ColdTrackDays

Drifting is one of the few forms of motorsport that I really don’t know much about. I don’t follow it much at all and photograph it even less. It really is something different from where my heart lies in sports car racing. But for this reason, this difference, this challenge, you can bet that when the big boys come to town I will be first in line to cover it... [read more]

The weekend was uncharacteristically hot for Seattle and the mid day lighting sucked. Nevertheless, the drift cars were out and playing on track so I had to find ways to deal with the heat and the light. I put my camera down in the grass, waited until I thought the cars would be in the field of view and fired off a couple shots. These low angle no-look shots are always interesting if the timing is right. Here we see the two supercharged V8 beasts screaming around the banking.

I think I had a little too many of these to drink. They are so tempting when they are ice cold and the NOS girls are handing them out for free.

Standing at the end of the wall there they transfer off the banking and flick the car the other direction is quite impressive. Most of the top drivers come just inches form the wall and some of them touch up against it with the rear bumper. The car here was only about a foot away form the end of my lens as it entered the frame. It’s quite a rush.

Chris Forsberg, winner here last year, sits on the start line completely focused. Through the reflection in his glasses, you can get a glimpse of what he sees piloting the NOS 350z.

If insanity was a noise, it would be the one emitted from the tailpipe of Mad Mikes three rotor Mazda engine. He truly has the car to match his name.

Unfortunately Mr. Mad would not move on any farther than the round of Top 32. Since coming to America from New Zealand, he hasn’t had much luck this year.

I must say that Samuel Hubinette's Charger looks incredibly awkward as a drift car, more like a limo than a small nimble sports car.

It must be a sad life for a drift tire, but it is never dull to watch the tires being broiled to their death.

As the sun started to set, I started to focus on what the drivers where doing in their cars, trying to time the shot just right to catch that brilliant slice of light illuminating the faces of drifting. Here Ryan Tuerck looks through the last turn on the course.

Blades of light pierce through the smoke.

Sliding on streets of gold.

In the end, Tanner Foust was able to pilot his way to victory in his Scion Tc.

Formula DRIFT Professional Championship 2010 Point Standings:

1. Gittin, Vaughn Monster Energy / Falken Tire Ford Mustang 357 Points
2. Foust, Tanner Rockstar Energy Scion TC 331 Points
3. Yoshihara, Daijiro Discount Tire / Falken Tire Nissan S13 326 Points
4. Tuerck, Ryan Mobil 1 / Maxxis Tire / Gardella Racing Pontiac Solstice 305 Points
5. McNamara, Darren Falken Tire Saturn Sky 286 Points
6. Forsberg, Chris NOS Energy Drink / CFR Nissan 350Z 266 Points
7. Millen, Rhys RMR / Red Bull Hyundai Genesis Coupe 237.50 Points
8. Hubinette, Samuel SHR-Dodge / BF Goodrich Dodge Challenger 231 Points
9. Takatori, Michihiro BF Goodrich / Exedy Nissan S13 212.50 Points
10. Pawlak, Justin Ford Racing / Falken Tire Ford Mustang 211.50 Points
11. Gushi, Ken Scion Racing / RS*R Scion TC 203.50 Points
12. McQuarrie, Tyler Falken Tire Nissan 350Z 171.50 Points
13. Ng, Charles Charles Ng Racing Mazda RX-7 166.50 Points
14. Petty, Ross Falken Tire / Garage Boso Nissan S15 161.50 Points
15. Verdier, Stephan Royal Purple / Crawford Performance Subaru STI 160 Points
16. Wang, Forest BF Goodrich / Drift Emporium Infiniti G35 157.50 Points

Round 4: Throwdown Event Results:

1. Foust, Tanner Rockstar Energy Scion TC 1st Place
2. Tuerck, Ryan Mobil 1 / Maxxis Tire / Gardella Racing Pontiac Solstice 2nd Place
3. McNamara, Darren Falken Tire Saturn Sky 3rd Place

Tires.com Triple Crown - Event 2 of 3:

1. Foust, Tanner Rockstar Energy Scion TC 169 Points
2. Tuerck, Ryan Mobil 1 / Maxxis Tire / Gardella Racing Pontiac Solstice 167 Points
3. Yoshihara, Daijiro Discount Tire / Falken Tire Nissan S13 162 Points

Photo/Editorial: Camden Thrasher