Internet Know-It-All - Part I

Okay, here it is. This is the Blog I found titled "How to Drift a Car-Part I" on the first page of a recent Drifting search. For some reason this kid (I would post his name, but it's nowhere in site) has enough traffic to make him an authority on Drifting... Please, click over, read a little (it won't take much) and click back for my rant. http://www.notelay.com/articles/how_to/how_to_drift_a_car/

Okay, just because you got to the 25th level of Need for Speed Underground, does not mean you have any clue on how to Drift. How do I know this guy is full of crap? Let me break it down for you...

"For every successful drifting first you must tune-up your care properly." Yes, please, read it a couple of times. That's' right, all you need to Drift is a tune-up--for your "care." Yup, some plugs, wires, an oil change... isn't Pep Boys sponsoring the D1GP this year? Either way, I think that instead of "teaching" How to Drift, this Blogger should take a few classes on copy editing.

Hey, maybe I am being too harsh... He goes on to explain that (I think this is what he means by a tune-up) Drifters need: "300hp minimum horsepower." Does he understand that "hp" means horsepower, and therefore he doesn't need to repeat it? You know what, I won't even bag on his grammar any more. The fact is that YOU DO NOT NEED 300hp. Yes, it would be nice. Yes, it is roughly the entry level power that would be a good idea for higher level competition. But to state you have to have 300hp to Drift is just stupid. If you want to learn Drifting it is better to start out with less power. You can learn in a 240 with a KA24DE and 5-speed--that's about 140hp. All you need is enough horsepower to break your rear wheels loose and keep them spinning. This makes the 300hp statement that much more idiotic. You have to consider the power-to-weight ratio here. A heavier car will require more power, a lighter car less power.

Okay, the next item on the list is "Strong and good working tires." WTF?! Dump truck tires are strong, and they work great--does this mean they are good for Drifting? What size tires? How about traction ratings? Speed ratings? People like to think that because you are sliding a car sideways that you need, hard tires that slip across the asphalt. No! Although there is a reduction of traction in Drifting, there is NOT a loss of traction--absolute loss of traction=loss of control, even in Drifting. Drifters still need tires that grip.

Next on the "How to Drift a Car - Part I" Blog it is stated that for Drifting you need... "Powerful suspension." Again, allow me to reiterate--WTF?! What is "powerful suspension?" Oh, I know, air bags or hydraulics! I mean those suspension systems lift vehicles off the ground--that must be it! Right?

Suspension is the single most important part of a Drift car. What Drifters need is performance suspension that is fully adjustable for damping, ride height, camber, caster, and toe. This will help allow the car to be set up with the proper corner balance, suspension stiffness, and traction to give the car more of a tendency to oversteer while allowing the driver to maintain control. Uh, and this is just the tip of the iceberg, there is an entire chapter in my book on car setup--but this moron thinks he can sum it up in a couple of sentences...

Okay, I think you get the idea. Please note, the italic, bold phrases in quotes above ARE NOT FROM MY BLOG! I don't want any confusion on this point. There is more crap on that Blog, but I just can't stomach another word. Oh, and it goes on to part II and III!? I will rip those apart in future posts...

What's really priceless is the comments section where some 13-year-old states he knows how to Drift. The other people who posted comments called him out, as well as the Blog author on his B.S., but this kid is exactly why I am doing what I am here. People assume to much and the Internet allows them to post it as fact. Let's start calling these people out--what do you say?

Until next time, don't try to bullshit a bullshitter...

Drifting Gone Wild!

The beauty of this blog is I can show you what Drifting looks like thanks to the wonders of streaming video. Now I could find some D1GP footage or a clip from a Formula D event, but found this great video that illustrates my point from my definition of drifting post. Drifting is driving under absolute control... Click here to see what I mean.

Welcome to How To Drift!

My name is Paul Morton, and I wrote the book on Drifting. I love to say that, tongue-in-cheek, but the truth is I am an enthusiast and continual student of the art form known as Drifting. I actually did write a book about Drifting however entitled How to Drift: The Art of Oversteer. And I did this for a couple for reasons: 1. Because over the past 12+ years I have made a career out of bridging the gap between those in-the-know and those who want to know, and 2. Because I think Drifting is the most exhilarating, intense and exciting motor sport ever devised.

For me, drifting goes back to my earliest driving experiences. Right off the bat I understood the concept of counter steering, or turning into a slide. As a teenager with a license I didn’t have much of an urge to go fast, or race, but every time I got the opportunity I would slide the vehicle I was driving sideways. Of course at the time I had no idea that on the other side of the world the pioneers of a sport that didn’t yet have a name or a following were doing the same thing I was (on a much grander scale, of course). I can’t autocross. I would suck at drag racing. But there is just something about sliding a car sideways that I get. I can anticipate the arch that the car will travel in as I enter a drift and I have a feel for feathering the throttle and finessing the steering wheel just enough to keep the car going that way. Call it intuition, gut feeling, or just dumb luck, but the only performance driving skills I can stake claim to involve over steer at maximum slip angle.

Make no mistake; I’m not claiming to be the best drifter out there, far from it. I have a lot to learn—as I know many of you out there do as well (even the ones who don’t want to admit it.) This is why I spent a year of my life writing a book for which there was no reference material (I can’t read Japanese). My goal? Write a distinctly American book on the distinctly Japanese sport of Drifting. I wanted to dispel some of the myths (Drifting is driving out of control and only Japanese cars are good for drifting) and I wanted to give those learning to drift, and those expanding their skill set, a larger frame of reference than what was available on the street and the Internet (which is why my book is written from a racecar driver’s point of view). My goal was to create a good starting point for people to learn, and further define, the various elements that make up Drifting. I also wanted to create an interactive element to the book where we could both (me and the rest of you) take part in discussion on what we know is the best motor sport ever.

Well, here it is. I know, it's not much--at this point anyway. But I have a feeling that together we can turn this humble blog into something much more than just an Internet page with a bunch of words. Note that I said, "We." Hey, I've done my part. I have researched written and photographed several hundred pages worth of book. I will soon be posting some information, images and even lessons from that book here on its companion Blog (which means this is a good time to actually get your hands on a copy and read up). The rest, well, that's up to you. I need input. I need to hear from all of you out there that have made Drifting the greatest thing since sliced bread. I am not here to preach, I am here to expand my knowledge just like you. So let's see where this takes us, shall we?