A Guide To Getting Started With Drifting
Drifting is a fun, adrenaline-inducing and addictive hobby which any motorist can get a real kick out of. Many people want to get started with drifting, especially after seeing it in blockbuster films like Fast & Furious: Tokyo Drift, yet most do not know how to go about doing this and doing so safely. Drifting is the fastest growing motorsport and it is highly accessible for regular drivers when you know how to get started as you can use any basic car with rear wheel drive. With this in mind, here is all that you need to know about getting started with drifting.
- Try Drifting Before Buying A Car
It is a sensible idea to go to a track and try drifting before splashing out on a new car. This will help you to get to grips with the basics and to see if drifting is for you (it surely will be!). It can be a good idea to bring along a friend or two at first to make the experience more fun and for moral support. Tuition days will be the best way to do this as you will get an experienced tutor who can help you to get started and see results immediately.
- Picking A Suitable Car
You will, of course, need a suitable car for drifting but this should not be a high-spec car when first starting out. It is a good idea to pick up a cheap car with rear wheel drive and one which is common so the replacement parts are easy to find.
You should be able to find a suitable car with ease in the used car market for affordable prices. If you are struggling to get approved for a loan because of debt collectors such as Allied Interstate LLC then you can head online today to find out about the best ways how to remove them from your credit report to improve your score.
- Keep Money Aside
Drifting is a superb hobby and one which can quickly become a key part of your life. It is also not the cheapest pastime as there will be modification costs, track fees, competition costs and more. You need to keep this in mind and have some money set aside in case you need a sudden repair or upgrade.
- Spare Tires
The money that you save buying a cheap car in the used car market means that it can be more affordable to invest in plenty of spare tires – you will certainly get through a lot of these! You can purchase cheap tires that are part-worn to save even more money too.
- Practice Days
When you first start out drifting you need to get in as much practice as possible to hone your skills behind the wheel. First, you can start out by learning to control your car while doing donuts and then as your confidence and skills grow you can move on to figures of 8.
- Car Modifications
Once you start to get to grips with the basics you will be able to tell if your vehicle needs any modifications to enhance the performance. When first starting out this might include an aftermarket seat, aftermarket suspension, a welded diff etc. You can then look into the flashier upgrades and mods once you develop your skills.
- Get Involved With The Community
There is a very large and growing drifting community around the world and it is important to engage with this community. Speak to people at the tracks to get pointers, to ask questions and to generally feel a part of the community. It is also worth joining the online communities at places like Reddit. When you feel a part of the community it can become a key part of your life, introduce you to new people and inspire you to keep on practicing.
- Attend Drifting Events
Even if you are not competing, attending drifting events can be a fantastic experience which allows you to observe how more advanced drifters perform while also allowing you to get involved with the community. When you feel ready you can look into series regulations and get a license where you must prove your abilities to show that you are ready for competition.
It is easy to see why so many motorists are showing an interest in drifting as it is an exhilarating and fun hobby. It is also hard to know how to get started but this guide should help any motorist to start drifting with confidence and find some success early on. It is then simply a case of continuing to practice, improving your car as your skills improve and looking into competing against others.