Drifting
07-14-2006, 08:06 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: United States
Posts: 16
Drifting
Ok, so today I'm sittin' at work reading the Ford Intranet – there's an article about drifting… Please come on – that's for ricers!!! If ya want smoke – just do a static burnout! ) So, who's into drifting here – or is it just GAY!!
Here's a copy:
Gushi Drifts into Racing Fame
By Jessica Thiringer, Special to FCN Online
DEARBORN, July 14, 2006 (FCN) -- To the untrained eye, the recently sanctioned motorsport of drifting looks and sounds like a driver’s education course gone awry – a mess of fishtailing, parking-lot donuts, plumes of smoke and squealing tires. But, to its growing legions of participants and observers, drifting has shape and substance and requires agility and finesse.
Drifting is a sport in which drivers intentionally induce oversteer in order to be judged on their sliding and cornering techniques. The sport began on the winding mountain roads of Japan and recently has migrated to the United States.
Californian Ken Gushi, generally regarded as one of the most graceful drifters, drives a 2007 Ford Racing Mustang Cobra for Ford Racing and Toyo Tires. He's among a select group of drift drivers that have obtained corporate sponsorship.
“The Mustang is an amazing drift car. It has the perfect amount of torque, power, weight distribution, and in-corner stability,” explains Gushi. "After I got used to the insane amount of torque, I found that the Mustang had a lot more potential than the average drift car, even though it weighs hundreds of pounds more than my previous car, a Nissan 240 SX."
The youngest professional drifter, 19-year-old Gushi launched his career four years ago. In 2003, he placed at the top 10 of an amateur drifting competition, sponsored by Option Magazine. The contest cemented his interest in drifting and helped accelerate his career.
"Ken's a great fit for Ford. He's great with the fans and as courteous as can be, said engineering supervisor Andy Slankard. "People line up to see him at races, sometimes 50 or 60 people, and he'll meet and talk to each one of them. He's a great fit for us."
Gushi learned the sport from his father, Tsukasa Gushi, who drifted as a teen in Japan. He learned the mechanics of drifting at one of the many dry lakebeds that dot California’s desert interior, using orange cones to simulate popular championship drifting courses.
Once he had the opportunity to drive the Mustang, it immediately became Gushi's favorite vehicle for drifting. His 4.6-liter Ford Cobra engine with a Ford Racing Whipple Supercharger provides roughly 600 horsepower and pushes 550 foot pounds of torque to the rear wheels.
“With that much horsepower, drifting gets a lot more fun than sliding around with four tiny little cylinders,” Gushi said. "More horsepower is definitely more fun."
Gushi drifts around corners at 60-70 mph, sometimes hitting 125 mph before going into the turn. During a single event, he burns through five to seven full sets of tires.
As mainstream U.S. awareness of drifting has picked up, fans were reticent to welcome corporate sponsors, viewing them as a threat to the sport's integrity and close-knit community. Gushi has a more reflective interpretation.
“Ford's sponsorship has brought out my best skills on the track. I also think their presence opens more doors for the sport, provides opportunities for new drivers, non-auto sponsors and more competition," he said.
Gushi hopes that championship drifting events in the U.S., eventually reach the level of popularity enjoyed by the X Games. The X Games vaulted skateboarding, motocross and similar sports into mainstream America’s consciousness. According to Slankard, drifting and the X Games already share several similarities, including an all-day festival atmosphere with popular music, demonstrations and opportunities for fans to meet the drifters.
While Gushi continues to compete in drifting, he is pursuing a business degree and would like to become a professional race car driver. Ironically, he’ll have to attend racing school first.
Ken Gushi receives trophy for his, and the Mustang's, first win in Formula D drift competition last year.
[IMG][/IMG]
Mike
[IMG]local://upfiles/4003/AB26D2EF04694CD89A8ED3A40EA03802.jpg[/IMG]
Here's a copy:
Gushi Drifts into Racing Fame
By Jessica Thiringer, Special to FCN Online
DEARBORN, July 14, 2006 (FCN) -- To the untrained eye, the recently sanctioned motorsport of drifting looks and sounds like a driver’s education course gone awry – a mess of fishtailing, parking-lot donuts, plumes of smoke and squealing tires. But, to its growing legions of participants and observers, drifting has shape and substance and requires agility and finesse.
Drifting is a sport in which drivers intentionally induce oversteer in order to be judged on their sliding and cornering techniques. The sport began on the winding mountain roads of Japan and recently has migrated to the United States.
Californian Ken Gushi, generally regarded as one of the most graceful drifters, drives a 2007 Ford Racing Mustang Cobra for Ford Racing and Toyo Tires. He's among a select group of drift drivers that have obtained corporate sponsorship.
“The Mustang is an amazing drift car. It has the perfect amount of torque, power, weight distribution, and in-corner stability,” explains Gushi. "After I got used to the insane amount of torque, I found that the Mustang had a lot more potential than the average drift car, even though it weighs hundreds of pounds more than my previous car, a Nissan 240 SX."
The youngest professional drifter, 19-year-old Gushi launched his career four years ago. In 2003, he placed at the top 10 of an amateur drifting competition, sponsored by Option Magazine. The contest cemented his interest in drifting and helped accelerate his career.
"Ken's a great fit for Ford. He's great with the fans and as courteous as can be, said engineering supervisor Andy Slankard. "People line up to see him at races, sometimes 50 or 60 people, and he'll meet and talk to each one of them. He's a great fit for us."
Gushi learned the sport from his father, Tsukasa Gushi, who drifted as a teen in Japan. He learned the mechanics of drifting at one of the many dry lakebeds that dot California’s desert interior, using orange cones to simulate popular championship drifting courses.
Once he had the opportunity to drive the Mustang, it immediately became Gushi's favorite vehicle for drifting. His 4.6-liter Ford Cobra engine with a Ford Racing Whipple Supercharger provides roughly 600 horsepower and pushes 550 foot pounds of torque to the rear wheels.
“With that much horsepower, drifting gets a lot more fun than sliding around with four tiny little cylinders,” Gushi said. "More horsepower is definitely more fun."
Gushi drifts around corners at 60-70 mph, sometimes hitting 125 mph before going into the turn. During a single event, he burns through five to seven full sets of tires.
As mainstream U.S. awareness of drifting has picked up, fans were reticent to welcome corporate sponsors, viewing them as a threat to the sport's integrity and close-knit community. Gushi has a more reflective interpretation.
“Ford's sponsorship has brought out my best skills on the track. I also think their presence opens more doors for the sport, provides opportunities for new drivers, non-auto sponsors and more competition," he said.
Gushi hopes that championship drifting events in the U.S., eventually reach the level of popularity enjoyed by the X Games. The X Games vaulted skateboarding, motocross and similar sports into mainstream America’s consciousness. According to Slankard, drifting and the X Games already share several similarities, including an all-day festival atmosphere with popular music, demonstrations and opportunities for fans to meet the drifters.
While Gushi continues to compete in drifting, he is pursuing a business degree and would like to become a professional race car driver. Ironically, he’ll have to attend racing school first.
Ken Gushi receives trophy for his, and the Mustang's, first win in Formula D drift competition last year.
[IMG][/IMG]
Mike
[IMG]local://upfiles/4003/AB26D2EF04694CD89A8ED3A40EA03802.jpg[/IMG]
07-17-2006, 12:02 PM
#2
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 32
RE: Drifting
You know drifting isn't meant to be about creating smoke - thats just the byproduct. Drifting is meant to allow you to take corners while loosing minimal speed. Of course doing donuts in a car park is kind of useless and I really don't look at that as drifting. As far as I know drifting started in Rally Cars in Europe, they were drifting their cars on dirt/road/ice tracks more than thirty years ago!
07-17-2006, 04:28 PM
#3
1st Gear Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 119
RE: Drifting
you go out and try to drift... its hard. ive had 3 rx7's that ive started to drift with before i got my stang. its hard, challenging, and fun as hell. hell most of those "ricer" cars on the track will outrun your mustang in a straight line. most professional drift cars have over 500hp to the wheels completely stripped down to nothing. anyway, dont flame drifters untill youve done it or been to an event.
07-24-2006, 07:16 PM
#6
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location:
Posts: 690
RE: Drifting
Tell you what dude, 1. Go out and buy some nitto 555R drag radials. 2. Wait for it to rain. 3. drift. Drag radials + rain is like using a cheatcode in grand theft auto 3. Its awesome practice, lets you get the hang of handling your vehicle. Since i got those drags for my stang, i go out every time it rains to just mess around in empty parking lots.
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