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SPECIAL: Drifting Toward the Mainstream
This weekend’s Red Bull Drifting World Championship in Long Beach could tell us a lot about the sport’s strength beyond an American niche activity.
Bill Wood  | http://www.speedtv.com  |  Posted November 12, 2008   Los Angeles, Calif.
Crazy Swede Sam Hubinette’s wild Drift Viper reflects America’s contributions to drifting: loud, raucous and in-your-face-for-TV competition. (Bill Wood photo)

This weekend’s Red Bull Drifting World Championship in Long Beach could tell us a lot about the sport’s strength beyond an American niche activity. Drifting has more than established itself internationally. It was born in Japan but it’s grown up in the United States through the deft promotional efforts of Formula Drift, the sanctioning body organizing this weekend’s event.

And about the World Championship label. Everything from the World Series to the Professional Bull Riders World Finals tries to tap into the “championship of the world” theme but most don’t invite or encourage world participation. It’s much like Major League Baseball before Jackie Robinson but that’s a theme for another essay, isn’t it?

The Red Bull Drifting World Championship has invited 32 drivers from 12 nations including the top 16 from the 2008 Formula D series that just concluded last month.

This differs from the recent D1GP World Finals at Irwindale, where largely Japanese drivers from the international D1 series competed with qualified Americans from Formula D. This weekend’s guest list includes drivers from places as drifting diverse as Japan, Norway, Australia and Ireland. And we aren’t talking about Rhys Millen from New Zealand or Sam Hubinette from Sweden “internationals.” Champions from faraway lands have been invited and most are expected. There’s never been a true World Championship in this new sport, so any who can get here are coming.
Former Irish champion Darren McNamara will run under the Formula D banner but with the right hand drive common around the world. (Bill Wood photo)

A year ago I questioned Formula Drift President and co-founder Jim Liaw about Formula Drift’s international expansion into Singapore and Mexico this season. This month he had more than an answer.

“We watched it very closely,” he told me. “Our foray into Singapore was hugely successful and I think we’re going to keep that relationship and use it as a small stepping stone into Southeast Asia.” But it rained in Mexico causing some potential problems when he considers future expansion into Latin America.

To the credit of Liaw and his partner and co-founder Ryan Sage, Formula Drift does have cachet outside the U.S., “because it’s unique and something foreign (internationally).” Liaw said the strength of the U.S. car market has some weight when Formula D talks with people in South Africa or South America.

“If we do it well, it will resonate everywhere else – that’s why we have to concentrate on making this championship the best it can be,” he added.

Part of the Formula D strength in its first five years is its reticence to grow exponentially here in the States. The base is growing and is strong because when the gates swing open, there’s no need to solicit spectators from different time zones in order to have a box office success. Keeping the tickets to $30 or less means more people can participate and families can enjoy the experience – although kids at a drift event don’t come anywhere near the number of kids at a Monster Truck show or a Supercross event and kids translate into family and future. Ask NASCAR…

This weekend’s World Championship will have another touchstone. The sport that the Japanese (read D1GP) brought to America is very different than the sport Formula Drift is giving back to the world. American drifting is louder, more boisterous, V8 raucous and becoming more directed at television. The D1GP shows were largely done for the DVDs that the D1GP people used to introduce the sport to the world and, especially, the U.S. When Jim and Ryan first opened the doors at Irwindale five years ago, there was an audience that knew something about the sport. They didn’t need to create the market as much as it needed to service and grow the fans that existed already thanks to the D1GP efforts.

But they’ve grown it, even bringing in non-racing fans, to the delight of people like Red Bull and Snap-on, who’ve put their imprint on this weekend’s World Championships in Long Beach. Jordan Miller speaks for Red Bull Motorsports Communications:

“Our involvement in both NASCAR and drifting are important for the brand,” Miller said. “They appeal to different demographics that are critical to us. Also, we always look to create crossover appeal with non-enthusiasts while maintaining credibility within the core demographic, and NASCAR, via Red Bull Racing, and Drift, fulfill this goal.”

“A lot of eyes are looking at us,” Liaw continued. “The drivers coming here probably represent eight or nine different leagues around the world. We want to take the leadership role in bringing the world closer together.”

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Bill Wood

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