Monday, January 15, 2007 - 12:54 pm, by: Michael Machin(Minz)
I've just finished watching a Fifth Gear episode wherein Tiff Needel has two rounds in the UK drift championships in a 500+ BHP Soarer with a truck turbo giving the goods. It was nicknamed 'The Beast' for its very narrow power band. HE was in the most powerful car in the championship, he reckoned, but didn't do him any good. He finally got the hang of it in the second round, did a perfect practice lap, then snapped the drive-shaft on his 3rd qualifying attempt. Good to see the UK guys haven't been completely won over by the Nissans eh?
Monday, January 15, 2007 - 04:09 pm, by: Michael Machin(Minz)
Of course he did. He had a faulty crankshaft sensor which took him out of the first round, and the drive-shaft capped it all off. I was surprised that he didn't do that well, having seen him doing sideways shootouts in the RS4 against the M5, but then I found out the drifting rules.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007 - 08:44 am, by: Matthew Sharpe(Madmatt)
Well, I guess he'd be fighting a whole carrier of driving technique to drift woldn't he? Like trying to write with your off-hand, it'd take a lot of practice.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007 - 10:16 am, by: Aaron Mead(Aaron)
Or jerking it with the other hand, yes I know eactly what you mean now.
Tiff has raced more motorsport categories than I can remember. And when he gets it sideways, it actually looks good, because hes going around it as FAST as he can, not onning and offing the handbrake every five seconds to get the angle required to score points.
I know eleventy billion D1 and Initial D kiddies cant be wrong, but IMO drift is like a slowed down ballet dance that doesnt allow the true driving style to show. It takes a mountain of skill to slide around the old Top Gear test tracks in factory setup cars like M3's, M5's McLaren F1's (id like to see the japs drift one those!) fezzas, lambo's, and the like. You dont see those getting fitted with enormous cradle bushes, or super long tie rods.
Im not a drift fan, but the best 'DRIFTS' (what a japanisim) ive ever seen are on tarmac rally tracks, basically becasue you know its THE FASTEST WAY AROUND and I think thats the big difference. SLOW AND PRETTY with enough angle to get 'points' or FLATOUT SIDEWAYS in attempt to cross the line the quickest.