May 31st, 2025 鈥� Evergreen Speedway, Monroe, Washington. The rain came down, the tires lit up, and the Pacific Northwest's grassroots drift scene proved once again that horsepower doesn鈥檛 matter nearly as much as heart鈥攁nd commitment.
This year鈥檚 DriftCon hosted Round 2 of the NW Drift Series, drawing a full roster of U.S. and Canadian drivers. And it wasn鈥檛 just about the podium. There was a clear show of respect and camaraderie between the American drivers and the Spec-D competitors from Canada who made the trip south. It wasn鈥檛 rivalry鈥攊t was mutual elevation. With rising political tension between nations making headlines, this event stood out as a reminder that some things - like drifting - still cross borders the right way.
WET CONDITIONS, NO MARGIN FOR ERROR
The High Line Shootout format left no room to hide. With the 3/8 layout soaked early in the day, drivers were forced to rely on throttle control and composure rather than power or grip. Every entry carried risk, and even experienced teams had to adjust their approach with every pass.
But as the day went on, the track began to dry. By the time the final battles of the shootout took place, grip had returned and drivers were able to push deeper into the zones with more speed and aggression鈥攔aising the stakes and making the closing rounds some of the most exciting of the day.
Later in the afternoon, the Team Tandem Competition brought out the showmanship. Three-car teams went head-to-head in bracketed tandem battles, where proximity, synchronization, and flow were everything. It鈥檚 drifting at its most unforgiving鈥攁nd most impressive.
Goon Squad took the win with consistent, near-contact runs that hit every mark. Good Enough came in second, proving their name undersells their talent. Ride The Wall claimed third, throwing fast, aggressive runs despite the sketchy surface. In conditions like this, trust between teammates is everything鈥攁nd all three podium teams showed it in spades.
TRACKSIDE SHOW STILL STRONG
Off to the side of the main competition, ImportMeet and StanceWars put together a small car show featuring clean street builds and JDM favorites. It wasn鈥檛 the focus, but it added to the overall atmosphere. A handful of vendors, food trucks, and a mini StanceWars-style setup gave spectators something to check out between runs. Low-key, but well executed.
THE NEXT ROUND: NORTHBOUND
The momentum isn鈥檛 staying stateside. Many of the same U.S. drivers will be heading north to Agassiz, British Columbia for the next Spec-D round on June 14th. With reputations forged and friendships built across both sides of the border, this community is proving that competition can drive connection as much as results.
WHERE ACTION SPEAKS LOUDER THAN POLITICS
In a time when international diplomacy is on the ropes, the drifting community is showing what real cooperation looks like鈥攐ne event at a time. Shared track time. Shared tools. Shared respect.
DriftCon 2025 didn鈥檛 just showcase talent鈥攊t reinforced something deeper. The drift world doesn鈥檛 need borders. It just needs a start line.
Related Articles
Funcity Drift Becomes Official Formula Drift Affiliate in Taiwan
StanceWars Seattle - July 2024
2021 Tuning 365 Car Show Tour Award Winners at Formula DRIFT Seattle
Her Bagged WRX: Mindy Hearring鈥檚 2013 Subaru Impreza WRX
Stay The Course: Dustin Urdaneta's 1993 Honda Del Sol Si
The Way of the Streets: Mark Cowans鈥� 2014 Scion FR-S
