GRIDLIFE and Formula Drift bring the thunder to Road Atlanta

GRIDLIFE’s return to Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta delivered a sensory overload of smoke, speed and sound May 9-10. The Road Atlanta Special Stage, a collaboration between GRIDLIFE and Formula Drift, marked the first time since 2019 that full-course drifting tore through the 2.54-mile road course.

Fans lined the fences and perched in hillside clusters, basking under Friday’s sunshine before Saturday’s skies opened up with rain. Umbrellas came out, but no one left. The energy never dipped. If anything, it amplified.

“Road Atlanta is such an iconic piece of pavement, and I know I speak for all our drivers when I say, it feels incredible to be back,” said GRIDLIFE co-founder Chris Stewart. “We always knew we’d return, and teaming up with our friends at Formula Drift was the perfect way to make it happen. Bringing our two brands together to showcase the full spectrum of motorsports under a shared culture and vibe feels like a natural evolution of our story with this legendary track. We’re excited to see how it continues to grow from here.”

For the first time ever, a track owner and two major sanctioning bodies united to co-host an integrated motorsports experience. Formula Drift brought its full PRO and PROSPEC competition formats to the table, while GRIDLIFE infused the weekend with its signature programs, GRIDLIFE Drift, TrackBattle Time Attack, the Eibach GRIDLIFE Touring Cup and the spec RUSH Series. The result was a blockbuster celebration of car culture, racing and community on one of the Southeast’s most iconic circuits.

“The leadership of GRIDLIFE and Formula Drift have been friends in the industry for many years and have explored different ways to work together,” said Ryan Sage, president of Formula Drift. “This event at Road Atlanta was the perfect opportunity to showcase what happens when two organizations that are both pushing the industry forward come together to create something special.

“The event overall has been a tremendous success, continued Sage. “There has been a litany of added entertainment elements layered on top of the core experiences that both GRIDLIFE and Formula Drift are known for. We’re certainly looking forward to many more years of expanded opportunities, even beyond what we accomplished this weekend.”

Friday’s pristine conditions made for a historic day on the time sheets. Six track records fell before the clouds rolled in, with standout performances by Ryan Mathews, Dewey Dewitt, Josh Halka, Matt Williams and Chris Heideman who set the benchmark for the new Falken Tire ClubTR class.

Williams shattered his own Club SC record by six full seconds in a Honda Fit, while Mathews reset records in both Street Mod RWD and Street GT with two different Corvettes. By Saturday, the rain had changed the grip but not the stakes.

GRIDLIFE’s Eibach Touring Cup returned to Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta for the first time since 2019 and delivered a final-lap thriller on Friday. Matan Rosenberg held off Christian Aranha in a dramatic Corvette duel, while James Houghton completed the podium. Eric Kutil, Eric Magnussen and Tony Marchev battled fiercely for fourth, while Aryton Grim surged through the field for a 20-position gain. Austin Hertel’s freshly rebuilt 370Z, completed just days before the event, made good with a gritty top-10 finish.

The GRIDLIFE RUSH Series showcased the debut of the new SRX model, delivering four action-packed races on two different styles of tires between the two days, slicks on Friday and rains on Saturday.

Cultural crossover was a theme all weekend. Grammy-winning artist and Atlanta resident T-Pain debuted his new Nappyboy Racing pink and black Mustang RTR convertible on site, adding star power to an already stacked paddock. When GRIDLIFE Full Course Drift hit the track, the crowd erupted. Fans stayed trackside, some in ponchos, others in full GRIDLIFE merch, cheering as cars danced the line between precision and chaos sliding around the 98-feet of elevation change.

Next on the GRIDLIFE calendar is the Midwest Festival at Gingerman Raceway in South Haven, Mich., taking place June 6-8. This event marks a special chapter in the GRIDLIFE story, returning to the very place where the series began more than a decade ago. The Midwest Festival will expand to a full three-day format, promising even more music, racing and car culture.