IRWINDALE, Calif. -- Second place at Round 7 | Title Fight earned Justin Pawlak his third podium in the Formula DRIFT 2012 season. Pawlak had a rough start to the weekend with a zero in his first qualifying round but drove strong with the pressure and turned out a second place qualifying score. The Falken Tire Mustang dominated each battle with consistent leads and heavy pressure on each competitor. Ultimately, Pawlak finished short in the final round when he clipped the bank and landed fourth in the overall Championship points.

 
“This was the toughest second I’ve ever had,” said Pawlak. “My Mustang was dominate all night, I was actually trying to keep up with it. I seriously wanted the win and know I had a car that could perform but sometimes when you want it that bad, you drive so hard you hit a wall. I am proud to have finished so well but it was the most difficult loss in my career.
 

Pawlak started the 2012 Formula DRIFT season with two consecutive wins at Long Beach and Atlanta proving he was back to avenge a close second in the 2011 Championship. Difficulties followed Pawlak, after the two wins, but the performance at Irwindale proved the Mustang driver was a force to be reckoned with.

 
“Ups and downs have been the theme of my season,” said Pawlak. “I came off of two wins at the start of the season and then had a down with poor finishes at the other events. I’m proud to have had such a great comeback at the ‘House of Drift’ but I wanted more. My Mustang has been awesome all year and it felt great to be apart of a strong machine tonight.”

 
Heading into the final Formula DRIFT event of the year, Vaughn Gittin Jr, lead the championship points but fell short after spinning out in his Top 16 battle. Gittin completed the season second in points (529) just 19.50 behind the Championship leader. The Monster Energy Falken Tire Mustang RTR driver clinched two consecutive wins at New Jersey and Washington after a slow start to the season. Gittin earned three podiums with Mustang and completed the final event of the season with an appearance at Top 16.

 
“We started the weekend off on a great note but didn’t have the finish I had hoped for,” said Gittin. “I am so proud of my team for the work they have put into the season. We didn’t start out on a strong note but my Mustang was strong and we had a great few rounds. It’s unfortunate to have ended the season like this but I’m happy to be second in the Formula DRIFT Championship.”  

 
The Round 7 second place finished completed the 2012 season with a Mustang on podium at six of the seven events and four first-place finishes between Justin Pawlak (2) and Gittin (2). A Mustang lead the point standings after each round and the success of Mustang drivers in Formula DRIFT did not go unnoticed. Ford Motor Company announced the expansion of support in the series and became an Official Sponsor of Formula DRIFT at Irwindale which will continue through the 2013 season.