Drifting... is it the Pro Wrestling of Motorsport?

[RC45]

No secret - I think drifitng is the dumbest thing since spinners....

...other than a halftime show, does it have a place as a type of racing...???

[Toronto]

you can't call it racing. that is a fact. you are rated by judges. where is the racing?
it is just as much a motorsport as figure skating :D

[racer_f50]

definitely not racing, but could still be considered a sport if you ask me. I actually enjoy watching D1 videos, so it's higher than pro wrestling to me :P

[Minacious]

Drifting is not racing, period. Drifting is nothing more than an exhibition. Interpretive dance, but with cars instead of people.

[graywolf624]

Its an exhibition not a sport(we've been over this before).

Its something you do for fun and to show off, its not racing.

[RC45]

^^ I'm hoping to draw the "drifting is racing" fans out of the woodwork and have a lively old chin-wag about it ;)

We all agree it is a display of car control - but as far as a "speed contest" ... :fist:

[ZfrkS62]

Drifting is as much of a sport as cheerleading :| Fun to look at, but useless :mrgreen:

[SFDMALEX]

What all of you above said.

[graywolf624]

i like drag racing but i think drifting takes more skill.

Id have to disagree. Especially a top fuel drag car or something else that runs a 300-400 mph 1/4.

[RC45]

i like drag racing but i think drifting takes more skill.

Now that is just 1000% untrue.

To pilot a top fuel dragster down the 1/4 mile in 4 seconds to a trap speed of 330mph takes a lot more than "just holding on".

People think that darg racing at the ultimate levels is like mashing the gas in a 90hp Civic.

The timing and skill involved in a race that only lasts 4 seconds is unfathomable to us mere mortals.

Let's put it in perspective.

By my reckoning if you took a Macca F1 at top speed (say 230mph) and you launched when the Macca was next to the Top Fueler, you would catch and pass the Macca F1 in less time than it took to read this sentence (within the 1/4 mile and 4s).

Now do you still think that takes less skill and concentration and reaction that throwing a Silvia with slick tyres around a corner? ;)

[SFDMALEX]

Actually I have more respect for pro wrestlers because it takes to a lot streroid abuse to get were they are, plus the acting that they do requires some skill. :lol:

[RC45]

Actually I have more respect for pro wrestlers because it takes to a lot streroid abuse to get were they are, plus the acting that they do requires some skill. :lol:

Well you get the drifters who do the one-hand, door open wave to the crowd thing :P

[SFDMALEX]

i like drag racing but i think drifting takes more skill.

Now that is just 1000% untrue.

To pilot a top fuel dragster down the 1/4 mile in 4 seconds to a trap speed of 330mph takes a lot more than "just holding on".

People think that darg racing at the ultimate levels is like mashing the gas in a 90hp Civic.

The timing and skill involved in a race that only lasts 4 seconds is unfathomable to us mere mortals.

Let's put it in perspective.

By my reckoning if you took a Macca F1 at top speed (say 230mph) and you launched when the Macca was next to the Top Fueler, you would catch and pass the Macca F1 in less time than it took to read this sentence (within the 1/4 mile and 4s).

Now do you still think that takes less skill and concentration and reaction that throwing a Silvia with slick tyres around a corner? ;)

Yeah but its still ghey, drag racing, drifting, pro wrestling is all ghey.

Drag racing might require skill, but my fuck, Nascar is less boring.

[GTO]

Drift is good fun, yeah the wannabe's riceboys shit me but its fun. Anyone whos driven a skip pan ANYWAYS has the biggest smile on their face when they gotten the hang of a huge drift. I have huge fun doing it and learn a lot about my car's handling on slippery surfaces. SO much so when I went on a gravel and dirt run with the club, the low traction didnt scare me and handled it well.

Like or not I think its a vital skill for driving, though the western version of drifting is a wank. I like the Japanese drift vids + couple of beers, its all good :)

However F1 and drag racing bores me to tears, I remeber watching on F1 race and I fell asleep 3 times through it in the early afternoon. Drag racing I'd rather watch Sunday arts programing to be honest.

I like pro wrestling anyway, its funny :)

[Squeek]

I agree with GTO completely :)

[RC45]

So in conclusion - Drifting is the slow, limp-wristed, poofta, half-arsed, wannabe way round a track - something reserved for the slowest of the slow...

Well now that you put it that way, I guess you are pretty well suited to the "sport" of drifting.. :P

[exhausted mules]

lol. way to turn that around rc.


good one.

[GTO]

Drag racing is for inbreeds with no skill. Wow a reflex reaction time, all I see of drag racer is some old fart with money, yeah I’m going to cheer some pensioner on for mashing that accelerator, on ya granddad!

Fast around a track? Drift cars do corners well, whereas drag cars can’t even turn. Whats good 2000HP when it can even go around the first bend??? At least a drift car can turn around a track and doesn’t have it engine explode after every run.

Sif more skill at drag than Drift.

Drag and NASCAR are the most boring motorsport ever, driving in a circle for 500miles, the talent and skill required is a battle to keep awake. Drag and NASCAR, are for motorsport impostors who use HP and ¼ times of their vehicle as a “lap times”. Being inbred they don’t get that the concept that HP and ¼ time is 99% factor of how much money you’ve spend on their car. Ie the best is the one with the most money.

At least here in Australia we have V8 super cars, they are powerful V8 but they actually drive them around circuits, ie talent is required and it’s a real motorsport.

So in conclusion- if your talent less and rich (and preferably an inbred American), be a dragracer. Same skills required as boarding a plane and if you’ve been on a plane, by the dragracer rationale, your fast!

Real motor sport IMO is rally, don’t see Americans doing it surprisingly?
Drift is a gateway to rally for me, I learn a lot from it.
I learn absolutly nothing from drag racing and NASCAR.

[dutchmasterflex]

drifting is all about one thing.


style.



although it seems they make it similar to wrestling by creating a storyline/rivalries between the drifters..

[graywolf624]

gto, do you have any concept of how hard it is to maintain control of a top fuel car. Its not just knowing when to hit the gas, and you certainly dont mash it cause youd just spin the tires from here to eternity. Theres a reason alot of those guys big time guys inevitably crash... Id say until youve driven a drag car that does wheelies or pulls a sub 9 your talentless. Above that, its like running at the bonneville salt flats.. Its a different type of skill, that primarily lies with balls of steel.

You do also realize that we have several road racing series (I cant remember which of irl and cart, american lemans, gt, to name a few), hell even the hicks that do nascar run 2 or 3 road racing circuits a year.

As for drift cars handling turns well.. Thats like saying my daily driver handles turns well.. They dont.. they are tuned to behave the wrong way, that is forced wagging of the tail. If they were specifically tuned for taking corners the right way, they wouldnt be able to wag as long.

As for using it to get into rally.. I think youd be better off just doign a rally(and yes we have them here too.. The scca has rallys all the time and I know people that do them.. Its just at the amateur level more). The drifting isnt going to teach you how the car reacts on a different surface.

[nthfinity]

At least here in Australia we have V8 super cars, they are powerful V8 but they actually drive them around circuits, ie talent is required and it’s a real motorsport.

So in conclusion- if your talent less and rich (and preferably an inbred American), be a dragracer. Same skills required as boarding a plane and if you’ve been on a plane, by the dragracer rationale, your fast!

granted, most drag racers dont often escape from one motorsport to another... but i'll say we have several one-up's on aussies when it comes to motorsport... ALMS is one of the most fiercely competitive racing sport out there :) and the S7's, and C5R and C6R's (among others) all have 600 hp V8's. i'll take that any day to a v8 supercar :P

also, what other country will you find such varried interpretations of motorsport??? (albiet, most are gay :lol: )

[SilviaEvo]

i like almost all motorsport. not a fan of Nascar or Drag racing though. but i do say it takes skill to do so i just dont prefer it to the other ones. i like Rally, F1, LM, ALMS, D1. but drifting does take a lot of skill.

[GTO]

gto, do you have any concept of how hard it is to maintain control of a top fuel car. Its not just knowing when to hit the gas, and you certainly dont mash it cause youd just spin the tires from here to eternity. Theres a reason alot of those guys big time guys inevitably crash... Id say until youve driven a drag car that does wheelies or pulls a sub 9 your talentless. Above that, its like running at the bonneville salt flats.. Its a different type of skill, that primarily lies with balls of steel.

You do also realize that we have several road racing series (I cant remember which of irl and cart, american lemans, gt, to name a few), hell even the hicks that do nascar run 2 or 3 road racing circuits a year.

As for drift cars handling turns well.. Thats like saying my daily driver handles turns well.. They dont.. they are tuned to behave the wrong way, that is forced wagging of the tail. If they were specifically tuned for taking corners the right way, they wouldnt be able to wag as long.

As for using it to get into rally.. I think youd be better off just doign a rally(and yes we have them here too.. The scca has rallys all the time and I know people that do them.. Its just at the amateur level more). The drifting isnt going to teach you how the car reacts on a different surface.


No I haven’t driven one because I’m not an old man using his retirement fund to blow up engines. No sale, to keep a car in a straight line, that’s where real race drivers use to rest before attacking the corners. Balls now? Sif, its old men with pacemakers driving.

Rally = skill + balls.

Agreed about the drift car but I was making a comparison about drag cars. But they are set up to take corners that way, like you said, that why they are drift cars and not race cars…

Unless you’ve drift, then your talking out of your ass. Drift does teach you to deal with low friction surfaces and how to manage (load shift) a car’s centre of gravity around corners. There is one skip pan here at Eastern creek raceway that purposely has patch of wet and dry, to teach you how to handle the car in ununiformed surfaces. This was invaluable when I went to Wakefeild raceway for two days, day1 storming rain and day2 drying conditions, thanks to drift I didn’t fly off the track into a wall.

Like I said drift teaches me more cornering techniques and drag/NASCAR I learn absolutely nothing. That right! cornering not mashing the accelerator or doing continuos left or right hand turns for 500 miles.

Scca amateur or not at least they are driving properly and not pretending to be race car drivers.

granted, most drag racers dont often escape from one motorsport to another... but i'll say we have several one-up's on aussies when it comes to motorsport... ALMS is one of the most fiercely competitive racing sport out there :) and the S7's, and C5R and C6R's (among others) all have 600 hp V8's. i'll take that any day to a v8 supercar :P )

Might be interesting if they entered ALMS, and these are good drivers.

http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/frame.php?file=car.php&carnum=1562
http://www.hrt.com.au/racing/index.asp

600 + BHP limited to maximum 7,500 RPM
298kph (185mph)
0-100kph: 4.0 seconds

Back to Cart, american lemans, gt.

I’ve seen Cart and it isn’t bad, the circuits I don’t like but the drivers are good drivers with skill. Montoya went to F1 and is doing well, show that these are skilled drivers.

Haven’t seen Americana Lemans or GT but if its anything like the Europeans ones and on proper circuits and not ovals then its something I’d watch.
also, what other country will you find such varried interpretations of motorsport??? (albiet, most are gay :lol: )
:lol: yeah but there is enough for everyone to find something interesting though :)

[graywolf624]

Unless you’ve drift, then your talking out of your ass. Drift does teach you to deal with low friction surfaces and how to manage (load shift) a car’s centre of gravity around corners. There is one skip pan here at Eastern creek raceway that purposely has patch of wet and dry, to teach you how to handle the car in ununiformed surfaces. This was invaluable when I went to Wakefeild raceway for two days, day1 storming rain and day2 drying conditions, thanks to drift I didn’t fly off the track into a wall.
I've drifted before.. Its called fooling around with the car. I also have raced before.
That being said you dont understand what I meant about surfaces.. dry and wet helps, but its a whole other ball game on dirt or gravel. Same with snow/ice. Thats why the asshats in the south of the US practically kill themselves each time it ices or snows, and northerners just go.. 5 inches of snow.. whats the deal.. It might teach you more then nascar or drag.. But yet again thats like saying I learn more from driving to and from work about cornering then I do from nascar and drag. Its a given cause thats not what they are about. The people doing it in the big times here arent all that old either. Usually 30s and 40s. I dont find it entertaining personally either, but I have a hell of alotta respect. The first time I was in a car that popped a wheelie got my attention real quick.

[GTO]

^Can’t argue with any of that.

Being OZ we have little snow but yeah gravel/dirt is quite different, I did a bit but I fell back on what I learned from drift and adapted it from there, it worked well IMO.

Yeah drag cars are exciting in real life when I first saw them, I haven’t been in one but I’ve seem them here at Summer nats. One point I did like is that NASA said a while back that they couldn’t reach 200MPH and NASA was proven wrong. From a Technical point of view I do respect it.