A celebratory burnout by two-time Formula Drift champion Vaughn Gittin Jr. ended in flames when his RTR Ford Mustang FD car caught fire.
This looks to have happened during a 2024 Formula Drift celebration event. Luckily, the fire was extinguished quickly, and no one was hurt. Vaughn took the incident in stride, choosing to share it on social media with a humorous caption, “Gotta stay warm somehow!!”
Vaughn Gittin Jr. is a well-known name in the motorsports world, especially in the drifting community. Gittin won his first Formula Drift championship back in 2010, and a decade later, he grabbed his second title in 2020.
Gittin continues to be a crowd favorite, celebrated not just for his driving prowess but also for his “professional fun-haver” approach to the sport.
RTR Vehicles, the company that Gittin founded, is known for creating the RTR (Ready to Rock) series of modified Ford Mustangs, and these cars often feature prominently in drift competitions.
Ford’s influence in Formula Drift has grown over the years, with the manufacturer earning its first championship title in the 2023 season with the seventh-generation Mustang, thanks in part to Gittin’s exceptional performance.
RTR Vehicles shared additional footage from the celebratory event, writing:
“What an unforgettable day at the 2024 Formula Drift Championship Celebration!
“We opened the RTR Lab doors to hundreds of automotive enthusiasts and fans from across the country, the energy was unmatched.
“We’re incredibly thankful for all the love and support you’ve shown @jamesdeane130 and the RTR Team throughout the season—it truly means the world to us.”
The 2024 Formula Drift season ultimately led to James Deane securing a record-breaking fourth championship title. With a substantial lead, Deane only needed to participate in the Top 32 at the final round at Irwindale Speedway to claim the title.
2024 Formula Drift Standings
- James Deane – 666 points
- Aurimas Bakchis – 548 points
- Fredric Aasbo – 520 points
- Hiroya Minowa – 448 points
- Adam LZ – 406 points
- Ryan Tuerck – 394 points
- Matt Field – 392 points
- Conor Shanahan – 380 points
- Dylan Hughes – 378 points
- Branden Sorensen – 364 points
- Simen Olsen – 364 points
- Jeff Jones – 350 points
- Chris Forsberg – 350 points
- Ken Gushi – 336 points
- Jonathan Hurst – 322 points
- Trenton Beechum – 322 points
- Rome Charpentier – 308 points
- Kazuya Taguchi – 294 points
- Jhonnattan Castro – 280 points
- Taylor Hull – 280 points
- Nick Noback – 280 points
- Dan Burkett – 266 points
- Alec Robbins – 238 points
- Daniel Stuke – 224 points
- Diego Higa – 224 points
- Robert Thorne – 210 points
- Ryan Litteral – 196 points
- Federico Sceriffo – 182 points
- Andy Hateley – 182 points
- Kyle Mohan – 182 points
- Dmitriy Brutskiy – 168 points
- Derek Madison – 168 points
- Rudy Hansen – 154 points
- Ben Hobson – 126 points
- Forrest Wang – 112 points
- Mike Power – 112 points
- Joao Barion – 98 points
- Vaughn Gittin Jr – 56 points
- Dean Kearney – 28 points
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