drifting...... i dont get it.

[captainluigi]

the part i dont understand is that if youy are going sideways and spinning tires arent you actually going slower? i guess if everyone on the track is doing it then all is equal. is it just about the smoke and extra tire wear? if that may be the case why dont we all just do donuts until all is obscured. drifting and racing seem at odds to me. yeah yeah im old school.

[elwesso]

the point is to maintain control while going sideways... Youll have a lot of folks on here, also old school, and think its retarded.... Despite the drifting scene attached with Nissan (due to the 240), a lot of members on the forum think its stupid...

Youll watch drift videos and see the angle they come in and how fast they go, going sideways.... it was pretty cool, at NOPI they had a drifting expo... The announcer guy was standing in the middle of the track.... The drift car was flying sideways toward the guy and the back end of the car literally came within inches of taking his knees out....

A lot of people will say that it does not require as much skill to drift really good... but that is simply not true... It takes probably more control fo the car to maintain its direction while going sideways.....

[pdqwrx]

It all goes back to being a little kid and sliding my "Green Machine" and "Big Wheel" around the drive way. If you ever get a chance to see drifting in person it is awesome. I have been lucky enough to attend the D1 Grand Prix in Los Angeles with the Japanese drivers and two see a tandem drift with two good drivers is like watching a ballet. It's funny, most of the people I know that don't understand drifting love doing donuts in there IROC's and 5.0 mustangs.......Same thing with more talent.

CheersScott

[captainluigi]

have seen a few vids. it looks like hell of a lot a fun. where is the racing?many yrs. ago there was this thing called ''speedway racing'' was done with motorcycles on wooden tracks, your wheels were always locked full over and i guess that was a controlled slide (drifting). i need to see it up close and personal to dig it. if it comes to soflo (south florida) i will definetly go. would love to see a g50 in full 4 wheel drift.

[nismofly]

its not racing at all...its just for fun

its more of an extreme sport than a form of racing, more like skateboarding or something of that nature

[elwesso]

its not racing at all...its just for fun

its more of an extreme sport than a form of racing, more like skateboarding or something of that nature

Definitely.... And its judged the same way pretty much.... There is SOME objectivity to it, but in the end its whatever the judge likes....

[konatown]

When done well, it is a graceful display. The engine and exhaust notes coupled with that beautiful scent of white smoke make for perfect harmony.

[Jesda]

Its sort of a weird automotive entertainment thing, like shiny rims and headrest monitors. It can be fun, but its entirely wasteful and unproductive, just like nearly anything thats entertaining.

Off-roading looks more interesting to me. I need to find a Jeep and a 4x4 club.

[Blamecanada999]

its not racing at all...its just for fun

its more of an extreme sport than a form of racing, more like skateboarding or something of that nature

Best description I've heard so far. In fact, like skateboarding, sell-outs compete in "contests" announced by people who have no knowledge of that activity and thus choose winners on a completely useless point system. Or, they pick numbers out of a hat.

[konatown]

Its sort of a weird automotive entertainment thing, like shiny rims and headrest monitors. It can be fun, but its entirely wasteful and unproductive, just like nearly anything thats entertaining.

Off-roading looks more interesting to me. I need to find a Jeep and a 4x4 club.

I'd rather have a Toyota.

[FarFetched]

Off-roading looks more interesting to me. I need to find a Jeep and a 4x4 club.

Sliding at 2 MPH hangin on for dear life and balsting around a corner sideways are like Heaven and Earth! I know speed is a lot of fun, however, lack of thereof is where you understand what you are made of!Going 2 MPH up a verticle wall with a spotter wiil make your pants wet.I've done it.Moab, Rubicon, SledgeHammer! Observed (in person) TLC (top truck challange), those pilots made of IRON! I had my Jeep rubber side up a few times (thanks to exo-cage).Jesda, YOU HAVE TRY IT!Quote »IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT BRAND 4X4 YOU HAVE[/quote]

[maxnix]

Drifting is to racing as synchronized swimming is to competetive swimming.

The minute you have to have judges tells you it's no longer about performance.

Wonder why they never drift 911s if so much skill is evident?

[Falkdesigns]

You think it's not hard Brian? Damn you're a negative guy. I wonder if it's not hard then why couldn't the Nascar drivers that tried it out in August at Irwindale keep up with the pro-drifters? They just kept loosing control. I think it's much harder than you think. Just like everyone thinks driving Stock-cars is easy because you just turn left (on ovals). I can tell you it's not as easy as it looks. And I bet you there's someone somewhere drifting his 911, such a tail-happy car to begin with.

Quote »its not racing at all...its just for funits more of an extreme sport than a form of racing, more like skateboarding or something of that nature[/quote]^that's definitely the best description I've heard too.

[MagikDragon]

Wonder why they never drift 911s if so much skill is evident?

911's are damn expensive cars for a drift team to maintain, race cars of any kind get beat up, do you realize the ammount of money in body work that would have to go into repairing a 911 everytime it got bumped by another driver, or snapped a tierod and smashed into a wall at 75mph.and then you'd still have to fix the tie rod.

In the D1 circuit it is all Japanese cars, because they are the domestic cars in Japan.

in Formula D, You tend to see alot of our own domestics, and also domestic variants of the Japanese cars, KA-T 240's 240's with TA front ends... etc.

So in Europe you tend to see alot of Bimmers, and Porsches drifting in their events. its all about location.

Most of the shops in the USA that run drift events are not very big (some are)

they aren't all factory backed.

The drivers are up and coming drivers with not a whole lot of years of racing background(alot of them).

You do however notice, the drivers with more year of experience have the nicer, more expensive cars, bigger teams, nice pit areas, better tires, better paint schemes, bigger sponsors, and more money to piss away into the sport.

Before you go around knocking the sport down, why don't you give it a try, It may not be racing but it deffinatly is a Sport.

[FarFetched]

Drifting is to racing as synchronized swimming is to competetive swimming.

The minute you have to have judges tells you it's no longer about performance.

Wonder why they never drift 911s if so much skill is evident?

Have you seen a P911 in movies such Fast and Furious?I don't think so. People get influenced by such movies thus we have drifting among JAP car owners 240sx zx300 and such!It is cool to watch but it is such low ball intertainment!I'd rather go FISHIN' Cheers!

[FarFetched]

911's are damn expensive cars for a drift team to maintain, race cars of any kind get beat up, do you realize the ammount of money in body work that would have to go into repairing a 911 everytime it got bumped by another driver, or snapped a tierod and smashed into a wall at 75mph.and then you'd still have to fix the tie rod.

In the D1 circuit it is all Japanese cars, because they are the domestic cars in Japan.

in Formula D, You tend to see alot of our own domestics, and also domestic variants of the Japanese cars, KA-T 240's 240's with TA front ends... etc.

So in Europe you tend to see alot of Bimmers, and Porsches drifting in their events. its all about location.

Most of the shops in the USA that run drift events are not very big (some are)

they aren't all factory backed.

The drivers are up and coming drivers with not a whole lot of years of racing background(alot of them).

You do however notice, the drivers with more year of experience have the nicer, more expensive cars, bigger teams, nice pit areas, better tires, better paint schemes, bigger sponsors, and more money to piss away into the sport.

Before you go around knocking the sport down, why don't you give it a try, It may not be racing but it deffinatly is a Sport.

Tell me this why do you drift JAP cars only where there is such variety of domestic RWD cars?Most american muscle cars are inexpensive and have, on avarage, more power t therear wheels. IMHO it is such a waste of whatever you have to waste!Cheers!

[bullittandy]

Drifting is to racing as synchronized swimming is to competetive swimming.

The minute you have to have judges tells you it's no longer about performance.

Wonder why they never drift 911s if so much skill is evident?

Betcha you couldn't do it

I've seen it and its pretty cool. I've tried it (illegally) and its damn hard.

[MagikDragon]

Tell me this why do you drift JAP cars only where there is such variety of domestic RWD cars?Most american muscle cars are inexpensive and have, on avarage, more power t therear wheels. IMHO it is such a waste of whatever you have to waste!Cheers!

what do you mean jap cars only? that is a choice, maybe the drift team in question is a place that deals with japanese cars ex. "240sxmotoring" they aren't gonna go and drift a camaro because it has more power. But Ken Gushi who is factory backed by Ford, uses a Mustang, because that is what his resources are. Guys like Bubba Drift, use whatever hes got lying around, his El Camino. Its all a choice, if you look at the Us Circuit it is pretty well divided between Domestics and Japanese cars.

Why don't you do a little research before making blanket statements!

[adrianfromthecastle]

Tell me this why do you drift JAP cars only where there is such variety of domestic RWD cars?Most american muscle cars are inexpensive and have, on avarage, more power t therear wheels. IMHO it is such a waste of whatever you have to waste!Cheers!

domestics? thats a mustang, thats a vette and thats a viperi think falken has more domestics on their team

and yes, a TA front on an s13

[adrianfromthecastle]

what do you mean jap cars only? that is a choice, maybe the drift team in question is a place that deals with japanese cars ex. "240sxmotoring" they aren't gonna go and drift a camaro because it has more power. But Ken Gushi who is factory backed by Ford, uses a Mustang, because that is what his resources are. Guys like Bubba Drift, use whatever hes got lying around, his El Camino. Its all a choice, if you look at the Us Circuit it is pretty well divided between Domestics and Japanese cars.

Why don't you do a little research before making blanket statements!

thank you

[t3lh]

Wonder why they never drift 911s if so much skill is evident?

What makes you think a 911 has anything at all to do with being a good drifter?

[maxnix]

What makes you think a 911 has anything at all to do with being a good drifter?

Hmmm....what do you think? I repeat, why are there no 911 drifting if skill is so critical? There are plenty that race, probably more than any other single model of car manufactured. And they are certainly fast in their classes.

Hmmmmm.

[adrianfromthecastle]

Hmmm....what do you think? I repeat, why are there no 911 drifting if skill is so critical? There are plenty that race, probably more than any other single model of car manufactured. And they are certainly fast in their classes.

Hmmmmm.

umm... 911's are all wheel drive

[maxnix]

its not racing at all...its just for fun

its more of an extreme sport than a form of racing, more like skateboarding or something of that nature

The first statement is correct and conflicts with the second. It has nothing to do with racing, or we would have F1 drifting all over the track. F1 drivers minimize their drifts because it slows them down. Keeping traction is how one goes fast and controls the car.

Making ill handling cars go sideways is nothing special. Kind of like getting rubber of front heavy, cast iron solid rear axle Mustangs. Easy.

It's like "professional" wrestling, it's all for show, not go.

[MagikDragon]

The first statement is correct and conflicts with the second. It has nothing to do with racing, or we would have F1 drifting all over the track. F1 drivers minimize their drifts because it slows them down. Keeping traction is how one goes fast and controls the car.

Making ill handling cars go sideways is nothing special. Kind of like getting rubber of front heavy, cast iron solid rear axle Mustangs. Easy.

It's like "professional" wrestling, it's all for show, not go.

His statement make perfect sense, please read it again.

The sport of Drifting is actually an exagerted form of an ACTUAL race technique.

Yeah it is a sport for show, but why does that justify that its not a good sport, it takes skill to control a car in a drift. It is not something that anyone could just get up and do.

I'm sure that a 911 would make a great drift car, but nobody has taken it to the pro circuit of drifting yet. as i previously stated hey are an expensive car to maintain especially in a sport that a car is known to get smashed up in.

[Rex]

I think there's some opinion at play here.

ALOT of people believe that if "judges" are involved it's not a sport in the true sense of the word ... yes I'm aware boxing uses judges.

umm... 911's are all wheel drive

Uh, not ALL of them that's for sure

[yodawill2000]

Go watch a super modified on a half mile dirt track.Thats what I call drifting !!Sideways with the left front in the air !Woot.

[MagikDragon]

I think there's some opinion at play here.

ALOT of people believe that if "judges" are involved it's not a sport in the true sense of the word ... yes I'm aware boxing uses judges.

figure skating, ice dancing, ballroom dancing, snowboard halfpipe, ski halfpipe, skateboarding, bmx stunts,motorcycle stunts. you mean to tell me that all of these people are not athletes? because they all are it takes training, dedication, time and patience, acouple of falls and crashes, hardwork, and showmanship. drifting is as much a sport as anything.

just like Fly said Drifting is the X Games of Motorsports. plain and simple

[konatown]

Let's not forget that Rhys Millen is driving a Pontiac Solstice. Had a GTO before that.

[Rex]

... you mean to tell me that all of these people are not athletes?

I said nothing of their atheletic abilites or training. I was referring to the activity being discussed and a common theme in the "sports world" that if it has judges (or style points) it's not a sport in the true sense of the word.

I don't doubt the skill and expertise required to do it and I don't doubt the countless hours and dollars necesary to do ti well.