ROCKINGHAM — Landyn Dysart made history Saturday at Rockingham Speedway.
The 15-year-old rookie from Pinebluff became the youngest driver to win a competition in MB Drift’s 21-year history, according to co-founder Marshall Eggerling.
Dysart qualified sixth just before the comp and slid his way through the bracket, eventually facing veteran driver Nathan McDuffie in the final four before a showdown with No. 1 qualifier Zack O’Sullivan of Winston-Salem.
“It was a good battle for sure,” Dysart said, standing by his Freedom Stang in the Papa Joe Hendrick Garage. “He gave me (an) awesome lead and I put an awesome chase down in return.”
When it was time for Dysart to lead, he said he “put it everywhere I needed to and … came home with the win and champagne” — which he isn’t old enough to drink. His dad, former driver Brett Dysart, helped with that.
Landyn Dysart celebrates his win standing on top of his Freedom Stang.
William R. Toler - Richmond Observer
Dysart first became interested in drifting at the age of 9 when his uncle built him a drift kart. Then he started RC drifting and later began sim drifting, winning several championships.
The young driver had his first opportunity to compete late last year at Off Grid Motorsports Park in Gresham, South Carolina.
This was Dysart’s second competition with MB Drift. He qualified first at “The Initiation” in May, but was knocked out in his first battle.
Dysart said his car, a Ford Mustang, hadn’t been taken off the trailer in four weeks until they arrived at the track Friday night.
Landyn Dysart, right, collides with Ivan Herrera during their battle on the Rockingham Speedway road course.
William R. Toler- Richmond Observer
“Did all our usual maintenance and seems good,” he said. “Hit Ivan (Herrera) in our Great 8 battle and tore up the one side of the car, but, for the most part, she’s still a good ripper.”
Dysart said O’Sullivan was his toughest challenger in the competition.
Saturday was O’Sullivan’s first real competition — though he’s no stranger to drifting.
Like his younger opponent, O’Sullivan said he got his start sim drifting 16 years ago — before Dysart was born — and has competed in more than 200 Pro level events over the past 12 years, becoming a four-time Esports sim drifting champion with multiple podiums under his belt.
Landyn Dysart, left, fist-bumps with Zack O'Sullivan after finishing first and second, respectively, in MB Drift's "The Smoke Show" at Rockingham Speedway.
William R. Toler - Richmond Observer
In addition, O’Sullivan has served as a Formula Drift spotter, “tasked with dissecting and observing the best real life professional drifters on the planet such as James Deane.” In 2023, O’Sullivan first strapped into a real drift car — Ryan Litteral’s 900-horsepower Nissan Silvia S15 — “to see if sim can translate to real life.”
The performances by both O’Sullivan and Dysart on Saturday would seem to answer that question.
“Me and Landyn met through Discord while sim drifting just a few nights before with some hilarious friendly banter about who's gonna win,” said O’Sullivan, “and funny enough, it came to fruition.”
For the compeition, O'Sullivan was behind the wheel of his daily car — a BMW E36 — which he drove to and from the track.
On his way to the final battle, O’Sullivan won against: Gabe Broyles, who finished third in the first comp; and Belarusian native Anton Shenderov, who previously placed third in a national competition in his home country before coming to the U.S.
Zack O'Sullivan, left, follows Anton Shenderov in their final four battle of "The Smoke Show" at Rockingham Speedway.
William R. Toler - Richmond Observer
Shenderov, who finished second for the 2024 season, ultimately earned third place in “The Smoke Show.”
“MB Drift is just a good community, as a whole,” Dysart said. “Everybody here’s awesome. Everybody’s happy if somebody else wins. Everybody’s willing to help someone else out.”
Aside from his parents, one of Dysart’s first congratulatory hugs came from 2025 season champ Derick Gaskins.
Round 1’s winner and runner-up, Andy Lacause-Wright and Max Czibere, were competing with Catch My Drift Southampton Motor Speedway in Virginia.
Dysart’s win bumps him from ninth to first in points for the season, followed by Broyles, Paul Smith and Shenderov. O’Sullivan is listed in sixth place, but points-wise is tied for fifth with Lacause-Wright.
Rounding out the top 10 are Herrera, Czibare, Phillip Pass and McDuffie.
Landyn Dysart leads a run with Tristan Steele during MB Drift's "The Smoke Show" at Rockingham Speedway.
William R. Toler - Richmond Observer
MB Drift will hold the third and fourth competitive rounds Sept. 26-27.
There are also two non-competitive events left on the 2025 schedule: Summer Matsuri July 18-19; and Halloween Havoc, Oct. 24-25.
Dysart will also be at the Rock for Clean Culture’s North Carolina Showdown, scheduled for June 20.
