What is Drifting?
Driftworks defines drifting as “a driving style in which the driver uses the throttle, brakes, clutch, gear shifting and steering input to keep the car in a state of oversteer while maneuvering from turn to turn.”
In short: it’s the sport of oversteering around a course while keeping the nose or tail of the vehicle as close to the wall or inside of a turn (known as a clipping point) as possible. Think of it as a “controlled slide”. It’s popular among import enthusiasts similar to how drag racing is popular for muscle car enthusiasts.
Drift competitions (also called “tandem” drifting) involve two vehicles drifting together where one leads and the other “chases”. The lead vehicle tries to touch the clipping points and set the sharpest slide angles possible while the chase vehicle tries to match the lead and stay as close as they can (sometimes door-to-door!). After one pass they switch positions and repeat the pass. The full round is judged by a panel on technique, angle, and technical skill. Unlike other motorsports, drifting does not have a timing element. It’s about style and technique, not beating a clock.
Our Drifting Facilities
In the summer of 2018 we built and opened our concrete drifting track. It’s north of the drag strip and west of the concessions building. The entry road follows the drag strip’s return road heading west then turns north to connect to the drift track (pictured below on the left).
Concessions and restrooms are available during drift events. We also have powered parking spots and camping space available for an additional fee.
Our inaugural drift weekend in August was a great success with drift crews visiting from all over the region. Formula Drift Pro2 driver Alec Robbins joined the opening celebration by shredding tires and taking spectators on ride-alongs. Major thanks to ND Drift for putting on the fantastic opening!
Drifting FAQs
What’s the drifting schedule?
Check our Schedule page to find out when our next event is coming up. For drifting we do driver pre-registration online due to a limited number of driver spots. Our drift weekends for 2020 consist of a Friday afternoon, all day Saturday, and all day Sunday. Drivers can get about 26 hours of seat time at a single event.
- May 16-17: Learn to Drift 101/102
- May 29-31: Drifting the Plains #1
- June 26-28: Drifting the Plains #2
- July 9-12: SRD $10K Drift Challenge
- July 18-19: Learn to Drift 101/102
- August 14-16: Drifting the Plains #3
- September 26-27: Learn to Drift 101/102
- October 2-4: Driftoberfest
Driver registration is done in advance due to a limited number of driver slots. Check our Instagram or the events page for announcements when registration opens and closes.
What are the requirements to drift?
We use the ND Drift rulebook (click here).