![]() ![]() It continues as a very dangerous and illegal form of street racing, but it has also become a legitimate motorsport with various events being held at road courses and even parking lots all over the world (including the SEMA show in Las Vegas last year). The only difference is that drifters are doing it on dry pavement, not a slippery dirt track - and that takes much more finesse to keep a car from oversteering and spinning out.ĭrifting typically appeals to younger drivers who own modified sport compact cars, sports cars or performance cars. Dirt track racers have been using this technique since day one. The more you could slide your car without losing control, the higher your status among fellow drifters. Being able to slide around a sharp curve with the rear wheels spinning all the way while counter steering to maintain control became the hallmark of driving prowess. As drivers became more adept at negotiating turns, they started power sliding or “drifting” their cars mostly to show off. ![]() Racing up and down twisting mountain roads and switchbacks requires a lot of concentration as well as a vehicle that handles very precisely. It also resulted in a lot of accidents!Īs time went on, touge racing evolved into more of a showmanship sport. This made the sport extremely dangerous, which probably added to its allure. Many of these races were not sanctioned events on a closed course, but were done while other motorists were using the road. Initially, the idea was to race along one of these mountain highways without flying off the road or hitting another vehicle. Think Pike’s Peak hill climb with a kamakazee attitude. The island nation has a lot of winding, twisting mountain roads with dangerous passes, which the Japanese call “touge.” Racing enthusiasts love a challenge, so a handful of “touge racers” decided to see how fast they could race up and down the curves and switchbacks carved into the face of the mountains. But the truth is drifting started in Japan as a test of driving skill on mountain roads. Drifting sounds like an activity dreamed up by the tire manufacturers to stimulate sales. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |