Just “Loose” It! Club Loose Drifting Experience

If you’re any sort of an automotive enthusiast, then you’ve likely heard of a style of driving called drifting. Controversially labeled as a “sport,” drifting has become a nationwide sensation over the last 15 years all across the United States. Whether you blame the third installment of The Fast and The Furious or Formula Drift for the increase in popularity (and for the infamous “Drift Tax”), it’s a sector of automotive motorsports that just can’t be ignored.

To many, becoming a professional drifting driver, let alone learning how to drift at all, seems like an entirely unattainable goal. The pros pilot high horse-powered cars competitively with full pit crews on-site and some of the biggest auto brands sponsoring them. Add to the fact that most of the drivers make it appear effortless and you start thinking to yourself, “How and where can I learn how to do this?!”

As easy or as difficult as drifting looks, depending on your perception of it, any professional driver, from veterans like Daigo Saito to Pro1 rookies like Ryan Litteral, will tell you that one of the biggest keys to succeeding on any level is this: Seat time.

And that’s where grassroots organizations like Club Loose come in.

GO DRIFTING OR GO TO HELL!

The closest events for me take place at Raceway Park in Englishtown, New Jersey – The birthplace of Club Loose. When you arrive, everything within your immediate surroundings suggests that you’ve made a wrong turn: The cars look destroyed and the organizers look like members of a biker gang with a motto that’s short and sweet – “Go Drifting Or Go To Hell.” Now, this all sounds like a recipe for a deterrent but it’s quite the opposite. Club Loose event organizers genuinely want drivers to, not only learn how to drift but to also, have fun doing it!

Over the course of the 10 years since it’s origination in 2008, people can sign up to drift at tracks as far North as New Hampshire Motor Speedway and as far West as San Antonio Raceway. Many of their events like “Freedom Moves” are over a two-day span, giving drivers plenty of seat time along with the opportunity to camp and party on track. Suddenly the Bloodmasters don’t sound so bad.

In order to avoid sheer pandemonium, drivers who sign up for an event are put into one of three groups: A (for the “experts”; the only group allowed to tandem), B (for those on the intermediate level; the ones who are starting to get the hang of it), or C (for those who are just starting out in drifting). With sessions for each group that last roughly an hour and 30 minutes each, everyone has enough time to practice…or fix what they’ve managed to break.

SAY WHAT YOU WANT

Providing people with an avenue to learn to drift in itself is pretty unique but what I think separates Club Loose from other organizations are the personalities. The people who attend come from all walks of life. The personalities of the cars are all so different in the way they’re modified. It all reminds me a lot of the skateboarding culture of the 80’s and 90’s.

With an almost anarchistic, free-spirited aura in the air, It was difficult not to walk around the paddocks without seeing something that made me smile. The “Pabst Blue Ribbon” 240sx and the makeshift attempt at a Bimmer pickup, for example, both gave me a good laugh. Sure, they’re both freedoms of expression, but they also scream the all too familiar acronym I.D.G.A.F. And that’s the best attitude you can have when it comes to drifting. It’s an attitude I wish I embraced more when attempted to drift at a few of their events.

TURNED UP TO 11

As someone who once attempted to drift in Group C (with absolutely no prior on-track experience), I can understand and appreciate now just how challenging it all is. With that in mind, when groups B and C are on track, I’m photographing of course, but there’s also a burning sense of desire in my gut for the drivers to “get it.”

But when their sessions are over and it’s Group A’s turn to drive, the best analogy for how the atmosphere changes are that things get turned up to 11. Virtually every inch of the track is now one long, driftable run (whereas Groups B and C can choose to drive on either the front or back course). Everyone driving is either in tandem or part of a drift train and, as a photographer on track, you can’t turn without seeing drivers fully sending it. There’s a rush you get that’s not easy to explain.

In short, there are many who choose to spend their weekends clubbing. Others train for and run marathons. But if you like to let loose, party, and maybe even learn to drift, then spend some time at Club Loose…or go to hell!

Formula Drift New Jersey

Formula Drift hosted their 100th round of competition at Wall Stadium Speedway in New Jersey and it was nothing short of exciting. With Round 4 being the midway point of the eight round series, spectators and live stream viewers alike are used to the carnage that “The Gauntlet” dishes out…and there was no shortage of it this year. Even the highly consistent “Norwegian Hammer” – Frederic Aasbo – collided with Forrest Wang and sent them both into the wall. 

Fans came out in full force to be a part of Formula Drift history with the first 100 fans in line receiving a special edition key chain. With tons of other giveaways in the paddocks, including used tires, few fans left disappointed. They came to the autograph sessions in droves with fenders, dashboards…literally whatever they could get their hands on.

Of course, no round of Formula Drift can be complete without the interactions between Jarrod DeAnda and the crowd. They connect with him in a more personal way, whether it’s through their hilarious signage that he spots while announcing – see the “Deane For President shot as an example – or heeding to his calls for a giant “Wave” in The Great Eight. One spectator even managed to catch Jarrod’s eye with a sign made to sell a used BMW!

THE (NEVER ENDING?) HORSEPOWER DEBATE

As expected, there were some notable battles that took place. The Worthouse Drift Duo of James Deane and Piotr Wiecek were door-to-door in both their leads and chase runs, making everyone practically forget that they were even teammates. Another wild battle between rookie Matt Vankirk and veteran Jhonnattan Castro – a driver who’s been making noticeable strides in the last few years – resulted in Vankirk getting the win, and bringing him into the Top 16 for the second time in his career as a pro driver.

But Vankirk’s win doesn’t just improve his driver standings in the series, it also brings into question a topic of much debate: The necessity of super high-horsepower cars in Formula Drift. Do drivers like Chris Forsberg need such a technically advanced, 1000+ horsepower, twin-turbo, VQ-powered competition car that, so far, has had a slew of issues, when drivers like Vankirk can make it just as far with one of the lowest horse-powered engines in the series? Can Dean Kearney rely on a twin-turboed Viper if midway through the season he needs to use Forrest Wang’s spare car just to stay in competition? For Forsberg, a current ranking of third overall and 39 points shy of points leader James Deane suggests otherwise. What’s more is the return on investment for this new engine setup has the potential to be pretty high if Forsberg can clinch a fourth championship. 

PROGRESSION OF FORMULA DRIFT

With the competition continually getting fiercer, and battles becoming more exciting at every round, it’s difficult to ignore how Formula Drift has progressed as a whole over it’s 15 year lifespan thus far. Along with the increased amount of coverage sources, advancements in drifting journalism from the Maximum Driftcast podcast in combination with Laurette Nicoll’s improved on-site reporting has no doubt helped. Ryan Lanteigne’s explanations of the more complicated judges’ rulings definitely doesn’t hurt either.

There’s also no question that more teams in Formula Drift have had better budgets in recent years, resulting in more families on both the driver and spectator sides attending each round. Pros like Ryan Tuerck used to drive competition cars to each round by themselves with all the spares and tools they could fit in them. Now many drivers trailer their cars, and bring their family and friends with them too.

Although these are obvious statements, they are worth mentioning, not only for those who’ve only recently started following the series but also, as a benchmark for how the series will surely grow in the future. Here’s to another 15 years!

AutoCon LA 2018

Billed as the Automotive Connection and a “global platform to celebrate all aspects of automotive culture,” AutoCon LA showcases the best of automotive enthusiasm and builders right in the heart of downtown LA.

Established in 2010, AutoCon has grown into something far greater than just another car show. Proof should be in its location in Los Angeles. Not just anything can display at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Featuring four halls and home of Automobility LA (formerly known as the Los Angeles International Auto Show), LACC is made for big shows. Should tell you just how large AutoCon LA really is, then. While not overtaking every hall, it still takes up nearly all the 210,685 sq. ft. available of the West Hall. It also comes with the advantage of being an indoor event, so even when it (rarely) rains, AutoCon LA isn’t hampered.

What helps make AutoCon LA unique is the opportunity to roll up to the main stage, something more recent car shows have copied since the inception. Selected vehicles will drive up to the stage and the owner will get interviewed or John “Nads” Naderi will talk about it in front of fans who get to stand right at the skirts or sit in the stands to watch each one roll up and off again.

Its history is more on the import vehicle side, but AutoCon is meant for everyone. So not only will you see the latest Honda Civic Type-R build but Jeeps, Mustangs, lifted trucks, and classic cars from the US and abroad. Custom cars range from R33 GT-Rs, BMW M4s, and even the occasional old and retired school bus. The show connects with the best and up-and-coming builders in California and across the nation.

If you missed the LA show, you can also see AutoCon events with the 2018 Formula Drift season at Atlanta, Seattle, St. Louis, Fort Worth, and the finale at Irwindale. You can also see the next stand-alone event at Pier 94 in New York, NY. It’s an enjoyable show for everyone in all forms of the automotive lifestyle. Hopefully, we’ll see you at the next one!