Hyperdrive (2019–…): Season 1, Episode 3 - Qualifier 3: Enter the Assassin - full transcript
[spotter, over radio]
Down to Walk on Water, be careful.
Keep it tidy.
[Rutledge Wood] Alright, here we go.
It's all on the line here.
[Mike Hill]
Fielding Shredder headed to Walk on Water.
Now here's something for you.
He's covered his intake with a trash can
to waterproof his engine.
[Rut] No guarantee this works.
He's still got to be smart
about the way he approaches this.
[MH] Oh!
[Rut] He brought way too much speed
into that turn.
[Michael Bisping] Oh, he spun.
Oh, man.
[Rut] We'll see if that trash can works.
[MH] Remember, this obstacle
almost ended his competition last race.
[Rut]
Wipers on. Oh, she's cooking now, baby.
[MH] So far so good.
[Rutledge] He is attacking this,
putting a ton of faith
in a two dollar piece of plastic.
[splash]
[MH] And he's through the water.
Careful on the target, careful.
- Here he goes.
- [bang]
[yells, cheers]
Ain't worried about that.
[MH] And he passes.
Very good job.
[MH]
He's done it! No water damage.
That engine purring like a kitten.
Fielding Shredder
with a simple but ingenious fix
to slay his nemesis from Qualifier One.
[MB] Nice adjustment.
[tires squeal]
[MH] Sliding into the checkpoint.
He's right on Axel Francois' heels.
He's got to beat his time
to advance to the Knockout Rounds.
Did I flat spot them?
Maybe a little bit. You're good.
[Rut] This guy is so much fun to watch,
such a wild man,
but can he rein it in
and deliver a clean run
on the back half of the course?
[engine idles]
[engine revs]
I stalled it!
- [boom]
- [hosts yell]
[MH] Stalled his car, the cannon fires,
he's going to lose some time here.
[Rut] He'll avoid the impact,
but he's still gotta drive
through a flood here.
[splashing]
[hosts] Whoa!
[spotter] Watch it right there.
- [MB] Oh!
- [Rut] It is slick.
[Mike Hill] My man,
Fielding Shredder.
- Nice job.
- [MB] There you go, nice.
[Rut] Beautifully done.
[spotter]
Into the Leveler, stop at the light.
[tires squeal]
Okay.
Woo! A little foggy.
Alright, wait for the light.
[MH] Stalling at the Water Cannon
has put him eight seconds
behind a qualifying pace.
[Rut]
His back is up against the wall here.
He's got to push it farther
than Axel's nine feet to the edge
if he wants any chance
of cracking the top three.
[MB] This has to be perfect.
[spotter] Go!
Stop at the first light.
[ramp rattles]
- [Rut] Oh!
- [MB] Too much!
[hosts yell in excitement]
[Rut] Oh my God!
Six feet!
He almost missed the end of the ramp,
he was going so hard up there.
I kind of want to see a car
go off the end of the Leveler.
You don't wanna see a car
go off the end of the Leveler.
Not with him in it.
[splashing]
[MH] Here we go.
[Rut] He definitely brought down
the Leveler faster than Axel,
but was it enough to make up
the eight seconds he needs
to crack the top three?
Oh! Whoa.
[MH] Fielding Shredder with a chance
to get into the top three.
[MB] Come on!
[engine revs]
[Rut] He's flying.
[spotter] Fast right to finish.
- [tires squeal]
- [MH] One last turn. Can he do it?
[Rut] Look at that drift.
[MB] That is beautiful.
[engine revs]
Whoa!
[MH] Here he comes!
[Fielding laughs]
- [Rut] Wow!
- [MH] He did it.
[MH] Second place.
[MB] Second place.
Woo-hoo!
Nice job.
[Rutledge] 509.8 for Fielding Shredder.
- Unreal.
- Wow!
[Fielding] Do I still have a bumper?
You still have bumpers. You're good.
[Fielding] Alright.
That's a win. That's a win for me.
[Rut] Who knew a trip to the grocery store
to buy floor mats, a trash can,
and a water bottle
could mean so much
that he could put down that kind of a lap?
- That's the best $20 he ever spent.
- Amen.
[Michael Bisping] Let's remember,
second place with a few mistakes,
you know, he overshot a few corners,
he spun round a few times,
he had to go back and correct himself
and still got second place.
That was nuts.
[MH] Alright, our final results are in
and unfortunately
we have to say goodbye to Mike Martin,
Brent Pursifull and Mark Rios.
But for Japan's Atsushi Taniguchi,
as well as Fielding Shredder,
and Sara Haro from the USA,
They'll be moving directly
to the Knockout Rounds,
where half of the field
has now been locked in,
in the quest
for the Hyperdrive Championship.
Tonight's middle six finishers
will need to get their cars fueled up
and ready to go,
as they're about to meet six new drivers.
Qualifier race number three
begins right now.
[Mike Hill]
Alright, time to strap back in,
because twelve hungry drivers
are about to fire up their engines.
But everything's about to change,
because as always,
there's a brand new course
for the drivers to contend with.
That's right
and this track is all about speed,
pure, unadulterated speed.
And while precision challenges remain,
if your car is designed to go
hammer-down, straight-line fast,
this may be your best chance to qualify.
The track is stacked
with blistering straightaways,
and at our newest marquis obstacle,
Forced Perspective,
racers must roar down a 1,000 foot stretch
that shrinks to a claustrophobic gap
only six inches wider than each car.
Who'll have the guts to keep their foot
on the gas with the walls closing in?
The clock is ticking,
and the way this course keeps evolving,
the time to qualify
for the Knockout Rounds is right now.
[female announcer] Track is hot.
Driver one, prepare for launch.
[Mike Hill] Alright, here we go.
First up, we have the youngest driver
in the competition.
But would you believe me If I told you
he might just be the favorite
to win it all?
He's only 21 years old.
His name is Diego Higa,
and he's from Brazil.
You've got to see this kid drive.
They call him the baby-faced assassin,
he's already making quite the impression
here at Hyperdrive.
The other competitors said
they've been a little bit intimidated
by what they've seen.
[engine revs]
[in French] Diego is very fast.
He's very scary.
[engine revs]
[competitor 1] He's like The Terminator.
Diego's a machine. That man is an animal.
[engine revs]
[competitor 2]
I saw his set-up on his Mustang,
and I knew for a fact
that these guys were here.
They meant business.
Diego, to me, is the Goliath.
[engine revs]
[Diego, in Portuguese]
Many people look at me
and say this guy is just a boy.
Just some kid.
They're not able to understand,
I'm chasing my dream.
My name is Diego Higa,
I'm from Santos, Brazil,
and I drift because of my dad.
My dad was one of the original drifters,
here in Brazil.
I always used to ride next to him,
in the passenger seat.
One day he pulled the car over and said,
"It's time to focus on you
and your career.
Let's turn you into a champion."
My first time driving a real car,
it was...
a dream come to life.
That's when I decided
that's what I wanted.
I began competing when I was 14 years old.
Today I am the three-time
Super Drift Champion in Brazil.
[engines revving]
I don't leave the house for a competition,
unless its to win.
My father and I have a very strong bond.
Passion for cars, passion for drift,
It's what unites us.
It could be a go-kart race,
it could be a bike race, a game of cards.
My father taught me...
it's all about winning.
[crowd yells]
[Mike Hill] Diego Higa,
ready to make his Hyperdrive debut.
- [in Portuguese] Good luck, you hear?
- Thank you.
[MH] That's his father, Neto,
dialing him in there.
Rut, these two have spent years together
designing this car.
[Rut] That's right. Diego's driving
a supercharged 2006 Mustang V8
that's built to drift.
600 horsepower,
so it's not the fastest car here.
So he has to make sure he's on point
in the precision elements.
Let's see if he can live up to the hype.
[engine idles]
[Diego in Portuguese] This is crazy.
Prepare yourself.
- [engine revs]
- [crowd yells]
[tires squeal]
[hosts shout in excitement]
Let's go!
[Michael Bisping] Wow! Listen to that!
- [engine roars]
- [MH] Screaming off the line,
headed toward the first
of our signature Hyperdrive targets.
Now he's got to hit this
with the backside of his car.
- [thud]
- [Rut] Wow!
[cheering]
Textbook. Grabs that big handbrake
and cuts the wheel,
which sends him into that glorious drift.
[MH] Child's play for the child.
[in Portuguese] Nice!
Turn coming up on your left.
[MH] Next up is a straight shot
through the Fast Lane.
Hey, this is like the Hyperdrive
40-yard dash.
- [engine roars]
- [MH laughs in excitement]
[MH] Over 100 miles an hour!
- Wow!
- [crowd cheers]
[MH] Flexing his muscle right there.
Now he's onto a new obstacle.
[Neto, in Portuguese] Let's go!
[MH] Diego Higa makes it
to the first checkpoint
and the clock stops right here.
120.9.
- [in Portuguese] Go, Brazil!
- [cheers]
[MH] Now we're about to see something
we haven't seen yet.
Forced Perspective.
Two rows of shipping containers
that narrow to an opening
with only three inches of clearance
on either side of the driver's car.
Diego will have to squeeze through
that tiny gap
without clipping the Break Wall.
If he does, each layer he hits
is a five-second penalty.
[in Portuguese]
Accelerate where possible.
Yep.
[MH] He's got the green light. Let's go.
Go!
[announcer] 300 to Break Wall.
200.
[MH] He's rolling through
that Forced Perspective, and...
- [engine revs]
- ...got through! Wow!
[MB] Perfect!
[MH] Wow. Unscathed.
[in Portuguese] Nice!
Go to your left.
[Rut] Unbelievable.
That was fourth gear,
flawless through there.
[MB] What's going through the minds
of the other drivers,
knowing that he had the big reputation,
that he was the favorite,
and now living up to that reputation?
[Rut] That just sent such a message.
[MH] This is what they expected.
Diego Higa, now at the Leveler
[in Portuguese]
Dude, the handbrake is finished.
We'll fix it afterwards. Let's go.
Imagine if it doesn't stop.
No, it will stop. Stay calm.
[MH] Uh-oh. Diego warning his dad
his handbrake doesn't feel right, but...
clearly, Neto has faith in his car
and of course, his son.
Obviously a great relationship
these two have.
Lots of trust both ways.
[Neto in Portuguese] Let's go.
[MH] He's on!
[MB] Come on.
[Rut] Is he going to slow down?
[hosts yell in excitement]
[crowd cheers]
[MB] Just six feet from the edge. No fear.
[Rut] Guys, this is his first time
seeing the Leveler
and he just charged it
with no hesitation.
[MH] 21 years old
and brimming with confidence.
Young Diego Higa
with an incredible run so far.
[in Portuguese]
Man, there's an absurd brake smell.
Go forward a little bit.
[MH] But he's still very concerned
about that handbrake.
[engine revs]
[bump]
[engine revs]
God, you can hear him from over here.
That's insane.
[MH] Next it's Target Zone.
How's he gonna handle it, Rut?
[Rut] If his handbrake is broken,
Diego's going to have to switch up
his style to hit these targets.
He'll have to clutch-kick it.
That's throttle down,
pop the clutch
to get his car into a drift.
We'll see what type of driver
he really is right here.
[engine revs]
- [in Portuguese] Oh damn, it's here!
- [Neto] Stop!
[Mike Hill] Whoa!
Overcooking the turn to Target Zone,
his first big mistake.
And he misses the target!
- [in Portuguese] The handbrake is done.
- [MB] He's got no handbrake!
[Rut] Oh, it's toast.
It's all throttle now.
[bang]
- [MH] Diego Higa!
- [crowd cheers]
[Rut] That is an absolutely incredible
adjustment on the fly.
[MH] Now it's just a sprint
to the Finish Line.
All the other drivers said
they were intimidated.
The favorite for this competition,
and we see why!
- [cheering]
- What a run by Diego Higa.
A blistering 3:24 in his Hyperdrive debut.
An incredible run by the 21 year-old.
Oh my goodness.
[cheering]
[Neto in Portuguese] Well done.
[Michael Bisping] Wow.
He just sent a big message.
Guys, I'm not gonna lie.
I was terrified
when he came underneath here.
The sound of that, the drifting,
the movement.
I thought if he messes up in that car,
we're done for, but the guy's an artist.
[cheering]
[Lindsay Czarniak]
Diego, I see that smile.
What kind of statement
do you think that you made?
[in Portuguese]
For me, I could have done a lot better.
What did you think, Neto,
on your son's run?
[in Portuguese]
We were talking the whole time.
We had good communication.
So I feel good.
It's going to get a lot better,
and even faster.
We race 24/7. This is our life.
That is what we do.
[Neto laughs]
Congratulations.
Great run.
[announcer]
Driver two, report to the start line.
[MH] A whole lot of racing still to come,
but that run felt like it might be a lock
for the top three.
And we already know
what's on the line here tonight.
Tonight's top three finishers will be
moving on to the Knockout Rounds.
The middle six will survive
and have one last chance
in Qualifier Four,
and of course, the slowest three
will be eliminated.
[announcer] Driver two,
prepare for launch.
[MH] After Diego's brilliant debut,
the next wave of drivers featured three
of the fastest quarter-mile cars
in the competition,
all hoping they'd arrived
on the right track at the right time.
Speed specialists on a speed course
with qualifying times in their sights.
First into the blocks was Mick Wilkes
from Birmingham, England,
driving his one-of-a-kind 1978
Vauxhall Bedford van.
Everybody knows me as Wacky Mick,
because of me attitude,
I'm permanently messing around.
You'll have to cut that bit,
because somebody forgot the keys!
I don't work on cars to make a fortune.
I'm not a good businessman as such.
I do it for the love of doing cars.
[shutter rattles]
I race the van because it's different.
It's just the chance
of doing something totally stupid
or totally crazy.
The van originally had got 56 horsepower,
I think.
It's now got like,
ten times that horsepower.
[engine revs]
Out of the corners
it just accelerates like a scalded cat.
[meow]
[MH] The Englishman was eager to prove
his lightweight, 600-horsepower van
- was no joke.
- [crowd chants] Whacky!
- Remember what you've got to do.
- [laughs]
[MH] The van's a-rockin',
don't come a-knockin'.
"Mick Wilkes Wacky," they call him.
- [crowd cheers]
- [engine revs]
[engine revs]
- Let's go.
- [cheering]
Yeah, boy!
- [Rut] Did you see that?
- [MH laughs]
[MH] God bless the Queen.
[MB] God bless the Queen, indeed.
[Rut] That thing is a rocket ship.
This is the greatest thing
I've ever seen.
[MH] Got to hit this target
with the back half of his car.
- [buzzer goes]
- [MB] Oh!
Come on, Mick.
[MH] He hit it with the front,
that's a penalty.
Back, back up!
- [crash]
- [crowd cheers]
[Rut] I don't know why he'd go back
if he already got the penalty, but okay.
Just smash that to bits. Who cares?
[Rut] This guy is so rock and roll.
Smooth, don't forget.
[chuckles] Okay.
[MH] The former dragster
looked to make up time
and showcase his van's ridiculous speed
through Fast Lane.
[Rut] So much power in there.
That thing moves.
[MH] But he lost his way at the exit.
Oh, Wacky!
Where are you going, Wacky?
[Rut] Oh no, he's supposed to be
on the other side of that rail.
[Mick swears]
What you doing?
[Mick] Get me back, Deb!
[MH] Looking for that Forced Perspective.
He's already got a forced perspective.
[MH] After managing to navigate his way
through the next obstacle...
[MB] Come on, Mick. There we go.
[cheering]
[MB] ...he veered off course again.
[Rut] Hard turn left, buddy.
[MB] Where's he going?
[MH] He missed it.
[MB] He's making up his own course.
He doesn't care.
He doesn't play by the rules.
Which way?
[Deb] What you doing?
[Mick] Gone the wrong way.
You've got to pay attention to the track!
[Mick swears]
[MH] In the end it became painfully clear,
the only thing Mick Wilkes would find
was the bottom of the leader board.
[Rut] He's got a hard right turn
coming up here into the Target Zone.
- Oh my God!
- [crowd screams]
[MH] He missed it.
[Rut] He's got to go back.
[MB] Mick, go back!
- Go back! Spin a U-turn!
- Mick [bleep]
[MB] Go back!
Ah, buggered it now.
[Rut] That was awesome.
[MH] Like Mick Wilkes,
driver number three
had a machine built for speed.
Saul Valencia from California brought
his showroom-worthy 1972 Datsun,
packing a turbo-charged V8
with 600 horsepower.
[Bisi] Gear ratio looks good.
Temperature's good.
You are good to go, sir.
Go.
[MH] All about speed.
[MB] Listen to that sound.
[MH] Saul flaunted
his Datsun's elite speed
through Fast Lane...
[Bisi] Show them American power.
[MH] ...and though he showed no fear
in Forced Perspective...
Oh, is he gonna slow down? No!
[hosts yell in excitement]
[MB] Ah, he hit the first marker.
[MH] ...he missed his mark...
He was so aggressive,
but that's a penalty.
[MH] ...and ultimately,
his inability to get his car sideways
in the precision elements...
- [MB] Missed it.
- [MH] No!
Okay, try again.
[MB] Missed it.
[MH] ...left him floundering
like a fish out of water.
[MB] Come on, hit it!
[Saul] Being a drag car,
it's meant to go straight,
and when you try to get it
to kick out to the side,
it doesn't like it.
Just get out of there.
[MB] Don't give it up!
[Rut] No, he's going to take the max time.
[MH] Looking to reverse the curse
of raw horsepower on this speed track
Jordan Martin pulled to the line,
fresh off an impressive showing
in Qualifier Two,
a run that stunned the gallery
by successfully drifting
his 1,000 horsepower Lamborghini.
[tires squeal]
[crowd cheers]
[MH] Nicely done.
[Rut] Wow.
You've just seen a Lamborghini drift
and hit a target.
Doesn't that feel amazing?
[engine revs]
[spotter] Go fast, be smooth.
Call the obstacles out as I approach them.
Ten-four, copy.
[Rut] Jordan knows this speed track
is perfectly suited for his super car.
He and his spotter
are feeling the pressure.
They need to take advantage of this layout
and qualify tonight.
[spotter] I feel the courses after this
will get harder and more challenging,
and will require a lot more agility
from the car driver,
which is not our forte right now.
[MH] Here we go.
Jordan Martin, there's a lot riding
on this first target.
- [bang]
- [Rut] Oh, he got it!
- [MB] Nice, he got it.
- [Rut] Unbelievable.
[MH] With plenty of straightaways
on this speed course,
he let his Lambo fly
and made up huge time
on the rest of the field.
[MB] That's the fastest speed
we've seen so far!
[engine revs]
[MH] At Forced Perspective,
the innovator pulled out another trick,
folding his mirrors in
to give himself a few extra inches
of clearance.
Mirrors in, confirmed.
[MH] Smart move.
Alright, here he comes.
[announcer] 300 to Break Wall.
- 200.
- [MB] Come on!
[announcer] 100.
- [Rut] He got through.
- [MB] Wow!
[Rut] Nicely done.
[MH]
He blitzed the back half of the course...
- [bang]
- [MB] Whoa!
[MH] ...proving without a doubt
that he had the right car
and the right skills
to take down this Qualifier Three track.
[crowd cheers]
[MH] Jordan Martin finishing
just four seconds behind Diego Higa.
It looked like you were really showing us
how fast this thing can go.
You had so much speed.
What is the risk factor involved?
Whatever that cost, whatever I cost.
Got a bit sketchy
going down the back straight,
round the big right-hander.
A bit of a check-your-pants moment,
but we made it through, so life's good.
[MH] With four drivers down,
it's already clear
it'll take more than just
raw horsepower to qualify tonight.
Mick Wilkes and Saul Valencia
learned that the hard way.
Diego Higa and Jordan Martin
turned in fast clean laps,
and they're currently sitting
at the top of our leader board.
[announcer] Track is hot.
Driver five, report to the start line.
Driver five prepare for launch.
[MH] Second time around
for Polish drift queen, Karolina Pilarczyk
and her pink Nissan
looking good as always.
She knows how to put on a show
in more ways than one.
Yeah, she went out there,
finished in seventh place
in Qualifier Two,
but showed lots of skill
in that beautiful car
that she designed herself,
and she did it all
with a smile on her face.
[engine revs]
[Rut] Guys, this speed course
is going to work in her favor tonight.
We've already seen Diego and Jordan
show us the road map for success here
by being fast and agile.
Karolina's car is both of those things.
With 800 horsepower in this drift car,
which was purpose-built so that one day
she could compete here in the US,
she is one of my picks to qualify tonight.
[Karolina] I grew up in Poland
and being a professional driver
was my dream.
Poland is very conservative.
We still have this idea
that the man is working
and the woman is sitting at home.
There is a common opinion
that women are worse drivers than men,
so nobody helped me to drive.
People were telling me
that I should be outside the car,
posing, not driving the car.
I wanted to prove to them
that they are wrong.
It took many years,
but I created one of the strongest cars
in Europe,
one of the most recognizable teams
in Europe,
and in drifting, I won the 2016 and 2017
Queen of Europe.
So I'm the best female drifter in Europe.
[tires scream]
My goal is not the trophies.
My goal is to show other women
and other people there are no limits.
- [engine revs]
- [crowd cheers]
[MH] Here we go, Karolina Pilarczyk,
first female drifter in Poland,
Queen of Europe twice.
Her fiancé, Mariusz will be in her ear,
and looking to guide her
to success here tonight.
[in Polish] When the light turns white,
put it in second. Over.
[Karolina] Of course!
[Mariusz] Get ready.
Alright. Concentrate.
[MH] Alright, let's get it done.
Karolina Pilarczyk from Poland
is ready for launch.
- [engine roars]
- Go, baby!
[engine roars]
[MH] Listen to that car!
That's power right there, baby.
[MB] Oh, listen to that.
[Rut] There's that speed.
Now, let's see her hang it out.
- [bang]
- [hosts] Whoa!
Perfect!
Wow!
Perfectly done, well executed.
- [bang]
- Wow! Look at that.
- [in Polish] Was it good?
- Of course it was.
[MH] Beautiful to watch
those 800 horsepower under the hood
help that car slide around
the way it does.
Both Diego and Jordan got it over 100 here
and she's a right there with them.
[Mariusz in Polish] All the gas now!
[MH] Flying through that bad boy.
Nicely done.
Headed to the Forced Perspective.
[MB] What do you think? Straight through,
foot down, just goes for it,
or takes her time?
[MH] WFO, my friend. Wide freakin' open.
Running just ten seconds
behind Diego Higa to this point.
[in Polish] Second and fire!
When you move, a lot of smoke, fire!
Got it.
[engine revs]
- [MH] Here she comes
- [announcer] 300 to Break Wall.
- 200, 100.
- [Mike Hill shouts in excitement]
[hosts] Wow! Perfect!
[MH] Fast, clean, no penalties.
What a run so far!
Super! Hyper!
[Rut] Guys, Karolina's car might just be
the perfect weapon for this course.
More power than Diego's,
and this is a drift car
through and through.
So versatile and she knows how to use it.
[Karolina] Woo-hoo!
[MH] Now just six seconds behind Diego.
[Rut] Guys, I got a real good feeling,
if she can keep this lap at this pace,
she's going to move on to the next round.
[Mariusz] Go!
[MH] She's neck and neck with our leaders.
Can she keep it going?
Push it!
11 feet, a little conservative there.
[Rut] That's about twice as far
as Diego was from the edge.
This is a game of inches,
so she'll be losing time here.
Karolina's gonna have to really open it up
down the back stretch now.
[Mariusz] Okay, let's continue driving.
[MH] Green light, there she goes.
Running off the Leveler.
[Rut] She's got to keep this pace up.
[MH] A solid run so far.
Karolina Pilarczyk has put herself
in striking range of first place
here at Qualifier Three,
with one obstacle left.
I bet she's going to kill these targets.
[Rut] That's gonna be child's play to her.
- [MH] Oh, but she doesn't...
- [Rut] Whoa!
[MH] She misjudged her speed
into that turn
and almost put it into the wall.
[Rut] Lost her focus there.
Nice recovery, but those are valuable
seconds she's not getting back.
[MH] She's put a lot of pressure
on herself to ace Target Zone.
Can she deliver?
- [bang]
- [MH] One target.
[MB] Oh!
- [bang]
- [Rut] Yeah!
- [in Polish] Did I make it?
- Drive! Go!
[Rut] Just absolutely crushed that.
One continuous drift.
[MH] Now it's just a race to the finish.
Karolina Pilarczyk, the queen of Europe.
Right into three here on Hyperdrive.
- [Rut] Wow, guys.
- [crowd cheers]
[MH] 3:36. Good enough for third place
behind Diego Higa and Jordan Martin.
What a run!
[MB] Beautifully done.
But she did lose precious time out there
with that hiccup on the last turn.
Let me tell you, as a competitor,
those are the mistakes
that keep you up at night.
I was driving quite fast and then,
when I started to brake,
I had some small issues there.
It wasn't such a big mistake
that I lost a lot of time.
Of course, the differences
between the drivers are seconds, right?
So it counts.
I hope I will be in the top three.
I hope so.
[MH] So here it is.
For the moment, Karolina Pilarczyk
sitting comfortably in third place.
But with seven racers
yet to take the track,
she's going to have to wait and see
if she did enough to qualify.
[announcer]
Driver six, report to the start line.
[MH] With opportunities dwindling,
the field was focused
on doing whatever it took
to knock Karolina out of third place,
and earn a qualifying position.
But driver number six, Axel Francois,
had other ideas
as he revealed his unique strategy
for becoming Hyperdrive Champion.
[Axel in French] In this race,
I want to finish in the middle six again,
So I can drive even more.
The more I race, the better I feel,
and that's my strategy.
[MB] Let me get this straight.
Axel doesn't want to qualify tonight
so he can see more obstacles
and practice more
before the Knockout Rounds,
but that assumes he's going to make
the top three in the final qualifier.
Is he out of his mind?
[Rut] Oh, for sure.
If that car doesn't make it,
it sure wasn't a smart move, guys.
[Mike Hill] Let's go!
On his third trip
around the Hyperdrive track...
There it is.
...the French drifter
was in cruise control.
- [bang]
- [hosts shout in surprise]
[MB] He didn't even hit the brake!
[Rut] That's a five-second penalty.
Yee-ha!
[MB] It doesn't seem to be bothering him.
He's screaming, having a great time.
[MH] Until disaster struck
on the back stretch.
[in French] What's going on?
[Axel, in French] The gear shift broke!
[Rut] Oh no, the gear shifter
just broke off in his hand.
He's trying to use his fingers
to put it in gear.
[MB] Come on, Axel.
[Rut] Here we go.
[MH] After finding second gear
using only his hands,
he had to limp his way
through Target Zone.
- [bang]
- [hosts shout in excitement]
[Rut]
He's just fighting to stay alive now.
Wow!
[MH] And Axel had to scramble
to get his car across the finish line
and keep his hopes alive.
[crowd cheers]
[MB] 4:30.
Will that be enough for a finish
in the middle six tonight?
[Rut] Axel Francois playing with fire here
in Qualifier Three.
[in French] I think that's
the craziest thing I've ever done.
[MB]
Be careful what you wish for, my friend.
[MH] Like Axel, it was race number three
for Aaron Parker from California,
who was worried his problems
were all in his head.
[Aaron] First race, my fault,
second race my fault again,
but I know that if I can put down
a clean run, not make any mental mistakes,
we're probably going to be aiming
toward the top.
If not, you know,
it might be my last race.
[MB] Let's go!
[MH] And while his high-powered drift car
seemed perfectly suited
for this speed course.
Nice, perfect. Perfect job.
[MH] In the end,
Aaron was re-introduced
to his own worst enemy, himself.
[MB] Oh, where's he going?
[spotter] Hey, go back.
You've got to get those targets.
[Aaron swears]
[MB] What was he thinking?
[tires squeal]
[Rut] See that, guys.
He was going so hard, just over-cooked it.
Just got to get it back.
- [bang]
- There it is.
- [spotter] Nice.
- [Rut] Here it is. Hit it, buddy.
- [bang]
- Nice recovery there.
You're good. Get out of there.
[MB] No, what's he doing?
Hold on. Turn back around.
[hosts groan]
- [Rut] He's lost again.
- [MH] Come on back.
I've been making mistakes
in things that I usually don't.
So pretty disappointed in myself,
to tell you the truth.
[MH] Next to launch
was a pair of Hyperdrive rookies.
The eccentric Kansas City native,
Tyrei Woodbury,
and scientist Sherry Kamiya
from San Francisco.
[Tyrei] Show these people what we got,
what we stand for.
[MH] Both racers knew
they'd have to ace the precision elements,
or else their underpowered drift cars
would be outmatched on this speed course.
- Ready?
- Yes.
[Rut] Let's go!
[MH] Tyrei was locked in
as he approached the first target...
- [bang]
- Bam, there it is.
[cheering]
NIce contact made, you're good.
[MH] ...while Sherry had trouble
riding the line
between fast and out of control.
- [MB] Oh!
- [Rut] Oh!
[MH] Wow!
I'm so sorry.
Maybe got a little overexcited.
[MH] So the pressure mounted
to deliver in Target Zone,
an obstacle tailor-made
for their drift skills.
Here we go.
- [buzzer goes]
- [MB] Another penalty.
I'm sorry boys, but in a car that slow,
you can't afford to pick up the penalties
like that.
- [bang]
- [MH] There it is.
You got it. Go!
[MB] This one should be easy for her.
This is her wheelhouse.
- [MH] Oh!
- [MB] Spoke too soon.
[MH] Can she get the second one?
She missed the second one.
What on earth?
After racking up costly penalties,
Tyrei and Sherry
saw their qualifying hopes evaporate,
while Karolina Pilarczyk
still held onto third place,
but watched nervously
as her rivals from Europe,
husband and wife team,
Alex and Corinna Graff
look to steal her spot in the top three.
[engine revs]
[MH] Listen to that car.
Wow!
Just like Qualifier Two,
the Graffs were in lock-step
out of the gate.
- [bang]
- [Rut] Ooh yeah!
[MH] Nicely done.
But Forced Perspective
proved to be the fork in the road...
[Rut] Alex Graff through clean.
- [bang]
- [MH] ...as Corinna took a penalty
and dug herself an even deeper hole
at Target Zone.
[Rut] Oh, what a terrible time
for mental mistakes.
She missed both. She's got to go back.
She just drove herself
right out of the top three.
[bleep]
[in German] Both of them!
Alex kept the hammer down,
gunning to crack the top three,
and bump Karolina
from her qualifying spot.
- [bang]
- [MB] He looks like a man on a mission.
[bang]
[MH] And by the narrowest of margins...
[MB] He's got to hurry!
[MH] ...he beat Karolina at the line.
[cheering]
So both the Polish drift queen
and Corinna Graff
will have to race again to qualify
for the Knockout Rounds.
Alright, y'all, 11 drivers down
and that means
we've got some concrete results
here in Qualifier Three.
We now know
that Saul Valencia and Mick Wilkes
will be packing their bags.
They have been eliminated.
Sherry Kamiyah,
she is now on the bubble at 4:43
and at the top of the leaderboard,
as expected, Diego Higa
and Jordan Martin are guaranteed a spot
in the Knockout Rounds,
while Alex Graff will be hoping
to hold on to third place.
[announcer] Driver 12 to the start line.
Driver 12 to the start line.
[MH]
Alright, our final driver of the night
is getting ready
to make his Hyperdrive debut.
His name is Alexandre Claudin from France,
and this dude has got a car
that has to be seen to be believed,
right, Rut?
He brought the biggest car here,
the iconic 1968 Dodge Charger.
This is the car he always loved
and decided he was gonna turn this
into a pro drift car.
Under the hood, the BMW M5 V8
that everybody loves here.
This guy's gonna put on a show.
[Alexandre, in French]
The first time I felt adrenaline
was most likely when...
I first started mountain biking.
I became a big cyclist
and competed with the French team,
and made it to the World Championship
three times.
Mountain biking can be dangerous
for some people.
It was really dangerous for me.
From the age of 14 to 24,
I broke 24 bones in my body.
So that's why
I don't mountain bike anymore.
Quitting mountain biking was hard for me.
I had to do something to push my limits.
And then I discovered drift,
and I was like, wow!
I have less risk of getting injured
while having as much fun.
I wanted a car that was powerful,
and different.
My Dodge Charger is very special.
It's an American car,
and that represents my passion
for American culture.
It also represents how crazy I am.
[laughs]
- [crowd cheering]
- [engine revs]
[crowd clapping]
[MH] There he is. Alexandre Claudin
needs to beat Alex Graff's time of 3:34
to punch his ticket
to the Knockout Rounds.
Sherry Kamiya's 4:43 is the cut-off
to avoid elimination.
[crowd chanting]
[Rut] I have just one question.
Can Alexandre get this land yacht
to hit a target?
If he can,
he has what it takes to qualify.
Let's go down to Lindsay,
who's with his spotter.
Yes, it's his fiancée, Julie Fessy,
and Julie's here right now,
talking about how you're a little nervous,
correct? Why?
Because we came from France.
So it's like a big trip for us.
A lot of stress, here.
And this car
is very important to him, so...
It's like his baby.
Yeah.
[crowd clapping and cheering]
[MB]
I met my ex-girlfriend on a racetrack.
It didn't work out though.
We drifted apart.
[laughs]
This is what we've come
to expect with you, Bis. [laughs]
- That's good!
- You are amazing.
- That is a good joke!
- Great stuff, that's some of your best.
[crowd getting excited]
Woo!
[MH] Right, Alexandre Claudin.
[in French] Do I have to go?
Yes, you don't have a choice.
[engine revs]
[tires squeal]
[MH] And he's off. Let's go!
[engine roars]
[Alexandre, in French] Fast!
[MH] You hear that big engine,
screaming through that turn.
One question though.
Can Alexandre hit his first target
in this behemoth of a Dodge Charger?
[tires squeal]
- [bang]
- [MH] Oh!
[MB] He's out of control.
[everyone] Whoa!
[MH] He got it to drift,
but not exactly how he planned it.
[Rut] Came in with too much speed,
hit the target with the front of his car,
and the momentum carried him
into the course marker.
Not a great start.
[in French] Just breathe.
Everything is perfect.
[MH] Now it's a straight shot
through fast lane.
[engine revs]
[Rut] He needs to open it up,
hammer down
and show off that muscle here.
[engine roars]
[MB] Look at that, beautiful.
Perfectly done.
[MH] He is handling this big boy.
[in French] Clean and very fast.
[Rut] Now he's on his way
to Forced Perspective.
Again, the widest car here.
It's going to mess
with his head a little bit
[MH] Alexandre Claudin
pulling into the first checkpoint,
and with that penalty,
he's running well behind Alex Graff,
whose time he needs to beat
to qualify for the Knockout Rounds.
[in French] You're doing well so far.
That's good, darling.
[tires squeal]
[Julie, in French] Go!
[MH] Here he goes. He's going for it.
- [MB] Oh, yeah.
- [MH] Through the Forced Perspective.
Can he make it through?
[crowd groan]
[MB] Come on.
[MH] He clipped the Break Wall
[MB] Oh, look at that,
just the tiniest nick,
but that's still a five second penalty,
fellas.
[Rut] Forget qualifying.
Alexandre needs to go
into survival mode right now.
[engine revs]
He's approaching the Leveler
and this will be
Alexandre's first trip up the monster.
Look at this.
He's now running neck-and-neck
with Sherry Kamiya,
whose time he needs to beat
to remain in this competition, so...
he's in the danger zone, fellas.
We know the weight of that big car
is definitely going to help
speed that Leveler up on its way down.
- [MH] There it is.
- [MB] Floor it.
[MH] He's got to push it as far as he can.
He can't afford to lose any more time.
Oh!
[MB] No!
[Rut] Oh!
He pulls up 16 feet from the edge.
[MH] That'll hurt him, right?
[Rut] That defeats the purpose
of that 2,500 pound advantage he had
with this huge car.
[Alexandre swears]
[MH] He is losing precious seconds
to Sherry Kamiya here,
and has put a ton of pressure on himself
in this final stretch
to avoid elimination.
[rattling]
[splashing]
[MB] Come on.
[MH] There it is. Let's go.
[in French] Alright, my love. Go for it!
[Rut] Alexandre's fate
is going to come down to
whether or not this boat of a car
can drift into these final two targets.
[tires squeal]
[MB] Alright, come on. Let's go.
[in French] You're the best! Keep going!
[MH] And now it's all about speed.
Remember, he took the penalty
at the first target,
so he's gotta keep this clean
- to avoid elimination.
- [MB] Come on, hit those targets, buddy.
[tires squeal]
- [bang]
- [MH] There he is, there's one.
[engine revving]
[tires squealing]
- [bang]
- [crowd screams excitedly]
[in French] Great! Clean!
[MB] There we go. So good.
[MH] And now it's all about speed.
It's gonna be close to the line.
Will it be enough to keep him alive
at Hyperdrive?
[Julie, in French] Go!
[MH] Oui, baby.
- Woo!
- [clapping]
Crossing the line at 4:38,
knocking Sherry Kamiya off the board
and out of the competition,
so Alexandre Claudin
will live to race another day.
[crowd cheering]
[MB] Not what he was looking for
in his Hyperdrive debut
but he ain't feeling anything
but relief right now,
believe you me.
[Rut] I'm just glad we get to see this guy
get another crack at it.
To be able to get a car
this big to drift around a track,
this guy has chops.
Do not sleep on Alexandre.
- American power.
- Hai. Sure is.
[laughter]
[MH] Well that completes the night
on this speed course.
What another fun, fast,
exciting qualifier.
Let's take a look
at our final results right now.
We must say goodbye
to Sherry Kamiya, Saul Valencia,
and England's own Mick Wilkes.
But at the top of the leaderboard,
Diego Higa from Brazil,
USA's Jordan Martin,
and Alex Graff from Germany
will be heading directly
to the Knockout Rounds,
where you can see
that 9 of those 12 spots
have already been filled,
setting up a do-or-die scenario
where tonight's middle six
will move on
to meet the last batch of newcomers
on a brand new course
in the fourth
and final qualifying race.
And guess what?
Only the top three will be moving on.
You feel that pressure?
- Oh!
- Oh!
That's coming up next on Hyperdrive,
starting right now.
Down to Walk on Water, be careful.
Keep it tidy.
[Rutledge Wood] Alright, here we go.
It's all on the line here.
[Mike Hill]
Fielding Shredder headed to Walk on Water.
Now here's something for you.
He's covered his intake with a trash can
to waterproof his engine.
[Rut] No guarantee this works.
He's still got to be smart
about the way he approaches this.
[MH] Oh!
[Rut] He brought way too much speed
into that turn.
[Michael Bisping] Oh, he spun.
Oh, man.
[Rut] We'll see if that trash can works.
[MH] Remember, this obstacle
almost ended his competition last race.
[Rut]
Wipers on. Oh, she's cooking now, baby.
[MH] So far so good.
[Rutledge] He is attacking this,
putting a ton of faith
in a two dollar piece of plastic.
[splash]
[MH] And he's through the water.
Careful on the target, careful.
- Here he goes.
- [bang]
[yells, cheers]
Ain't worried about that.
[MH] And he passes.
Very good job.
[MH]
He's done it! No water damage.
That engine purring like a kitten.
Fielding Shredder
with a simple but ingenious fix
to slay his nemesis from Qualifier One.
[MB] Nice adjustment.
[tires squeal]
[MH] Sliding into the checkpoint.
He's right on Axel Francois' heels.
He's got to beat his time
to advance to the Knockout Rounds.
Did I flat spot them?
Maybe a little bit. You're good.
[Rut] This guy is so much fun to watch,
such a wild man,
but can he rein it in
and deliver a clean run
on the back half of the course?
[engine idles]
[engine revs]
I stalled it!
- [boom]
- [hosts yell]
[MH] Stalled his car, the cannon fires,
he's going to lose some time here.
[Rut] He'll avoid the impact,
but he's still gotta drive
through a flood here.
[splashing]
[hosts] Whoa!
[spotter] Watch it right there.
- [MB] Oh!
- [Rut] It is slick.
[Mike Hill] My man,
Fielding Shredder.
- Nice job.
- [MB] There you go, nice.
[Rut] Beautifully done.
[spotter]
Into the Leveler, stop at the light.
[tires squeal]
Okay.
Woo! A little foggy.
Alright, wait for the light.
[MH] Stalling at the Water Cannon
has put him eight seconds
behind a qualifying pace.
[Rut]
His back is up against the wall here.
He's got to push it farther
than Axel's nine feet to the edge
if he wants any chance
of cracking the top three.
[MB] This has to be perfect.
[spotter] Go!
Stop at the first light.
[ramp rattles]
- [Rut] Oh!
- [MB] Too much!
[hosts yell in excitement]
[Rut] Oh my God!
Six feet!
He almost missed the end of the ramp,
he was going so hard up there.
I kind of want to see a car
go off the end of the Leveler.
You don't wanna see a car
go off the end of the Leveler.
Not with him in it.
[splashing]
[MH] Here we go.
[Rut] He definitely brought down
the Leveler faster than Axel,
but was it enough to make up
the eight seconds he needs
to crack the top three?
Oh! Whoa.
[MH] Fielding Shredder with a chance
to get into the top three.
[MB] Come on!
[engine revs]
[Rut] He's flying.
[spotter] Fast right to finish.
- [tires squeal]
- [MH] One last turn. Can he do it?
[Rut] Look at that drift.
[MB] That is beautiful.
[engine revs]
Whoa!
[MH] Here he comes!
[Fielding laughs]
- [Rut] Wow!
- [MH] He did it.
[MH] Second place.
[MB] Second place.
Woo-hoo!
Nice job.
[Rutledge] 509.8 for Fielding Shredder.
- Unreal.
- Wow!
[Fielding] Do I still have a bumper?
You still have bumpers. You're good.
[Fielding] Alright.
That's a win. That's a win for me.
[Rut] Who knew a trip to the grocery store
to buy floor mats, a trash can,
and a water bottle
could mean so much
that he could put down that kind of a lap?
- That's the best $20 he ever spent.
- Amen.
[Michael Bisping] Let's remember,
second place with a few mistakes,
you know, he overshot a few corners,
he spun round a few times,
he had to go back and correct himself
and still got second place.
That was nuts.
[MH] Alright, our final results are in
and unfortunately
we have to say goodbye to Mike Martin,
Brent Pursifull and Mark Rios.
But for Japan's Atsushi Taniguchi,
as well as Fielding Shredder,
and Sara Haro from the USA,
They'll be moving directly
to the Knockout Rounds,
where half of the field
has now been locked in,
in the quest
for the Hyperdrive Championship.
Tonight's middle six finishers
will need to get their cars fueled up
and ready to go,
as they're about to meet six new drivers.
Qualifier race number three
begins right now.
[Mike Hill]
Alright, time to strap back in,
because twelve hungry drivers
are about to fire up their engines.
But everything's about to change,
because as always,
there's a brand new course
for the drivers to contend with.
That's right
and this track is all about speed,
pure, unadulterated speed.
And while precision challenges remain,
if your car is designed to go
hammer-down, straight-line fast,
this may be your best chance to qualify.
The track is stacked
with blistering straightaways,
and at our newest marquis obstacle,
Forced Perspective,
racers must roar down a 1,000 foot stretch
that shrinks to a claustrophobic gap
only six inches wider than each car.
Who'll have the guts to keep their foot
on the gas with the walls closing in?
The clock is ticking,
and the way this course keeps evolving,
the time to qualify
for the Knockout Rounds is right now.
[female announcer] Track is hot.
Driver one, prepare for launch.
[Mike Hill] Alright, here we go.
First up, we have the youngest driver
in the competition.
But would you believe me If I told you
he might just be the favorite
to win it all?
He's only 21 years old.
His name is Diego Higa,
and he's from Brazil.
You've got to see this kid drive.
They call him the baby-faced assassin,
he's already making quite the impression
here at Hyperdrive.
The other competitors said
they've been a little bit intimidated
by what they've seen.
[engine revs]
[in French] Diego is very fast.
He's very scary.
[engine revs]
[competitor 1] He's like The Terminator.
Diego's a machine. That man is an animal.
[engine revs]
[competitor 2]
I saw his set-up on his Mustang,
and I knew for a fact
that these guys were here.
They meant business.
Diego, to me, is the Goliath.
[engine revs]
[Diego, in Portuguese]
Many people look at me
and say this guy is just a boy.
Just some kid.
They're not able to understand,
I'm chasing my dream.
My name is Diego Higa,
I'm from Santos, Brazil,
and I drift because of my dad.
My dad was one of the original drifters,
here in Brazil.
I always used to ride next to him,
in the passenger seat.
One day he pulled the car over and said,
"It's time to focus on you
and your career.
Let's turn you into a champion."
My first time driving a real car,
it was...
a dream come to life.
That's when I decided
that's what I wanted.
I began competing when I was 14 years old.
Today I am the three-time
Super Drift Champion in Brazil.
[engines revving]
I don't leave the house for a competition,
unless its to win.
My father and I have a very strong bond.
Passion for cars, passion for drift,
It's what unites us.
It could be a go-kart race,
it could be a bike race, a game of cards.
My father taught me...
it's all about winning.
[crowd yells]
[Mike Hill] Diego Higa,
ready to make his Hyperdrive debut.
- [in Portuguese] Good luck, you hear?
- Thank you.
[MH] That's his father, Neto,
dialing him in there.
Rut, these two have spent years together
designing this car.
[Rut] That's right. Diego's driving
a supercharged 2006 Mustang V8
that's built to drift.
600 horsepower,
so it's not the fastest car here.
So he has to make sure he's on point
in the precision elements.
Let's see if he can live up to the hype.
[engine idles]
[Diego in Portuguese] This is crazy.
Prepare yourself.
- [engine revs]
- [crowd yells]
[tires squeal]
[hosts shout in excitement]
Let's go!
[Michael Bisping] Wow! Listen to that!
- [engine roars]
- [MH] Screaming off the line,
headed toward the first
of our signature Hyperdrive targets.
Now he's got to hit this
with the backside of his car.
- [thud]
- [Rut] Wow!
[cheering]
Textbook. Grabs that big handbrake
and cuts the wheel,
which sends him into that glorious drift.
[MH] Child's play for the child.
[in Portuguese] Nice!
Turn coming up on your left.
[MH] Next up is a straight shot
through the Fast Lane.
Hey, this is like the Hyperdrive
40-yard dash.
- [engine roars]
- [MH laughs in excitement]
[MH] Over 100 miles an hour!
- Wow!
- [crowd cheers]
[MH] Flexing his muscle right there.
Now he's onto a new obstacle.
[Neto, in Portuguese] Let's go!
[MH] Diego Higa makes it
to the first checkpoint
and the clock stops right here.
120.9.
- [in Portuguese] Go, Brazil!
- [cheers]
[MH] Now we're about to see something
we haven't seen yet.
Forced Perspective.
Two rows of shipping containers
that narrow to an opening
with only three inches of clearance
on either side of the driver's car.
Diego will have to squeeze through
that tiny gap
without clipping the Break Wall.
If he does, each layer he hits
is a five-second penalty.
[in Portuguese]
Accelerate where possible.
Yep.
[MH] He's got the green light. Let's go.
Go!
[announcer] 300 to Break Wall.
200.
[MH] He's rolling through
that Forced Perspective, and...
- [engine revs]
- ...got through! Wow!
[MB] Perfect!
[MH] Wow. Unscathed.
[in Portuguese] Nice!
Go to your left.
[Rut] Unbelievable.
That was fourth gear,
flawless through there.
[MB] What's going through the minds
of the other drivers,
knowing that he had the big reputation,
that he was the favorite,
and now living up to that reputation?
[Rut] That just sent such a message.
[MH] This is what they expected.
Diego Higa, now at the Leveler
[in Portuguese]
Dude, the handbrake is finished.
We'll fix it afterwards. Let's go.
Imagine if it doesn't stop.
No, it will stop. Stay calm.
[MH] Uh-oh. Diego warning his dad
his handbrake doesn't feel right, but...
clearly, Neto has faith in his car
and of course, his son.
Obviously a great relationship
these two have.
Lots of trust both ways.
[Neto in Portuguese] Let's go.
[MH] He's on!
[MB] Come on.
[Rut] Is he going to slow down?
[hosts yell in excitement]
[crowd cheers]
[MB] Just six feet from the edge. No fear.
[Rut] Guys, this is his first time
seeing the Leveler
and he just charged it
with no hesitation.
[MH] 21 years old
and brimming with confidence.
Young Diego Higa
with an incredible run so far.
[in Portuguese]
Man, there's an absurd brake smell.
Go forward a little bit.
[MH] But he's still very concerned
about that handbrake.
[engine revs]
[bump]
[engine revs]
God, you can hear him from over here.
That's insane.
[MH] Next it's Target Zone.
How's he gonna handle it, Rut?
[Rut] If his handbrake is broken,
Diego's going to have to switch up
his style to hit these targets.
He'll have to clutch-kick it.
That's throttle down,
pop the clutch
to get his car into a drift.
We'll see what type of driver
he really is right here.
[engine revs]
- [in Portuguese] Oh damn, it's here!
- [Neto] Stop!
[Mike Hill] Whoa!
Overcooking the turn to Target Zone,
his first big mistake.
And he misses the target!
- [in Portuguese] The handbrake is done.
- [MB] He's got no handbrake!
[Rut] Oh, it's toast.
It's all throttle now.
[bang]
- [MH] Diego Higa!
- [crowd cheers]
[Rut] That is an absolutely incredible
adjustment on the fly.
[MH] Now it's just a sprint
to the Finish Line.
All the other drivers said
they were intimidated.
The favorite for this competition,
and we see why!
- [cheering]
- What a run by Diego Higa.
A blistering 3:24 in his Hyperdrive debut.
An incredible run by the 21 year-old.
Oh my goodness.
[cheering]
[Neto in Portuguese] Well done.
[Michael Bisping] Wow.
He just sent a big message.
Guys, I'm not gonna lie.
I was terrified
when he came underneath here.
The sound of that, the drifting,
the movement.
I thought if he messes up in that car,
we're done for, but the guy's an artist.
[cheering]
[Lindsay Czarniak]
Diego, I see that smile.
What kind of statement
do you think that you made?
[in Portuguese]
For me, I could have done a lot better.
What did you think, Neto,
on your son's run?
[in Portuguese]
We were talking the whole time.
We had good communication.
So I feel good.
It's going to get a lot better,
and even faster.
We race 24/7. This is our life.
That is what we do.
[Neto laughs]
Congratulations.
Great run.
[announcer]
Driver two, report to the start line.
[MH] A whole lot of racing still to come,
but that run felt like it might be a lock
for the top three.
And we already know
what's on the line here tonight.
Tonight's top three finishers will be
moving on to the Knockout Rounds.
The middle six will survive
and have one last chance
in Qualifier Four,
and of course, the slowest three
will be eliminated.
[announcer] Driver two,
prepare for launch.
[MH] After Diego's brilliant debut,
the next wave of drivers featured three
of the fastest quarter-mile cars
in the competition,
all hoping they'd arrived
on the right track at the right time.
Speed specialists on a speed course
with qualifying times in their sights.
First into the blocks was Mick Wilkes
from Birmingham, England,
driving his one-of-a-kind 1978
Vauxhall Bedford van.
Everybody knows me as Wacky Mick,
because of me attitude,
I'm permanently messing around.
You'll have to cut that bit,
because somebody forgot the keys!
I don't work on cars to make a fortune.
I'm not a good businessman as such.
I do it for the love of doing cars.
[shutter rattles]
I race the van because it's different.
It's just the chance
of doing something totally stupid
or totally crazy.
The van originally had got 56 horsepower,
I think.
It's now got like,
ten times that horsepower.
[engine revs]
Out of the corners
it just accelerates like a scalded cat.
[meow]
[MH] The Englishman was eager to prove
his lightweight, 600-horsepower van
- was no joke.
- [crowd chants] Whacky!
- Remember what you've got to do.
- [laughs]
[MH] The van's a-rockin',
don't come a-knockin'.
"Mick Wilkes Wacky," they call him.
- [crowd cheers]
- [engine revs]
[engine revs]
- Let's go.
- [cheering]
Yeah, boy!
- [Rut] Did you see that?
- [MH laughs]
[MH] God bless the Queen.
[MB] God bless the Queen, indeed.
[Rut] That thing is a rocket ship.
This is the greatest thing
I've ever seen.
[MH] Got to hit this target
with the back half of his car.
- [buzzer goes]
- [MB] Oh!
Come on, Mick.
[MH] He hit it with the front,
that's a penalty.
Back, back up!
- [crash]
- [crowd cheers]
[Rut] I don't know why he'd go back
if he already got the penalty, but okay.
Just smash that to bits. Who cares?
[Rut] This guy is so rock and roll.
Smooth, don't forget.
[chuckles] Okay.
[MH] The former dragster
looked to make up time
and showcase his van's ridiculous speed
through Fast Lane.
[Rut] So much power in there.
That thing moves.
[MH] But he lost his way at the exit.
Oh, Wacky!
Where are you going, Wacky?
[Rut] Oh no, he's supposed to be
on the other side of that rail.
[Mick swears]
What you doing?
[Mick] Get me back, Deb!
[MH] Looking for that Forced Perspective.
He's already got a forced perspective.
[MH] After managing to navigate his way
through the next obstacle...
[MB] Come on, Mick. There we go.
[cheering]
[MB] ...he veered off course again.
[Rut] Hard turn left, buddy.
[MB] Where's he going?
[MH] He missed it.
[MB] He's making up his own course.
He doesn't care.
He doesn't play by the rules.
Which way?
[Deb] What you doing?
[Mick] Gone the wrong way.
You've got to pay attention to the track!
[Mick swears]
[MH] In the end it became painfully clear,
the only thing Mick Wilkes would find
was the bottom of the leader board.
[Rut] He's got a hard right turn
coming up here into the Target Zone.
- Oh my God!
- [crowd screams]
[MH] He missed it.
[Rut] He's got to go back.
[MB] Mick, go back!
- Go back! Spin a U-turn!
- Mick [bleep]
[MB] Go back!
Ah, buggered it now.
[Rut] That was awesome.
[MH] Like Mick Wilkes,
driver number three
had a machine built for speed.
Saul Valencia from California brought
his showroom-worthy 1972 Datsun,
packing a turbo-charged V8
with 600 horsepower.
[Bisi] Gear ratio looks good.
Temperature's good.
You are good to go, sir.
Go.
[MH] All about speed.
[MB] Listen to that sound.
[MH] Saul flaunted
his Datsun's elite speed
through Fast Lane...
[Bisi] Show them American power.
[MH] ...and though he showed no fear
in Forced Perspective...
Oh, is he gonna slow down? No!
[hosts yell in excitement]
[MB] Ah, he hit the first marker.
[MH] ...he missed his mark...
He was so aggressive,
but that's a penalty.
[MH] ...and ultimately,
his inability to get his car sideways
in the precision elements...
- [MB] Missed it.
- [MH] No!
Okay, try again.
[MB] Missed it.
[MH] ...left him floundering
like a fish out of water.
[MB] Come on, hit it!
[Saul] Being a drag car,
it's meant to go straight,
and when you try to get it
to kick out to the side,
it doesn't like it.
Just get out of there.
[MB] Don't give it up!
[Rut] No, he's going to take the max time.
[MH] Looking to reverse the curse
of raw horsepower on this speed track
Jordan Martin pulled to the line,
fresh off an impressive showing
in Qualifier Two,
a run that stunned the gallery
by successfully drifting
his 1,000 horsepower Lamborghini.
[tires squeal]
[crowd cheers]
[MH] Nicely done.
[Rut] Wow.
You've just seen a Lamborghini drift
and hit a target.
Doesn't that feel amazing?
[engine revs]
[spotter] Go fast, be smooth.
Call the obstacles out as I approach them.
Ten-four, copy.
[Rut] Jordan knows this speed track
is perfectly suited for his super car.
He and his spotter
are feeling the pressure.
They need to take advantage of this layout
and qualify tonight.
[spotter] I feel the courses after this
will get harder and more challenging,
and will require a lot more agility
from the car driver,
which is not our forte right now.
[MH] Here we go.
Jordan Martin, there's a lot riding
on this first target.
- [bang]
- [Rut] Oh, he got it!
- [MB] Nice, he got it.
- [Rut] Unbelievable.
[MH] With plenty of straightaways
on this speed course,
he let his Lambo fly
and made up huge time
on the rest of the field.
[MB] That's the fastest speed
we've seen so far!
[engine revs]
[MH] At Forced Perspective,
the innovator pulled out another trick,
folding his mirrors in
to give himself a few extra inches
of clearance.
Mirrors in, confirmed.
[MH] Smart move.
Alright, here he comes.
[announcer] 300 to Break Wall.
- 200.
- [MB] Come on!
[announcer] 100.
- [Rut] He got through.
- [MB] Wow!
[Rut] Nicely done.
[MH]
He blitzed the back half of the course...
- [bang]
- [MB] Whoa!
[MH] ...proving without a doubt
that he had the right car
and the right skills
to take down this Qualifier Three track.
[crowd cheers]
[MH] Jordan Martin finishing
just four seconds behind Diego Higa.
It looked like you were really showing us
how fast this thing can go.
You had so much speed.
What is the risk factor involved?
Whatever that cost, whatever I cost.
Got a bit sketchy
going down the back straight,
round the big right-hander.
A bit of a check-your-pants moment,
but we made it through, so life's good.
[MH] With four drivers down,
it's already clear
it'll take more than just
raw horsepower to qualify tonight.
Mick Wilkes and Saul Valencia
learned that the hard way.
Diego Higa and Jordan Martin
turned in fast clean laps,
and they're currently sitting
at the top of our leader board.
[announcer] Track is hot.
Driver five, report to the start line.
Driver five prepare for launch.
[MH] Second time around
for Polish drift queen, Karolina Pilarczyk
and her pink Nissan
looking good as always.
She knows how to put on a show
in more ways than one.
Yeah, she went out there,
finished in seventh place
in Qualifier Two,
but showed lots of skill
in that beautiful car
that she designed herself,
and she did it all
with a smile on her face.
[engine revs]
[Rut] Guys, this speed course
is going to work in her favor tonight.
We've already seen Diego and Jordan
show us the road map for success here
by being fast and agile.
Karolina's car is both of those things.
With 800 horsepower in this drift car,
which was purpose-built so that one day
she could compete here in the US,
she is one of my picks to qualify tonight.
[Karolina] I grew up in Poland
and being a professional driver
was my dream.
Poland is very conservative.
We still have this idea
that the man is working
and the woman is sitting at home.
There is a common opinion
that women are worse drivers than men,
so nobody helped me to drive.
People were telling me
that I should be outside the car,
posing, not driving the car.
I wanted to prove to them
that they are wrong.
It took many years,
but I created one of the strongest cars
in Europe,
one of the most recognizable teams
in Europe,
and in drifting, I won the 2016 and 2017
Queen of Europe.
So I'm the best female drifter in Europe.
[tires scream]
My goal is not the trophies.
My goal is to show other women
and other people there are no limits.
- [engine revs]
- [crowd cheers]
[MH] Here we go, Karolina Pilarczyk,
first female drifter in Poland,
Queen of Europe twice.
Her fiancé, Mariusz will be in her ear,
and looking to guide her
to success here tonight.
[in Polish] When the light turns white,
put it in second. Over.
[Karolina] Of course!
[Mariusz] Get ready.
Alright. Concentrate.
[MH] Alright, let's get it done.
Karolina Pilarczyk from Poland
is ready for launch.
- [engine roars]
- Go, baby!
[engine roars]
[MH] Listen to that car!
That's power right there, baby.
[MB] Oh, listen to that.
[Rut] There's that speed.
Now, let's see her hang it out.
- [bang]
- [hosts] Whoa!
Perfect!
Wow!
Perfectly done, well executed.
- [bang]
- Wow! Look at that.
- [in Polish] Was it good?
- Of course it was.
[MH] Beautiful to watch
those 800 horsepower under the hood
help that car slide around
the way it does.
Both Diego and Jordan got it over 100 here
and she's a right there with them.
[Mariusz in Polish] All the gas now!
[MH] Flying through that bad boy.
Nicely done.
Headed to the Forced Perspective.
[MB] What do you think? Straight through,
foot down, just goes for it,
or takes her time?
[MH] WFO, my friend. Wide freakin' open.
Running just ten seconds
behind Diego Higa to this point.
[in Polish] Second and fire!
When you move, a lot of smoke, fire!
Got it.
[engine revs]
- [MH] Here she comes
- [announcer] 300 to Break Wall.
- 200, 100.
- [Mike Hill shouts in excitement]
[hosts] Wow! Perfect!
[MH] Fast, clean, no penalties.
What a run so far!
Super! Hyper!
[Rut] Guys, Karolina's car might just be
the perfect weapon for this course.
More power than Diego's,
and this is a drift car
through and through.
So versatile and she knows how to use it.
[Karolina] Woo-hoo!
[MH] Now just six seconds behind Diego.
[Rut] Guys, I got a real good feeling,
if she can keep this lap at this pace,
she's going to move on to the next round.
[Mariusz] Go!
[MH] She's neck and neck with our leaders.
Can she keep it going?
Push it!
11 feet, a little conservative there.
[Rut] That's about twice as far
as Diego was from the edge.
This is a game of inches,
so she'll be losing time here.
Karolina's gonna have to really open it up
down the back stretch now.
[Mariusz] Okay, let's continue driving.
[MH] Green light, there she goes.
Running off the Leveler.
[Rut] She's got to keep this pace up.
[MH] A solid run so far.
Karolina Pilarczyk has put herself
in striking range of first place
here at Qualifier Three,
with one obstacle left.
I bet she's going to kill these targets.
[Rut] That's gonna be child's play to her.
- [MH] Oh, but she doesn't...
- [Rut] Whoa!
[MH] She misjudged her speed
into that turn
and almost put it into the wall.
[Rut] Lost her focus there.
Nice recovery, but those are valuable
seconds she's not getting back.
[MH] She's put a lot of pressure
on herself to ace Target Zone.
Can she deliver?
- [bang]
- [MH] One target.
[MB] Oh!
- [bang]
- [Rut] Yeah!
- [in Polish] Did I make it?
- Drive! Go!
[Rut] Just absolutely crushed that.
One continuous drift.
[MH] Now it's just a race to the finish.
Karolina Pilarczyk, the queen of Europe.
Right into three here on Hyperdrive.
- [Rut] Wow, guys.
- [crowd cheers]
[MH] 3:36. Good enough for third place
behind Diego Higa and Jordan Martin.
What a run!
[MB] Beautifully done.
But she did lose precious time out there
with that hiccup on the last turn.
Let me tell you, as a competitor,
those are the mistakes
that keep you up at night.
I was driving quite fast and then,
when I started to brake,
I had some small issues there.
It wasn't such a big mistake
that I lost a lot of time.
Of course, the differences
between the drivers are seconds, right?
So it counts.
I hope I will be in the top three.
I hope so.
[MH] So here it is.
For the moment, Karolina Pilarczyk
sitting comfortably in third place.
But with seven racers
yet to take the track,
she's going to have to wait and see
if she did enough to qualify.
[announcer]
Driver six, report to the start line.
[MH] With opportunities dwindling,
the field was focused
on doing whatever it took
to knock Karolina out of third place,
and earn a qualifying position.
But driver number six, Axel Francois,
had other ideas
as he revealed his unique strategy
for becoming Hyperdrive Champion.
[Axel in French] In this race,
I want to finish in the middle six again,
So I can drive even more.
The more I race, the better I feel,
and that's my strategy.
[MB] Let me get this straight.
Axel doesn't want to qualify tonight
so he can see more obstacles
and practice more
before the Knockout Rounds,
but that assumes he's going to make
the top three in the final qualifier.
Is he out of his mind?
[Rut] Oh, for sure.
If that car doesn't make it,
it sure wasn't a smart move, guys.
[Mike Hill] Let's go!
On his third trip
around the Hyperdrive track...
There it is.
...the French drifter
was in cruise control.
- [bang]
- [hosts shout in surprise]
[MB] He didn't even hit the brake!
[Rut] That's a five-second penalty.
Yee-ha!
[MB] It doesn't seem to be bothering him.
He's screaming, having a great time.
[MH] Until disaster struck
on the back stretch.
[in French] What's going on?
[Axel, in French] The gear shift broke!
[Rut] Oh no, the gear shifter
just broke off in his hand.
He's trying to use his fingers
to put it in gear.
[MB] Come on, Axel.
[Rut] Here we go.
[MH] After finding second gear
using only his hands,
he had to limp his way
through Target Zone.
- [bang]
- [hosts shout in excitement]
[Rut]
He's just fighting to stay alive now.
Wow!
[MH] And Axel had to scramble
to get his car across the finish line
and keep his hopes alive.
[crowd cheers]
[MB] 4:30.
Will that be enough for a finish
in the middle six tonight?
[Rut] Axel Francois playing with fire here
in Qualifier Three.
[in French] I think that's
the craziest thing I've ever done.
[MB]
Be careful what you wish for, my friend.
[MH] Like Axel, it was race number three
for Aaron Parker from California,
who was worried his problems
were all in his head.
[Aaron] First race, my fault,
second race my fault again,
but I know that if I can put down
a clean run, not make any mental mistakes,
we're probably going to be aiming
toward the top.
If not, you know,
it might be my last race.
[MB] Let's go!
[MH] And while his high-powered drift car
seemed perfectly suited
for this speed course.
Nice, perfect. Perfect job.
[MH] In the end,
Aaron was re-introduced
to his own worst enemy, himself.
[MB] Oh, where's he going?
[spotter] Hey, go back.
You've got to get those targets.
[Aaron swears]
[MB] What was he thinking?
[tires squeal]
[Rut] See that, guys.
He was going so hard, just over-cooked it.
Just got to get it back.
- [bang]
- There it is.
- [spotter] Nice.
- [Rut] Here it is. Hit it, buddy.
- [bang]
- Nice recovery there.
You're good. Get out of there.
[MB] No, what's he doing?
Hold on. Turn back around.
[hosts groan]
- [Rut] He's lost again.
- [MH] Come on back.
I've been making mistakes
in things that I usually don't.
So pretty disappointed in myself,
to tell you the truth.
[MH] Next to launch
was a pair of Hyperdrive rookies.
The eccentric Kansas City native,
Tyrei Woodbury,
and scientist Sherry Kamiya
from San Francisco.
[Tyrei] Show these people what we got,
what we stand for.
[MH] Both racers knew
they'd have to ace the precision elements,
or else their underpowered drift cars
would be outmatched on this speed course.
- Ready?
- Yes.
[Rut] Let's go!
[MH] Tyrei was locked in
as he approached the first target...
- [bang]
- Bam, there it is.
[cheering]
NIce contact made, you're good.
[MH] ...while Sherry had trouble
riding the line
between fast and out of control.
- [MB] Oh!
- [Rut] Oh!
[MH] Wow!
I'm so sorry.
Maybe got a little overexcited.
[MH] So the pressure mounted
to deliver in Target Zone,
an obstacle tailor-made
for their drift skills.
Here we go.
- [buzzer goes]
- [MB] Another penalty.
I'm sorry boys, but in a car that slow,
you can't afford to pick up the penalties
like that.
- [bang]
- [MH] There it is.
You got it. Go!
[MB] This one should be easy for her.
This is her wheelhouse.
- [MH] Oh!
- [MB] Spoke too soon.
[MH] Can she get the second one?
She missed the second one.
What on earth?
After racking up costly penalties,
Tyrei and Sherry
saw their qualifying hopes evaporate,
while Karolina Pilarczyk
still held onto third place,
but watched nervously
as her rivals from Europe,
husband and wife team,
Alex and Corinna Graff
look to steal her spot in the top three.
[engine revs]
[MH] Listen to that car.
Wow!
Just like Qualifier Two,
the Graffs were in lock-step
out of the gate.
- [bang]
- [Rut] Ooh yeah!
[MH] Nicely done.
But Forced Perspective
proved to be the fork in the road...
[Rut] Alex Graff through clean.
- [bang]
- [MH] ...as Corinna took a penalty
and dug herself an even deeper hole
at Target Zone.
[Rut] Oh, what a terrible time
for mental mistakes.
She missed both. She's got to go back.
She just drove herself
right out of the top three.
[bleep]
[in German] Both of them!
Alex kept the hammer down,
gunning to crack the top three,
and bump Karolina
from her qualifying spot.
- [bang]
- [MB] He looks like a man on a mission.
[bang]
[MH] And by the narrowest of margins...
[MB] He's got to hurry!
[MH] ...he beat Karolina at the line.
[cheering]
So both the Polish drift queen
and Corinna Graff
will have to race again to qualify
for the Knockout Rounds.
Alright, y'all, 11 drivers down
and that means
we've got some concrete results
here in Qualifier Three.
We now know
that Saul Valencia and Mick Wilkes
will be packing their bags.
They have been eliminated.
Sherry Kamiyah,
she is now on the bubble at 4:43
and at the top of the leaderboard,
as expected, Diego Higa
and Jordan Martin are guaranteed a spot
in the Knockout Rounds,
while Alex Graff will be hoping
to hold on to third place.
[announcer] Driver 12 to the start line.
Driver 12 to the start line.
[MH]
Alright, our final driver of the night
is getting ready
to make his Hyperdrive debut.
His name is Alexandre Claudin from France,
and this dude has got a car
that has to be seen to be believed,
right, Rut?
He brought the biggest car here,
the iconic 1968 Dodge Charger.
This is the car he always loved
and decided he was gonna turn this
into a pro drift car.
Under the hood, the BMW M5 V8
that everybody loves here.
This guy's gonna put on a show.
[Alexandre, in French]
The first time I felt adrenaline
was most likely when...
I first started mountain biking.
I became a big cyclist
and competed with the French team,
and made it to the World Championship
three times.
Mountain biking can be dangerous
for some people.
It was really dangerous for me.
From the age of 14 to 24,
I broke 24 bones in my body.
So that's why
I don't mountain bike anymore.
Quitting mountain biking was hard for me.
I had to do something to push my limits.
And then I discovered drift,
and I was like, wow!
I have less risk of getting injured
while having as much fun.
I wanted a car that was powerful,
and different.
My Dodge Charger is very special.
It's an American car,
and that represents my passion
for American culture.
It also represents how crazy I am.
[laughs]
- [crowd cheering]
- [engine revs]
[crowd clapping]
[MH] There he is. Alexandre Claudin
needs to beat Alex Graff's time of 3:34
to punch his ticket
to the Knockout Rounds.
Sherry Kamiya's 4:43 is the cut-off
to avoid elimination.
[crowd chanting]
[Rut] I have just one question.
Can Alexandre get this land yacht
to hit a target?
If he can,
he has what it takes to qualify.
Let's go down to Lindsay,
who's with his spotter.
Yes, it's his fiancée, Julie Fessy,
and Julie's here right now,
talking about how you're a little nervous,
correct? Why?
Because we came from France.
So it's like a big trip for us.
A lot of stress, here.
And this car
is very important to him, so...
It's like his baby.
Yeah.
[crowd clapping and cheering]
[MB]
I met my ex-girlfriend on a racetrack.
It didn't work out though.
We drifted apart.
[laughs]
This is what we've come
to expect with you, Bis. [laughs]
- That's good!
- You are amazing.
- That is a good joke!
- Great stuff, that's some of your best.
[crowd getting excited]
Woo!
[MH] Right, Alexandre Claudin.
[in French] Do I have to go?
Yes, you don't have a choice.
[engine revs]
[tires squeal]
[MH] And he's off. Let's go!
[engine roars]
[Alexandre, in French] Fast!
[MH] You hear that big engine,
screaming through that turn.
One question though.
Can Alexandre hit his first target
in this behemoth of a Dodge Charger?
[tires squeal]
- [bang]
- [MH] Oh!
[MB] He's out of control.
[everyone] Whoa!
[MH] He got it to drift,
but not exactly how he planned it.
[Rut] Came in with too much speed,
hit the target with the front of his car,
and the momentum carried him
into the course marker.
Not a great start.
[in French] Just breathe.
Everything is perfect.
[MH] Now it's a straight shot
through fast lane.
[engine revs]
[Rut] He needs to open it up,
hammer down
and show off that muscle here.
[engine roars]
[MB] Look at that, beautiful.
Perfectly done.
[MH] He is handling this big boy.
[in French] Clean and very fast.
[Rut] Now he's on his way
to Forced Perspective.
Again, the widest car here.
It's going to mess
with his head a little bit
[MH] Alexandre Claudin
pulling into the first checkpoint,
and with that penalty,
he's running well behind Alex Graff,
whose time he needs to beat
to qualify for the Knockout Rounds.
[in French] You're doing well so far.
That's good, darling.
[tires squeal]
[Julie, in French] Go!
[MH] Here he goes. He's going for it.
- [MB] Oh, yeah.
- [MH] Through the Forced Perspective.
Can he make it through?
[crowd groan]
[MB] Come on.
[MH] He clipped the Break Wall
[MB] Oh, look at that,
just the tiniest nick,
but that's still a five second penalty,
fellas.
[Rut] Forget qualifying.
Alexandre needs to go
into survival mode right now.
[engine revs]
He's approaching the Leveler
and this will be
Alexandre's first trip up the monster.
Look at this.
He's now running neck-and-neck
with Sherry Kamiya,
whose time he needs to beat
to remain in this competition, so...
he's in the danger zone, fellas.
We know the weight of that big car
is definitely going to help
speed that Leveler up on its way down.
- [MH] There it is.
- [MB] Floor it.
[MH] He's got to push it as far as he can.
He can't afford to lose any more time.
Oh!
[MB] No!
[Rut] Oh!
He pulls up 16 feet from the edge.
[MH] That'll hurt him, right?
[Rut] That defeats the purpose
of that 2,500 pound advantage he had
with this huge car.
[Alexandre swears]
[MH] He is losing precious seconds
to Sherry Kamiya here,
and has put a ton of pressure on himself
in this final stretch
to avoid elimination.
[rattling]
[splashing]
[MB] Come on.
[MH] There it is. Let's go.
[in French] Alright, my love. Go for it!
[Rut] Alexandre's fate
is going to come down to
whether or not this boat of a car
can drift into these final two targets.
[tires squeal]
[MB] Alright, come on. Let's go.
[in French] You're the best! Keep going!
[MH] And now it's all about speed.
Remember, he took the penalty
at the first target,
so he's gotta keep this clean
- to avoid elimination.
- [MB] Come on, hit those targets, buddy.
[tires squeal]
- [bang]
- [MH] There he is, there's one.
[engine revving]
[tires squealing]
- [bang]
- [crowd screams excitedly]
[in French] Great! Clean!
[MB] There we go. So good.
[MH] And now it's all about speed.
It's gonna be close to the line.
Will it be enough to keep him alive
at Hyperdrive?
[Julie, in French] Go!
[MH] Oui, baby.
- Woo!
- [clapping]
Crossing the line at 4:38,
knocking Sherry Kamiya off the board
and out of the competition,
so Alexandre Claudin
will live to race another day.
[crowd cheering]
[MB] Not what he was looking for
in his Hyperdrive debut
but he ain't feeling anything
but relief right now,
believe you me.
[Rut] I'm just glad we get to see this guy
get another crack at it.
To be able to get a car
this big to drift around a track,
this guy has chops.
Do not sleep on Alexandre.
- American power.
- Hai. Sure is.
[laughter]
[MH] Well that completes the night
on this speed course.
What another fun, fast,
exciting qualifier.
Let's take a look
at our final results right now.
We must say goodbye
to Sherry Kamiya, Saul Valencia,
and England's own Mick Wilkes.
But at the top of the leaderboard,
Diego Higa from Brazil,
USA's Jordan Martin,
and Alex Graff from Germany
will be heading directly
to the Knockout Rounds,
where you can see
that 9 of those 12 spots
have already been filled,
setting up a do-or-die scenario
where tonight's middle six
will move on
to meet the last batch of newcomers
on a brand new course
in the fourth
and final qualifying race.
And guess what?
Only the top three will be moving on.
You feel that pressure?
- Oh!
- Oh!
That's coming up next on Hyperdrive,
starting right now.