. Whoops!

“As the day went on, the track dried up and we got back to full-speed, high-commitment drifting. It was game on!

“Straight after lunch, we headed into the One-Shot battles. I drew Jeremy Germain — a super competitive match-up — and despite a power steering failure that made the car a total handful up the hill, I managed to hold it together and take the win, securing a place in Sunday’s Top 32!

“That evening, a massive crowd of over 7,000 fans met us on the hill for autographs, photos, and a few unicorn encounters. The support and energy from the crowd were unreal!�

Sunday – Heat, Horsepower & Head-to-Heads

“Sunday was a scorcher — temperatures pushing into the mid-30s. After a short morning practice and parade lap, I faced my Top 32 battle against none other than former champion, Steve Lieber.

“Steve laid down a near-perfect lead run with an insane smoke screen. Chasing him in the intense heat, with almost no airflow and rising intake temps, my car struggled to keep pace. I knew my lead run was decent, but not my best of the weekend.

“To my surprise, I was announced the winner! After chatting with Steve, it turned out his car had thrown a belt mid-run, forcing him to shut it down. Not the way I like to win, but a win nonetheless — on to the Top 16!�

Top 16 – The Battle of the Orange War Paint

“Next up: Ben Vavasseur. I’ve driven with Ben before, but never in a competition setting. I knew he’d be fast and aggressive — I half expected some orange war paint and love taps!

“Ben put down a strong lead and I chased hard, staying tight throughout. Then it was my turn to lead, and honestly, I think I put in my best run of the entire weekend — hit all the clips and zones, giving Ben a clean, fast line to follow. Surprisingly, we both crossed the finish line clean — no paint traded!

“That’s where my weekend ended, bowing out in the Top 16. But what a weekend it was!�

Final Thoughts

“Round 5 at Calmont was easily one of the best Drift France events yet. Epic location, top-tier driving across the board, an electric atmosphere, and thousands of fans showing us love — it doesn’t get much better than this.

“Next up: The Grand Finale at Charade — a former F1 track nestled in the mountains of Auvergne. I’ve never driven it before, but I’ve heard nothing but good things. Surrounded by forest, history, and fast technical corners… I can’t wait.

“Let’s finish 2025 strong…�

“We went into our first battle in Top 32 and got a rematch from Round 2 with Allen Boss and took home the win. We ended up getting hit pretty hard while in the lead and destroyed another door on the car. (that is two doors this year and counting). We hammered the door the best we could and got the car aligned again and then went into our Top 16 battle.

“We had a great battle with Cole Richards but unfortunately, he just had the slightly better run. I left the battle proud we laid down a great run and put up a good fight and know I gave it my best. Now we work on improving my best and making the best from the car even better.”

“We left the event in 11th place, and are sitting in 12th in points out of 38 drivers. We have one more round to step up and put some bigger points on the board. We are heading to Utah next week and made a few changes to the car to get better chases. We are excited to try it out verse the field at a really fast track.

“We had a few events these past few weeks from Import Alliance in Nashville to National Corvette Museum in Bowling green where we were able to do some testing while also putting on a show for the fans.

“Our next few weeks will be even busier as we go across country to Utah for the final round of Formula Drift, then LS Fest back in Bowling Green, and then Slush Motorsports in Nashville all back to back. It should be fun, but hectic!�

“We went back to pits and took the time to diagnose and swap out our fuel pressure sensor which was the fix, but we did not pay attention to the alignment of the car and unfortunately we went into battle with our car toe knocked out about 1/4″ on one side. This made the battle a bit more challenging than we wanted and we lost forward bite. We also made some contact in our first half of the battle and we should have asked for inspection on the toe. I personally didn’t think it was that much contact but afterwards we saw the wheel was knocked out and fully black (wheel to wheel).”

“The lesson learned here is double check alignment before going into battle and ask for inspection if the rules allow! We aren’t sure when we had the toe knocked out but we definitely will go away with the lesson learned!

“Next stop: St Louis…�

“Round 2 of the French Drift Championship was nothing short of dramatic – with a full mix of all four seasons hitting the track at Croix en Ternois! Saturday brought heavy rain (borderline torrential at times), strong winds, and unusually low temperatures – far from the sunny French weather we’re usually greeted with.

“Despite the challenging conditions, we managed to get a solid amount of practice in on Saturday, which helped set me up well for Sunday’s main event. Thanks to my strong finish in Round 1, I was able to skip the One-Shot Battle and secure a direct spot in the Top 32.

“This was my fourth time at Croix en Ternois, so I felt confident heading into the weekend – even with the slight layout changes made to the circuit. After a short practice session Sunday morning, the car felt dialled in and ready for battle.”

“My Top 32 match-up was against Wilson Delagrange – a driver I faced during my very first CFD event, so I was looking forward to a proper rematch. We lined up for the pre-battle grid walk, but I soon realized Wilson was nowhere to be seen. Unbeknownst to me at the time, Wilson had suffered a gearbox failure and couldn’t make it to the line.

“With my team already aware, I was granted a bye run straight through to the Top 16, where I would face none other than Kevin Jozuo – current championship leader and Round 1 winner.”

“I pushed hard in the chase run, but carried a bit too much speed into the hairpin, forcing me to adjust my line to avoid contact – unfortunately giving Kevin the clear advantage. On my lead run, I gave it a solid effort, but it wasn’t my strongest of the weekend. I missed some key proximity in the clipping zones, which handed Kevin a deserved win.

“Kevin continued on to win the round, further solidifying his position at the top of the championship standings. I’m sitting just 13 spots behind, which keeps us very much in the mix heading into Round 3 next month at Val d’Argenton—one of my favorite tracks on the calendar!�

What’s Next? Andorra Bound!

“After all the highs and drama of Round 2 at Croix-en-Ternois, we’re not slowing down – next stop: Andorra!

“We’ve been specially invited by the amazing team at Eurocrew Spain to take part in their weekend festival, and we couldn’t be more excited. It’s always a privilege to receive an invite like this, and we can’t wait to represent on an international stage.

“This event is shaping up to be something truly unique. The circuit is tucked away in the Pyrenees Mountains, offering a backdrop straight out of a fantasy film – think Lord of the Rings meets full-throttle drift! 

“With only a few minor tweaks to make on the car, we’re just about ready to hit the road and put on a serious show for the Spanish fans. This will be a perfect opportunity to connect with a whole new crowd and give them a taste of the action we bring to the French Championship!

“Let’s bring the smoke to the mountains! 

“Massive thanks to my team, partners, and everyone supporting me through this season. We’re learning, improving, and pushing every round. See you all in Val d’Argenton!�

“We were really happy with the changes we made on the car in the off-season! The car is much more responsive now and we have the forward bite that we were lacking before. This is really going to prove useful at later rounds and we can’t wait for Formula Drift New Jersey.

“We are starting to prep for Round 2 in New Jersey and I am starting to work on learning the world of virtual drifting so I can use that for practice. The car really does not need much to be ready for NJ so I will focus on myself…�

“I’ve just about recovered from round 1 of Drift France, Just…

“So, the season kicked off this weekend in spectacular style with a new tight and technical track with varying surfaces and cambers that was challenging.

“Practice started well on Saturday, settling in with four or five good, solid laps; I needed to go in a higher gear as I felt I was at the top of the limiter in 3rd, but 4^th was a bit too long for the slower sections. However, the next lap out, I pushed a little harder on the entry and washed slightly wider, this then led to contact from the chase car, bending a few arms on the back.

“After 30 mins or so in the pits, it was back straight again and tracked up best as possible with tape measures and toe plates, straight back out for practice.

“This time I pushed for 4^th gear and picked up the pace considerably, unfortunately this then broke the differential. With my one-shot battle in the next two hours, it was a quick scramble round the pits to see if we could locate a spare from someone to borrow while we stripped the current one down to assess the damage.

“Luckily, it turned out the impact had just broke the welds on the planetary gears and needed a quick re-weld to get her back out again, unfortunately this was end of practice and meant straight into battles.

“I put in a solid chase run, although it could have been closer with more aggression (perhaps the recent breakage was still in the back of my mind). I came to lead and I decided to play it safe and stick to 3^rd gear; I ran a good, solid line, making all the clipping points and zones and made it round to the finish line to then realise my chase driver was nowhere to be seen… I then get the ecstatic message on the radio that he had spun behind me in the hairpin, giving me the massive advantage: a win to me!”

“Moving on to day 2, with the new format of the championship there is no more qualifying, a one-shot battle secures your spot into the top 32 unless you fall within the top 24 standings from the previous round, luckily (or unluckily) for me after I won my one-shot battle it meant I was straight in the top 32 for my first battle against a previous championship winner.

“A small amount of practice in the morning created another problem: the alternator plug had snapped and the car wasn’t receiving any power. This could have been a killer to the engine if it wasn’t picked up straight away after my 1^st practice lap, luckily it was a quick fix and meant I could get straight back out in time for the main event.

“I went into the top 32 knowing that who I was up against was in the top 3 drivers of the championship, previously winning the championship… I was to give it my all.

“I put on the best chase I could, with him gaining a gap off the start line, playing catch-up through the hairpin, I managed to starting closing the gap. The final two corners, I got slightly lost in his smoke screen and dropped 2 wheels off the track, giving him the advantage. 

“In the lead I drove the fastest lead I could, but his pace soon caught me up. After a solid lead and my error in chase I bowed out of competition here, He did however go on to take the 2^nd place podium on the day putting me in 17^th in the championship now, so overall a good first round!”