What do you think about drifting?

[Fire It Up]

Do you think its a skillful sport or a pointless way of burning rubber? I vote yay  because from what I've seen, its much harder than it seems and I love smoke poring from the wheels.    

[BMWDave]

No nays!

[MX793]

Not exactly my cup of tea, but I'd consider it a sport.  It's like figure skating with cars, I guess.

[BMWDave]

Doesnt drifting ruin your car if it isnt properly equipped?

[MX793]

Doesnt drifting ruin your car if it isnt properly equipped?

Ruin how?  Any hard use will ruin a car.  Why do you think they rebuild/replace the engines in most race cars for every event?  Drive a car "normally" long enough and it will start falling apart and parts will start breaking from fatigue.

[DC3Skyliner]

I don't care much for it either but it is becoming a legitimate motorsport. Some driving schools are even teaching it. Personally I'd rather watch cars go around corners the fast way.

[BMWDave]

Doesnt drifting ruin your car if it isnt properly equipped?

Ruin how?  Any hard use will ruin a car.  Why do you think they rebuild/replace the engines in most race cars for every event?  Drive a car "normally" long enough and it will start falling apart and parts will start breaking from fatigue.

I remember a article where a Goat was 'specially modified' for drifting.  Like increasing stiffness, better tires, etc.  Its not something you can do everyday with your car.  

[MX793]

Doesnt drifting ruin your car if it isnt properly equipped?

Ruin how?  Any hard use will ruin a car.  Why do you think they rebuild/replace the engines in most race cars for every event?  Drive a car "normally" long enough and it will start falling apart and parts will start breaking from fatigue.

I remember a article where a Goat was 'specially modified' for drifting.  Like increasing stiffness, better tires, etc.  Its not something you can do everyday with your car.

Well, with any event, you're going to want proper tires.  You don't run racing slicks in a rally, and you don't run drag radials at an autocross.  The suspension tuning is more for getting the car to behave how they want.  Most of the modifications are there to improve how the car is controlled in the drift.  It makes the car drift more predictably.  You could drift with just about any RWD car, but it's easier if you set the car up to be a drift car by modifying the suspension and equipping appropriate tires.  I've seen relatively stock (changed wheels and tires) cars entered in drift competitions.

[93JC]

Big ol' NAY from me.

Drifting will never be a "sport". It's mediocre "entertainment" at best.

Ricer entertainment...

[FlatBlackCaddy]

Big ol' NAY from me.

Drifting will never be a "sport". It's mediocre "entertainment" at best.

Ricer entertainment...

We all know you like drifting, and do it all the time in your jeep.

[BMWDave]

Doesnt drifting ruin your car if it isnt properly equipped?

Ruin how?  Any hard use will ruin a car.  Why do you think they rebuild/replace the engines in most race cars for every event?  Drive a car "normally" long enough and it will start falling apart and parts will start breaking from fatigue.

I remember a article where a Goat was 'specially modified' for drifting.  Like increasing stiffness, better tires, etc.  Its not something you can do everyday with your car.

Well, with any event, you're going to want proper tires.  You don't run racing slicks in a rally, and you don't run drag radials at an autocross.  The suspension tuning is more for getting the car to behave how they want.  Most of the modifications are there to improve how the car is controlled in the drift.  It makes the car drift more predictably.  You could drift with just about any RWD car, but it's easier if you set the car up to be a drift car by modifying the suspension and equipping appropriate tires.  I've seen relatively stock (changed wheels and tires) cars entered in drift competitions.

I remember a while back that 94_WHT_NXT? posted pics of his FWD 94 STS drifting.  So I guess even FWD cars can drift.

[Fire It Up]

Doesnt drifting ruin your car if it isnt properly equipped?

Ruin how?  Any hard use will ruin a car.  Why do you think they rebuild/replace the engines in most race cars for every event?  Drive a car "normally" long enough and it will start falling apart and parts will start breaking from fatigue.

I remember a article where a Goat was 'specially modified' for drifting.  Like increasing stiffness, better tires, etc.  Its not something you can do everyday with your car.

Well, with any event, you're going to want proper tires.  You don't run racing slicks in a rally, and you don't run drag radials at an autocross.  The suspension tuning is more for getting the car to behave how they want.  Most of the modifications are there to improve how the car is controlled in the drift.  It makes the car drift more predictably.  You could drift with just about any RWD car, but it's easier if you set the car up to be a drift car by modifying the suspension and equipping appropriate tires.  I've seen relatively stock (changed wheels and tires) cars entered in drift competitions.

I remember a while back that 94_WHT_NXT? posted pics of his FWD 94 STS drifting.  So I guess even FWD cars can drift.

Well, FWD drifting isnt "proper" drifting. Its pulliing the handbrake and holding on tight.  

[Fire It Up]

Doesnt drifting ruin your car if it isnt properly equipped?

Properly equipped isnt really that far away unless you're goin into the big stuff (D1 GP). Most people put on diffferent tires (as MX said) and a better clutch.  

[MaxPower]

Anything that includes subjective ratings is hard for me to accept in motorsports.  When you're racing cars, it's all about who gets there first or the fastest.  I vote nay.

[Tom]

Fun?  Yes.  Sport?  No.

[mazda6er]

Big ol' NAY from me.

Drifting will never be a "sport". It's mediocre "entertainment" at best.

Ricer entertainment...

We all know you like drifting, and do it all the time in your jeep.

93 JC's just sore because he had a bad drifting experience 'one time':



Just get back on the horse, man!

[MX793]

Anything that includes subjective ratings is hard for me to accept in motorsports.  When you're racing cars, it's all about who gets there first or the fastest.  I vote nay.

You're presuming that racing is the only possible form of motorsport.  Are all forms of regular sport purely about one person/team scoring more goals than the other?  Absolutely not.  Ice skating, freestyle BMX, skateboarding and gymnastics are all examples of sports that have subjective scoring.  Why should it be any different with sports involving motor vehicles?  Freestyle motocross is completely subjective in scoring, yet is very much a motorsport.

[850CSi]

I've done a lot of it in the Audi... Fun stuff. I vote yay.

[MaxPower]

Anything that includes subjective ratings is hard for me to accept in motorsports.  When you're racing cars, it's all about who gets there first or the fastest.  I vote nay.

You're presuming that racing is the only possible form of motorsport.  Are all forms of regular sport purely about one person/team scoring more goals than the other?  Absolutely not.  Ice skating, freestyle BMX, skateboarding and gymnastics are all examples of sports that have subjective scoring.  Why should it be any different with sports involving motor vehicles?  Freestyle motocross is completely subjective in scoring, yet is very much a motorsport.

Haha.  I consider, and I repeat I, most anything with subjective scoring isn't a sport.  This is my opinion!  I think figure skating is crap, I'd rather watch hockey.  Freesytle BMX is ok but the races are just as fun and there's a more defined goal.  Gymnastics, while the stuff they do is impressive, just doesn't do it for me.  And skateboarding is fun to watch but I'd rather see races.

I'm not averse to the whole concept of drifting, it's just that as soon as I learned that there were judges involved I got disinterested.  I don't like needing to have a judge tell you that you won.  Judging brings up all sorts of problems about fairness and that crap, see figure skating and gymnastics.  That's why I don't like it.

EDIT:  looks like I'm averse to the sport of drifting.  I guess I really don't mind doing it for fun.  Hell, you paid for the tires, use them as you wish!

[Zcarnut]

Yeah..I guess I see it as somthing like figure skating too as style and technique is what wins here versus a lap time.
I think its cool to watch and wouldnt mind trying it.
I find it far more entertaining than watching 40 clowns in identical cars making 4 left turns lap after lap.
Iliked Nascar better when it really was "stock car racing".

[The Phantom]

I don't know about skill, but I wouldn't mind finding a big, open parking lot and having lots of fun sometime (especially now that I have a capable car).   :D  

[MX793]

Anything that includes subjective ratings is hard for me to accept in motorsports.  When you're racing cars, it's all about who gets there first or the fastest.  I vote nay.

You're presuming that racing is the only possible form of motorsport.  Are all forms of regular sport purely about one person/team scoring more goals than the other?  Absolutely not.  Ice skating, freestyle BMX, skateboarding and gymnastics are all examples of sports that have subjective scoring.  Why should it be any different with sports involving motor vehicles?  Freestyle motocross is completely subjective in scoring, yet is very much a motorsport.

Haha.  I consider, and I repeat I, most anything with subjective scoring isn't a sport.  This is my opinion!  I think figure skating is crap, I'd rather watch hockey.  Freesytle BMX is ok but the races are just as fun and there's a more defined goal.  Gymnastics, while the stuff they do is impressive, just doesn't do it for me.  And skateboarding is fun to watch but I'd rather see races.

I'm not averse to the whole concept of drifting, it's just that as soon as I learned that there were judges involved I got disinterested.  I don't like needing to have a judge tell you that you won.  Judging brings up all sorts of problems about fairness and that crap, see figure skating and gymnastics.  That's why I don't like it.

EDIT:  looks like I'm averse to the sport of drifting.  I guess I really don't mind doing it for fun.  Hell, you paid for the tires, use them as you wish!

Not liking a sport doesn't make it not a sport.  I don't like baseball, but I still call it a sport.  Obviously, you're entitled your opinion.  Personally, drifting isn't really my cup of tea either.  Fun to watch a few video clips and probably a hoot to actually compete in, but I'd also much rather watch guys racing for a checkered flag.

[Why?]

Rhys Millen used a GTO as a drifting vehicle when Japan's tour came to Cali.

Drifting is cool, and definately a learned skill.

Drifting FWD is not just a handbrake. The point is not to be out of control, but to be in complete control at all times, especially when completely sideways when you are an inch from a concrete wall doing 40 mph.

[Secret Chimp]

I like trying to wing around a corner now and then when I'm driving my turbo DeLorean in GT4 (that car is so dope) but the apparent drifting "sport" where the car has to constantly be off-traction is a bit much for me. I'm more into the 70's car chase/Ronin type of drifting, not the extreme it's been taken to recently.