Killavullen’s Jack Shanahan has reignited his Drift Masters championship challenge after a stunning victory in Finland ended a 1,077-day wait for a return to the top step.
The Irish driver delivered one of the performances of the 2026 season so far at Ahvenisto Race Circuit, fighting through a dramatic weekend to claim victory and move himself firmly into the conversation for the championship title.
Entering the Finnish round outside the immediate title battle, Shanahan produced a statement performance against some of the biggest names in drifting, collecting 106 championship points and climbing to fifth overall in the standings.
With three rounds still remaining, the gap to the championship lead has been dramatically reduced, and Shanahan is now just one strong weekend away from putting serious pressure on the drivers ahead of him.
The fourth round of the Drift Masters season was the championship’s first visit to Ahvenisto, a demanding circuit that tested every driver with blind corners, elevation changes, high-speed sections and technical transitions.
Shanahan adapted quickly and delivered when the pressure was highest.
His route to victory was anything but straightforward, with the Killavullen driver surviving a heavy-contact battle against Jason Banet that left his Toyota GT86 damaged and requiring urgent repairs between runs.
The Shanahan team worked quickly to prepare the car, allowing Jack to continue his charge through the knockout stages.
He then defeated James Deane in one of the standout battles of the weekend before progressing to the Final 4.
The final brought Shanahan up against Benediktas Čirba, another driver looking to make history.
With Shanahan leading the final battle, a mistake from Čirba handed Jack the opportunity he needed, allowing him to secure his first Drift Masters victory since Riga in 2023.
After 1,077 days of waiting, Shanahan was back on the top step.
The win was not only a personal milestone but also a major championship statement.
Before Finland, Shanahan’s championship hopes had appeared to be fading after a difficult run of results.
The Ahvenisto victory changed everything.
The 106-point haul moved him from 11th to fifth in the standings, leaving him only seven points behind his brother Conor Shanahan and within striking distance of the championship leaders.