ROCKINGHAM — Derick Gaskins slid past last year’s MB Drift champ Andy Lacause-Wright to win the third round and the 2025 season at Rockingham Speedway.
Gaskins, of Rock Hill, South Carolina, previously placed second in this season’s first round and won the second round, with showdowns in both events against Wade Smith, who finished second for the season.
Click here for a recap of Round 1.
Click here for a recap of Round 2.
Smith had competed in the first two rounds with a Nissan 350Z, but reverted back to his "Shake and Bake" 240SX because he said the other car didn't have enough power for the course.
During the first few battles of the top 32 in Saturday’s Drift Wars, Gaskins watched the competition since he had a bye run.
“It was playing mind games because everybody’s driving and I’m jsut sitting here,” Gaskins said. “Waiting that long between battles, sometimes the track can change conditions. It’s hard to account for that … But it worked out.”
Levi Kottwitz leads a run with Derick Gaskins on the Rockingham Speedway road course.
William R. Toler - Richmond Observer
Gaskins got the win in the top 16 over Rodney Blankenship, who took out Gabe Broyles in the first run of the bracket.
“Every battle you win, the confidence just gets better and better,” Gaskins said, “so we just carried it all the way to the very end.”
His fight to the top of the Bracket also included wins over Devin Bruce — who was competing for the first time this season —and Levi Kottwitz.
Kottwitz, of Pilot Mountain, eventually placed third in the competition, followed by Cameron Gaskins — son of the winner — at fourth. Both Kottwitz and Cameron Gaskins are young drivers, 18 and 17, respectively.
Derick Gaskins, left, embraces his son, Cameron, after they placed first and fourth, respectively, in MB Drift's "Drift Wars" at Rockingham Speedway.
William R. Toler - Richmond Observer
“He is an awesome driver,” Gaskins said about his son. “He’s definitely going to be better than me one day.”
When it came to the final showdown, Gaskins said Lacause-Wright’s car shut off.
Lacause-Wright has had car troubles all season, having to borrow rides to compete in the first two rounds.
“I should have secured the win immediately, but…I can’t let my buddy go out like that,” Gaskins said. “I want to win because I won, not because of a technicality."
On the final run, Lacause-Wright spun out coming out of the first turn, and Gaskins continued with “a very good parade lap.”
Derick Gaskins smokes past Andy Lacause-Wright following a spin-out on the final run.
William R. Toler - Richmond Observer
Gaskins said toning down his driving is what helped him win the season.
“I’ve always been an all-out driver, I just drive balls to the wall…I had to tone that down and it worked out in my favor,” he said.
The season’s third-place finalist was decided by Team Live Sidewayz teammates Lacause-Wright and Dan Stoneburner going head-to-head, with Lacause-Wright getting the win.
Stoneburner had been in third in points leading up to Saturday’s event, but Lacause-Wright’s second-place finish tied the two.
For his impressive showing on the road course, Cameron Gaskins was presented the Underdog Award — started last year by Steven Larsen — which came with a $500 gift certificate to TurboTime in Sanford.
Taylor Walker leads a run with Andy Lacause-Wright during "Drift Wars."
William R. Toler - Richmond Observer
Taylor Walker was also presented with an award for being the only female competitor this season. She finished 11th.
Her husband, Dustin Walker, finished the season in fifth place, followed by Max Czibere, Brandon Goodman and Kottwitz — who were in a three-way tie in points — finishing sixth, seventh and eighth, respectively.
Earlier in the year, Gaskins won the season’s first Crown 9 race at the Rock. That series was put on hold in July, just over a month after the track was listed for sale.
Derick Gaskins, left, and Wade Smith pose with their winnings in front of their cars.
William R. Toler - Richmond Observer
Since starting with the MB Drift grassroots series in 2022, Gaskins has driven a 2000 C5 Corvette. However, he said he may retire that car and switch to a Nissan 350Z next year — to “prove myself” in a car with less power.
Also for next season, Gaskins said he wants to focus on his son “to get him on the podium.”
“We’re just going to come back next year and try to do it again.”
See more photos from "Drift Wars" at the RO's Facebook page.
