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"Drifting....what is that?"
This was the question that flashed through my head when I learned that I was going to the D1 Grand Prix race to cover it for CrutchfieldAdvisor.com (Crutchfield was the official audio/video sponsor of the D1 Grand Prix USA). A web search for "D1" and "drifting" explained that this was to be the first D1 Grand Prix event in the U. S. — the first time that all the top professional drivers, all of whom are Japanese, would compete on American soil against American drivers. But the relative paucity of information on what exactly drifting is indicated that I was certainly not alone in wondering just what this style of racing called "drifting" was all about.
Controlled chaos
The official Yokohama Tire D1 media packet defines drifting as follows:
"Drifting pros finesse their cars into spectacular powerslides around a series of corners of a set course as powerful engines roar and the tires bellow smoke. The driver controls engine power, shifts gears, and feathers the brake pedal, while at the same time spinning the steering wheel in a precise fashion from left to right, linking corners with pinpoint accuracy. The driver is controlling and maneuvering the car beyond the limits of the tires' traction."
That's a pretty good definition, especially the last part about how the driver has to control and maneuver the car beyond the physical limits of the tires. Here's another way to think about drifting: controlled chaos.
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"Drifting....what is that?"
This was the question that flashed through my head when I learned that I was going to the D1 Grand Prix race to cover it for CrutchfieldAdvisor.com (Crutchfield was the official audio/video sponsor of the D1 Grand Prix USA). A web search for "D1" and "drifting" explained that this was to be the first D1 Grand Prix event in the U. S. — the first time that all the top professional drivers, all of whom are Japanese, would compete on American soil against American drivers. But the relative paucity of information on what exactly drifting is indicated that I was certainly not alone in wondering just what this style of racing called "drifting" was all about.
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Controlled chaos
The official Yokohama Tire D1 media packet defines drifting as follows:
"Drifting pros finesse their cars into spectacular powerslides around a series of corners of a set course as powerful engines roar and the tires bellow smoke. The driver controls engine power, shifts gears, and feathers the brake pedal, while at the same time spinning the steering wheel in a precise fashion from left to right, linking corners with pinpoint accuracy. The driver is controlling and maneuvering the car beyond the limits of the tires' traction."
That's a pretty good definition, especially the last part about how the driver has to control and maneuver the car beyond the physical limits of the tires. Here's another way to think about drifting: controlled chaos.
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A bit of drifting history
First of all, I've got to warn you that it was hard for me to understand at first what drifting technique is all about, especially without ever having witnessed it first-hand. Racing buffs and hot rodders may have an easier time grasping the mechanics of how professional drifters manipulate race cars around a track, but it was difficult (to say the least) for a lughead like me to picture what exactly these guys are doing in the car. That said, ten seconds into the first D1 Grand Prix USA practice run at the Irwindale Speedway, and I was completely blown away by what I was seeing. Drifting, or at least watching drifting, is definitely addictive.
Drifting started out as a racing technique popular in the All Japan Touring Car Championship races over 30 years ago. A legendary driver named Kunimitsu Takahashi was the foremost practitioner of drifting techniques in the 1970's. Takahashi's aggressive drifting skills — he was famous for hitting the apex (the point where the car is closest to the inside of a turn) at high speed and then drifting through the corner, preserving a high rate of speed — earned him several championships and a legion of fans who enjoyed the spectacle of burning tires and perilous speed.
A street racer named Keiichi Tsuchiya became particularly enthralled by Takahashi's drift techniques. Tsuchiya began practicing his drifting skills on the streets, and quickly gained a reputation amongst the "hashiriya" or racing crowd. In 1977, several popular car magazines and tuning garages conspired to produce a video of Tsuchiya's drifting skills on windy mountain roads. The video, called Pluspy, became a cult hit and inspired many of the professional drifting drivers on the circuits today. Tsuchiya earned himself the nickname "Dorikin," which means Drift King in Japanese. Tsuchiya was the head judge of the D1 Grand Prix USA.
By 1986, drifting had gained enough popularity amongst racers to allow for the first drifting contests to be held at racetracks. Still, drifting was largely considered a successful racing technique, useful on the track, but not in and of itself a spectator sport. Nine years later, all that had changed.
In the D1 Grand Prix USA souvenir program, Modified Mag's Ken Ogawa explained the growth of drifting into a separate sport:
"By 1995, drifting turned into a whole automotive subculture, with almost 10 years of street racing behind it. Drifting started evolving from a stoic driving technique to more of a showcase or spectacle. Naturally, the youth embraced the idea, because they wanted to get more attention. They wanted to drift in front of huge crowds!"
Increased attention from younger racing crowds led Japanese car companies to try to cash in on the growing phenomenon. Nissan, Toyota, and Mazda began making lightweight, rear-wheel drive models like the Nissan PS13 Silvia and the Toyota AE86 Trueno that became popular drift cars. Aftermarket car parts manufacturers also entered the movement, and began marketing products specialized for drifters like limited slip differentials, coil-over shocks, large rear spoilers, and high performance tires.
Finally, in 2001 the Japanese company Video OPTION founded the D1 Professional Drifting League, which attracted local drifters and major drivers sponsored by the likes of HKS, BLITZ, A'PEXi, and TRUST. Although amateur drifting events are held in Europe, Australia, and now in the U.S., the D1 Grand Prix is the only professional drifting series in the world. The D1 Grand Prix USA Invitational at the Irwindale Speedway on August 31, 2003 was the first offical drifting competition held outside of Japan.
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A bit of drifting history
First of all, I've got to warn you that it was hard for me to understand at first what drifting technique is all about, especially without ever having witnessed it first-hand. Racing buffs and hot rodders may have an easier time grasping the mechanics of how professional drifters manipulate race cars around a track, but it was difficult (to say the least) for a lughead like me to picture what exactly these guys are doing in the car. That said, ten seconds into the first D1 Grand Prix USA practice run at the Irwindale Speedway, and I was completely blown away by what I was seeing. Drifting, or at least watching drifting, is definitely addictive.
 Kunimitsu Takahashi, the father of drifting. |
Drifting started out as a racing technique popular in the All Japan Touring Car Championship races over 30 years ago. A legendary driver named Kunimitsu Takahashi was the foremost practitioner of drifting techniques in the 1970's. Takahashi's aggressive drifting skills — he was famous for hitting the apex (the point where the car is closest to the inside of a turn) at high speed and then drifting through the corner, preserving a high rate of speed — earned him several championships and a legion of fans who enjoyed the spectacle of burning tires and perilous speed.
 Keiichi Tsuchiya, the Drift King. |
A street racer named Keiichi Tsuchiya became particularly enthralled by Takahashi's drift techniques. Tsuchiya began practicing his drifting skills on the streets, and quickly gained a reputation amongst the "hashiriya" or racing crowd. In 1977, several popular car magazines and tuning garages conspired to produce a video of Tsuchiya's drifting skills on windy mountain roads. The video, called Pluspy, became a cult hit and inspired many of the professional drifting drivers on the circuits today. Tsuchiya earned himself the nickname "Dorikin," which means Drift King in Japanese. Tsuchiya was the head judge of the D1 Grand Prix USA.
By 1986, drifting had gained enough popularity amongst racers to allow for the first drifting contests to be held at racetracks. Still, drifting was largely considered a successful racing technique, useful on the track, but not in and of itself a spectator sport. Nine years later, all that had changed.
In the D1 Grand Prix USA souvenir program, Modified Mag's Ken Ogawa explained the growth of drifting into a separate sport:
"By 1995, drifting turned into a whole automotive subculture, with almost 10 years of street racing behind it. Drifting started evolving from a stoic driving technique to more of a showcase or spectacle. Naturally, the youth embraced the idea, because they wanted to get more attention. They wanted to drift in front of huge crowds!"
Increased attention from younger racing crowds led Japanese car companies to try to cash in on the growing phenomenon. Nissan, Toyota, and Mazda began making lightweight, rear-wheel drive models like the Nissan PS13 Silvia and the Toyota AE86 Trueno that became popular drift cars. Aftermarket car parts manufacturers also entered the movement, and began marketing products specialized for drifters like limited slip differentials, coil-over shocks, large rear spoilers, and high performance tires.
Finally, in 2001 the Japanese company Video OPTION founded the D1 Professional Drifting League, which attracted local drifters and major drivers sponsored by the likes of HKS, BLITZ, A'PEXi, and TRUST. Although amateur drifting events are held in Europe, Australia, and now in the U.S., the D1 Grand Prix is the only professional drifting series in the world. The D1 Grand Prix USA Invitational at the Irwindale Speedway on August 31, 2003 was the first offical drifting competition held outside of Japan.
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Drift cars
"How'd they do that?!?"
I found myself saying that quite a bit at the D1, and I wasn't alone. The spectators and journalists were all swapping theories about how the drivers managed to maintain high speeds while sliding sideways through steeply banked turns and passing within inches of the sidewalls and other cars.
There's no doubt that driver skill is the primary requirement for drift drivers, but there are also certain critical components to the cars themselves that make it possible for the drivers to pull off such radical maneuvers.
Most drift cars are rear wheel drive (RWD) or all wheel drive (AWD), because it's possible to apply enough power to the rear wheels to break the tires' traction and initiate a slide, or "drift." Once a drift is initiated, it must be maintained through the turn. On a RWD car, the driver can control the drift with the throttle, since the rear wheels are powering the car forward. This doesn't mean that front wheel drive (FWD) cars cannot drift, but it is certainly more difficult to achieve, and usually involves pulling the emergency brake.
Drift cars differ from other kinds of race cars in that horsepower is not the primary concern. As Sean Greene notes in "Drift Car SETUP," (Modified Mag D1 Grand Prix USA Souvenir Program, page 17):
"Basically there is no real guide as to how much power you actually need per vehicle. It varies from driver to driver...Most tuners suggest you should have an engine that is flexible, and a usable powerband that makes enough power to break the tires loose with ease."
So horsepower becomes a reflection of individual taste, style, and budget on a drift car. Manual transmissions and limited slip differentials, on the other hand, are required, since they allow you manipulate the car's drift by applying power to the ground when necessary. Other qualities of drift cars include a lighweight chassis, super-stiff suspension, and ultra-high-performance tires.
Why drifting? Why now?
The American tuner scene has long been influenced by the trends and innovations in Japan. As tuner culture continues to race across the U.S. from the West Coast eastward, the interest in the Japanese scene is expanding. Today there are several small U.S. drifting teams based on the West Coast primarily. But I expect the movement to quickly gain momentum in the States. Video game development company Sammy Studios, Inc. will release Drift Racer: Kaido Battle, a new videogame simulator made for Sony's PlayStation?2, in February 2004. You know it won't be long now til young American drivers are hanging their rear wheels around corners and shredding tires.
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Drift cars
"How'd they do that?!?"
I found myself saying that quite a bit at the D1, and I wasn't alone. The spectators and journalists were all swapping theories about how the drivers managed to maintain high speeds while sliding sideways through steeply banked turns and passing within inches of the sidewalls and other cars.
There's no doubt that driver skill is the primary requirement for drift drivers, but there are also certain critical components to the cars themselves that make it possible for the drivers to pull off such radical maneuvers.
 Drift cars are typically smaller, lightweight, and rear wheel drive. |
Most drift cars are rear wheel drive (RWD) or all wheel drive (AWD), because it's possible to apply enough power to the rear wheels to break the tires' traction and initiate a slide, or "drift." Once a drift is initiated, it must be maintained through the turn. On a RWD car, the driver can control the drift with the throttle, since the rear wheels are powering the car forward. This doesn't mean that front wheel drive (FWD) cars cannot drift, but it is certainly more difficult to achieve, and usually involves pulling the emergency brake.
 Advanced materials such as this carbon fiber hood help trim weight off of drift cars. |
Drift cars differ from other kinds of race cars in that horsepower is not the primary concern. As Sean Greene notes in "Drift Car SETUP," (Modified Mag D1 Grand Prix USA Souvenir Program, page 17):
"Basically there is no real guide as to how much power you actually need per vehicle. It varies from driver to driver...Most tuners suggest you should have an engine that is flexible, and a usable powerband that makes enough power to break the tires loose with ease."
 Drifters need to keep plenty of tires on-hand. This tire has been through just one round of drifting, and must be changed. |
So horsepower becomes a reflection of individual taste, style, and budget on a drift car. Manual transmissions and limited slip differentials, on the other hand, are required, since they allow you manipulate the car's drift by applying power to the ground when necessary. Other qualities of drift cars include a lighweight chassis, super-stiff suspension, and ultra-high-performance tires.
Why drifting? Why now?
The American tuner scene has long been influenced by the trends and innovations in Japan. As tuner culture continues to race across the U.S. from the West Coast eastward, the interest in the Japanese scene is expanding. Today there are several small U.S. drifting teams based on the West Coast primarily. But I expect the movement to quickly gain momentum in the States. Video game development company Sammy Studios, Inc. will release Drift Racer: Kaido Battle, a new videogame simulator made for Sony's PlayStation?2, in February 2004. You know it won't be long now til young American drivers are hanging their rear wheels around corners and shredding tires.
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The D1 Grand Prix at Irwindale Speedway
Sunday August 31 was a beautiful, Southern California day — bright, sunny, cloudless, 75 degrees. The San Gabriel Mountains to the east even seemed to escape the perpetual L.A. smog at times. It was a perfect day to drift.
As one of the official sponsors of the D1 Grand Prix, Crutchfield's Car Show team of Matt Kennedy, James Bragg, and Laura Sturgill had arrived early to set up the Crutchfield tent. Visonik's Kevin Kuenzie showed up with Visonik's Mercedes Kleeman C230 and Melvin Medina brought out his Visonik-sponsored Toyota Spyder. The fans started pouring into the stadium around 2pm — a record-breaking sell-out crowd of over 10,000 people — and they kept the Crutchfield team busy until well after the awards ceremony at 11pm. Needless to say, it was a long, but productive day for Matt, James, and Laura.
The drifting started with an open practice session shortly after 2pm. The 16 top professional Japanese drifters and 8 U.S. drivers took to their cars. Camera in hand, we ran down to the track. Crutchfield's Managing Car A/V Editor, Michael Sokolowski and I pushed up to the fence across from the apex of the final hairpin turn on the course to get a look at what this drifting thing was all about.
The first couple of cars came screeching around the corner, burning tires, and seeming to kiss the interior wall. The fans went crazy. This in turn fired up the drivers, and before you knew it, the drivers were pushing their cars farther and faster. It quickly became clear that, practice or no practice, these guys were here to put on a show and win. All of sudden, drivers began opening the driver's door while sliding through the corners, pumping their fists in the air, and basically totally ripping it up. The crowd was mesmerized by the display. At one point, a driver hit the wall and hot rubber and metal car parts sprayed the crowd, which only energized everyone more.
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The D1 Grand Prix at Irwindale Speedway
Sunday August 31 was a beautiful, Southern California day — bright, sunny, cloudless, 75 degrees. The San Gabriel Mountains to the east even seemed to escape the perpetual L.A. smog at times. It was a perfect day to drift.
 Melvin Medina's Toyota Spyder and Visonik's Mercedes C230 drew lots of fans to the Crutchfield tent. |
As one of the official sponsors of the D1 Grand Prix, Crutchfield's Car Show team of Matt Kennedy, James Bragg, and Laura Sturgill had arrived early to set up the Crutchfield tent. Visonik's Kevin Kuenzie showed up with Visonik's Mercedes Kleeman C230 and Melvin Medina brought out his Visonik-sponsored Toyota Spyder. The fans started pouring into the stadium around 2pm — a record-breaking sell-out crowd of over 10,000 people — and they kept the Crutchfield team busy until well after the awards ceremony at 11pm. Needless to say, it was a long, but productive day for Matt, James, and Laura.
The drifting started with an open practice session shortly after 2pm. The 16 top professional Japanese drifters and 8 U.S. drivers took to their cars. Camera in hand, we ran down to the track. Crutchfield's Managing Car A/V Editor, Michael Sokolowski and I pushed up to the fence across from the apex of the final hairpin turn on the course to get a look at what this drifting thing was all about.
 Click chart to enlarge. |
 Smoke, rubber, and spare car parts littered the fans up at the fence. |
The first couple of cars came screeching around the corner, burning tires, and seeming to kiss the interior wall. The fans went crazy. This in turn fired up the drivers, and before you knew it, the drivers were pushing their cars farther and faster. It quickly became clear that, practice or no practice, these guys were here to put on a show and win. All of sudden, drivers began opening the driver's door while sliding through the corners, pumping their fists in the air, and basically totally ripping it up. The crowd was mesmerized by the display. At one point, a driver hit the wall and hot rubber and metal car parts sprayed the crowd, which only energized everyone more.
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Open pits
Unlike NASCAR races, the D1 event featured open pits for the drifters, located just down from Vendor Row, where fans could mingle with the drivers and watch the drift cars being tuned up. The drivers happily signed autographs,
The fans gawked at the cars,
and the entire atmosphere was warm and inviting.
Best of all, you could watch the drifters and their pit crews work on the cars up close.
Click on pictures to enlarge.
Sometimes, though, the drifters just wanted to take a break.
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Open pits
Unlike NASCAR races, the D1 event featured open pits for the drifters, located just down from Vendor Row, where fans could mingle with the drivers and watch the drift cars being tuned up. The drivers happily signed autographs,
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The fans gawked at the cars,
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and the entire atmosphere was warm and inviting.
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Best of all, you could watch the drifters and their pit crews work on the cars up close.
 |  |  |  | Tire changes are standard procedure at D1 events. Drifters put the same amount of wear and tear on a single set of tires in a 20 minute round as most folks do in 40,000 miles. |
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| Of course, sometimes other adjustments are also needed. | |
 Or, as was the case with American driver Calvin Wan's car, major adjustments are sometimes necessary. |
Sometimes, though, the drifters just wanted to take a break.
 Yoichi Imamura, 2-time D1 Grand Prix winner, takes a break (above), while Yoshinori Koguchi relaxes at the Falken pit.  |
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After the practice session, the drifters geared up for the competition rounds. The competition rounds upped the ante from the practice rounds — not only were the drivers now being judged on their speed, their drift lines, and control — they were also now drifting in tandem. It was truly something special to witness two cars on the track at the same time, sliding and slipping around, passing one another through hairpin turns, and giving the crowd a real show.
Click on pictures below to enlarge.
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After the practice session, the drifters geared up for the competition rounds. The competition rounds upped the ante from the practice rounds — not only were the drivers now being judged on their speed, their drift lines, and control — they were also now drifting in tandem. It was truly something special to witness two cars on the track at the same time, sliding and slipping around, passing one another through hairpin turns, and giving the crowd a real show.
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In between rounds of drifting competition, there was something for just about every car enthusiast to take in and enjoy. The car show included 250 participants who competed for more than 50 different awards and $2,000 in cash prizes. We saw many of the same cars that had been at the Hot Import Nights show in downtown Los Angeles the previous night.
Click on pictures below to enlarge.
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In between rounds of drifting competition, there was something for just about every car enthusiast to take in and enjoy. The car show included 250 participants who competed for more than 50 different awards and $2,000 in cash prizes. We saw many of the same cars that had been at the Hot Import Nights show in downtown Los Angeles the previous night.
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Sights and sounds:
Click on pictures below to enlarge.
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Sights and sounds:
 Remote controlled drift cars were a big crowd pleaser.  |
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| These motocross pros were getting 25 - 30 feet of air and pulling some insane tricks in the parking lot. | |||
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After winnowing down the field of 24 contestants through four rounds of eye-popping drifting, the D1 Finals pitted Nobuteru Taniguchi in his Nissan S15 Silvia against Katsuhiro Ueo in his AE86 Toyota. The sun had long set when the two finalists came on the track for the showdown, yet the crowd remained engergized and pumped up to witness the first D1 GP champion be crowned on U.S. soil.
The final round actually lasted longer than expected, as the judges seemed to have a hard time choosing one drifter over the other. Finally, Ueo slid past Taniguchi on the inside track of the final turn. The crowd went wild, and as the two drivers set up for a final lap, it was clear that Taniguchi would have to pull off something equally impressive to garner the win. True to his never-back-down reputation, Taniguchi tried to take Ueo on the outside of the final turn, but he lost his line and wound up side-swiping the wall. Katsuhiro Ueo had won the D1 Grand Prix, and the tears of the champion as he accepted his winner's check signalled how intense the day's competition had been.
After a long and thrilling day of racing, we called it a night sometime near midnight and went home, wondering when we'd next have a chance to witness such incredible racing.
After winnowing down the field of 24 contestants through four rounds of eye-popping drifting, the D1 Finals pitted Nobuteru Taniguchi in his Nissan S15 Silvia against Katsuhiro Ueo in his AE86 Toyota. The sun had long set when the two finalists came on the track for the showdown, yet the crowd remained engergized and pumped up to witness the first D1 GP champion be crowned on U.S. soil.
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The final round actually lasted longer than expected, as the judges seemed to have a hard time choosing one drifter over the other. Finally, Ueo slid past Taniguchi on the inside track of the final turn. The crowd went wild, and as the two drivers set up for a final lap, it was clear that Taniguchi would have to pull off something equally impressive to garner the win. True to his never-back-down reputation, Taniguchi tried to take Ueo on the outside of the final turn, but he lost his line and wound up side-swiping the wall. Katsuhiro Ueo had won the D1 Grand Prix, and the tears of the champion as he accepted his winner's check signalled how intense the day's competition had been.
After a long and thrilling day of racing, we called it a night sometime near midnight and went home, wondering when we'd next have a chance to witness such incredible racing.
 Click to view the D1 Grand Prix USA results. |
