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Team Falken Continues Podium Momentum With Third Place At Formula Drift Round 2 In Orlando

ORLANDO, FL – Just two weeks after the Formula Drift opener, Round 2’s “Scorched” event wrapped up at Orlando Speed World with Team Falken’s Justin “JTP” Pawlak taking third place, while Aurimas “Odi” Bakchis, winner of Round 1, took fourth.
 
Pawlak and Bakchis were strong all night long, having qualified second and fourth, respectively. Three Falken drivers qualified in the top five with teammate Matt Field fifth, and Daijiro “Dai” Yoshihara, 25th.
 
Both Pawlak and Bakchis came down to the Top 4 where they ultimately lost out to the final duo competing against them.
 
Nevertheless, Bakchis earned sufficient points to keep him in first place in the Driver Championship after Round 2, while Falken Tires maintains the lead in the Tire Manufacturer Cup Championship. Field is in second place overall, Pawlak moves to fourth and Yoshihara sits in 26th.
 
Pawlak pushed himself and his Ford Mustang to the limit. “Our Ford engines make a ton of power, as I’m hammering on them all the time,” Pawlak said. “The team kept the car together until the end.
 
“Together with our Falken Azenis RT615K+ tires, we had a really good strategy and were moving through,” Pawlak continued. “I had a little luck here and there, but that’s part of the game; you need some luck. I felt like I was throwing down the runs I needed to, I just didn’t hang on to the end. I’m happy with third and we’ll get everything back together and move on to Jersey.”
 
Bakchis felt the same way. “It was a great event. Crowds were incredibly strong,” he noted. “It was good to see JTP on the podium. Team Falken has a tight group of competitors and we all want to see our team do well. Sometimes we have to run against each other and that’s tough, but it’s about the points, not just for ourselves in the Driver’s Championship, but also for the Tire Manufacturer Cup.
 
“Naturally, I’m pleased to still be in first place overall, and I’m intent on staying there,” he declared.
 
“It was another good performance for Team Falken,” stated Steve Wong, Falken’s Supervisor, Passenger Car Motorsports & Events. “Obviously, our goal is to win, but we want podium finishes everywhere we can. Do we want all three spots on the podium? Is there any answer besides yes? 
 
“Nevertheless, we realize there’s a lot of competition out there,” Wong continued. “The competition in Formula Drift is only getting better and as we and our sport get back to normal – with crowds coming in and the teams performing at peak levels in response, we’ll continue to see strong fights for the finish. I’m confident our Azenis RT615K+ tires will do their job and get our drivers to the top. It’s going to be a fun season.”
 
Next up is “The Gauntlet,” Round 3 – set for June 18-19 at New Jersey’s famous Old Bridge Township Raceway in Englishtown.