Drifting...a Radical New Sport
 

Last night I heard about this new to America sport for the first time. I help out a friend who races a dirt track modified, and last night at the races I was speakign with a guy I know that used to race dirt track. I asked him where his car was? He said he has gone asphalt racing. I asked what class, he said DRIFTING! I said WHAT?

Well, it seems this is a the fad in Japan and is taking the west coast by storm. Any of you ever heard of it, or participated? Seems like a alot of ABUSE on your car.

Well it turns out my buddy, is the President of the east coast drifitng association. http://www.eastcoastdrifters.com

Yeah, mainly alot of small(er) rear drive imports that 'hang it out as long as you can'. Its been going on here in the States for about 2 years now, though its just now blowing up big time.

Looks like it will be interesting to watch. Abuse isn't the word for it. I just hope all the fast and furious retards that buy some walmart "bling bling", like spinner HUBCAPS! don't decide to do it on the street. Much higher chance of a major wreck than drag racing. Also, from what I can see most of the young kids can't handle parking lot manuevers, never mind a stunt like drifting.

Yea, I've heard of it. As I recall, it's a branch of street racing.

saw a show on i think spike tv or that show " u gotta see this". those guys are crazy! 1 was holding a camera and next thing this car came around and bam! right in front of him. i used to enjoy street racing back in the late 80's , today it is just way to dangerous. huh as i get older i do get wiser:D

People actually go to these events and PAY money to see "Silvias" (dressed up 240sx) slide around a corner. Whats next? Now, it is fun to go do this in person, I admit, but going and watching is gay.

seems kinda corny :confused:

If they were doing it on motorcycles it would be better.

Most interesting thing I found on their site:D :D

this new "Drifting series" is actually being regulated by the SCCA, the racing club/sanctioning body I race with. They will be holding drift event as like halftime shows during real races. I will say these guys do have amazing car control. The conecpt is kind of interesting, it ssort of a race but you get style point for stuff. Kind of like the video game "Gotham City Racing"

I origonally *****ed about it and though it was stupid BUT if it brings hotties like that to the the track I say drifting is more than welcome. They are also doing "import tuner shows" again really really stupid and kinda gay in my opinion BUT it will A. bring new racers into real racing and B. there is always tons of scantily clad hotties at the import car shows.

you can do that on step bottom boats also:eek: :D

Hey Puder, what the heck happened w/ your spelling? Not a single error.

origonally=originally

He's still Puder!

I was the King of "drifting" back in high school and college. I had a 240Z and I would hang it out all day! We used to go to parking lots on Sundays and slide until the cops came or the tires blew.

Im glad this is getting attention. You have to have a real sports car to drift meaning REAR WHEEL DRIVE. Anything to take away the popularity of front wheel drive cars is good for me!

I cant stand front drive cars.

Ron

Yeah, in 1976 we would take a buddy's 1974 4 speed Formula Firebird 400 to the old airport parking lot and take turns. The stopwatch started and ran until you "let" the rear tires hook up (you were allowed brief instants of hookup time when shifting of course). Longest time won an "exemption" and the rest of the guys (usually 3 of us) had to pay for a pair of used rear tires.

My favorite time-eater was the good old figure eight in second gear. There was essentially no upper time limit to that pattern. Could keep er going more or less forever.

Had no idea it would eventually become a sanctioned event with a paying audience and hot sponsor chicks...

The ultimate drifter.

GLH, cool pic.:cool:
It's cool to watch the F1 cars toss the tail out to get around a tight corner.
The sports cars racing in the 60's used to slide the tail when cornering all the time. Back then it was called "power on oversteer".

Unfortunately he drifted right into heaven in 1982. Bobby Rahal called him the best driver he ever saw.

The best story about his driving is as follows:

Qualifying in the rain at the 1979 US Grand Prix
at Watkins Glen, New York

A friend of mine in America sent me a cassette a while ago. On it is the sound of a lone racing car, unmistakably a Ferrari flat-12, and its clearly audible all the way round the lap. There is a lot of wheelspin - you can hear the revs abruptly scream out of every turn - and then the volume builds until the car swishes by in a welter of spray. He taped it during the first afternoon of practice at Watkins Glen in 1979, when conditions were as bad as I have ever seen at a race circuit. In places the track was flooded, and only eight drivers ventured out.
One of those was Scheckter, who was fastest behind team mate Villeneuve. Eleven seconds behind ...The tape is of course Gilles, and it revived memories of a day when we forgot the wintry rain until he came in, the Ferrari breathless and steaming. In the pits the other drivers, aghast, had giggled nervously every time he skittered by at 160 mph. "Why do we bother? He's different from the rest of us," Jacques Laffite said. "On another level ..."

"I scared myself rigid that day", Jody remembered. "I thought I had to be quickest. Then I saw Gilles's time and - I still don't really understand how it was possible. Eleven seconds !"

"Motor racing was a romantic thing for him, you see." Scheckter went on. "We were close friends, doing the same job for the same team, but we had completely opposite attitudes to it. My preoccupation was keeping myself alive, but Gilles had to be the fastest on every lap - even in testing. He was the fastest racing driver the world has ever seen. If he could come back and live his life again, I think he would do exactly the same - and with the same love."

On of his quotes, relates to drifting!!!;

And a quote from him;
"I love motor racing. To me it's a sport, not a technical exercise. My ideal Formula One car would be something like a McLaren M23 with a big normally aspirated engine, 800 hp, 21 inch rear tyres. A lot of people say we should have narrower tires, but I don't agree because you need big tyres to slow you down when you spin. And you need a lot of horsepower to unstick big tyres, to make the cars slide. That would be a bloody fantastic spectacle, I can tell you. We would take corners one gear lower than we do now, and get the cars sideways. You know, people still rave about Ronnie Peterson in a Lotus 72, and I understand that. I agree with them. That's the kind of entertainment I want to give the crowds. Smoke the tyres ! Yeah !

I [care about the fans], because I used to be one of them ! I believe the crowd is really losing out at the moment, and that's bad."

I've driven in a couple of drigfting events, Takes a combo. of alot of skill & really knowing your car, Its alot of fun.
Tire companies always have hot chicks A stripper friend of mine used to be one of the Fulda tire girls.:cool: