What Is The Point Of "drifting"?

[Excaliber]

Hawaii was the first state to start "drifting", that was a few years ago. The Japanese influence over here. I was one of the first of a small group of guys that started meeting at the track to "drift".

Back then, NONE of them were "ricers" per se. Of course I was the "old man" in a young mans game and the guys thought that was odd. About a dozen guys or so. All (except me) were driving "beaters". One of the best was a gas station mechanic, he drifted the same car he went to work in! None of those guys were "rich" by ANY means!

Just a bunch of good old "young" guys full of testerone and wanting to get "wild" in a legal place to do it. I liked drifting because it reminded me of dirt circle track days. Love getting sideways, doing the dance, like a ballet with your car. To do it "right" requires a LOT of skill. WAY easier on the dirt than on the pavement.

See my gallery for a pic of my Cobra featured in a Japanese "drifting" magazine. After a year or so the Japanese "drifters" heard about the "Hawaii" drifters. A couple of proffesional drifters with 600 h.p. cars came over for a demonstration. Billed as Japan vs Hawaii. No contest, those Japanese guys were sideways down the straight at 100 mph within inches of the gaurd rails with smoke rolling off the tires!

Word spread like wild fire here. From a dozen or so good old boys to 50 "ricers" showing up to drift overnight! The next Japanese drifting session set all time records for attendance at our humble little race track. THOUSANDS showed up, there was NO PLACE to park, it was a nightmare dealing with the crowd. We had NO IDEA it would attract that kind of attention.

As a "spectator" sport there is no form of racing out there today that offers the full blown excitement and awsome display of car control that good "Drifters" demonstrate. It's like watching one continual "crash", two or three guys sideways within feet (Japanese within inches) of each other. Smoke rolling, it's INTENSE!!

I stopped drifting. The guys doing it now are freakin' crazy!!! The "sport" at this point in Hawaii means pushing you car to the absolute limit. Crashes DO happen, a lot. In the beginning we all had the same idea, drift, burn rubber, have fun but DON'T put your car in the wall. That changed when the Japanese showed up. If your going to get "good" at Drifting you ARE going to crash your car(s) many times before you reach that level.

I'll pass,,,,,, but it was fun while it lasted, when it was "simpler" than now.

Ernie