| When I tell someone that I race and drift or that | | | | other motor sport can the winner be determined |
| I'm a drifter, I usually get a confused look. People | | | | by the crowd. This aspect of the sport really |
| ask me, what is drifting? So let me start by | | | | drew me to this form of racing. Drifting can |
| explaining the sport of drifting! | | | | almost be compared to gladiatorial games in a |
| Drifting as a sport originally started in the hills of | | | | sense that the crowd has such an impact on the |
| Japan. Kids would race up and down the mountain | | | | outcome. |
| roads or touges. Soon they would start to slide | | | | During a drift competition only two cars will |
| the car sideways around the corners to show off | | | | compete during a run or race. The race is set up |
| and to keep their engines rpms up. This technique | | | | like this: two cars will line up side to side to each |
| of controlling the cars over-steer (over-steer is a | | | | other on a section of the track known as the |
| handling issue that results when the rear slip angle | | | | scoring section. One car will be the leader and the |
| is greater than the front slip angle) soon started | | | | other will be the follower and they will compete |
| to catch on and it's popularity grew. The artistry | | | | against each other in the the five points |
| displayed by these early drifter and those to | | | | categories, speed of entry, angle of attack, racing |
| follow helped coin the term "Corner Artists" for | | | | line, distance between opponent, and style. After |
| the amazing way they could attack a corner and | | | | the two cars have made their drift run through |
| turn movement and tire smoke into an art form. | | | | the scoring section they will repeat this same |
| As a result of the excitement and growing fan | | | | thing, only the leader and follower will switch roles. |
| base of this new sport D1 Gran Prix was formed | | | | Now if the two drivers were so closely matched |
| in Japan as an organized form of racing that's sole | | | | in their skills of slide the crowd can call for a "One |
| purpose was to challenge the drivers to one on | | | | more time". Which is a sort of sudden death |
| one heats on a technical section of a track. The | | | | round in which if either driver makes a mistake |
| driver are scored on speed of entry into the | | | | they will automatically loose (more on how a |
| corners, angle of attack, racing line, distance | | | | competition is ran in my upcoming post "Drift |
| between your opponent, and style. | | | | Competitions, How They Work"). |
| The success of D1GP has lead to several other | | | | So to sum up drifting as a motorsport: it's tire |
| circuits starting around the world such as NOPI | | | | smoke and cars on the razor's edge of control, |
| Drift, Formula Drift, and several other country | | | | mixed with a nonstop adrenalin rush and a crowd |
| specific circuits. | | | | on the edges of their seats, garnished with some |
| Drifting as a sport truly is a fan based sport. In no | | | | of the most skilled corner artist in the world. |