What It Takes To Win: 2025 Formula DRIFT PROSPEC Halftime Update
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Who's Still In It?
After the smoke from Top 32 cleared, we're now left with 5 drivers still mathematically in the chase for the 2025 Formula DRIFT Link ECU PROSPEC Championship.
| 1. | Nate Chen | 110 pts |
| 2. | Dmitry Brutskiy | 110 pts |
| 3. | Cody Buchanan | 90 pts |
| 4. | Cody Talaska | 80 pts |
| 5. | Jerry Johnson | 75 pts |
Left side of the bracket is stacked! You have Chen, Talaska, Buchanan, and Johnson fighting it out while the right side only has Brutskiy still in the chase.
Notable Cole Richards was knocked out in battle by Camren Sorensen when Richards went just a little to wide in his run in Outer Zone 4 dropping a tire that would eventually suck him off track.
While Collete Davis won her battle in Top 32 against Justin Ruth, she is mathematically eliminated due to both Chen and Brutskiy winning their battles. However, Davis is still in the chase for the Rookie of the Year (ROTY), maintaining a 13 point deficit behind Johnson. At this point, Davis will need to finish 2 rounds ahead of Johnson to make up the ground. Since Davis and Johnson are on opposite sides of the bracket, they could meet in the FInals. Therefore if Johnson is able to make it to the Finals, and meets Davis there, even if he loses to Davis the ROTY is his.
What Each Driver Needs to Win Outright
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Nate Chen
- If Chen wins the event, he wins the championship. Chen can also win the championship if he loses in the Finals provided Brutskiy doesn't win the event.
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Dmitry Brutskiy
- If Brutskiy wins the event, he wins the championship. Brutskiy can also win the championship if he loses in the Finals provided Chen doesn't win the event.
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Cody Buchanan
- If Buchanan reaches the Final (120 pts), he can still win if both Chen and Brutskiy lose in Top 8 (120 pts). The tie would be broken by Buchanan's higher finishing rank
- If Buchanan wins the event (130 pts), he still needs Chen and Brutskiy to go out in the Final 4 (130 pts); which is possible since Buchanan could meet Chen in the Final 4. The tie would be broken by Buchanan's higher finishing rank.
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Cory Talaska
- If Talaska wins the event (120 pts), both Chen and Brutskiy must lose in Top 16 (110 pts) and Buchanan must lose in the Final 4 (110 pts).
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Jerry Johnson
- If Johnson wins the event (115 pts), both Chen and Brutskiy must lose in Top 16 (110 pts), Buchanan must lose no later than the Great 8 (100 pts), and Talaska must lose no later than the Final 4 (100 pts).
Bottom line: Chen or Brutskiy winning the event locks the championship.
Buchanan can still steal it with a win only if Brutskiy doesn’t make the Final.
Talaska/Johnson need a miracle: win the event and both Chen and Brutskiy lose in Top 16.
If / Then Scenarios
If you want to get wild, here's some more scenarios.
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If Chen loses in Top 16 (110 pts)
Brutskiy needs one win to pass him (120 pts).
Buchanan can still win the championship by winning the event (130 pts) provided Brutskiy does not make the Final (110-130 pts).
Talaska (max 120 pts) or Johnson (max 115 pts) could only take the title if Brutskiy also loses Top 16 (110 pts) and Buchanan doesn’t win the event (130 pts).
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If Brutskiy loses in Top 16 (110 pts):
The championship shifts to the left side.
Chen needs two wins (130 pts) to be completely safe from a Buchanan title run (which would also land at 130 pts). Three wins (140 pts) removes all doubt.
Buchanan becomes champion if he wins the event (130 pts) and Chen fails to reach the Finals and loses in the Final 4 (120 pts).
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If Chen & Brutskiy both win Top 16 and Final 4 (both at 130 pts):
Only one can reach 150; the other caps at 130 or 140 pts.
Buchanan is eliminated from title contention at that moment (his max is 130 pts, which at best ties a losing Final 4 from Chen/Brutskiy).
Talaska/Johnson are already eliminated from title contention (their maxes are 120/115 respectively).
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If the Final is Chen vs Brutskiy:
Winner is champion (150 pts versus 140 pts). Everyone else is mathematically out.
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If the Final is Buchanan (left side of the bracket) vs anyone not named Brutskiy (right side of the bracket):
If Buchanan wins (130 pts). He’s champion unless Chen reached 130 too (tie) and wins the tiebreak based on finishing rank coming into the event (#1 seed versus #4 seed).
If Buchanan is runner-up (120 pts). He cannot be champion (Chen/Brutskiy will be 120+ pts or tie-ahead by tiebreak likelihood).
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If Talaska wins the event (120 pts):
Needs both Chen and Brutskiy to have Top 16 exits (110 pts), and Buchanan not at 130 pts.
Any single win by Chen/Brutskiy (to 120 pts) likely knocks Talaska out via tiebreak exposure.
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If Johnson wins the event (115 pts):
Needs the same double Top 16 exit from Chen and Brutskiy and Buchanan/Talaska held to less than 110 pts.
TLDR; / Maximum Possible Points
Chen: 150 (controls destiny with a win)
Brutskiy: 150 (controls destiny with a win)
Buchanan: 130 (needs event win and Brutskiy not in Final)
Talaska: 120 (needs event win and both leaders out in Top 16 + Buchanan not champ)
Johnson: 115 (needs event win + both leaders out in Top 16 + others capped)
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