Tyler McQuarrie

The past month has been long and crazy. A few days after my 3rd place finish in New Jersey, my step daughter Hailey got a kidney transplant. We lived at the hospital for the month and we were able to bring Hailey home about a week before Vegas, so as you could imagine, we were spent! Vegas could not have come at a better time.

I got to Vegas on Thursday and it was hot… 110 HOT. Luckily our first practice session was late that night so the heat was not too bad. It became apparent very fast that a month spent in the hospital and away from racing had taken a toll on my driving. It took a very long time for me to get into a rhythm on this track, which is why I qualified all the way down in the 17th spot. It finally started to click on the Saturday practice before top 32 tandems and I was feeling very good and ready to go to battle.

My first match up was with Ken Gushi and defiantly not a guy you want to meet this early in the event. He led the first run and I stuck to him through the first half of the run but I went a little wide at the 3rd clipping point, so Ken pulled a little gap on me. I knew that I needed to nail this next run and I did and Ken made a mistake and I pulled out a big gap, so they called for a one more time. This time I stayed closer to him as I followed. When I led, I had a little gap in the first half of the lap. He charged into the 2nd inner clipping point so hard that he hit me. I’m not sure if he couldn’t see from the Falken smoke or he just brought in to much speed but either way I know he didn’t mean to. I was able to finish the run but Ken spun at that point, so the win went to me. On to the top 16!

My first match up in the 16 would be the number 1 qualifier Robbie Nishida. Awesome! No problem, he just so happens to be the fastest guy out there this event. He led first and as we left the line he slowly pulled away from me, not because our car is slow but because my car lacks forward bite. I was able to close the gap to 2 car lengths and had a clean run. The only way past Robbie at this point was to lay it all out on the line, which I did and had a good gap going into the first turn but his car is so damn fast! He was able to close up quick but then I threw down my Falken smoke screen. Robbie ended up spinning, so I moved on to the great 8.

I would meet up with Michael Essa in the great 8 for the 2nd time this season. He is not new to drifting but new to Formula D. He led the first run and I was able to stick to him and even pull up on his door at the finish line. So I knew I just needed a clean run to get to the final 4. I pulled out a little gap and I think he got lost in the Falken smoke because he turned early for the 2nd inner clip and went off course. I advance to the final 4!

It’s an awesome feeling to get to the final 4 for the 2nd event in a row, but I want to get on the podium for the 2nd event in a row and Tanner Foust is in my way. I’ve run against Tanner many times but never in his new Scion. I led the first run and I came in with 91mph and even tapped the entry wall. Tanner was a little shallow to catch up and I had a 1-2 car gap on him. He led next and when we left the start tree it was a drag race. That Scion is fast and he pulled out 8- car led before the first corner. I closed up the gap but it was still too big, so the judges called for a one more time. We both had clean runs on the OMT but the judges went with Tanner

I would meet Chris Forsberg in the consolation round for 3rd. This will be the 3rd time this year that Chris and I have battled, which is fine with me because I know Chris will drive hard but clean. No BS from him. He beat me in Atlanta and I beat him in Jersey, if I can beat him in Vegas, I get on the podium. Both of our runs were hard and clean but he was able to stick to me a bit closer. He won the battle for 3rd and I’m now 1-2 against Chris this season. Next one will be mine.

Given the circumstances over the past month for my family and how long it took me to get into a rhythm this event, I’m stoked to leave Vegas with a 4th place! I’m now half a point behind 4th and only 42 points out of the Championship lead. To be a Championship contender in the first year for the Falken Tire Nissan 350Z with 3 events to go is an amazing feeling!