In the coming months, you'll probably be hearing the term "drift racing" more often on TV and in magazines and newspapers as it grows in popularity among the import-tuner set. So what the heck is this newfangled sport, anyway? Well, it’s not a “race” in the traditional sense – it’s more of a showdown to see who can drift their car sideways with the most style and control. In other words, it’s a fight with the laws of physics to look cool.

As you hopefully already know, automobiles are engineered to stay on the road, typically traveling in a forward motion. Drift drivers, however, purposely break their car’s adhesion to go sliding sideways through a curve. Born in Japan by mischievous drivers, the pastime has graduated into an actual sport there conducted on race tracks with official sponsors and big-bucks marketing and star drivers.

Drifting in the U.S. is slowly gaining momentum as well, with the first-ever North American Formula D Championship held just last August. Although many drift racers prefer rear-wheel-drive Japanese cars like the Nissan 240SX, American Formula D Champion Samuel Hubinette drives a Dodge Viper, and is actually sponsored by DaimlerChrysler’s racing unit, Team Mopar. Can a world championship match be too far off? Go Motor City!

For more information on the thrills of competitively sliding your car sideways, try these links.

Samuel Hubinette:

DaimlerChrysler’s racing division: www.mopar.com, www.moparspeed.com

Samuel Hubinette’s official site: www.toxicdrift.com 

The Lateral G Racing Team: www.lateralgracing.com

Article:

"Go Skid Racer Go!" by Charles Graeber from Wired Magazine

Websites:

www.drifting.com

www.driftcentral.com

www.drifting2.com

www.urbanracer.com

www.streetracing.org

www.umbrellagirlsusa.com

www.driftracing.co.uk (Britain)

www.cardrift.com (Australia)