Beginners guide

The ideal drift car is a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive with (of course) a manual transmission – and to be authentic, it should be Japanese. However the European drifters are using E30- E36 BMWs or Ford Escorts. Fathers of the sport prefer the Nissan 200SX and Toyota Corolla AE86. In factory form, both are relatively low on horsepower but possess the two most important characteristics of a drift machine: exceptional balance and handling. Since you’ll be learning to drift at legally sanctioned events (and not on city streets, right?), track officials won’t even let you ride along, let alone drive, without a helmet and a racing harness. Once you have the proper setup, you are ready to go. The core concepts in drifting are weight transfer and breaking traction. When a car’s weight shifts forward while entering a turn, traction is lost at the rear wheels. With firm steering and throttle inputs, the traction loss can be total, resulting in a drift.

One way to get those rear wheels sliding is to punch the brakes (without locking them up) while entering a turn. This causes the car to dive, shifting weight off the driving wheels and (hopefully) inducing a four-wheel slide when the throttle is quickly reapplied. Another method is to pop the clutch under the throttle while turning. This sends a shock through the drivetrain, forcing the rear tyres to spin. Perhaps the simplest method: Pull the emergency brake at speed while sharply turning the wheel – a rather inelegant technique that doesn’t rely as much on weight transfer as it does momentarily locking up the rear wheels to lose traction.

Once you’ve initiated the drift, do your best to keep it going. When the tail begins to slide, ignore your first impulse to get off the gas. Maintain throttle pressure to keep the wheels spinning, but don’t overdo it or you’ll end up spinning out. Also, steer into the direction you are sliding, and not the direction your car is pointed. If you’re able to balance this mix of steering and throttle input, you should be able to keep your car drifting through a turn. To get out, simply lay off the gas pedal and bring the steering wheel around. If done correctly, your car should snap back in line. tent[/wr_column]][wr_text]The ideal drift car is a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive with (of course) a manual transmission – and to be authentic, it should be Japanese. However, the European drifters are using E30- E36 BMWs or Ford Escorts. Fathers of the sport prefer the Nissan 200SX and Toyota Corolla AE86. In factory form, both are relatively low on horsepower but possess the two most important characteristics of a drift machine: exceptional balance and handling. Since you’ll be learning to drift at legally sanctioned events (and not on city streets, right?), track officials won’t even let you ride along, let alone drive, without a helmet and a racing harness. Once you have the proper setup, you are ready to go. The core concepts in drifting are weight transfer and breaking traction. When a car’s weight shifts forward while entering a turn, traction is lost at the rear wheels. With firm steering and throttle inputs, the traction loss can be total, resulting in a drift.

One way to get those rear wheels sliding is to punch the brakes (without locking them up) while entering a turn. This causes the car to dive, shifting weight off the driving wheels and (hopefully) inducing a four-wheel slide when the throttle is quickly reapplied. Another method is to pop the clutch under the throttle while turning. This sends a shock through the drivetrain, forcing the rear tyres to spin. Perhaps the simplest method: Pull the emergency brake at speed while sharply turning the wheel – a rather inelegant technique that doesn’t rely as much on weight transfer as it does momentarily locking up the rear wheels to lose traction.

Once you’ve initiated the drift, do your best to keep it going. When the tail begins to slide, ignore your first impulse to get off the gas. Maintain throttle pressure to keep the wheels spinning, but don’t overdo it or you’ll end up spinning out. Also, steer in the direction you are sliding, and not the direction your car is pointed. If you’re able to balance this mix of steering and throttle input, you should be able to keep your car drifting through a turn. To get out, simply lay off the gas pedal and bring the steering wheel around. If done correctly, your car should snap back in line. tent