Any good schools or places to learn how to Drift?!
 

:wallbash: Im in VA and does anyone know of any company that teaches people how to drift for the first time? Or how about a good quiet area to learn and not bend your car? I have been intrested in this for a while, been to a few track days and its very very easy to go to those but how come they dont schedule track day events on how to drift so that people can learn the proper way to do it and in a safe environment? If anyone has any info on somehwere in VA or close by please let me know.:wallbash: :Wconfused

Best way to start is go to an empty quite parking lot clear of problematic debris and practice over steering j-turns and spinning 180 degrees useing the e-brake. after that just find a local drift event and go get some track time. Thats how most people learn. unless you have really deep pockets and absolutely no automotive prowess a drift school is kind of pointless.

know of any good parking lots, none that i can think of in my area

wow

?? lol wow that you even wasted your time by posting that weak comment

find a wall-mart.

lol no dice buddy thats like the only thing around here and everyone is there, its not looking good i gotta be honest

There are plenty of events in the MD, VA, WVA area. My friend goes to at least 1 a month.

practice doing donuts, controlled ones not just full throttle and turning the wheel. then move onto figure 8's. also just goto the track on a drift day, tell people its your first time, people will be willing to help you and will be understanding if you spinout and/or are only trying to drift a small part of the track.

try scoping around on google maps for open parking lots.

you say there are plenty of events around those areas, but where and when? The only ones I ever hear of are track days (which I go to) but never any driftdays and instructors willing to teach. Tatakai, thanks for info...just need to finda good place to practice is the problem

http://www.zilvia.net/f/forumdisplay.php?f=18
and here:
http://www.ziptied.com/forums/index....34f2&board=5.0
you wont be able to join ziptied, but you can view events. Look for Brian W. He is at MA-Motorsports in MD.

good sites just not enough around here it seems

Im confused, Summit Point has an event almost once a month. Then you have VIR. Quit looking for excuses to not drive your car.

Well buddy maybe if you did your research and looked at my question you would see that I specifically did NOT ask for Track day events as I already do that often and I asked for a school or place to learn, obviously those are tracks but you can't just show up and start drifting...think about it. and the FEW drift events that are held at those places are for people who already know how to drift and are usually competitions.

If you want to be a real drifter.... I suggest a drift/beater as your first drift car.
There is one guarantee to all drifters. Your first drift car will eventually be totaled no matter how safe the environment is.

Trust me. Im quickly making my way to a 3rd car. Drifting since 19-20 and i just now turned 23. Sometimes its just easier to get a new car/fresh start.

If you find yourself with nothing to do on a rainy day, find a parking lot. It will save you some tire wear, make it easier to get the back end out, and put over-all less stress on your car when the ground is wet.

true, I noticed they spayed the skid pads when people where testing their cars limits so that they could save some tire thread

Another up side is less speed. When the ground is wet you have to go slower. Everything slows down and this will allow you more time to make decisions based on how the car is reacting. Not only will you be able to analyze how every little input you make affects the car, but your over all slower speed will minimize the damage done when you hit the curb. And believe me, even though the curbs in a parking lot are far away from where you should be drifting, you will quickly realize just how sneaky those bastards are. When I started drifting I was in a junker V6 Mustang. The fact that those cars have such an outdated live axle has saved me from needing a new one. Can't count the number of times I stuck the rear tires into a curb sideways at over 30mph. My FD however, would not fare so well.

Oh... and another thing. WATCH THOSE TEMPS. When your sideways, your car has a tough time sucking in air and your engine bay has a tough time expelling air. While your a beginner and until your car is properly modded, avoid prolonged drifting. Get in a good amount of turns but every once in a while, straighten the car out and cruise around a little to get some air flow going. And please, realize when you've lost the turn and let it go. When you know your going around, put in the clutch and get off the gas. It may look cool to smoke the shit outta the tires when you spin but you really just end up running 6-7k rpm with zero air flow through the rad when your going backwards. Fastest way to cook a motor.

If for some reason your car gets freakishly good cooling then it may not need modding. Although most hardcore drift cars that I see, have some kind of air intake allowing air in from both the right and left side of the car as well as the front.

lol glad you didnt hit anything with the 7

There's a good reason for that...

I'm not stupid enough to try it in the 7, I like that one too much. I quickly came to the conclusion that although I'm good at drifting, I can't afford it.

good point, but what i have found over the years is not racing or trying race techniques at the track in the car i want to drive hard in i will never feel comfortable driving that car...maybe its just me lol

You are wrong.
1) Track day events are fine.
2) The events at Summit Point and VIR have tons of beginners and most of the time they have instructors/experienced drifters that will jump in the car with you anytime (if you ask nice).
3) They almost always have a skidpad so you can practice the most basic stuff.

The one in the front is typically for an intake, the sides are brake ducts.

Power sliding around in a parking lot is not drifting.

i used to want an FD, but becuase i KNEW i was buying it to drift and that chances are it would get messed up, i got an FC instead. much much cheaper to fix ;)

you shouldve came to pungo in VA beach this past sat. its a good place to learn how to control your car. there should be another event this season