It’s a pure spectacle of motor sport. Two driver battling it out for complete and total supremecy of the crowds, who are going insane as the drivers pitch their Japanese hardware sideways at over 120mph! Copious amounts of tire smoke fill the surrounding  patch of atmosphere as the cars perform their automotive ballet.

This is the sport of Drifting and it has taken root in America after starting in Japan. In fact, drifting is ingrained in Japanese culture much the same way drag racing muscle cars is here in the states. It started as a couple of friends showing off in the mountain roads above Tokyo and evolved into a legitimate art form. In fact drifting is all about the showmanship. Judges not only score drifting skill but originality and the drivers ability to amp up the crowd.

And what about the cars? This is where it gets really fun. Most drift cars are rear-wheel drive with a few all-wheel drivers sprinkled around. They are almost always based on Japanese cars and usually turbocharged for power to spare. Most cars are putting way over 300hp to the wheels, and have suspension so stiff it’ll rattle out your fillings. A majority resemble fully built race cars with roll cages, sponsor logos, and massive wheels, brakes, and tires.

The sport is catching hold in the U.S. after a long wait. Young American males are stoked to find out that reckless driving and burning rubber is a legitimate sport and art form across the globe. There is even a yearly championship known as the D1 Grand Prix. Drifting has also helped a lot of young people stay out of trouble by tacking them out of the streets and putting them on a track where the danger variables of the streets don’t exist and it is much safer to push the limits of your ride.

From  a cult, underground activity, to a legitimet art form and competiteve sport. Drifting has been able to bring both car fans and non-car fans together because even if your not into cars it’s still a great show to watch. Hopefully these drivers and their crazy sport will stick, no slide around for some time to come!

Above and Below: Awesome drift action! The more sideways the better….