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Formula Drift on Tour
In the sports world, the first week of April is commonly associated with the return of Major League Baseball. But car-racing enthusiasts have that timeframe marked on their calendars for a very different reason: the start of Formula Drift season.
Formula Drift is the leading international showcase of the auto-racing phenomenon known as drifting, where drivers intentionally oversteer their vehicles to make them slip and slide across the track in a thrilling display of controlled chaos. (Ever done donuts in your car in an empty parking lot? Now imagine trying to do that continually along a predetermined route without crashing into anything.)
Drifting originated in Japan in the 1970s before gaining traction in the U.S. in the '90s, culminating in the inaugural Formula Drift competition in 2004. Since its launch in Atlanta as a four-round, 16-car competition, Formula Drift has expanded into an eight-round, 32-car championship series, with racing sites spanning California to New Jersey.
In most car races, the winner is determined by one simple factor: who crosses the finish line first. Drifting, however, is actually closer in spirit to figure-skating than traditional racing, with competitors awarded leaderboard points according to three criteria: line, angle, and style. "Line" refers to the drivers' ability to follow a demarcated drift line established by the judges. "Angle" analyzes the drivers' control over their wheel alignment while mid-drift. "Style" essentially is a measure of drivers' fluidity and their willingness to careen as close as possible to the track wall without scraping it.
Formula Drift competitions are traditionally two-day events, beginning with the qualifying round, where drivers perform solo trial runs to accumulate points for a Top 32 placement on the leaderboard. On the second day, the qualifying drivers square off round-robin style in a pair of races where drivers take turns shadowing each other and are scored on their abilities to lead and follow. But even if you're not the sort to obsess over the nitty-gritty of scoring, Formula Drift can be enjoyed on a purely aesthetic level as the most artful and graceful form of professional auto racing.
The track layout was perfect, all about precision and technicality on this track. I noticed there was a lot more food vendors! I liked how you can walk around the whole venue full of different teams & merch. Honestly felt more spacious than the FD round 1 that’s held in April. LB 2 came thruu!
Not only you can enjoy professional drifting, but also meet the drivers and mechanics, talk about cars and see them up close and in details. Must for car people.
Event is cool and nice my little girl enjoys it just not enough merchandise representing the finalist but all in all it's absolutely amazing. Love the newcomer and awesome job @Hiroya.Minowa and his team. See you next year Hiro <3
The Formula Drift series as a whole is fantastic but the setup for viewing leaves a lot to be desired. The bleacher style seating makes for an awkward and uncomfortable experience, especially if you're in the middle of the row. The seat numbers are so close together that you'll become "friends"with your neighbor against your will and have strangers way too close and/or touching your legs in front of you. There's also little to no shade and with how close everyone is, using an umbrella becomes an impossible task without smacking someone in the face or blocking others' view. The event otherwise is an absolute blast with tons of cool interactive booths, great food trucks, and meet & greet opportunities. I'd still recommend going but adjust your expectations of comfortable seating & personal space, bring lots of sunscreen and a hat, and drink lots of water.
Had an amazing experience in Longbeach and at the Fomula Drift event. 100% coming back next year. Thank you FD
I loved it, definitely my best experience and I’m looking forward to having more experiences with Formula D!
Oh boy... the smoke, engines, smells and music of the LB drifting night are the best in town. This year the Trophy Trucks series were freaking awesome !!! Indy and GT classes are nice but this year charging $35 for paddock pass dropped my interest on the LBGP
Went for the second time since Covid, always great event
Always a great time. Formula Drift fans are like family. So much fun!
First time at Long Beach FD, previously went to Irwindale. Fun, but a very different experience than at Irwindale. Wear sunblock and a hat, almost no shade anywhere.