Drift Mania Canadian Championship gears up for growth
Published Thursday September 4th, 2008
According to Drift Mania Canadian Championships (DMCC) spokesperson Ben Woo, drifting is the most popular grassroots motorsport in Canada today.
Unlike more conventional racing, drifting requires competing cars to be driven sideways as much as possible. It's not the fastest way around a course, but watching competitors whip around with the tail hanging out, steering cranked and tires ablaze is a total hoot. Rather than just getting to the finish line first or setting the best lap time, drifting is all about putting on a show.
The Drift Mania Canadian Championship has been putting on a show for drifting fans for the past three years. For 2008, the DMCC will see six events pit drifting teams against one another in a points battle to ultimately determine the winner of the prestigious Castrol Cup.
DMCC events will also see a tire manufacturer take the JVC Manufacturers Cup, as well as the Rookie Cup being presented to a novice entrant who will also win a sponsorship from tire manufacturer Kumho.
According to Woo, response to the often misunderstood drifting scene has been amazing. From the outside, it's like watching a noisy, smoky dance set to the tune of internal combustion, spooling turbochargers and shrieking tires.
It's inherently addicting to watch, with undeniable spectator sport appeal. Think of it like the motorized equivalent of figure skating or ballet. "It's very subjective: not a race, but a different form of motorsport" Woo adds.
Wowing the crowds is the name of the game, and the crowds at drifting events across the country are growing more quickly than ever.
From a humble beginning, fast growth is seeing driver performance and enthusiast interest at all time highs. Drifting is sweeping the world, and Woo says followers can expect to see Canadian drifters competing at the global level.
What makes for a good lap around a drifting course? Judges scrutinize the drivers, keeping four key elements in mind: entry speed, drift angle, driving line and style.
The faster the entry speed, the better. At over 100 km/h in many cases, the driver will use a combination of steering, parking brake application and 'clutch stabbing' to throw their ride into a nasty skid. There's more than one way to skin a cat, but the intention is all the same- to get the car completely sideways.
Starting a skid is relatively simple, but satisfying the second criteria, drift angle, is trickier. Once the skid begins, it's up to the driver to use his skill to balance the vehicle on the verge of control while maneuvering it around the course. A tiny error could result in a total loss of control, leading to a spinout or crash.
As the driver works to balance the car, they must also attempt to follow the racing line- entering and exiting each corner properly rather than simply burning the tires off with no rhyme or reason.
Finally, each driver has an individual style that's called into consideration when assigning points. Every driver is different, with style dictated by personal preference and vehicle choice. Fans may root for a certain drifter with a style- or car- that they particularly like.
At a recent media conference, DMCC drift drivers gave selected media the chance to ride along as passengers on a course set up for the Toronto leg of the championships at Downsview Park.
I rode with Carl Nadeau, an experienced racer, drifter and French automotive journalist. Carl's car is a heavily modified Nissan 240SX with a stripped interior, heavy duty clutch, roll-cage, racing harnesses and a special turbo engine with over 400 horsepower. A pit crew is used to help keep things running smoothly- making adjustments to the suspension and engine as needed after each lap.
It's hard to imagine that anything calculated and precise is going on inside of a 400 horsepower car that's sliding violently around pylons and stacks of tires at over 100 km/h. Driven as such, Nadeau told me that the tires on his car will last only a few minutes.
As a passenger, it's noisy, rough and almost frightening- but in the sort of way that elicits giggling once the lap is done. For the drivers, it's all about entertaining the crowds, having fun, and being part of a new and unique form of motorsports.
DMCC Events have been ongoing since June, and will wrap up in late September in Edmonton. Enthusiasts can follow the events on the DMCC website at www.dmccdrift.com.
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