After a sunny start in Spain at Round 1 last month, the 2024 Drift Masters season returned to a somewhat more dull Mondello Park, however rest assured that didn’t last long, because despite the weather, things were well and truly heating up on track!
The home of Irish drifting has played host to countless incredible moments over the year’s and today’s Qualifying session and Qualifying Showdown will definitely be added to that long list. And the man who is heading home happiest is someone also incredibly familiar with Mondello Park, in returning wildcard driver, James Deane.
James would throw down a 91.5-point run on his first throw of the dice during today’s Qualifying session, but it would be his second run that would seal the deal. With treacherous conditions outside, James would show his true talents by putting down a 97-point run to ensure he heads into tomorrow’s Top 32 battles in prime position, whilst also cementing himself a spot in today’s Round 2 Qualifying Showdown against fellow Irishman Conor Shanahan, who took fourth place overall in Qualifying.
Second place in today’s Qualifying session would then go to Polish driver Kuba Przygonski, who narrowly missed out on top spot with a 95.5-point run, with last year’s second place finisher overall, Finnish driver Lauri Heinonen rounding out our Top 3 finishers in Qualifying, setting himself up a battle with the Polish driver Przygonski in the showdown.
With Qualifying wrapped up then, we headed straight into the new Qualifying Showdown segment for 3 incredible battles to whet our palette ahead of tomorrow’s Top 32 … and a treat it was! James Deane would take on good friend Conor Shanahan in our first showdown battle, but the Irish legend Deane would on this occasion prove too strong for the youngster and send himself into the Showdown final.
Then on the other side of the bracket, Kuba Przygonski would overcome Finnish driver Lauri Heinonen to set himself up for a battle against Deane to see who would take maximum points from today’s Showdown.
Ireland vs. Poland. First qualifying finisher versus second. 2 legends of the game. Deane vs. Przygonski is a battle that would be a treat to witness as a final battle of the weekend, but we were spoilt to get to witness it as today’s Qualifying Showdown finale. However it would be the man on home soil going closest over the 2 runs and taking home an extra 4 championship points from today’s Showdown.
So that concludes today’s Day 1 action from Drift Masters Round 2. Tomorrow we return for an incredible Top 32 Battles, which if you check out the battle bracket below, you’ll definitely agree is going to be wild. Tune in live on Red Bull TV tomorrow from 11.30am GMT.
