Drifting Culture
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 History of Drifting
Drifting first came to fruition as a technique used by rally racers. When rally racing, participants would drift, or slide, around corners throughout a variety of road conditions: dirt, mud, and snow. Drifting around the corners allowed the racers to maintain a high speed, instead of slowing down to take the turn.
This technique was picked up by 'touge' drivers, who used the method when maneuvering around a series of turns in the mountains of Japan. The drivers would have informal challenges, which led to flashier and more skilled drifting, with competitors each developing their own unique style. As the sport gained momentum, challenges were held not only in the mountains, but also in the streets of Japan. The openness of the challenges in the streets allowed for more spectators, which caused a sharp rise in popularity of the sport. An internet rumor states that the sport was brought to national attention when Keiichi Tsuchiya, now known as the Drift King, was a competitor in a speed race (not a drifting competition) and was dead last. He decided to swing the car around the corners, which shocked and amazed the crowds. Later, when asked for a comment, Tsuchiya noted that he was drifting.
Today, the sport has evolved into a worldwide obsession. Japanese drifters are considered to be the most skilled with the newest techniques. Drifters still compete against each other in the mountains and on the streets, but because of the popularity of the sport, 'circuits' have opened. Circuits contain a closed course and judges, where contestants are judged on a specific group of turns. Circuits allow anyone to compete, but they are usually only open once a week, on Saturday or Sunday.
Drifting Culture & Fan Base
In Japan, drift champions are as popular and recognized as celebrities are in the US. In fact, drifting has become so popular in Japan that the government has taken steps to prevent the more dangerous areas of drifting. On the most popular mountain pass, Mt. Haruna, large speed bumps have been placed at the entrance and exit corners of most sequential turns.
Plastic poles are also placed in the middle of lanes on both the mountain roads and busy streets, however, these poles are frequently removed by the drifters.
According to research done by Formula D, the following are findings about drifting enthusiasts:
* Drifting fans are usually males between the ages of 16-29 years old.
* Most fans have either attended or graduated from college.
* Online use is very important to drifters. They spend between 8 and 30 hours a week online.
* Almost all drifting fans are gamers.
* Most drift enthusiasts buy their car parts online or at specialty/tuner shops. Chain stores are not the primary resource for a drifter.
* Although some fans of drifting are drifters themselves, most just enjoy watching the sport.
* Most fans own their own car, with the most popular makes being Nissan, Toyota and Honda.
Other research shows that fans of drifting, who want to learn how to drift, either watch video of drifting techniques or play drifting video games to help enhance their ability.
As with all popular sub-cultures, drifting has a group of people who pretend to be actual drifters. These people usually just make cosmetic changes to their cars, rather than modifications that would improve performance. Real drifters term these posers as 'ricers.' A popular definition of a ricer is:
A moron who takes a car (foreign or domestic) and tries to make it look fast. The car will not gain any horsepower or performance, but it will gain numerous stickers and yellow paint. It can be identified by one of the following:
1. The sound of a loud fart in a coffee can.
2. The yellow blob with a bookshelf on the trunk that is 1/4 mile behind real cars.
3. A Honda that has "performance mods" such as stickers, seat harnesses, and a fire extinguisher in full view (just in case the thing catches on fire when it hits 40 mph).
4. A driver who claims his car has 100hp per liter but will not fess up to the fact that his car has a total of 43 ft/lbs of torque.
In reality, drifters are more concerned with the modifications inside of their car, and will make cosmetic changes (usually different colors with graphics) only after they've made performance changes.
A popular film series for drifting enthusiasts is the Initial D film series. These films are anime that feature drifting and a dramatic story line. Characters usually reoccur throughout each film. The Drift King, Keiichi Tsuchiya, helps with editorial supervision to ensure proper drift techniques.
So me of the most popular video games for both drifting and racing enthusiasts include Need for Speed and Gran Tourismo.
Drift Judging
In drifting competitions, contestants are judged not on how quickly they finish a course, but on the racing line, angle, speed and showmanship.
1. Racing Line
The judges set a line, and the contestants are judged on how well they follow that line.
2. Angle
This is the angle of the car during the drift. The sharper the angle, the higher the score. The amount of countersteer on the front wheels is also judged.
3. Speed
Contestants are judged on the speed entering the turn, throughout the turn, and exiting the turn. The faster it is, the higher the score.
4. lmpact
This is based on multiple things, such as the amount of smoke and how close the car is to the wall. The intent of this category is to make the drift look as cool as possible.
Source: The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift Production Notes
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