Drifting: Japan motor sports.

Drifting refers to race cars sliding sideways through a marked course. Instead of being winning based on the first car to cross the finish line, drivers are judged on style and execution. Each driver seeks to add a unique, stylistic flair to the performance.

Drivers must understand and control engine power, while steering and braking all within and while pushing the boundaries of the traction of the tires. When the rear wheels slip at a greater angle than the front wheels the car is drifting in a power-slide, causing the tires to smoke. When watching this it appears that the car is out of control but in fact it is completely intentional.

For the past ten years drifting has been a popular motor sport in Japan and is only beginning to gain popularity in the US. In Japan its league is called D1 Grand Prix.

As it is still relatively new, many of the sport’s top drivers were rally racers or street racers that would drift for fun and then over time it developed into a competition sport.

A good resource for race information for D1 Grand Prix is http://www.d1gp.com/ lists schedules, competitor rosters and complete rules and regulations.

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