Brand new venue. No track records. No home-field advantage. When Formula Drift rolled into Stafford, Connecticut, for the Battle at the Springs, every driver on the grid arrived on equal footing for the first time all season. No one had laps banked at this track. No one had a setup dialed from previous visits. It was a pure test of adaptability, feel, and execution from the very first run. For James Deane, that is exactly the kind of challenge that brings out the best. He walked away with his first win of the 2026 season and reclaimed the championship points lead. Ben Hobson delivered his best-ever PRO finish in a weekend that had the RTR Drift Team firing on all cylinders.
Qualifying | Thursday, June 18
Rain made another appearance at qualifying, giving both RTR drivers a familiar but unwelcome surface to work with. James posted a 77.06 as his top score on a wet track to qualify P12 overall.
Ben came out swinging and held the number one spot on the board for a stretch with a 77.86, ultimately qualifying P8. Two RTR Mustangs in the top 12 at a brand-new venue in the rain. We will take it.
Competition Day | Saturday, June 20
James and Ben entered the main event on the same side of the bracket, setting up the possibility of an all-RTR showdown deep in competition. That possibility became a reality, but more on that later.
Top 32
James lined up first against Jhonnattan Castro. Leading first, James delivered an ideal run. In the chase, Castro brushed the wall just enough to disrupt his drift, giving James the win and sending him into the Top 16.
Ben opened against Rome Charpentier on a now dry track, laying down a phenomenal lead run that Rome matched in chase. The judges called it a one-more-time at two to one, sending them back for another run. After a quick five-minute timeout, Ben led again and executed exactly as needed, walking away with a unanimous decision and a spot in the Top 16.
Top 16
James battled Andy Hateley, a driver he had faced twice before. The two put on a show in the first run, and in the chase, Andy was deemed to have an overrotation coming down from the bank, giving James the win.
Ben faced Formula Drift champion Fredric Aasbo in what ended before it could really begin. Aasbo snapped an axle shortly after leaving the starting line, ending his run and sending Ben into the Great 8. A tough way for any driver to exit, but Ben moves on.
Great 8
James met Formula Drift veteran Ryan Tuerk in the Great 8, and what followed was one of the best battles of the entire night. Formula Drift announcer Jarod Deanda called them synchronized swimmers, and he was not wrong. James chased first, and the two were locked together from start to finish. In the lead, James delivered exactly what he needed to. Both drivers climbed out of their cars grinning ear to ear. James got the unanimous decision, but the battle itself was the real highlight.
Ben now faced Dylan Hughes in what came down to Ben's lead run to force a decision. Ben put the power down hard off the line, creating a gap before Hughes closed the proximity. The judges called another one-more-time two to one, but Hughes did not make it back to the line, giving Ben the win. Not the way anyone wants to advance, but Ben was now set for something none of us wanted to miss.
Final Four: An All-RTR Battle
Same team. Same machines. Same comms channel.
Ben and James lined up across from each other in the Final Four for the first all-RTR battle Ben has ever competed in at the PRO level. Before the run, James was asked if he was going to go one hundred percent. "Vaughn's watching us. Might be an expensive day." James said (hopefully) jokingly.
Ben led first and initiated beautifully. James stuck to his door immediately, and the two executed the run to near perfection. When James took the lead, Ben returned the favor, knocking literally on James' door for nearly the entire run. The crowd, the team, and anyone watching from home knew they were seeing something special.
James took the win, but this battle was a statement for the entire RTR Drift Team. We look forward to seeing more of them battling it out this season.
Finals
James advanced to face his Irish neighbor, Jack Shanahan, who had just claimed victory over his own brother Conor Shanahan, guaranteeing an all-Irish podium before a single run was turned. Starting in the chase, James left marks on both sides of Jack's BMW, maintaining exactly the proximity he needed throughout. In the lead, James initiated cleanly, but Jack fell behind during his initiation due to a mechanical issue, giving James the win and his first victory of the 2026 season.
Championship Picture
James Deane sits at the top of the Formula Drift championship standings with a 22-point lead over second place. James also earned the Fast Orange Cleanest Chase award. Ben Hobson earned 31 valuable championship points at Stafford, moving him to P12 overall. The RTR Drift Team is building exactly the kind of momentum a championship run is made of.
Next Stop
Round 5 is on the horizon with the second new venue of the 2026 season at Indianapolis Raceway Park, July 30 - August 1, and we’ll be Ready to Rock.
