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Drifting
Frequently Asked Questions
Welcome to the Drift Session's
Frequently Asked Questions about drifting. These are some of
the questions that we receive via e-mail on a
regular basis, so here's some basic answers to get you started in
the world of drifting. Also be sure to read the Frequently Alluded
Questions here.
If the Frequently Asked Drifting Questions don't
answer the particular question you may have, please feel free to ask us at info@driftsession.com.
Make sure to add an appropriate subject heading to your email so we don't
delete it by accident. We'll do our best to answer your question. We
promise.
What is drifting?
The official definition of a 'drift' according to the Drift Session
is, "Exceeding your tires' limits of adhesion, exhibiting a
lateral slip, resulting in an oversteered condition. We'll break it
down like this: 1. 'Exceeding your tires' limits of adhesion' means
that there is no longer enough traction available for your tires to
maintain grip with the roadway. This can be caused by numerous
things including: using too much horsepower at a given point in
time, too great a degree to cornering angle, too much speed carried
into a corner, slippery roadway conditions, etc. 2. 'Exhibiting a
lateral slip' means that your car is traveling towards a vector that
is not consistent with the direction your vehicle is facing; aka
your car is facing sideways, but still moving towards the direction
you were previously pointed. 3. 'Resulting in an oversteered
condition' is basically defined as your vehicle angle being greater
than the angle of the corner negotiated. The combination of these
three elements is what we will use as the basic components of a
'drift.'
What is the Drift
Session?
The Drift Session is a promotional company that produces drifting
events and an internet resource dedicated to educating people about
the sport of drifting. The Drift Session was the first organization to create
drifting events and competitions on a regular basis in America. The
DriftSession.com was also one of the first mainstream websites created
specifically for drifting.
Can only Rear Wheel
Drive (RWD) vehicles drift?
No. Anything with wheels can drift, and probably some things without
wheels too. Based off of the official Drift Session definition for
drifting, drifting can be performed in any vehicle regardless of
drivetrain type. While being much more difficult to perform drifts
in a front wheel drive vehicle, it is possible, with the proper
technique, to drift them reasonably. The most common reason
why people don't drift FWD vehicles is because it is nearly
impossible to sustain a drift or accelerate while drifting in a FWD vehicle.
FWD vehicles are limited in drifting by the amount of momentum they carry
into a corner, while RWD vehicles are not.
What is the best
vehicle for drifting?
There is no best vehicle for drifting. Everything is based off of
personal preferences and driving style. A 'best' vehicle would most
likely be one that is reliable and able to perform consistently.
While all vehicles have their advantages and drawbacks, the most
common drift vehicles tend to be reasonably priced, attainable,
cheap to repair, have good aftermarket product support, and rear
wheel drive.
Do you need lots of
horsepower to drift?
No. However, what you lack in horsepower and torque, you need to
make up for with momentum when drifting. While having lots of
horsepower to spare can make drifting easier, it is not a
requirement. Having lots of horsepower often lets a drifter correct
mistakes and compensate for bobbles on the track that a low
horsepower vehicle cannot. Once a low horsepower vehicle loses
speed and momentum while drifting it is difficult to regain that momentum
due to the lack of sufficient horsepower.
What does a good
drift look like?
What a good drift looks like is up to you. In the D1 Grand Prix,
good drifting follows a designated racing line, stays low in the
corners, and maintains race speeds. In the US, a good drift is wide,
holds lots of angle, and makes lots of smoke. At the Drift Session,
we look at speed, line, smoke, and how close you can get to the
guardrails. Drifting is a subjective sport. What looks good to you,
may not look good to another.
Do
I need lots of vehicle modifications to drift?
No. Too many drivers out there are using pending modifications as an
excuse to put off drifting for another day. You only need a car to
drift. Learn your vehicle and how it handles in its stock form. Then
as you progress, add modifications as you reach mechanical limits of
your vehicle. No part or combination of parts will make you a better
drifter. In the beginning, spend your money on track events and
tires. As your skill increases, things like suspension bushings,
stiffer suspension components, and higher horsepower may help you to
overcome problems you had with a stock vehicle.
Is
drifting the fastest way around a corner?
No. This is another subjective answer in the world of drifting
because 'faster' can mean so many different things. In essence
though, a drift is exceeding the amount of traction available. When
you don't have traction you're not accelerating as fast as you
possibly could. If screeching the tires and making lots of smoke
were better for acceleration, you'd see drag racers trying to do
that all the way down the quarter mile. Now 'faster' in another
sense of the word, as in crossing a finish line faster than another
vehicle, can be accomplished with drifting in certain situations.
Drifting can be used in a road race situation to change the
cornering angle of your vehicle to allow for difficult passing and
optimizing a less than perfect racing line. In this way, can
drifting be an unorthodox method of being 'faster' in a
corner.
Can
I get Ross Petty's phone number?
Sorry. This is not a dating service for Ross Petty. We can't give
out personal phone numbers.
Is
it possible for an AE86 to defeat higher horsepower vehicles on the
downhill?
Anything is possible in
racing. Put down the Initial D and step away slowly.
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