Falling Back in Love: DRIFTING



Pictures are from MAP's Nos DDYK round 2 @ Elko Speedway 6.11.2011

Hearing the echo of tires screeching throughout a race track has to be one of the sweetest sounds ever.  The whistle of a turbo whining in sync with the roar of a drift car flying around the banks at Elko Speedway can always bring a smile to any drifter fans’ face.  This was how I spent my first two Saturdays of June and I wouldn’t have it any other way.  The more I attended these drift events the more I start to relive some of my pre-teen dreams of sliding through corners with ease as I remembered from watching clips that I had downloaded from Kazaa and other downloading sites (before youtube).  Growing up with people that bled Honda and FWD cars, it was always hard to get into the world of RWD and drifting.  But as soon as I earned my driver’s license I started taking the route that was around me instead of seeking the dream I dreamt as a 14 year old watching underground drifting videos.

Drifting to me has always been the art of losing control, but maintaining control of your car.  It contradicts everything known to a road racer as when one should slow down before turning, a drifter goes head on with no fear into a turn.  Some may see it as a totally useless, but as I remembered somewhere I read someone said “drifting may not be the fastest way around a corner, but it sure is the most fun”.  I believe there is some truth to it as the art of drifting circles more about style and technique rather then the traditional “I want to be faster then everyone”.  I think it’s a unique way of looking at it and as in life as well, since most people are too caught up in the bullshit rather then just taking time to enjoy the smaller things.

So…I couldn’t write something about drifting and not mention anything about the epic Japanese anime series Initial D.  I remember as a teenager sitting for 2 days straight with my brother watching back to back of the series on burnt VCDs.  To be honest if it wasn’t for the series I probably would still be talking shit about older model cars.  Even though it was just a cartoon the theories behind some of the lessoned being learn by the main character was relevant to real life racing.  Just everything about the series could inspire you to learn something about racing (at least for me it did) rather then just watching The Fast and the Furious and expecting to run 9’s.  There are many things I could mention about Initial D, but by then I would just be explaining everything that went down in every episode.  To the Initial D fans, tell me after watching the series you didn’t want to own an AE86 or any other car that was in the anime, if not then you weren’t watching the show.

okay…

The drifting scene that is happening in the Midwest, especially in Minnesota is starting to bloom with exceptional drivers that are starting to become local favorites.  These guys like most people have a daily 9 to 5’er but are out there on the tracks throwing their own personal cars around for the applause of fans.  That alone should show that these drivers are doing it not for the money (obviously) but just solely because they enjoy this sport.  It’s these guys that I have hoped that will make Minnesota drifters a force to be reckoned with.  I like where the scene in Minnesota is going and hope for bigger and better events in the future.

P.S: This will not be the last thing I write about Drifting, but follow my journey as I fall back in love with the art of Drifting.

_vulocity

(now for the picture dumps, enjoy)