Known for his humble personality in the pits and fierce demeanor on the track, Norwegian Formula Drift racecar driver Fredric Aasbo has found the ideal place to relax after a day spent at high speeds in narrow spaces between cars and walls.
Aasbo moved to Hermosa Beach while training for the 2012 season and an appearance in the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach Pro/Celebrity race.
When Aasbo isn’t sharpening his skills on the race course, he spends most of his free time at the beach. His favorite places to hang out in Hermosa are the rooftop at Hennessey’s and simply strolling along The Strand. Aasbo said he fell in love with Hermosa right from the start and knew instantly this was the place he wanted to reside and decided to make it his new home.
“In this crazy place of L.A., Hermosa Beach is like a hidden gem, and that’s why I like it,” Aasbo said. “Being born and raised in the midst of the Scandinavian countryside, the lifestyle here is a huge difference. Everything is bigger.”
The South Bay seems a fitting place for Aasbo, who lives by his motto “aldri lofte,” which translates to English as “never lift.”
“That’s what we’re trying to do on the track — never break, never lift, never let off the gas, just smoke out the whole track,” Aasbo said.
Formula DRIFT began its 9th championship season last weekend with Round 1: Streets of Long Beach, using turns 9, 10, and 11 of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach Street Course. Driving for Papadakis Racing in the Team Need for Speed Scion tC, Aasbo finished in 12th place, earning 57 points. Justin Pawlak of Falken Tire Ford Mustang won the race for the second consecutive year, earning 106 points.
Aasbo has a chance to redeem himself Saturday when he competes in the Pro/Celebrity race.
Along with Aasbo, pro drivers will include former USAC National Midget champion and 2012 driver of Toyota-powered USAC teams Bryan Clauson and Grammy award-winning record producer and owner of Rebel Rock Racing, Jim Jonsin. Joining the field are charity auction winners Doug Fregin (co-founder of Research in Motion) and nightclub owner Jerry Westlund. Each year, Toyota also dedicates a spot for a Southern California Toyota dealer employee and this year that will be Biff Gordon, general manager of Quality Toyota in Corona.
Celebrities that will be driving Scion tCs in the 10-lap, 1.97-mile street circuit race include Jillian Barberie Reynolds, Adrien Brody, Adam Carolla, Kate del Castillo, Eddie Cibrian, Kim Coates, Eileen Davidson, Hill Harper, Brody Jenner, Scott Porter, Bill Rancic, former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez, and host of Top Gear USA, Rutledge Wood.
Growing up in the countryside of Norway, Aasbo was introduced to auto racing by his father, who had a love of rally and rally cross racing. He would take Fredric out to the rally course at the early age of five.
“I hated it and would tell my mom I want to go home,” Aasbo admitted.
By the age of six, Aasbo’s feelings toward auto racing changed. He really got into cars and was go-carting by the age of twelve.
Drifting has been popular among street races in Japan for more the 15 years and has become one of the most attended motorsports in the country. The sport reached America in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Suspension tuning, good tires, and brake upgrades were a priority over engine modifications. Sales of front engine/rear-wheel drive import cars like the Nissan 240SX and the Toyota Corolla boomed among the underground drifting scene that included a large number of Asian enthusiasts.
Drift racing has evolved into a worldwide sport and Formula DRIFT is recognized as the North American professional drifting championship with seven events held each year.
Aasbo began actual drifting in 2006 and came to the US in 2008. In 2010, Aasbo began knocking off Formula Drift champions earning him the nickname “The Champkiller.”
With over thirty victories and multiple championship titles in Northern Europe, Aasbo began competing in the United States and was named the 2010 Formula Drift Rookie of the Year and selected the Hardest Charging Driver of the Year. He also earned the Insane Entry Award at the Irwindale finals that year.
Aasbo said he is living out his dream and the sky is the limit for him. His aggressive, all-out style has produced a strong fan following from the United States, Europe, the Middle East, all the way to Japan.
In 2011, Aasbo and his team reached the Formula Drift podium for the first time and went on to win the Formula Drift Abu Dhabi Invitational, the British Drift Championship Finals at Silverstone and the Ultimate Drift at Texas Motor Speedway.
Aasbo is excited about the upcoming season and splits time between here and a mountain pass back home in Europe practicing his skills.
“It’s all about mirroring the guy in front of you,” Aasbo explained.
Along with the seven Formula Drift events, Aasbo plans to compete in four races in Europe and four in China this year.
