Octane Magazine - US Drift Richmond

U.S. Drift | Richmond, VA

Most people around Richmond will tell you that Cloverleaf Mall is dead. But take a ride around the back of the vacant anchors and the parking lot is very much alive with the sound of rev limiters popping and the smell of rubber burning. Welcome to U.S. Drift.

If you've never heard of drifting, don't feel bad - it hasn't quite taken hold of the American mainstream yet. It will. Born out of Japan's street racing scene, drifting evolved into D1, the Japanese drifting championship. As the growing sport's popularity spread, drift groups started developing overseas.

U.S. Drift was created in 2001 by Chris Cobetto, a road racing champion and Director of the NASA Mid-Atlantic/Virginia region, and Mike DeFord, a road racer and car enthusiast working in the import industry. U.S. Drift was the first sanctioning body in the U.S. to support drifting at all levels from coast to coast, and in 2003 began setting up regions to provide drifters across the country with a safe, organized place to drift. U.S. Drift offers drivers everything from Drift 101 schools for beginners to open seat time for advanced drivers to the USD Grand Prix, where drivers will have the opportunity to compete for cash purses and the year end championship.

Still not convinced? Consider that the 2003 D1 Grand Prix USA event at California's Irwindale Speedway was the largest event in the history of that track. And at November's Las Vegas SEMA show, the SCCA announced Formula Drift¨, a North American professional drifting championship as a four event series for 2004.

What is drifting?
Drifting defies the principles of most other forms of motorsports in that the act itself requires a driver to break traction with all four of his vehicle's tires, leading the car into a controlled slide. In competition, drift is judged like sports such as skateboarding, diving, and freestyle skiing. Judges look for several key elements in a driver's run, including pitch (the angle the car carries through the corner), driver control, and attitude.

The driver should have complete control of the car throughout the course and should carry a smooth drift from corner entry to corner exit without noticeable corrections or jerky movements. Judges want to see an aggressive attitude. The most successful drivers attack the course, initiating their drift before corner entry, carrying it through, and coming out prepared for the next corner.

A common misconception among new drifters is that drift is a freestyle competition. Style does not enter the equation, car control is key. During competition, each driver starts with 5 points, with points being added or subtracted for a maximum of 10 points. At most events drivers get 2-3 runs per heat.

Going drifting.
What does it take to go drifting? Technically, you can drift almost anything, but front engine, rear drive cars are the most popular. With drifting's roots deeply set in Japan, it comes as no surprise that the most common drift cars are Japanese. At any drift event, you are sure to see the mid-80's AE86 Toyota Corolla GT-S, or "Hachi-Roku" (Japanese for "86") as they are known in drift circles, made popular by the drift comic Initial-D. Other common drift cars include the Nissan 240SX and Z cars, Mazda RX-7 and Miata, Toyota Supra, and the 3 series BMW.

Routine modifications to drift cars generally include a limited slip differential if the car isn't factory equipped. In addition to the common performance bolt-ons, power adders are popular, with turbochargers used most often. A stiff suspension, and sticky tires also help the driver maintain control of the car.

Drifting does have a tendency of burning up tires - particularly the rears. Most beginning drifters buy used tires to practice on. As your driving improves however, you'll want to spend a little more money on good tires. Quality tires give the driver better feedback and allow the driver to better predict the car's behavior on the course. A sticky tire will also step the car back in line if necessary, where a used up tire may not have enough bite left.

Want to learn more?
Visit U.S. Drift online at www.usdrift.com. Additional drifting resources are available at www.driftcentral.com and www.lookoutdrift.com.

Anatomy of a drift car.
Tony Schulz's Dunlop sponsored 1996 240SX (second photo from top) is typical of a well prepared drift car. While many import racers opt to swap the more powerful JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) engines into their cars, Schulz chose to add a turbo kit to his factory powerplant. Schulz's turbocharged Nissan puts about 260 hp to the wheels through a limited slip differential. The suspension has been stiffened up with polygraphite bushings, heavy duty sway bars, strut bars, and higher rate springs and shocks. Schulz has tuned his suspension for minimal body roll and quick transitions. The interior is mainly stock, with a 5-point harness on the drivers seat and a few well placed gauges to keep tabs on the drivetrain.

Photos by Brian Eggert, Steven Duckworth, and Dan Hankin. From top: 1) A nicely prepared Volvo. 2) Tony Schulz's '96 Nissan 240SX Turbo 3) A sideways Hachi-Roku 4) Another 240 in action 5) Tony Schulz's turbo motor 6) Brian Smith's NASA American Iron prepared Mustang. Smith's car is sponsored by Massanutten Resorts (www.massresort.com), Stampers High Performance of Richmond, and East Coast Distributors of Virginia, and puts 325 hp to the wheels by way of a 331 DSS block topped with AFR heads, a single plane Victor intake, and a 650 cfm Holley 4 bbl. carb. The Mustang handles the road course with a complete Maximum Motorsports suspension and 13" Brembo brakes. The 8.8 rear houses a 3:73 gear and posi.