By DYAN CASTILLEJO-GARCIA
with JACKIE CASTILLEJO

In this episode, we looked at the fastest growing motorsport not only in the country but throughout the world. More and more drivers are becoming “drifters.” Simply put, drifting is what you don’t want to happen when you are diving in city streets.

Drifting is a high-skilled level motorsport in which drivers control a car while it slides from side to side at a high speed. Usual speeds go up from 80-100
kilometers per hour through a fixed tarmac course.

The goal in drifting is to apply enough power to the rear wheels to break the tires traction and initiate a slide while accelerating the vehicle forward. That is when you achieve a “drift.”

Drifting is well beyond any motor sport out there simply because it’s really way “out there.”

First thing that comes into your mind when you see drifting for the first time is, "how do they do it?"

In non-drifting terms, the answer to the “how do they do it” question is: ”You rev your engine really high, let go of the clutch, step on the gas as hard as you can and ease up on braking.”

Once a drift is indicated it must be maintained through the turn using nearly a full throttle a top of braking and precise counter steering.

This was my first glimpse at this extreme motorsport and let me tell you, I have never seen anything like it before.

Drifting started in Japan. Keiichintsuchiya is considered one of Japan’s driving legends and known as “the father of drifting.”

At a young age, Keiichi honed his racing skills driving hard and fast on all types of mountain road surfaces, corners and weather conditions. Keiichi gained a unique driving experience and brought the art of car control to its highest level now known as “drifting.”

To be a drifter, crazy must run in your veins and you need to have a thirst for the wild and wacky. You don’t get involved in a sport like this if you don’t have the attitude of doing things the unconventional way.

It’s an amazing sport to watch and Sports Unlimited was there to learn the sport. When we made a plea to want to learn and try drifting, some of the best drifters in the country showed up and volunteered to pass on their passion for drifting to us.

To be completely honest I hardly drive even when I’m in Manila so getting behind the wheel and driving, or should I say drifting is a massive stretch for me.

“Holy Molly,” your first few spin outs could scare the life out of you but once you get the knack for drifting it becomes extremely enjoyable.

Once you get the basics of drifting down, then you get ready to rock and roll.

What a wild ride it was, you won’t get a more thrilling ride behind the wheel ever. No doubt about it this is one extremely eccentric sport.

Let me tell you, after you step out of the car and walk away and then see someone else drifting you could say: “Ya, I did that. It’s a very cool feeling”

After some of the best drifters in the country tested the limits of their wheel’s traction it was finally my partners turn to learn how to make the rubber of his tires eat its way through concrete like crazy.

By now you should know that nothing stops my partner Marc Nelson much from trying anything he has not tried before. This is more so the activities are fast and crazy.

When learning the basics, our instructors emphasized the importance of not breaking your momentum once you start drifting. You need to resist the urge to ease up on the gas.

You start on first gear and rev your engine as much as you can and once you release the clutch you need to make a definite commitment to go full throttle. Now
that’s a commitment my partner Marc did not have trouble making. He had no problems easing up on the breaks and stepping on the gas pedal.

Drifting is all about releasing the reigns on your vehicle and changing its attitude through a turn. Only drifters will tell you that a car has an attitude and that they can change that attitude.

Marc was on a roll literally. His instructor said that he has a natural ability for drifting.

Not everyone can handle drifting. You have to be a little wacky, gutsy, and crazy. Well, from the day I started working with Marc on Sports Unlimited I instantly knew that crazy ran through his veins.

Marc always enjoys a “wild ride”. In his words he described drifting as “wicked.” After finding out that his good friends Joey and Ian have been drifting since last year and that they are avid drifters, Marc can’t believe that he has not tried drifting sooner.

Now that Marc had a taste of drifting you can bet that he will be drifting with Joey and Ian every chance he gets to make up for lost time.

For lack of a more formal way to describe drifting, it’s definitely an unconventional way to get from point A to point B to say the least.

This motorsport is fast, furious, and mad. Drifting can get highly competitive and when you see drifters do their thing at a competitive level it’s a guaranteed show stopper.

Drifters have no fear and are fueled constantly by a craving to drift because this sport is so fast and furious. Drifters quickly develop a wild reputation and let me tell you, the enthusiasm of the drifters is certainly contagious.

If you’ve always wanted to do something that would unleash your wild and crazy side… Go ahead and discover drifting. We had a “wicked” day and believe me, “the wild and wacky world of drifting will change the way you look at driving forever.”In this episode, we looked at the fastest growing motorsport not only in the country but throughout the world. More and more drivers are becoming “drifters.” Simply put, drifting is what you don’t want to happen when you are diving in city streets.

Drifting is a high-skilled level motorsport in which drivers control a car while it slides from side to side at a high speed. Usual speeds go up from 80-100
kilometers per hour through a fixed tarmac course.

The goal in drifting is to apply enough power to the rear wheels to break the tires traction and initiate a slide while accelerating the vehicle forward. That is when you achieve a “drift.”

Drifting is well beyond any motor sport out there simply because it’s really way “out there.”

First thing that comes into your mind when you see drifting for the first time is, "how do they do it?"

In non-drifting terms, the answer to the “how do they do it” question is: ”You rev your engine really high, let go of the clutch, step on the gas as hard as you can and ease up on braking.”

Once a drift is indicated it must be maintained through the turn using nearly a full throttle a top of braking and precise counter steering.

This was my first glimpse at this extreme motorsport and let me tell you, I have never seen anything like it before.

Drifting started in Japan. Keiichintsuchiya is considered one of Japan’s driving legends and known as “the father of drifting.”

At a young age, Keiichi honed his racing skills driving hard and fast on all types of mountain road surfaces, corners and weather conditions. Keiichi gained a unique driving experience and brought the art of car control to its highest level now known as “drifting.”

To be a drifter, crazy must run in your veins and you need to have a thirst for the wild and wacky. You don’t get involved in a sport like this if you don’t have the attitude of doing things the unconventional way.

It’s an amazing sport to watch and Sports Unlimited was there to learn the sport. When we made a plea to want to learn and try drifting, some of the best drifters in the country showed up and volunteered to pass on their passion for drifting to us.

To be completely honest I hardly drive even when I’m in Manila so getting behind the wheel and driving, or should I say drifting is a massive stretch for me.

“Holy Molly,” your first few spin outs could scare the life out of you but once you get the knack for drifting it becomes extremely enjoyable.

Once you get the basics of drifting down, then you get ready to rock and roll.

What a wild ride it was, you won’t get a more thrilling ride behind the wheel ever. No doubt about it this is one extremely eccentric sport.

Let me tell you, after you step out of the car and walk away and then see someone else drifting you could say: “Ya, I did that. It’s a very cool feeling”

After some of the best drifters in the country tested the limits of their wheel’s traction it was finally my partners turn to learn how to make the rubber of his tires eat its way through concrete like crazy.

By now you should know that nothing stops my partner Marc Nelson much from trying anything he has not tried before. This is more so the activities are fast and crazy.

When learning the basics, our instructors emphasized the importance of not breaking your momentum once you start drifting. You need to resist the urge to ease up on the gas.

You start on first gear and rev your engine as much as you can and once you release the clutch you need to make a definite commitment to go full throttle. Now
that’s a commitment my partner Marc did not have trouble making. He had no problems easing up on the breaks and stepping on the gas pedal.

Drifting is all about releasing the reigns on your vehicle and changing its attitude through a turn. Only drifters will tell you that a car has an attitude and that they can change that attitude.

Marc was on a roll literally. His instructor said that he has a natural ability for drifting.

Not everyone can handle drifting. You have to be a little wacky, gutsy, and crazy. Well, from the day I started working with Marc on Sports Unlimited I instantly knew that crazy ran through his veins.

Marc always enjoys a “wild ride”. In his words he described drifting as “wicked.” After finding out that his good friends Joey and Ian have been drifting since last year and that they are avid drifters, Marc can’t believe that he has not tried drifting sooner.

Now that Marc had a taste of drifting you can bet that he will be drifting with Joey and Ian every chance he gets to make up for lost time.

For lack of a more formal way to describe drifting, it’s definitely an unconventional way to get from point A to point B to say the least.

This motorsport is fast, furious, and mad. Drifting can get highly competitive and when you see drifters do their thing at a competitive level it’s a guaranteed show stopper.

Drifters have no fear and are fueled constantly by a craving to drift because this sport is so fast and furious. Drifters quickly develop a wild reputation and let me tell you, the enthusiasm of the drifters is certainly contagious.

If you’ve always wanted to do something that would unleash your wild and crazy side… Go ahead and discover drifting. We had a “wicked” day and believe me, “the wild and wacky world of drifting will change the way you look at driving forever.”