Reality at Drift Events

[Chris C.]

As Street Drifting is becoming more and more unworthy(i.e. curbs, cops, and locations) it is harder for newcomers to enjoy the sport of drifting. I can remember back in the day with my 4banger mustang sliding around, and I didn't even know much about the sport. I didn't even know there was a scene in Florida. Then I went to the SE-R, but I still kept an enthusiastic approach in learning more about sliding. I used to just go "driving" with friends and conversing with veterans about the sport. Now I just got my S14 and it is probably the greatest thing to happen to me. So before you start the newb bashing, I know drifting, I'm just learnning to actually drift MY car. I really want to enter some of these drift events I hear about, but lets be realistic. I know 240 guys, and they aren't exactly the most welcoming bunch of characters...

People bitch about stock drifters, and skill level. But where are you supposed to start? I would like to go to DDay, but I don't feel welcome. I would love to get to know more of you and highten my skills. But, Are these events really for practice, or are they for showing off? I think if we had a more welcoming crowd, we would have more participants, and in turn have more events. Then we wouldn't have to worry about sliding on the streets anymore. I don't want to keep street drifting, it pisses people off, gives us a bad name, and creates yet another reason for ignorant cops to hate imports.

When did you guys actually start entering these events? Were you stock? Were you experienced?

Sorry for the rant! I just really wanna know when the time is right for me to enter...Comments and flames welcome :)

EDIT: Please don't delete this mods, I only made references against street drifting. :)

[Funk]

dday is supposed to be for practicing but the american way has made everybody feel that it is a showoff competition. but its not. so bring whatever you can.

dday1 my car was all stock with cut springs and azenis. that was it.

[P_Productions]

Need events thats only open to drivers..................................we don't need the spectators to watch us drift......just good drivers to give out tips

[Jordan T]

who street drifts these days? its all about skreet drafting! you know, eat a bowl of skrimp kampeze and go skreet drafting. or dial 1-800-axe-gary. w.e.

[Kung Fu Grip]

who street drifts these days? its all about skreet drafting! you know, eat a bowl of skrimp kampeze and go skreet drafting. or dial 1-800-axe-gary. w.e.

LOL :lol:

[hachibill]

where you start is in a nice parking lot in the rain. don't tell me you can't find someplace, your just not going out east enough. dday's for the most part are int eh dry, which is not where you learn how to drift in a basically stock car. we serioulsy need a rain drift day or just wet down a portion of the track so the n00bs can have some slow speed practice and not be beating on their cars. just my .02. but hey, what do i know.

[aphxero]

Street drifting is how you improve. It forces you to. Events are for more experimentation or for some people showing off. Not that I'm an expert, just saying my perception.

Btw, the events are plenty welcoming. the grid is full every time. So come out!

[Silvia_San]

don't worry about how people act towards you, do what you want to do and don't worry about other people. i have barely any experience except for in a shitty auto n/a supra and i'm gonna drive in the next dday in a car i will have extremely little seat time in. run what ya brung style.

[vincel]

heres wat i think......its like drag racing, most people do it on the street and when their bored and have the money they go see wat they run, then their right back on the street.......of course drifting cost quite a bit more than drag racing and alot more seat time to be good at it and know all the tricks......i do think u should start on the streets and get a feel for differant surfaces(wether they be ruff, clean, open, tight, wet, dry....ect.) then when u feel u can stay with the comp and u wanna get ur name out there go for the events cuz their not that cheap to attend (not saying that street is ALWAYS the best way to go but the best way to learn)

[box240mod]

short and simple.... your attitude matters much more than your drivign ability.

now over time, if you cannot improve at all, there are issues you need to work out- cant blame it all on the stock/ almsot stock setup because pleanty of us have driven near or totally stock and done fine. There is a ceiling you hit though without the basics, (susp, tires) and then once you hit the next, its time for a diff, and some power.

the competitive nature of america is what is making people advance their skill, to 'out do' the other guy is essentially the point when you get down to drifting. at the local events there are the folks who bash on those who are learning, but mainly those are non-driving pricks who probably drive automatic 1995 neons. lol.

as long as you have a open ear and can take criticism, you should be fine. the worst thing you can do is try TOO HARD to be cool (ie going too fast for yourself, pushing too hard and wrecking/spinning several times a lap) or shit talk like your the man. we all have laps where we spin, sometimes more than once, just learn something and next time try it different.

good luck

[ImportLuv]

Dude, Look at me. I was drove at the last DDAY, with a S14 KA24DE, shock & spring upgrade, and OPEN DIFFERENTIAL! Everyone figured that i ran a KA and knew that i had suspension upgrades, but no one ever figured out that i ran on a open diff. I think i was the only one who ran on open diff that day. I have never really drifted before, not even in public streets. I drove out there, spun out countless of times, went off roading many times, and my car was filled with sand and dust by the end of the day.
I ran several laps in the morning time, took my break, and several hours later, I was out there again. People gave me compliments on my improvement at the end of the day.

At 1st, i was really scared. My heart was beating fast, i started to sweat as i was inline for my 1st run ever. I tried to grip the course inorder to get the feel of it. At the time, i didnt have much knowledge of my car's limit and it's potential. I spun out almost every turn, stalled out at least once every lap. It was fustrating. After 5 laps, i called it quits.
So i sat in the spectating section for several hours. Started to collect my thoughts about what i did in the car, and why i did what i did. My head ached. So i took a quick nap. Around 3pm, i was refreshed, and built enough confidence to go out again. This time, things went different. My view towards drifting had changed completly. I ran well over 10 times that afternoon. When i was done, my friend asked me "hey, how you feeling now?" I'm like "dude, that shit was fun, i want to keep going, but i need to make sure i have a ride back home." So i had to stop, because the last thing i want is a broken down car 115 miles away from home.

Progress is the key. What's the point of running the course if someone isnt there to improve/learn their techniques? When you're out on that track, I swear, the only thing that exist is: you, your hand on the steering wheel, and that course. No spectators existed in my mind when i ran, even though i glanced several times along that white fence and saw only a few people. It was me and the car, and thats all i care about. I couldnt hear anything besides my motor and tires screeching.

I see that you read my view about dday... http://tamparacing.com/forums/showthread.php?t=270159&page=1&pp=15&highlight=dday
Yeah guys i know typed alot. I like to write essays.

[Chris C.]

Well, I know there will always be drifting on the streets, nobody can stop that. Of course I have too! Seat time is better than court time though, and I just think I would be even more calm if I was in a controlled environment, ie. DDay.

And using the criticism connstructivley is the only way to improve, but I can see that most of the comments made are not constructive criticism, but rather boasting and flaunting "the american way".

I guess I will enter the next chance that comes up, as long as I have sold my rims by then...:)

[ImportLuv]

Run that Ocala track. I will teach you things that you could never learn at warehouses and streets.
As far as sliding around in the rain, that is how Team15 started. They drifted around my shop when it rained. It was fun, especially when the hurricanes came.

[Chris C.]

Oh yea, and I'll really be hearin it when you see that I'm Auto-slowmatic... :lol:

[88supramkIII]

ok my .02 im 18 some people know me some dont w/e i started as some would call a pop tart and fallowed bill and andy around and shit and im sure i annoyed the living hell out fo them and ya at first i thought they were being negative liek allot of people complain about. but then i looked at it two different ways. A) they do not want somehting they love so much turn into the whole "fast and fureous" thing did ya know and then also im young and immature i agree alot with box as far as your attitude matters tons. i mean ya stkreet drifton isnt the smartest but its never gunna stop hell out east and go back and fourth between stop lights practicing doing u turns i mean ya it aint the best but it was practice and it was seat time. granted i think i suck but haveing an open mind and takeing for example bills criticism and andys and treys and everyone that we would go out with and turning it around and making it positive. got me to where i am today and my progress that i ahve made. now ive talked to ranlet a couple times and some other people about the whole dday thing and i was nervous to drive in it but after being there as a spectator and seeing how alot of comrodery that actually takes place dude its so worth it. i guess im just saying be persitant if its somehting u really truly want to do i mean ud never get a g/f or anything if u never purseud it and people may dog u or w/e but take it as a fucking grain of salt and move on man. ( im sry to every one cause hooked on phonics so did not work for me)

[ImportLuv]

^Yeah, you stick with Hook'n Phonics, not drifting. Good luck, I hope you learn how to capitize and punchuate properly :)
Oh yea, and I'll really be hearin it when you see that I'm Auto-slowmatic... :lol:
Nothing wrong with auto drifting. You just have to use what you got. You got the Ebrake to use, and do some weight shifting to help you slide around.

[satanshatch]

When it comes down to it, Everyone starts off green. No matter your skill level or how long you've been doing it. Those who tout they are self proclaimed awesome, have this or that to back them are really nobodies and with out "drifting" they wouldn't be anyone.

Practice with your friends and your peers, tell them to give you feed back, ask questions etc. If you feel unwelcome, get in with a group or crowd you feel comfortable with. Just dont act like a complete idiot and you'll most likley be welcome. All anyone really asks..

You'll find out fast who your friends/buddies are fast that way.

[marksaccord95]

just dont over drive your still level and people wont bitch at you.

its people that go out there and over extend their skills by spinning out everywhere and getting dirt all over the track that people dont like.

[Zapatista]

my .02 as a learning drifter. Go out a few times by yourself. Do some doughnuts in a random parking lot alone and get a feel for you car. Every car has a "sweet spot" between controlable and spinning out. After that you can spend some time on some small turns and chicanes (sp). After you figgure out what the car breaks loose at and what you can control it under, hit up a DDay or tertech event, and get the feel for a track, watch the guys that are doing well and try to mimic it. Take notes while your learning, entry speed, angle, gear you were in, estimated distance of travel, esitmated throttle position, estimated wheel angle, etc. I know my coupe drives completely different that most of my buddys hatches even though we have the same suspension setup. And last but not least take criticisim well from everyone around you. Sure your gonna get a lot of "you should be doing this instead crap" but listening to the guys that have been doing this awhile might be really good for you. Ask around and I'm sure you'll find someone that is using a technique close to yours. Toss that I feel like a NOOB and dont want ask questions out and hook up with some cool people and you'll make out just fine.

[Chris C.]

Wow, I can't belive all of these positive reply's coming out of the Drifting forum!! j/k

Thanks for the input, I hope to meet & get to know more of ya guys as time progresses on...

[hachibill]

here's your negative....................lol

[Chris C.]

Now thats what I'm talkin about! lol

[_Charles_]

Like Nike says: "Just Do It".

What are you worried about? What other think? obviously your playing into your oqn fears. Do it because YOU WANT TO, and that's it. I did it, I loved it, I've moved on.

It's pretty simple actually. Some will get it, some will not, and others will not give up trying (like 88supramkIII ;)). Everybody else stands on the sidelines making comments about something that they can only do in GT3. Ignore them.

Personally...go Auto-x a few times first, than drift...but that's up to you.

Charles

[RaidenKing]

Its different for everyone. I didn't even get my car at first with the intent to get into drifting, but after experiencing and participating in a few street drift sessions, I have become attatched. Not because it seems to be the hot new trend among young car enthusiasts, its because I've always held a genuine interest to increase my driving skill.


So, in addition to pushing myself harder each time I run through some twisties on certain barren roads, I've also pressured myself to find ways to control the car under other conditions as well (i.e. loss of traction-->drifting).

Talk is cheap, everyone can talk. Not everyone is going out there and learning though, so for those who are (like myself) you've already proven your legitimacy, now all that is left is improve improve improve...

[Chris C.]

I cant wait till the next DDAY rolls around, I don't think I can take te walls at the Oval track yet. Ha!

[88supramkIII]

Like Nike says: "Just Do It".

What are you worried about? What other think? obviously your playing into your oqn fears. Do it because YOU WANT TO, and that's it. I did it, I loved it, I've moved on.

It's pretty simple actually. Some will get it, some will not, and others will not give up trying (like 88supramkIII ;)). Everybody else stands on the sidelines making comments about something that they can only do in GT3. Ignore them.

Personally...go Auto-x a few times first, than drift...but that's up to you.

Charles


haha thanks charles haha i appreciate the posititve comment hahha .

[ryojikaji143]

Respect your elders, even if it seems like people are being dicks. Just shut the fuck up and pay attention. You might learn something. If I even TALK to a newb then I'm most likely trying to help (because this person obviously has nothing to offer me). If it's taken the wrong way that's not my problem.

I bet I sound like a dick right now huh? See what I mean?

Just don't be a pussy, have confidence and you'll be fine. Have fun at that event ;)


-Matt-Panic!

[Chris C.]

Hooray for not being pussies!!!!!

[miss daisy]

Personally i like d-day even though i am a spectator, but i do it out of love for the sport and my bf, and chris i think you will be welcome especially if you are conservative and not cocky. you get more respect. and as far as your "stock" car it doesnt matter my bf drives the gold 300zx and it is an open diff and N/A plus its heavy. So the type of car wether if it is stock n/a or ka, its all about skill. trust me hun some ka drivers are not good. so i think you should say fuck it and come out and have fun and dont give two shits about what people think, most likely if they are talking shit is because they are jealouse and cant back their shit up. also i think you should listen to hacibill, he has pretty good advice.