not trying to start an argument here, but drifting doesnt exactly look like a "sport" to me, it looks like a bunch of moronic high schoolers doing donuts in a parking lot. whats the point? can someone explain the basics?

 

Drifting is not about doing donuts in the parking lot......... thsoe are just people well DOING DONUTS.....

Drifting is about having total control of your car's balance through a corner. You have to be able to shake the balance of the car temporarily and then gain back total control. You have to make the car start sliding and make it keep doing that in the corner around the apex in the fastest, best lookign way without spinning out. Clutch control and throttle control is crucial if you want a nice drift. It is easier said than done...

 

You've never seen videos of Japanese drift shows? They have cameras inside the car that show all the footwork and handwork that takes place.

 

if you really want to know what drifting is all about, download this video.

http://www.ae86.hu/movies/Best_Motoring_Drift_Bible.avi

 

Discovery HD showed an episode of "Rides" on drifiting. I'm sure they will show the episode agian soon.

 

Im in afghanistan on an army server that wont let me download many videos, and I cant watch discovery channel.

my main question is this: is it all subjective? obviously they arent looking for the fastest way around the course, so is the winner picked by a panel of judges who decide he controls the slide best?

is drifting the ice-skating of motorsports?

 

not exactly ice skating of motorsports.....

Drifting is kinda anti-intuitive to your normal racing style. In normal racing, you are taught to do slow in fast out, brake in the straights, steer into the apex and according to you speed and dynamics of your car adjust your car speed and throttle to maximise your speed on the way out of the corner.

Drifting on the other hand spawned from the mountain road. In a very curvy mountain roads (in japan with so many hairpins), if you use your normal racing style, your time could be really slow. Drifitng comes in here. Fast drifts actually still takes the apex, but they enter at a lot faster speed into the corner. you let the rear wheels spins using different footwork techniques on the brakes and clutch to initiate wheel spin, but you have to be in control of the spin and still take the corner as fast as you can.

Drifting actually is now ranked by style... By style, it just really means how good you can control the wheel spin and the dynamics of the car during a race with other drifters. I think some people might call it subjective, but I don't really think so. But by any means, its the most interesting most complicated racing sport that requires the most techniques I have seen. All the drifters noe their stuff well, and have some pretty crazy footwork. And whats more fun than going sideways?!

 

hummm...this thread got me interested in drifting. Is it possible to drift with AT? Or just the car has to be RWD?

 

I agree, drifting takes tremendous skill, but it has never appealed to me. I tried watching some competitions and it bored me half to death. I guess I don't get it.

 

I don't have much experience, but it is possible to drift the rear end with a 5AT. Take a turn in MM mode, VDC off, 1st gear, and punch it. You can throttle control your rear end around the corner. If you think you're losing it, just upshift and/or release the throttle completely and it (should) straighten out. (Hint: don't try it with anybody or any object for that matter around. Leave plenty of room on all sides in case you lose it). A wet, abandoned road with a multilane intersection or a wide open parking lot are your best bets for a little fun. Our cars have understeer that makes it harder to initiate a rear end drift unless you punch it hard in 1st or 2nd around the corner and/or do it on a wet road. (And that's probably a good thing!!!)

 

I will prolly take it out to the desert when I get a chance next month-I gotta study for my certifications on Ultrasonics now ...Drifting seem like fun thing to do but meanwhile it just look like a lot of wear on tires and most of all I am sort of chickend out-I don't want anything to happen to my G (well...it survived two accidents so far). well, If I wound up trying, I will post. Thanks bro

 

Thats why you should try it on your tires only when u are about to change them out..... damn..... should have done it with my EL42...

 

I have always driven conservatively and so I go in for my last service around 10k miles and I complain about increasing road nosie, and the tech comes back and exclaims you're almost down to the tread bar on one rear tire! I'm like, WHAT? I punch it at some stop lights, but never full throttle and always drive with VDC on, and why only one tire? So they gave me a free alignment.

Well I'm at nearly 13k miles and the noise has steadily increased so for the past month, I've been trying to wear out these PS2 summer tires so I can get some all-seasons that last longer than 15k miles (hopefully). At least it's been fun...