chris951

Hey guys,

I'm looking for opinions on drifting. On a local car forum there is talk from some rice cars about starting a drifting group. I think drifting is fun to watch, but think it is as much of a sport as backyard wrestling. They think people are going to let them use a parking lot to drift in when the SCCA have trouble finding sites for auto-x. Drifting takes skill, but I see drifters as non-versatile drivers, who choose flashy slip angles over fast driving. Some A-holes were talking about drifting FWD cars! I like Rhys Millen because he can do more than one type of driving. That fast and ficticious movie is pissing me off, but hey it will let all the dumbasses that think they can drive end up in a telephone pole. One time some douchebag in a Z06 vette came to an auto-x and tried drifting into all the cones and doing donuts, he was told to leave and not come back. Are drifters the people to look out for at REAL events like track days etc? I'm just complaining

Over Boost

Drifting is not as easy as it sounds. Watch some of the option videos and its defiantly a real motor sport. However I agree there are a lot of wantabes out there. Its the fad right not and you just have to deal with it. Natural selection will take its course.

TRWright

Special Tool has been driving me crazy trying to get me to go and watch F&F Tokyo Drift with him. . . He thinks Paul Walker is "sooooo hott!!"

reno808

ted long time no seeeeee

M Danger

That reminds me of that show, "Fast Ashleys" i think??? on MTV where the guy tries to get a bunch of "drifters" to show up, and ll he gets is a buch of wanna bes, then 2 of them hit each other!, it was hillarious.

Drifiting is like nascar for rice boys

TRWright

Hey pal-- just shot you a PM with my new cell. I'm going to be in your neck of the woods in a few weeks.

aeronautica86

I watched some "professional" drifting to tv, and while it certainly takes a certain type of skill, I don't really think it is a respectable sport. The announcers describe it as "inducing a controlled slide"...personally I don't believe there is any such thing, just because you know what is about to happen doesn't mean you can completely control it, hence why so many of them end up hitting the wall. I think it takes a much better driver to race around a track at high speed and not lose control of their car. disclaimer: this is only my opinion and yes, I am just a hater

shiners780

How do you "win" a drifting competition? What is the goal? How is a winner decided?

I watched a drifting competition at BeaveRun last year while at a DE, and I just couldn't figure out the point of it. Someone fill in my cluelessness...

theedge

IMHO its the automotive equalvilient of ballet....

rberry951

The 'point' I believe is to know exactly how to rock the weight distribution of the car, and know exactly when to apply power, how much power to apply, and achieve a drift consistently around an arc. It ain't as easy as it looks, if you don't call it skill what do you call it? Maybe it hasn't attained 'sport' status in some people's eyes, but it's an art. I sure as hell can't do it like the guys on TV.

Regards,
Russell

hot-J

drifting is skill.......... but........its just not my thing.

J1NX3D

Drifting is the synchronised swimming of motorsport.

Unfortunately its big in NZ but anti-boyracer laws allow cops to check illegal activity pretty easily.

billthe3

Yeah. I was lucky enough to see a pro drifting competition at laguna seca 3 or so years back. Stupid silva beat the viper pvo and gto-r...
Anyway, after seeing pros do it first hand, I definatly have a lot more respect for them. Watching it on tv makes it look extremely easy, like anyone could just punch the gas and drift, but seeing one of the competitions in person makes you realize how much skill is actually required.

And its damn pimp.

PanzerAce

agreed. It looks easy as hell when you watch on TV, but when you actually go to the shows (went to the one at the SJ Grand Prix), and you realize what they manage to do with those cars, it opens your eyes. I would almost put them on the same level as rally drivers in terms of skill.

shiners780

But again, how do you win? It is a "competition" right? So what parameters are used to decide a winner? Is there a panel of judges like American Idol? Is it subjective?

The event I saw was a timed event, but since sliding a car around turns isn't the fast way around a turn (in most cases) I don't get the objective.

I'm not slamming the activity, I'm asking a serious question.