Full-course drifting, T-Pain’s Atlanta homecoming and a stacked field headline year two of GRIDLIFE Special Stage

GRIDLIFE Special Stage is coming back to Road Atlanta with unfinished business. For the second year in a row, GRIDLIFE and Formula DRIFT will join forces at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta for a Mother’s Day weekend showcase (May 8-9), building on a breakout collaboration that energized the drifting community last year.

The return to Road Atlanta follows a landmark season-opening weekend at Carolina Motorsports Park, where GRIDLIFE set both attendance and entry records to open the 2026 campaign and made its national broadcast debut with the RACER Network.

That momentum now carries into one of the most anticipated stops on the calendar.

More than 200 drivers will take part across GRIDLIFE’s full competition lineup, including Eibach GLTC, TrackBattle Time Attack and GRIDLIFE Full-Course Drift. 

GLGT will make its Road Atlanta debut, while the GRIDLIFE RUSH Series returns with one of the largest fields of the weekend, bringing nearly 50 drivers to the grid and adding another layer to a weekend that continues to evolve in both scale and competition. 

New for 2026, GRIDLIFE Special Stage will take over the spotlight during Formula DRIFT’s halftime on both Friday and Saturday with a 30-minute evening drift session from 7:15 to 7:45 p.m., bringing high-speed drift action under the lights to the Keyhole, one of the most iconic sections of Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.

“This event keeps growing because it unites so many corners of car culture in one place,” said GRIDLIFE CEO Michael Hurczyn. “Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta is a legendary venue in American road racing and the perfect stage for GRIDLIFE. Heading into year two with Formula DRIFT, we’re ready to take things up another level this year.”

GRIDLIFE Drift remains a defining piece of the weekend, blending national names with deep local roots. For Atlanta native T-Pain, the event marks a true homecoming.

Road Atlanta is where the rapper and two-time Grammy winner first stepped into drifting with GRIDLIFE in 2019, turning curiosity into full-team commitment and GRIDLIFE partner. Now, he returns to the same track not just as a participant, but as one of the most recognizable figures helping bridge car culture and mainstream audiences. Alongside his Nappy Boy Automotive teammate Hert, his presence continues to draw new fans into the sport while staying deeply connected to the grassroots community that defines it.

T-Pain will be joined by hometown favorites Top Garage and Atlanta drifting staple Andy Sapp, whose influence on the sport spans decades.

A foundational figure in American drifting, Sapp helped shape the early scene through his work with Slide America and his presence in the Atlanta community. His role in the “Keep Drifting Fun” documentary and early professional competition helped inspire a generation of drivers and fans.

Formula DRIFT’s PRO and PROSPEC Championships will once again anchor the professional side of the event, delivering practice, qualifying, tandem battles and fan engagement throughout the weekend.

Beyond the competition, the paddock will come alive with partner activations from Toyo Tires, Subimods, NOS Energy, Tire Rack, Gtechniq and Nappy Boy Automotive. Fans can stop by NOS Energy to sample its new Grand Prix Guava flavor while exploring the full GRIDLIFE festival experience.

With momentum building from a record-setting season debut and a successful first collaboration, the 2026 edition of the GRIDLIFE Special Stage is set to deliver an even bigger weekend at the intersection of racing, drifting and car culture.

Fans can watch the broadcast May 8-9 on the RACER+ app across Apple, Android and connected TV devices, as well as on RACER’s FAST channel, RACER Select, available on Samsung, Roku, LG and Amazon Fire.

For tickets and event information, visit: https://www.grid.life/special-stage