Washington, D.C. – Nate Chen clinches the win and a Formula DRIFT PRO2 license at the inaugural USDrift Battle on the Bay at the historic Langley Speedway in Hampton, Virginia.
Chen, originally from Vienna, VA, went undefeated in his Committed Toyota GT86 in the double elimination bracket style tournament under the lights in front of a sold-out crowd. His path to victory was not an easy one, defeating experienced drivers including Rich Whiteman, Alex Lichliter, and Doug Lanciano twice before taking the top spot on the podium. In addition to Chen, the Top 5 drivers to earn Formula DRIFT PRO2 licenses were: Doug Lanciano, 2nd; Alex Jagger, 3rd; Christian Nelson, 4th; and Alex Lichliter, 5th.
The victory comes after a challenging development year for Nate Chen Racing. “We worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic to test and develop the GT86 in order to get the car up to competition spec,” said Nate Chen. “Winning an event of this scale in our debut year of a new platform is not only a testament to Committed’s excellence in craftsmanship but also speaks volumes to the quality and durability of our product partners, Fortune Auto, Stage Wheels, and Quickstyle Motorsports.”
Brian Eggert, event organizer, Formula DRIFT judge, and Co-Founder of USDrift said, “Nate Chen has been around USDrift for quite some time. Originally shooting media at events at age 14, he quickly transitioned behind the wheel of a Nissan 240SX where he progressed over the years. It was great to see Nate quickly adapt to the newly debuted GT86 and take it to the top of the podium in such a stressful and grueling event as the Shoot-Out format tends to provide for teams. We look forward to seeing Nate compete at the premier level of the sport in Formula DRIFT, and it’s only a matter of time before he lands on the podium there.”
Follow the journey on Instagram: @nathaniel.chen
Photos: Scott Paul
