Formula Drift 2016

 

Article about Formula Drift.  With pictures of Formula D performance at SEMA Ignited 2016.

Author - Naomi Smith

Formula Drift

Formula Drift or D was started in August 2003.  It has only grown since then.

The competition consists of different drifters competing against each other on a track.  The drifters either go one or two at a time.  You are judged and scored by your-

Line- On each track, there are markers for the ideal drifting route on the track.  There is a line judge who can award up to 35 points for the drifting line taken.

Angle- You are judged on how close and smooth your drifting is and also on how many places you can drift on the track.  You can also be given up to 35 points for angle.

Style- In this category the judges are looking for your fluidity, commitment, and initiation.  Within these categories’ some of the things they are looking for are no major corrections while driving, keeping the car smooth and settled, having the car pivot smoothly, maintaining pace, and making the ride look dangerous.

You can get a 0 score if you drift opposite to the angle required on the course, have your hatch, doors, or/and hood open, and if you spin out.

There is also Tandem in Formula D, which is when two drivers go around a course at the same time.  You are judged by the same things listed above, except the final score is both drivers’ scores together.  The car following the lead one should try to mimic the lead car as much as possible. You are allowed to pass the lead car if the lead car is off completely off line at an inside clip.   After two runs the winner will be decided out of the two.  If there it is a tie, a third run can be done.

You can get a score of zero while doing tandem if you do the same things above and if you hit the other driver, get passed, hit one or more cones on three different starts, or a chase driver unintentionally chasing the lead car through the course after a zero has been scored on the last run.

The Formula D 2017 season starts in March this year at Long Beach, CA and ends in October at Irwindale, CA. 

In 2016 we were able to go to SEMA (Special Equipment Market Association) Ignited, which is the official after party of The SEMA Show at Las Vegas.  I had an amazing time, one of the highlights of the event was the drifting competition put on by Formula D.  There was a large variety of cars used in the competition, including Vipers, GT-Radial/Mazdatrix Mazda MX, and a BMW M3.  My personnel favorite was the Dodge Viper.  I never saw them waste a chance to drift on the track.