25 August 2010, for immediate release: Aurimas “Odi” Bakchis, 27, was awarded a Formula Drift professional driver’s license at Las Vegas Motor Speedway after being named champion of the 2010 Vegas Pro Am series on Saturday, 21 August 2010. The final Vegas Pro Am round took place on the same course utilized by the Formula Drift Pro Championship only minutes after the Pro Am finished. Bakchis was awarded the license on the Formula Drift podium after only one season of drifting competitively in amateur events.

A southern California local and seasoned rally driver, Bakchis placed first in two of the four 2010 Vegas Pro Am events and placed third on the 21 August 2010 event. Bakchis began drifting at Adam’s Motorsports Park in Riverside, California in February 2009 after purchasing a 1989 Nissan 240 SX and began competitively drifting after approximately eight months of practice. Bakchis also drove his “underpowered” Nissan to a second place finish at Round 2 of the Top Drift series at Willow Springs International Raceway and to an exciting win at the 2010 XDC Round 2 event in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Sponsors including 702 Graphics, Clutch Masters, Dstroyr, Godspeed Project, R Rated Motorsports, and Turboimport.com have represented Bakchis throughout the 2010 drift season. A promising driver, Bakchis intends to aggressively compete in the 2011 Formula Drift Pro Championship series.
Amy Bakchis

VegasProAm round three went underway on July 24th at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. As day turned night, VegasDrift hosted another smoke session where drivers went head to head for points. Without a doubt, all competitors pushed it to the limit!

Congratulations to the VegasProAm Round 3 winners!!!

1. A. Bakchis – #28
2. B. Wicknick – #38
3. J. Guild – #32

Top 8 for VegasProAm rd 3

1. D. George – #34 – 92.6
2. J. Guild – #32 – 87.8
3. A. Bakchis – #28 – 86.3
4. B. Wicknick – #38 – 84.1
5. B. Patterson – #5 – 82.3
6. T. Cisneros – #24 – 82.3
7. G. Kilada – #8 – 71.7
8. S. Coward – #44 – 70.1

Local drifter Danny George qualified #1.

VegasProAm points leader, “Odi” Bakchis leads while local drifter Josh “The Slide’n Banana,” gives chase.

(Pictured above)FormulaDrift judge Ernie Fixmer gives instruction to get optimal points for qualification.

VegasProAm co-commentator and notorious forum member, Chris Finch.

Tommy Suell and Mike Bolanos…VegasProAm judges, FD licensed drivers and two of VegasDrift’s triple O.G.s

Dstroyr’s Jon Chase had his summer line on display. Visit his online shop at www.dstroyr.com and cop some threads or go to hell!

Jon awards some DSTROYR shirts to the podium winners.

World famous professional drift photographer and VegasProAm supporter, Larry Chen, shoots the track! Seriously, whatever you do make sure to go his site www.driftfotos.com to see the rest of the Round 3 pics.

Victor from Emergency Hookers Towing is a long time supporter of VegasDrift. Look out for his other towing company “Camel Towing.”

DJ Info kept the bass pumping and laid down a crowd pleasing set. Visit his site at www.djinfo411.com!

Nick Dizon rock’n a Keep Drifting Fun shirt.

Mando and JC take a break in the staff booth from the 105+ temps!! Its was a scorcher!

Tommy Suell, Ernie Fixmer and Larry Chen went flying right before event to find empty pools to skateboard in.

Hobo Herron WANTS YOU…..to visit his site – www.keepdriftingfun.com –

We would like to personally thank our supporters: Sparco, CP Pistons, Driftfotos, Wrecked Magazine, Dstroyr Clothing, 4RP (Four Reel Productions), KeepDriftingFun.com, First Source Signs, Emergency Hookers Towing, Motor Mavens, Belle-1 Communications, Carrillo Rods, AITRacing.com, Paladin Automotive, DJ Info, and Formula Drift.

Photography
-Driftfotos – Larry Chen – www.driftfotos.com
-Wrecked Magazine – www.wreckedmagazine.com
-And a couple by track staff

Thanks for reading…See you at VegasProAm Round 4!

WD

Drivers Register Here

What started out as a triple digit scorcher, slowly blended onto a 76 degree smokefest to remember. VegasDrift hosted VegasProAm round 2 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

1st place Mike “Buckey” Laing (Euro-Asian Motorsports, Area77 Rotorworks RX-7)
2nd place Joshua “The Slidin’ Banana” Guild (Spring Mountain Autobody S-14)
3rd place was awarded to VegasProAm round one and XDC Las Vegas winner Aurimas “Odi” Bakchis (GodSpeed, 702 Graphics, S-13 Hatch)

A total of 23 drivers including contenders from Nevada, California, Arizona, Colorado and Utah battled “door to door” for points.

Formula Drift/VegasProAm judge Ernie Fixmer explains the judging and points system and describes the criteria for optimal points.

Pictured above from left to right are the official VegasProAm judges Mike Bolanos (Formula Drift Licensed), Tommy Suell (Formula Drift Licensed) and Ernie Fixmer (Formula Drift Judge/Driver).

Qualification Runs/Drivers List

1. Waylon Deno – #26 – Las Vegas, NV
2. Mike “Buckey” Laing – #24- Las Vegas, NV
3. Danny George – #34 – Las Vegas, NV
4. George Kilada – #8 – Huntington Beach, CA
5. Joshua Guild – #32 – Las Vegas, NV
6. Aurimas Bakchis – #28 -Wrightwood CA
7. Jason Aquino – #22 – Moorpark, CA
8. Garret Nikolich – #10 – PA and now Las Vegas
9. Addrock Rosin – #31 – Scottsdale, AZ
10. Tony Cisneros – #24 – Rancho Cucamonga, CA
11. Shawn Coward – #44 – Las Vegas, NV
12. Dustin Amatori – #36 – Las Vegas, NV
13. Sam Yousif – #35 – Mesa AZ
14. Brandon Patterson – #5 – Agora Hills CA
15. Brandon Serna -#27 – Littleton, CO
16. Robert Gray – #15 – N. Las Vegas, NV

DNQ

17. Angel Alcala – #40 – Las Vegas, NV
18. Brandon Wicknick -38 – Layton UT
19. David Glaser – #3 – N.Las Vegas, NV
20. Joel Mondragon – #13 – Mesa, AZ
21. Rainer Ramolete – #39 – Las Vegas, NV
22. Chris Brown – #37 – Las Vegas, NV
23. Arenas, Jordan – #33 – Las Vegas, NV

(Click Top 16 Bracket to enlarge)

“Exhibition of Power” was the name of the game at this event. There was non-stop wall-grazing action and hard knocking music (thanks to DJ Ortho – Team 671).

2nd place winner Josh Guild tandems with Brandon Patterson of the So-Cal Sliders team

Las Vegas Drifter Shawn Coward applies pressure to George Kilada from Huntington Beach, CA.

George Kilada chases Tony Cisneros from Rancho Cucamonga, CA

Local Drifter and #1 qualifier, Waylon Deno (S-12) gives a lesson on taking the “drift line.” Get your notebooks out!

Garret Nikolich goes full lock with his DrtyM30! Notice the new Aero on his ride, he fabricated it all of it from an URAS R31 kit!

Local drifter Robert Gray qualifies for the second time in “Top 16″

Dustin Amatori lightens the load by getting rid of some aero!

Professional RC helicopter pilot, Devin Leblanc, displayed an impressive showing of skill during the intermission.

DSTROYR clothing awarded the top three drivers with new apparel. Be sure to visit Jon Chase’s website www.dstroyr.com and pick up some new gear!!
VegasProAm Round 2 Standings

1. Laing, Mike “Buckey”
2. Guild, Joshua
3. Bakchis, Aurimas “Odi”
4. Rosin, Addrock
5. Kilada, George
6. Cisneros, Tony
7. Patterson, Brandon
8. Deno, Waylon
9. George, Danny
10. Aquino, Jason
11. Nikolich, Garret
12. Coward, Shawn
13. Amatori, Dustin
14. Yousif, Sam
15. Serna, Brandon
16. Grey, Robert
17. Mondragon, Joel
18. Glaser, David
19. Arenas, Jordan
20. Alcala, Angel
21. Wicknick, Brandon
22. Brown, Chris
23. Ramolete, Rainer

Photography by
Edward Ochoa – LVracingscene.com
Jon Chase – dstroyr.com
Kid Yosh – kidyosh.com
Chris Wiesen – cwphotography

View Larger Map
If you want to save yourself some time on Saturday Morning. Paladin Advanced Automotive is hosting the VD018 Pre-Tech Inspection. If you have tech questions or are unsure if your call will pass be sure to come out! Vehicles that pass will receive their “VD Positive” Event sticker. On-site Cash Registration is available.