Vaughn Gittin Jr Wins 2020 Formula Drift Championship
RTR takes position one and two overall for 2020 FD Season, marking the tenth anniversary since Vaughn Gittin Jr’s last championship win.
This year’s bizarre effect on motorsports certainly did not leave out Formula Drift. The season saw a shortened schedule with back to back pro rounds over each weekend, putting additional pressure on drivers and their teams. Not only did they face the perils of driver fatigue, but they also had to fight to keep their cars performing with a much smaller grace period for repairs than usual. That did not stop Vaughn Gittin Jr and Chelsea DeNofa of Team RTR from dominating the season, though. After the final round in Irwindale, California, we are left with Gittin Jr as the champion and DeNofa sitting in a close second position on the podium.
The past few years of Formula Drift have consistently brought us some memorable Mustang moments. Gittin Jr and DeNofa pilot their 1,000+ horsepower RTR Spec 5D Mustangs with confidence and expertise that some may even misconstrue as reckless. They definitely know what they’re doing, though. Their repeat podium finishes are all the evidence one could ask for.
Ten years in the making.
This is not Gittin Jr’s first appearance at the top of the leaderboard. Way back in 2010, he took the title as Formula Drift champion. Back then, he was driving a black S195 Mustang GT, and RTR was in its infancy.
However, since that season, he has consistently fought to prove that it is where he belongs. Without a doubt, this season serves as a forceful reminder that Team RTR is a brute force of Formula Drift. It may have taken a bit longer than he would have liked, but his celebration during the event proves it was well worth the wait.
A dominant season
RTR’s first podium of the 2020 season came in round two in St. Louis. Chelsea DeNofa took first place. Though, Gittin Jr lost in top 16 to Formula Drift icon Ryan Tuerck.
Gittin certainly did not let that one die easy, though. He went on to take first in both round three and round four in Monroe, Washington. This weekend made a statement that would ring true throughout the remainder of the season. RTR had zero intention of taking it easy throughout 2020.
Round five in Texas saw Gittin Jr on the podium again, this time in third place. Round six, also in Texas, kept the theme going, with Gittin Jr taking second and Denofa in third.
Going into the final two rounds in Irwindale, California, Gittin and DeNofa knew they didn’t have any breathing room. The likes of iconic drivers Tuerck, Chris Forsberg, and Fredric Aasbo were breathing right down their necks in the championship race. Gittin Jr did not manage to podium in round seven, though his previous string of wins left him somewhat comfortable at the top. DeNofa, though, took third once again.
Finally, round eight saw Denofa finish second. This also landed him in second overall for the season. Celebrations for Gittin Jr began early, though, as Aasbo was out early in the day. Meaning Tuerck’s loss to rookie driver Jonathan Nerren (who drives for Shelby American but was not in his Mustang for the final round) meant no driver could overtake Gittin Jr for the championship.
Victory at long last
Obviously, we are happy to see hectic drifting Mustangs at the top of the leaderboard. Going further than that, though, Gittin Jr and DeNofa are very down to earth and competition-driven guys. We can’t imagine a better set of drivers to take first and second place. Though, we may be a bit biased.
Photos: Formula Drift