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| Professional Drifting as a Mainstream Motorsport |
By Aaron Ekinaka |
Published
08/12/2006
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Editorials , D1 GP , Formula D
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Rating: 
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Professional Drifting as a Mainstream Motorsport
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Recently, D1 Grand Prix USA teamed up with the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA sport compact) to deliver two completely different competitive motor sports events at one venue. While pairing various racing disciplines becomes more common, this particular one demonstrated that drifting as a motor sport is increasing in popularity in the US.
Spectators in Las Vegas, NV received an incredible entertainment experience. When the Japanese and Americans took a break from fighting it out sideways on a track prepared for drifting, these fans watched drag racing, a motor sport some may consider on the opposite side of the competitive racing spectrum as drifting.
Hiro Sumida - D1 Drag and Drift - Las Vegas, Nevada
The event’s itinerary was was simple. First, watch the qualifying round of drag racing, then the qualifying round of drifting. Next, the elimination round of drag racing heated up, and then drifting returned for its elimination round. This back-to-back event allowed drag racing fans to experience a drifting event and fans of drifting to experience a drag event; something either one might not have done had the events had been held independent of the other. One thing is for sure, the feeling of exhilaration is the same whether generated by experiencing the thunderous power of dragsters tearing down the strip or watching the nail biting, tandem drift battles on the drift course.
 Rhys Millen - Formula D at the Long Beach Grand Prix
This is not the first time the promoters of drifting hooked up with other professional racing competitions. For example, earlier this year the Long Beach Grand Prix (CART) held a drift exhibition with Formula D’s top drivers showing off their tire smoking skills. At that event, people in the stands who never heard drifting suddenly found themselves on their feet cheering and yelling like drift maniacs when they saw the drift cars going sideways with copious amounts of smoke peeling awy from their tires! For me, it was strangely rewarding to witness these people embrace drifting the first time they experienced it first-hand.
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