I have always held a high admiration for pro drifters and the way they are able to keep a car in a state of over steer, flying sideways at high speeds with all the smoke, burning rubber and noise – the skill required just amazes me.
So when Nizzpro Performance offered me the opportunity to get behind the wheel myself; how could I say no!
Full of excitement I turned up to my first practice night thinking that because I had been around the industry for years and knew the technique to get a car sideways it wouldn’t be so hard for me to achieve; wasn’t I wrong!
I had spent weeks going over in my head what I had to do; enter the corner, clutch down, pull hand brake, let go of the steering so the car counter steers and grab the steering at the correct point to power out of the corner. I had even watched Japanese Drift King (Keiichi Tsuchiya)’s learn how to drift videos to really grasp the technique.
But no matter how much you think you might know in theory when you are out on track it really means nothing.
A friend’s best advice when I asked for pointers was the ‘bum on seat technique’; the only way you will get better is with practice.
It was so true when you compared the difference between my first lap and my last lap; or the difference between my first practice session in December and my second session in January.
During my first practice session I was honestly scared to put my foot down and enter a corner with out the feeling of controlling the car.
When you enter the corner it takes a lot of confidence to enter it at high speeds; you really go against everything you have been taught with driving (slowing down at a corner and steering into it is a natural driving habit).
But as Keiichi Tsuchiya once said “men with guts attack those corners” and I was out there to prove so can women!
After many laps around the Archerfield drift track I had gained confidence in entering the corners at a faster speed and I had realised even though the car is sliding out sideways you are still the driver in control.
By my second practice session I was ready to get out there and go hard; I actually exited the corner smoothly for the first time and even had pro driver Tony Eager clapping at the start line – I was so proud of my improvement!
However I still have much to learn and there were many epic spin outs.
I even nearly hit a wall on the first corner; and I am pretty sure at some point there was a tyre wedged underneath the car but I just kept skidding off!!! I had so much fun getting out there and giving it a go.
It’s addictive and I can’t wait to get out there again and get better at it; the best advice I can offer anyone that wants to learn is to get out there and practice. Practice is the key.
Thank you to Nizzpro Performance for giving me the opportunity to drive their track R33 Skyline and to their pro driver Dylan Andersen for teaching me.
Nizzpro Performance pro driver and my mentor Dylan Andersen strapping me in.
One of my epic spin outs during my first practice session.
My best friend and house mate Amy Fisher was brave enough to come out for a few laps with me.
Me driving the Nizzpro R33 on the Archerfield Drift track during my second practice session.
Me going hard during my second practice session; getting a little bit of angle finally!
Me driving.