K&N Signs on as Official Partner for 2012 British Drift Championship
- 20 Mar 2012
"We have been involved with the drift scene over in America for a number of years, through various forms of sponsorship," explained K&N Sales and Marketing executive, Samantha Wallace. "The drifting crowds are huge car enthusiasts who use our product on a regular basis. Our products relate well to this type of sport, as our filters will help the engines breath better and increase power to the engine helping the drift cars to perform better, and do what they do best." What they do best is to fire-up crowds on an unprecedented level. From the mountains of Japan, to the plains of the United States, drifting continues to be fastest growing motorsport around the planet. The 1990's freestyle motorsport that originated in Japan hopped the Pacific and exploded in North America, rapidly moving from its initial underground roots to become a mega mainstream motorsport. Unlike other motorsports, drifting is a "judged" sport; it's not about crossing a finish line first, but rather about technique and style points. Although often referred to as "drift racing," purists don't like the term since drifting isn't a race. Drifting is decisively more art and finesse than blunt force. It requires an absurdly deft touch and balance between feathering the brakes, accelerating, steering and shifting. Think of it as a series of complex power-slides and counter-steering corrections. Talented drift drivers have the ability to take six to eight opposing turns without ever having traction. It's a power dance with mayhem. It's the difference between motocross racing and motocross freestyle. It screeches and roars, with smoke bellowing from the tires and sparks shooting like fireworks, and it's overpoweringly persuasive. In 2012, the British Drift Championship moves into its fifth year and it continues to be the UK's premier professional series. The six event series will be running three separate classes as they did in 2011, Semi Professional, Professional and Super Professional. These classes are used to ensure that drivers will compete on an equal playing field and that they will be judged along similar standard. For the first time in the championship's history the series will run a minimum of top16 finalists in every class. "The British Drift Championship is new to us this year," adds Wallace, "we are looking forward to watching the championship unfold." For a teasing peek into the exhilarating world of drifting watch as 2010 Formula DRIFT Champion Vaughn Gittin Jr. in his 2011 Ford Mustang drift car chases an RC drift car replica through the K&N factory in Riverside, California. You can find it at K&N's YouTube Channel. Find K&N products for your vehicle using the K&N application search then use the K&N dealer search to find a K&N dealer in your part of the world. |
