Jimmy Oakes Explains His Upcoming Formula DRIFT Plans
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After years of gradually building his pro-spec competition drift car, YouTuber Jimmy Oakes just dropped the biggest teaser yet for his upcoming drift career plans.
Up until now, there’s been plenty of uncertainty about whether he’ll actually make the huge jump from grassroots to Formula DRIFT. However, in a recent podcast appearance, Oakes confirmed that going pro is on his radar for the near future.
He recently won the 2025 Lock City Drift Street Series by a huge margin against the top grassroots drifters in the North East, racking up 348 points across the four-round series. That’s nearly 100 points clear of second-place finisher Jake Lipton with 252.
Beyond Lock City, Oakes has also competed in and attended several big-name events, including Final Bout and LZ World Tour. Given his connections within the pro drifting scene, many of his buddies and fellow drifting YouTubers are already pro drivers, so he’s already got plenty of experience driving, battling, and tandeming with them at events.
He’s now putting the finishing touches on his dedicated pro-level drift car and recently did his first shakedown session, including some door-rubbing tandems.
For now, competing in FD is described as a “loose plan,” as a couple of things are currently holding him back.
Jimmy Oakes’ 2JZ-Powered Nissan 240SX Specs
His pro-spec drift car build is just one of many projects he has going at any given time, and it’s already been two years in the making.
Under the hood of the Kouki Nissan 240SX S14 sits a 3.4-liter stroker 2JZ-GTE, paired with a GForce GSR dogbox transmission.
He chose the 2JZ over an LS V8 because, while he admits the LS is effective, he considers it a “cheat code”. The JZ, on the other hand, he says, has “so much more personality and soul.” I couldn’t agree more. 2J all day.
While the engine is capable of producing over 1,000 horsepower, Oakes intends to run it around 800-850 hp for now.
“Technically it’s a turbo away from being able to run in Pro and be competitive,” Oakes explains.
The concept behind the build was a car that’s easy to fix. As many of you will know, on a drift car, something breaking isn’t a matter of if, it’s when.
He’s drawn inspiration from Adam LZ’s E36 comp car, particularly the simplicity, despite being a podium-winning pro car.
Props to Spoon for the fabrication work; it looks like he’s nailed building the S-chassis to FD’s strict rulebook requirements.
There’s still a chance FD might not happen
While it looks increasingly likely he’ll compete in Formula DRIFT’s PROSPEC class in 2026, Oakes admits he’s “not that competitive.” Right now, his main concern is that going pro might ruin his love for drifting.
Although he’s undoubtedly interested, he states, “I’m going to build this car and let the story work where I’m not miserable, or else I won’t do it.”
He’s fully aware that many talented grassroots drivers lose their passion for the sport once the competition gets too serious and strips away the fun.
The financial reality is another factor that’s making him hesitate. He’s not entirely sold on the pro concept of having to arrive two days early, obsessing over parts, getting only a handful of laps, spending “20 grand,” and then heading home.
However, his primary motivations are “more excuse to drive with my friends” (many of whom are pros) and “progressing with drifting.” Both of these are pretty solid counter-arguments!
We expect to see Jimmy on the grid in 2026
Although he seems on the fence in some ways, it’s hard to ignore the fact that Jimmy’s spent the past couple of years pouring time and money into building this car specifically to FD spec. He also admitted it’d be “sick to drive next year”.
His fans are clearly keen to see him compete, and he’ll undoubtedly have plenty of encouragement from friends and fellow competitors.
If Adam LZ is anything to go by, going pro hasn’t killed his love for drifting. However, LZ is undoubtedly more competitive.
You can catch the full interview with Jimmy Oakes on The Circle of Drift Podcast below. Fair warning: it’s nearly two hours long!
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Bill is a writer and photographer who has been part of the Drifted team since 2015. His work extends to various print and online publications, including Wangan Warriors.
As part of the King of Nations team, he traveled extensively for several years, capturing top-tier international drift events worldwide. His hands-on experience, including rebuilding his own Nissan Silvia S15 drift car, gives him unique insights into drift car building and global drift culture.
When not behind the lens or keyboard, Bill can be found browsing classifieds for his next JDM project or shredding virtual tires on popular simulators like Assetto Corsa, CarX, and Forza.
You can learn more about Bill’s story here or follow his socials on X (formerly Twitter), Flickr, Facebook, and Instagram.
