-Drifting on mountain roads of Japan.




-Showing off before a Formula D competition in the U.S. This guy is crazy!

Drifting, A Brief History

Drifting, the driving style, spawned from other motorsports such as rallying and dirt track racing in which oversteer was used around turns. Modern drifting started out as a popular racing technique in the All Japan Tounring Car Championship. One of the foremost creators of this technique in the 1970's was Kunimitsu Takahashi. Fans of the sport quickly became interested in this style. The smoking tires and high cornering speeds led others to try and imitate the style. Street racers began to setup their cars so that they could duplicate drift technique on the street and thus, street drifting was created.

The winding mountain roads of Japan became the site for many amatuers in the sport to practice their techniques and prove themselves to fellow drifters. One of these racers was named Keiichi Tsuchiya. He became one of the most well known and respected drivers amongst the drifting crowd. In 1977 several tuning garages and magazines agreed to make a video showcasing his skills. This video inspired many of today's professional drifters. In 1988 he helped to organize one of the first drift competitions.

Drifting was officially introduced to the U.S. in 1996 at an event hosted by Option Magazine at Willow Springs race track in California. Drifting quickly spread worldwide as other countries started to hold drift competitions. Now, there is a professional drift ciruit in the U.S. known as Formula D. Although Drifting is still not recognized as an official motorsport, it has certainly gained the popularity to make it a major attraction in the racing world.

Types of Drifting

In the world of drifting there are several different categories or types.

The first type involves one driver racing against himself and the course. The driver will attempt to demonstrate his mastery of drifting techniques and conquer the course on which he is driving. This could either be on the street or a track.


The second type is called the tandem drift. This is a battle between two drivers in which they run the course at the same time. The drivers try to out-do their opponent, trying to display better skill and technique. This form of drifting requires the most skill and concentration as they are sometimes separated by no more than a few inches.


The third type involves a group of drifters that drive together as a team. They showcase their talent and gain respect and reputation as a team.

-Members of Team Falken known as the Drift Alliance, a popular drift team.

Here is a clip from an actual drift competition in Japan. This is an example of a tandem drift. Take a look at how close the cars get to one another. I like that it shows you both an in-car view and outside view. This way you can get a better idea of the amount of conentration it takes to be successful.

Hey, Buckle Up!

Welcome to my first blog ever. My name is Jason Oliver. In this blog I will attempt to inform people about a relatively new motorsport which is starting to emerge as major attraction in the world of auto racing. It is called drifting. I am very passionate about this topic because drifting is more than just a sport. It is part of a culture which is consuming the interest of many youthful car enthusiast in the U.S.. Like any other motorsport it involves skilled drivers piloting highly modified machines. However, it is unique in that the physics, techniques, and rules are completely different than any other form of automotive competition. This is evident upon first witness of the sport. It has captivated me as well as many other viewers and I hope that in this blog I can interest a few more people in the "art" of drifting.

The Basics!

Drifting is a driving technique in which the driver attempts to enter a corner with as much speed and angle as possible while maintaining control of his or her vehicle. This driving technique, originated in Japan, is becoming ever more popular in the U.S.. In order to understand the sport, there are a few basics which one must understand.

Basically, drifting is getting your car sideways around a turn and keeping it sideways for as long as possible. It seems easy, but it takes years of practice and discipline behind the wheel to master. There is more to it than just hammering the gas around a turn. A good drifter is one who exhibits the most control, while seeming to be out of control. The "angle" of a drift refers to the direction that the car is facing in relation to the direction that it is travelling. A good drift will consist of three basic things: 1) Maintaining the maximum speed possible that allows you to complete the drift without crashing, 2) Maintaining the maximum angle possible throughout the drift, 3) Maintaining a smooth, controlled line throughout the drift. Examining these basic principles while watching a drift is how one can tell an experienced driver from a rookie. They also help a new spectator of the sport make sense of what might seem to be complete chaos.

-A classic drift car, the legendary Toyota Corolla Sprinter Trueno (AE86)