THE RADICALLY COOL CULTURE OF DRIFTING.
By DRIFTEM Correspondent Taylor Haney
The Drifting Community.
In the world of motorsports, you need more than just a strong will and deep pockets to chase the dream. Depending on the type of motorsport, you could be waiting years for that one chance to make it to the top and that champagne-filled cheer at the podium. The sport of drifting is no exception, although the path into professional drifting can often be much shorter and straighter than other pro motorsports.
It’s the welcoming spirit of drifting that’s catapulted the sport to fame. While the technique of drifting may have originated on the circuit, the passion for this sport lies in the grassroots movement that followed in the mountains of Japan. This sport thrives on community and passion, making it uniquely inviting, and widely beloved.
Image of Drift Matsuri Italy
The Global Phenomenon of Drifting.
Japanese film media - like Initial D and major productions like Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift - commercialized the appeal and grassroots nature of drifting, but it was “Kuni-san” Kunimitzu Takahashi that first won over the crowd with his aggressive driving style. Piloting his beast of a Skyline, Takahashi crafted a unique driving style to overcome the challenges of limited tire traction and overwhelming power. To achieve this, he intentionally caused the car to oversteer and slide into corners before the apex, then powering out. This style cemented his status as an icon among aspiring racers across Japan.
Fast forward to 2024, where drifting exists on a global scale. Sanctioned drift events are held not only in America and Japan, but also across Europe, Australia, Dominican Republic, and more. Through that, drifting has managed to reach across all cultures - where regardless of your status, language, political standing, or religion - the people unite under the single concept that ‘going sideways in a car is the ultimate thrill.’
Photo courtesy of Zandara Kennedy
Drifting Breaks Barriers.
While reaching across cultures, drifting has managed to break ceilings too. Though most motorsports were traditionally male-dominated, there’s been a surge in recent years towards female athlete attendance in drifting.
In 2023, we saw Formula DRIFT add Zandara Kennedy (@zeedrives) to their PROSPEC roster, one of three females currently driving in the series. As more females join the ranks as professional drifters, this idea of a male-dominated sport is a bygone era (read more our Empowered Women Empowering Women Part 1 and Part 2 series).
Increasingly, women-driven classes and drift events are surging throughout the country. Many organizations, such as DK Ladies League (@dkladiesleague), USAirMotorsports, Club Loose, and others hold female-centered events, encouraging the next generation of lady drivers to step up to the plate. Whether they decide to compete or not, these organizations aim to encourage more women to participate in the sport of drifting. It goes without saying that seeing someone ‘like you’ succeeding in a motorsport like drifting, can be a powerful motivator for newcomers.
There are also a few unique drivers out there with disabilities that have made sure us ‘normies’ know they’re not here to play around. Rob Parsons(@chairslayer) is one such example. He drifts without the use of his legs, utilizing only hand controls. Not only did he ignore any stigma he encountered, but he started a foundation to help other fans interested in drifting with resources to break their own stigmas.
After my accident, I knew I wasn't going to walk again. The only option was to accept what happened and find a new sport, and racing cars was the sport that renewed my purpose and gave me hope again. The Chairslayer Foundation was created to give that purpose and hope to other people, too," Parsons shared via The Chairslayers Foundation website.
The Drifting Vibe.
The drift scene is often welcoming and helpful - to the point of other competitors and teams stepping in to help a rival continue their way up the ranks. You don’t get the, “Tough luck - I’m not helping you,” attitude from anyone in drifting. There’s a deep appreciation, mutual passion, and feeling of belonging in drifting that is rarely mentioned in other motorsports, but always talked about here. It's a community that is truly centered around just one phrase - Keep Drifting Fun.
Formula DRIFT champion Michael Essa's perspective illuminates this inclusivity further, “I think drifting is so inclusive because it has more of an extreme sport feel, like skateboarding, etc. It’s more of a lifestyle than a motorsport. It’s not just about winning, and sometimes, it’s even more about just having fun with your friends. I enjoy helping others out with tips on driving, car setup, and helping them sort through issues just so that they can enjoy the sport more, and to help drifting grow in general,” he said.
This sentiment captures the essence of drifting's community-driven spirit. The welcoming atmosphere and passion that Essa describes are what sustains the sport, nurturing talent from all walks of life, and fostering a sense of camaraderie and support among fans and drivers alike.
Photo courtesy of DRIFTEM Correspondent Katelyn Brozovich
Drifting Is For Everyone!
Moreover, drifting as a community truly has something for everyone - from weekend fans, to media roles, to those who want in the driver’s seat. Increasingly, events teaching enthusiasts how to drift have been popping up all over the world in the form of drift schools or drift ‘clinics’. Often, for a reasonable price, and sometimes with rental cars included. These types of events reinforce how obtainable drifting is for the average person, in addition to supporting upcoming and diverse talent.
The teaching side of drifting adds another layer to the culture of the sport in the form of mentorship. Drifting instructors dive deep to prevent and destroy bad habits, teach best setup practices, and push for a more fun driving experience overall.
Having instructors at the wheel to guide the next crop of drivers into the sport, not only passes on critical knowledge to anyone interested in drifting cars, but this expert influence also helps the newbies become better drivers and even professional athletes if they so choose.
If you’re looking to get behind the wheel, we recommend searching for drift clinic days at your local track or organization, or connecting with leaders in your local drifting community. If a class day doesn’t exist, and you’re a seasoned driver, offer your knowledge up to a green driver that might be struggling. Sometimes simple advice goes a long way toward fostering a community that keeps this sport alive.
Photo courtesy of DRIFT PA-OH-NY
Accessibility To The PRO Drifting League.
For some of the most popular motorsports out there, the definition of ‘paying your dues’ comes from starting with kart racing at a young age, then moving up the ranks. Many drivers in Formula One and NASCAR started this way, climbing up class-after-class of vehicle, with the cost of racing rising proportionately with each rung achieved. While these motorsports boast a very loyal fanbase, many fans write off this form of racing as ‘unobtainium’ to achieve themselves.
Speedweek.com noted, for example, the very real cost of being a driver in Formula One. “The Formula One super license is the most expensive for the world champion: in addition to a basic fee of 10,400 euros, there is an additional 2100 euros per world championship point,” the article stated. It explains further that champion Max Verstappen alone, paid a staggering 1.217 million euros for this 2024 season, which was 200,000 euros more than last year.
In comparison, the relative affordability of drifting attracts a diverse participant base. Aspiring drivers can piece together a busted-up Mustang with their buddies and drive it Friday night for $60-$100 per driver. Drifting is one of the few sports out there where you can throw a car together and drive without a license or prior approval from a more advanced driver. It doesn’t matter who you are – man, woman, old, young, disabled, – anyone who wants to drift in a car can do it!
However, if the driver claims they’re the best that ever threw it sideways, they can climb the ranks through a licensed PRO-AM series in the United States. Similar to other types of racing, there is a ladder system to get to PRO. But, before you say, “Oh, it's only three steps to PRO,” you also need to know the cost of participating and the necessary skill level are both nothing to underestimate.
While you may not be paying the 10,400 euro fee to drive like Verstappen, you’re still paying a hefty price to participate. Drivers are still taking into account driver fees, costs of travel, flights, food, hotels, media, and more.
Recently, FD PROSPEC driver Derek Madison (@derek_madison) posted a breakdown on his Instagram page for one weekend of Formula DRIFT costing somewhere to the tune of $14,000 per round. $14,000 isn’t chump change, but it's still less than other popular motorsport athletes are forking over for a race weekend. When it is all said and done, the path to professional drifting still feels obtainable when you’re not talking millions.
Many drivers utilize sponsorships to assist with race season costs, but there is still a long way to go with sponsor involvement. Nevertheless, we are seeing larger title sponsors that typically support NASCAR and other mainstream motorsports series beginning to dip their toes into Formula DRIFT. One example of a big brand name in PRO drifting is Pennzoil, who sponsored champion driver Chelsea Denofa (@chelseadenofa) in 2023. This brand also recently backed Ben Hobson (@benhobson213), who won the PROSPEC championship in 2023, and is now driving at the PRO level this season.
Photo courtesy of DRIFTEM Correspondent Katelyn Brozovich
Drifting In The Media.
When talking about drifting to a non-drift enthusiast, you are typically asked the same question, “What is drifting?” It’s hard to not immediately ask, “Have you seen the Tokyo Drift movie?”
As noted earlier, drifting made its way into popular media through the Fast and Furious movie franchise, which showcased its thrill and skill to audiences unfamiliar with motorsports. In fact, as this article is being written, Formula DRIFT is speaking to a whopping 2.5M followers on Facebook and 1.7M on Instagram. While this niche following is global, and in the millions, it still has bus lengths to go before it catches up with the likes of NASCAR, Formula One and MotoGP.
Drift-related video games and drift simulators have also pushed the sport into the virtual space, allowing players to understand the mechanics of drifting without being behind an actual vehicle wheel, or spending their rent money on tires. This has led to a surge of simulator (SIM) racing competitions that even the PRO drivers like to log onto and participate in.
Platforms like YouTube, Instagram and Twitch have enabled further sharing of drift related content, as well as a host of social media groups and online communities. This has helped further influence and build a global network for drift nerds to connect on. Through these connections, enthusiasts gain education on car setups, swap parts, and spread the hype about the next event. Relationships and communities like these are well-known within the car community as a whole, and will likely keep the spirit of drifting alive for years to come.
Photo courtesy of David Karey
Drifting Track Challenges And Opportunities.
While drifting has made great strides in appealing to a diverse culture of gearheads, there are still some roadblocks to overcome for the sport to continue growing.
Drift enthusiasts are met with geographical challenges, as tracks across the country close their gates. In many cases, drift events are held in empty parking lots adjacent to a racetrack used for drag racing or circle track. There are a few exceptions, as several specialized drift tracks are now popping up, and some raceways have been nice enough to let the drifters borrow their road course.
Hemmings.com released earlier this year that three drag strips have announced closures just in January 2024 alone across Kentucky, Mississippi and South Dakota. This is an ongoing trend, as track owners sell due to property value increases, and operating costs outweighing the profits.
So, why not just go somewhere else?
Well, to put it frankly, not every track owner is a fan of the drift crowd. In the pursuit of shredding tires, they’re also shredding things like grass, rocks and damaging barriers or walls. While it’s not to say that the road racing crowd hasn’t run off into the kitty litter or hit a wall a time or two, the nature of drifting is unpredictable. This is especially true for less seasoned drivers who haven’t built enough confidence and experience behind the wheel to be consistent and not run off course. However, it’s not the driver’s fault really; it’s just the nature of the sport.
With that in mind, it's important to foster great relationships with the track owners who welcome drifters, and help to keep them in business with fan engagement, professionalism, and an exciting show of sideways action. In addition to this, be sure to show your support for the local organizations footing the bill for track rental, insurance, marketing (and much more) just to host the best weekend you’ve ever had. These are the people keeping grassroots drifting alive.
General Manager AJ Moore from Lake Erie Speedway commented on his support of the drift community in a previous DRIFTEM article, “It is truly amazing to see the growth of the grassroots drifting community in our area and at Lake Erie Speedway, and I know I only had a small part in the success of drifting at our venue. We had a group come to us looking for a home and we gave it to them, now they are family. I am just the guy who works at their playground, this is their venue.”
In order for the sport of drifting to succeed, the community needs more managers like Moore, fostering a supportive environment for the sport to naturally flourish.
Photo courtesy of Nathan Sell and DRIFT PA-OH-NY
Continuing The Drifting Culture Beat.
The journey of drifting towards becoming a more inclusive sport is both inspiring and ongoing. Evolving from niche grassroots origins to the global stage, underscores the power of the drift community, increasing accessibility and positive media representation. Collectively, these factors have managed to shatter barriers, making the world of drifting accessible to a broader, more diverse audience.
The heart of drifting’s inclusive nature lies within its community. Looking ahead, the future of drifting promises to continue to evolve as the community does. Those in the drifting world dream of an era when the drifting motorsport and its amazing culture are recognized across the globe as widely and reverently as other mainstream motorsports.
This said, we don’t ever want to lose the unique inclusiveness we’ve all come to know and love across the drifting ecosystem. Where anyone - regardless of their background - can throw it sideways; not just as participants, but as celebrated members of a multi-faceted and closely-bonded drifting family.
So - What Can We Do To Help Grow The Drifting Community?
Here at DRIFTEM, we help bring this diverse community closer together by highlighting stories from across the culture of drifting.
The best we can ALL do as a community is to continue to show up to events, help the next generation of drifters progress, connect with each other through venues like this and others, and continue spreading the spirit of inclusivity and good vibes.
If you have ideas on how fans can help support a drift community in your area, make sure to comment below! Utilizing the power of social media to share upcoming events - even if you cannot attend personally - helps boost the reach of these smaller events.
Cheers and #LETSDRIFTEM
