GT Radial Opens Formula Drift Title Defense Atop the Podium
South Carolina-Built Competition Tire Takes First Place at Long Beach
LONG BEACH, CA (April 13, 2026) – GT Radial opened its 2026 Formula DRIFT Tire Cup defense in winning fashion April 11 at Long Beach, as Conor Shanahan (Ireland) put the Red Bull / GT Radial / JYR Toyota GT86 atop the podium and gave the brand an early statement victory.
The GT Radial Champiro SX2 RS competition tire, produced at the company’s plant in Richburg, SC, is the only Formula DRIFT competition tire made in America.
Coming at the start of his third season in Formula DRIFT, this was the Irishman’s second win, and was achieved at the wheel of a new car – the Red Bull / GT Radial / JYR Toyota GT86 – built by his new team: Jerry Yang Racing.
Conor’s win was more remarkable because it appeared he’d been knocked out of his Top 32 heat. The competing driver was deemed at fault for the collision, but Shanahan’s team was unable to repair the car in time and would be eliminated. However, the judges decided to call One More Time, allowing the runs to be repeated. Shanahan then emerged the winner and proceeded to the Final.
“After winning the Tire Cup in 2025 for the second time in three years and placing five drivers in the top 10, we were thrilled to open the 2026 Formula DRIFT season with Conor Shanahan and the Red Bull / GT Radial / JYR team atop the podium at Long Beach,” said GT Radial Motorsports Manager Mike Meeiem. “We congratulate Conor and his team on an outstanding weekend. Defending the Tire Cup against this level of Formula DRIFT competition will require a tremendous effort from every driver and team on our roster, and this was a terrific start.”
In addition to Conor, the 2026 driver lineup includes Hiroya Minowa, the 16-year-old standout from Japan who finished fourth in last season’s driver standings, along with four additional top-10 finishers from 2025: Matt Field (second), Adam LZ (fifth), Aurimas “Odi” Bakchis (eighth), and Dylan Hughes (ninth). Also competing on GT Radial tires this season are: Amanda Sorensen, Dan Burkett, Branden Sorensen, and Connor O’Sully.
The 2026 Formula DRIFT season now moves on to: Atlanta, GA; Orlando, FL; Stafford, CT; Indianapolis, IN; Monroe, WA; Las Vegas, NV; and the finale again in Long Beach.
“It is a real point of pride to be competing on American-made tires,” Meeiem said. “Our associates in South Carolina take pride in building the competition tire and every passenger and light truck tire that leaves the plant. What we prove in Formula DRIFT helps give everyday drivers added confidence in GT Radial tires.”
The GT Radial brand first won the Formula DRIFT Tire Cup in 2023. The Champiro SX2 RS name is recognized in both competition and enthusiast circles as part of the brand’s broader performance story.
About GT Radial
The GT Radial brand, manufactured and marketed by Giti Tire, has been sold in the US for more than 30 years. Comprehensive offerings of GT Radial passenger, light truck, and commercial truck tires are available across North America through retailers and independent tire dealers. Giti Tire (headquartered in Singapore), which has been in the tire business since 1951, operates five manufacturing plants and three technical centers globally, including the passenger/light truck tire plant and technical center in Richburg, SC. Giti Tire (USA) Ltd., based in Charlotte, NC, is the sales, marketing, and distribution company for GT Radial in North America. For more information on GT Radial, visit https://www.gtradial-us.com/
