A Quick Post on Why I Think Drifting is Ruining Motorsport
I’ll start off by saying I simply don’t understand the fascination with the current fad of drifting; the following are a couple of my reasons. Perhaps some here will agree, but it will probably just start a lot of hate.
Thrashing Cars
The only other type of “motorsport” that promotes thrashing on cars in a similar fashion are demolition derbies. That being said, nearly every individual I’ve met that performs in demolition derbies finds cars that are at the end of their life and there is no limit to what model is used. They choose simply whatever is available. Their cars are no longer road worthy and therefore find a fitting end.
The drift crowd, however, finds their “dream cars.” These cars, most sought out in unmolested stock form, are then modded to the owner’s taste. Nothing wrong with that. However, after an event or two is when problems start…
The Dreaded Wall Tap
Simply - why?
“Drifting” is the only “motorsport” where hitting a wall is considered “cool.” I’ve attended many Formula 1, Indycar, GT3, Ferrari Cup, dirt track, and 1/4 mile races as a spectator as well as driven quite a few track days myself (road course and drag). Touching a wall is never a good thing; in any way. This leads to drifters being done with cars with the likelihood that they will never be used again.
The Drift Stitch
Another thing that, to me, screams “I just can’t drive, and I’m too poor to fix my own car.” It is a common misconception here on CT that drifters started this, hence the name, but I know it was popular amongst the moto-x and offroad crowd a long time ago. In that arena, this type of fix makes a bit more sense.
Plastics get expensive, it’s (usually) a muddy, off road environment where having protective fenders is necessary to keep the rider from constantly being pelted with dirt. Doing whatever it takes to keep them on makes sense. Still, I never wanted my quad to look beat up in the same way that drifters take pride in their juvenile “fixes.”
Anyone I’ve ever known from a track day always properly repairs their car if “battle damage” is received…
There is No Clear Winner or Loser in Drifting
It is the Synchronized Swimming of motorsport. Real racing is determined by seconds, not judges. There is always a clear-cut, undisputable winner; definitely not the case with drifting.
I won’t say drifting doesn’t require skill, but I strongly believe that setting fast, consistent lap times takes humongously more skill than any drifter (from amature to pro) possesses. Pacing against a solid benchmark, competing with your own times, always striving to be faster will be infinitely more fun than sliding around a bit. I attribute this to the fact I wasn’t raised when everyone gets a trophy and I find it more enjoyable to work hard, push myself, and reach goals.
I’ll see how this goes and may go more indepth with my thoughts on cars and motorsport in the future. I know I often go against the grain here which often receives many negative comments from the hive-mind that is CarThrottle.
And I’ll just end this quickly thrown together post with my favorite quote from James May - “Drifting is for the Unintelligent.”
Comments
I can’t drift (in Videogames-I’m too young to drive) with my Logitech G27. I use the whole steering angle not to drift but to race. Sure, I can countersteer when I lose control, but I can’t hold a drift.
Some people don’t like F1, some people hate drift, some guy think why race a car around oval track is cool?
It’s okay, event i like drift. Everyone always dislike something in their life
Nice article, BTW. Make drift fanboy butthurt :)
I think you’re mistaking “Drift car” with “Drift missile” here.
I cant say i disagree with you, your points are true, atleast some of them, they trash cars that are meant for practice, and they drive them like that, cause its fun, and they dont care if they hit a wall with it, they will fix it
From what I read in this post and the comments you left, you basically hate every other form of motorsport that you don’t compete in…
Drifting is an art of driving that can be fast yet can be flashy :D
Driftings kinda like nascar, with a little more skill
All I was able to see from this article is how much you are on your own high horse.
“There’s no clear winner or loser”…what?
You know what I think about drifting? That it is (to some extent) keeping motorsport alive. Many racing series are expensive and complicated to compete in. Semi-professional drifting consists of many enthusiast very passionate about what they do. This attracts a whole different crowd that doesn ‘t really like other forms of motorsport. In japan drifting is huge. Thousands of young kids dream of building their own drift car one day. Drifting is a huge part of car culture under young people. It’s the show, the skils and so much more.
To respond to some of your specific points; who told you that drifters always buy perfectly fine cars? Usually this is not the case. Buy a crappy chaser, put a new body kit on it plus a new engine and you’ve got a solid base for a driftcar. The professional drifters sometimes even build cars from scratch (Radbull, forsberg 370Z)
I would like to ask you to properly inform before posting like this because you are taking shots at a motorsport you don’t really understand.