Conor Shanahan is the 2026 Formula Drift PRO champion. The Irishman arrived at the season finale on the streets of Long Beach, California, needing a single heat win to lock up the crown — and he got it in the Top 32 by beating Jhonnattan Castro, which made the title mathematically his before the night was even half done.
Shanahan drove the Red Bull / GT Radial / JYR Toyota GT86 for Jerry Yang Racing, a car built around a Nissan VR38 twin-turbo V6 that makes roughly 1,100 hp in Formula Drift trim. It was his third season in the American series, and the title caps a run that already included two Drift Masters European crowns (2023 and 2025).
How the championship was won
Consistency did the damage. Shanahan won the season opener at Long Beach in April, added victories in Seattle (Evergreen Speedway) in August and in Las Vegas in September, and arrived for Round 8 with 212 points and a healthy lead. His run in the finale ended early — Simen Olsen knocked him out in the Top 16 — but by then the job was done.
Round winner James Deane collected the maximum 50 points to close the gap, but not enough. The final standings read like an Irish national championship:
- 1. Conor Shanahan (Ireland) – 224 points
- 2. James Deane (Ireland) – 218 points
- 3. Jack Shanahan (Ireland) – 206 points
- 4. Branden Sorensen (USA) – 165 points
- 5. Matt Field (USA) – 150 points
A childhood dream
Speaking after the event, Shanahan described the title as something he had dreamed about as a kid, and credited his brother Jack and his parents for the years of support. He also paid tribute to Jerry Yang Racing, saying he sensed within minutes of joining the team that they had a real shot at the championship.
The story does not stop in America. Shanahan has already been confirmed for the D1 Grand Prix finale, Tokyo Drift at Odaiba, in mid-November — a rare chance to see the reigning Formula Drift champion take on Japan’s best on their home turf.
Why it matters
Shanahan started drifting at nine, beat James Deane on his Drift Masters debut at 14, and now holds major titles on both sides of the Atlantic. At an age when most drivers are still finding their feet, he has become the benchmark of modern drifting.
Lead image is illustrative. Photo: Alex Eddit / Wikimedia Commons (CC0).