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Team Falken Takes 2nd And 3rd Place In Opening Round Of 2022 Formula Drift On Streets Of Long Beach

Matt Field Finishes Second, Aurimas “Odi” Bakchis Third

LONG BEACH, CA – Team Falken Drivers Matt Field and Aurimas “Odi” Bakchis picked right up from the previous season by finishing second and third, respectively, in the first round of the 2022 Formula Drift Championship on the streets of Long Beach this past weekend.
 
Field was strong all night, qualifying 3rd, followed by Bakchis in 4th, new team member Dylan Hughes in 6th, and Justin Pawlak in 27th. A total of 35 drivers were entered in the weekend’s event that saw standing room-only crowds throughout both Friday and Saturday.
 
“We had an electric fan base out there cheering us on,” declared Gerald Alvarado, who takes over the Formula Drift team for Falken this season as the newly promoted Supervisor, Passenger Car Motorsports and Events. “The team was excited to get back to competition. We were set to go, our Azenis tires were ready to perform, and the new season was in our hands.”
 
Unfortunately, based on the grid line-up, several Falken teammates had to compete against each other. Hughes took down Pawlak early, only to succumb to Field in the Great 8. Field advanced through the Final 4 and was set for the Final but could not complete a run as he ran out of time trying to finish repairs suffered earlier to his Corvette.
 
“It’s great to be back on the podium, though I’d really have preferred a chance to do a full run for the final,” admitted Field. “But, I’ll take second at this point as it puts us in a good position at the start of the season.”
 
Bakchis agreed. “Long Beach is both a tough circuit and a thrilling course. I love it here. The crowds, the excitement, the noise. I’m happy for third, glad Matt took second and most of all, really pleased to see Falken Tires do so well.”
 
Additionally, Falken had nearly 100 dealers in attendance, who rooted for their drivers throughout the evening’s competition.
 
“Like everyone else, I wish Matt could have slugged it out in the final round, but you can bet he will come out swinging hard in Atlanta,” added Alvarado. “Overall, it was a really great event and a good beginning to our season.”
 
Driver standings after Round 1: Field, 2nd; Bakchis, 3rd; Hughes, 7th; Pawlak, 27th.
 
Round 2 is set for May 6-7 in Atlanta at Road Atlanta (Braselton, GA).