The Great Debate - Is Drifting motorsport? - Page 9

Teggers · 11 Oct 2009, 20:35 (Ref:2559185)

TBH (and a little personal addition to my post at the top of this page) I enjoy watching both the more traditional motor-racing and drifting. Having done track days myself in hot hatches, sports cars and a 'drift' car, I can see the attraction of both styles of driving.

In a perfect world, I'd have a car focussed on each. As it is, my current car is quite capable of drifting if I feel like kicking the back out (the car is faaaar more capable than I am...) but it is more set up for general day-to-day driving as I can't really afford 2 cars at the moment, let alone a set of tyres for every few laps!!

diddy100 · 12 Oct 2009, 15:23 (Ref:2559894)

After seeing Drifitng for the first time at yesterdays Modified Live at Snetterton - it is a motor Sport but NOT Motor Racing. Although it does not excite me - but as mentioned before it does attract a different type of motor sport spectator. I can't see if joining in at a "normal" racing meeting but it does have a place at these Modified Live type events

Al Weyman · 12 Oct 2009, 19:24 (Ref:2560072)

I wanna try out the IROC :-)

stevie g · 12 Oct 2009, 20:34 (Ref:2560129)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Al Weyman

Whats the best set up, stick on a set of tyres that dont grip too well or what?

Would you believe you actually need alot of grip,difted on slicks before,savage

Al Weyman · 12 Oct 2009, 22:14 (Ref:2560197)

I would have thought grip up front but not at back, no?

Teggers · 17 Oct 2009, 19:29 (Ref:2563338)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Al Weyman

I would have thought grip up front but not at back, no?

You'd have thought so but 'tis not the case. Most people start with decent (ish) tyres up front and part-worns/road illegal tyres on the rear. Mainly because you go throught them so quickly and if you're not made of money or have a tyre sponsor it gets expensive very quickly.

As one progresses, more grip on the rear becomes more desirable as I believe it is more controllable. I have the utmost respect for drifters - they have some of the best car control I have ever seen in ANY form of motorsport. For example; the Driftworks team use Federal road legal slick tyres (sponsored) roughly equivalent to Toyo R888's.

Its not just down to the tyre though - alignment plays a big part as does the suspension setup and most definitely the power. Although the Corolla AE86's are relatively low powered but are brilliant drift cars. Some of the top cars now (several 200SX's

I'm a little biased though) are running interesting engine swaps - LS2's, 2JZ's and the more obvious RB engines are common. Just check out some of the projects on the SXOC

We have a supercharged LS2, an RB30, an LS1 in progress, some 1 and 2JZ's and lots of RB20/25/26 swaps now!

johnny99 · 19 Oct 2009, 23:33 (Ref:2565096)

Quote:

Originally Posted by diddy100

After seeing Drifitng for the first time at yesterdays Modified Live at Snetterton - it is a motor Sport but NOT Motor Racing. Although it does not excite me - but as mentioned before it does attract a different type of motor sport spectator. I can't see if joining in at a "normal" racing meeting but it does have a place at these Modified Live type events

IMO probobly the best explanation so far. I am not interested in it at all, but a lot of people are. I run several cars in the Irish Time Attack series, and I believe many purists would not like that either, but it gave me the chance to compete at what I thought would be an easier start. I was wrong of coarse, but we won in 2008, and 3rd, and got 2nd and 5th in 2009. Next year we are looking at raising a budget for Saloon Libre and Rallycross.

John

Al Weyman · 20 Oct 2009, 18:13 (Ref:2565608)

Whats Time Attack, another name for sprinting?

GORDON STREETER · 20 Oct 2009, 18:23 (Ref:2565616)

http://www.timeattack.co.uk/Time%20Attack%20FAQs.html
This tells you all about it Al

Al Weyman · 20 Oct 2009, 18:29 (Ref:2565621)

Sprinting without the standing start then basically.

STuk · 21 Oct 2009, 13:43 (Ref:2566316)

Can't see why Drifting and the likes of TimeAttack could not have a place here, talking of which why not add Toyota sprint series while at it.

Unless folk stick together supporting new forms of motorsport venues how can we expect to have a future, times change and motorsport is not an exception to the rule.

diddy100 · 26 Oct 2009, 17:03 (Ref:2570190)

Agree with STuk - we need to attract new forms of motosport which will bring in new fans - maybe if they slip in a traditional race to these Modified Live type events ( like MR2 series or simliar that might interest the Modified Fans ) we could get a cross over of fans into the main stream on motorsport. The clubs and circuits need all the help possible to survive !

**BertMk2** · 29 Oct 2009, 10:29 (Ref:2571906)

Some drivers have made a successful transition from Time Attack into circuit racing (couple of Skylines in DMN for a start). There is plenty of crossover potential - no reason why a car cannot be used in more than one discipline.

markjtaylor · 12 Nov 2009, 17:39 (Ref:2580894)

Having seen 'the drifters' while on a track day at Lydden some time back, I have to say that I was in awe of the skills of the drivers.
On the down side, the mess they left on the circuit, rubber everywhere was a bl**dy nuisance if you happnened to be in the group on the circuit after them.
Victor Meldrew!!

:) RallyX · 21 Nov 2009, 00:06 (Ref:2586143)

my opinion is that drifting is great as a performance/demonstration at events shows but its not motorsport.
I would think it would be better off motorsport tracks and back in car parks.

westfieldbend · 26 Nov 2009, 10:34 (Ref:2589571)

Quote:

Originally Posted by :) RallyX

my opinion is that drifting is great as a performance/demonstration at events shows but its not motorsport.
I would think it would be better off motorsport tracks and back in car parks.

I look forward to a season at lydden next year with NO Bhp/drift events then....

Pato · 2 Dec 2009, 18:55 (Ref:2593007)

Quote:

Originally Posted by :) RallyX

my opinion is that drifting is great as a performance/demonstration at events shows but its not motorsport.
I would think it would be better off motorsport tracks and back in car parks.

What a stupid post, look at how big drifting is in Japan and America, drifting clearly has market potential otherwise we wouldn't see manufacturer backed cars and corporate sponsored cars in drifting.

And for the record, it actually started off on the mountain passes in Japan, not car parks.

Back on topic, yes I think it's motorsport. Motor cars are used, and it is a sport, so therefore it is a motorsport.

It's also awesome to watch, and I really want to get into it. could get really big in the UK, a shame about some of the idiots in the sport though, reading the Driftworks forum really puts me off, the drivers should behave like professionals off track as well if they want the sport to grow.

CJCA · 3 Dec 2009, 10:50 (Ref:2593326)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Al Weyman

Whats Time Attack, another name for sprinting?

people seem to forget that TimeAttack has been going on for years and years and years... it just doesnt have the exciting racing part afterwards!!!

ChrisA

westfieldbend · 3 Dec 2009, 12:21 (Ref:2593365)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Al Weyman

Whats Time Attack, another name for sprinting?

When I saw it at brands a couple of years ago it was just a load of test/practice/qualifying sessions, apparently it used to be like a sprint, but they decided it was too boring (I actually preferred the 'club' class which was run as a sprint)....

NaBUru38 · 11 Dec 2009, 17:14 (Ref:2598029)

Time attack in Wikipedia

You can think of it as a pole position competition, Al Weyman. Drivers must make laps as fast as possible. If you have followed F1 during the last decade, you can imagine that there can be several weekend formats.

It's like rallying and hill climbing, just that paved circuits are used instead of public roads. It's cheaper than circuit racing because there's no need to bump other cars.

Al Weyman · 24 Jan 2010, 08:37 (Ref:2618412)

Bump other cars? Perish the thought!

BILTEL · 24 Jan 2010, 22:44 (Ref:2618821)

There is a place for both Time Attack and Drifting on here and in Motorsport. I have long time friends at or near the top of both in Simon Norris, Olly Clark, Kev Atkins and Brett Castle.

I personally don't get the attraction of Time Attack and feel that it's a bit of "mines bigger than yours" but I'm sure a lot of the competitors and the fans probably don't get it, that I love racing round and around in Classic Touring Cars in the rain in a 25 year old Starion with other like minded fools (yes you Big Al). Variety IS the spice of life and I know that the money, time and passion spent on the Time Attack cars in Pro, Club and novice levels is the same if not more than us regular racers.

As for drifting! I tried it a few times (may try again this year in a 325i) and loved it, but I wanted more for my money. I wasn't much cop at it and did the usual blaming my car, but I believe that anybody that can't agree that drifting is so skillfull has never tried it. I don't mean taking your mates around to McDonalds in the rain with an arm full of opposite lock out of a junction, I mean drifting. I had a reputation of being Mr Sideways at our club trackdays for over 8 years and was royally proved wrong when I took a practice drift day in the Starion. No I have the utmost respect for the drifters and I appreciate the Time Attackers.

Unfortunately I too have a problem with half the attitude and antics on Driftworks, which is a shame because 4 years ago it was a good community and going back further to when the scene started over here at Turweston airfield with a young Kiki, James "Cock", Julian and Brett Castle.

Autocar must have taken it seriously as they held drift competitions at Silverstone and Brands with the likes of Tiff Needell, Whizzo, Pentti Arikala and even Mark Webber sneaked in a go whilst testing at Silverstone!

Sorry for the rant, I'm expecting a flaming.

Marcos WTF · 27 Jan 2010, 10:37 (Ref:2620222)

It ain't racing. Full stop. Neither is rallying. Drifting is a good exercise in car control........ and so riveting that the shopping channel is more exciting.

samoaair707 · 27 Jan 2010, 11:35 (Ref:2620270)

How can drifting be called racing.A whole lot of rice cars with hairdryers up front.I personally think drifting is like taking to yourself with a cheese grater,something different but generally painful.

silver bullet · 27 Jan 2010, 15:22 (Ref:2620386)

Read the thread title guys, nobody is claiming that drifting is racing.
The question posed is, Is Drifting motorsport?
The general consensus of opinion is, it may not float everyones boat, but yes it is definitely a form of motorsport!

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