Tony Stewart, the racing legend (aka “Smoke”) notched the inaugural SRX championship—a series he co-created.
Men’s Journal: Why do we love racing?
Tony Stewart: It’s not the speed. It’s watching racers figure out how to be better or faster than somebody else.
What has racing given you?
One big thing it gives you is a large family. You’re all passionate about something together. You race together. You have fun together. You get frustrated at each other. Just like a big family.
Who were your own heroes?
I was obviously a big A.J. Foyt fan. I enjoyed watching Rick Mears. On the sprint-car side, Steve Kinser, Sammy Swindell, Doug Wolfgang—those are the guys I looked up to.
Advice to your younger self?
Honestly, I’d tell myself to do the same thing I did. It wasn’t the easiest path. There were bumps on the road. Last year was kinda the first time I had a chance to sit back and look at my life and career, and I’ve been pretty satisfied with it.
What’s the wisest racing tip you’ve ever gotten?
Sometimes you have to slow down to go faster. It took me a bit of time to understand that one—but when I did, it sure made my life a whole lot easier.
Do you get challenged on the street to drag races?
No. I do enough stupid stuff without somebody else’s help.
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Fast cars, smoking tires and ear-shattering noise. These are the nuts and bolts of Formula Drift.
Unlike most motorsports, Formula Drift isn’t an actual race. Drivers tango in tandem, competing with their dance partners to drift longer and deeper into corners—and are then judged on the skill they demonstrate.
That’s not to say drift cars are slow. After all, what would a motorsport be without speed? The spectacle is predicated on a certain amount of velocity in order to produce the billowing plumes that pour from the wheel wells.
This year’s Pro series was contested over nine events around the country and streamed live for viewers at home. Akin to competitive surfing, skateboarding or snowboarding, it’s a visually inspiring format that mates perfectly with social media—Formula Drift’s official accounts have millions of followers. And while the series (launched in 2003) predates both Facebook and Instagram, Formula Drift has lately become one of the hottest motorsports in the world. Its appeal is easy to understand.
“It’s the art of trying to control a car that’s out of control—and I think there’s something ultimately very sexy and exciting about that,” says Norwegian driver Fredric Aasbø, who leads the points for the Formula Drift championship going into the final event.
Attend any event and it’s quickly apparent why drifting is so enthralling. The volume from the 1,000-horsepower motors is bone-shaking and the whole experience is visceral.
THANANUWAT SRIRASANT
“You’re not watching it from far away. These things are in your face,” says Nick Gregson of Compton-based Antigravity Batteries. “You’re smelling all that burnt rubber and race gas. It just gets your adrenaline going.”
The fans are not only treated to the spectacle of the duels, but can also get up close and personal with the gladiators and their chariots. Any attendee can walk right though the pits, and most Drift drivers are surprisingly accessible—willing to give autographs or snap a photo. Pit crews are also happy to chat about their work and will occasionally even invite a fan to sit behind the wheel of one of the racers.
Unlike other series, a large number of Drift aficionados are serious enthusiasts with their own whips they take to the track. It’s a scene embraced by the tuner community, where you’re likely to pass fans in “Tuna, No Crust” T-shirts (a reference to The Fast and the Furious) and backpacks with straps made from racing harnesses. Along with typical merchandise like T-shirts and stickers, vendors also offer engine parts and mod kits.
“We’re really into drifting,” says Nick Martinez, who recently blew up his BMW 4 Series F32 on the freeway. Martinez was attending a qualifying session for the Autozone Streets of Long Beach with his friend and aspiring drift racer Jehad Asad, who rips laps in a 1992 Nissan 240SX. “I’m not trying to get us in trouble, but we really do like it—on and off professional tracks,” Martinez said. The pair, as do many others, comes to the track to feel the energy and thrill of the scene. “You never know what’s going to happen. It takes a lot of skill and attention to do what you gotta do here. That’s what I respect the most about it—it just takes some balls to do what they’re doing.”
The action draws more casual observers too. “I get the point of doing laps in traditional racing. It’s all for speed,” says Buffalo (just one name) from Orange County. “But for someone like me who knows dick about cars, this is way more interesting to watch.”
It’s easy to see why that’s true for both aspiring drifters and plain old racing fans drawn to something completely different. “We’d all love to be badasses behind the steering wheel,” says Aasbø. “Ask anyone.”
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A vehicle sliding sideways into a corner at 100 mph enveloped in the smoke of burning tires is a far from ideal situation for most drivers. In the sport of Formula DRIFT, it could make you a champion.
Claiming to be the fastest-growing motorsport in America, Formula DRIFT is back for its 2021 season. Based on the drifting that originated in 1970s Japan, each Formula DRIFT event features drivers facing off in a series of intense head-to-head duels. The lead driver tries to hit the best line at the highest speeds, getting close to “clipping points” (trackside markers or designated areas) while maintaining the highest DRIFT angles. Meanwhile, the chase driver is using that lead driver as a moving clipping point and trying to match them turn-by-turn without trading too much paint.
The only motorsport based on judging, the winning drivers are ones chosen as most consistent, aggressive and dominant. And unlike other domestic motorsports, when it rains, they run. In fact, a wet track is just another variable for drivers.The first event of the 2021 season was held at the Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta in May. With an elevation change of nearly six stories and a 1,000-foot entry into the first turn, allowing for lots of acceleration, the course is a favorite of fans and drivers. In addition to the racing, the Atlanta Formula DRIFT event is becoming legendary for its tailgating scene.
After a series of hard-fought runs, Aurima “Odi” Bakchis of Lithuania, at the wheel of a Nissan S15, became the first winner of the season. Bakchis edged out U.S. teammate Matt Field in a Chevrolet Corvette.
“I’m stoked to win, but it was a tough one,” said Bakchis after the race. “We got bumped a lot and had to go through some really tough drivers to get here, but we did it thanks to hard work from the team to get me back out after each tussle.”
With the eight-round season still gearing up, a number of drivers have a legit shot at the October Title Fight in Irwindale, CA. Contenders include last year’s champ, American Vaughn Gittin Jr., driving a Ford Mustang RTR Spec 5-D, who placed third in Atlanta.
Formula DRIFT’s 2020 season was shortened by COVID restrictions, so organizers are looking forward to more fans back in the grandstands cheering on favorite drivers and getting a whiff of burning tires. For the 2021 Formula DRIFT schedule and livestreaming info, check out formulad.com.
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The hot new Formula DRIFT racing series is still blazing with round four of the Pro Championship debuting at the refreshed Lake Erie Speedway in North East, PA. American Chelsea DeNofa won after pressuring the overall points leader Matt Field in the No. 777 Chevrolet Corvette to over-correct through the sweeping Outside Zone 2 turn, leading to an unfortunate off-track excursion.
DeNofa—in the BC Racing/Nitto Tire/Ford Mustang—was able to mount the top spot on the podium after the overall race leader, Norwegian Fredric Aasbo in the Rockstar Energy Drink Toyota GR Supra, was disqualified when failing to fix a broken rear suspension in the allotted time out for repairs.
DeNofa’s teammate Vaughn Gittin Jr., in the Monster Energy Ford Mustang, previously lost to Aasbo, driving the Rockstar Energy Drink Toyota GR Supra, after over-rotating in Outside Zone 3, droning the second semi-final, which forced him to lift and straighten, ending his drift. DeNofa, as the first driver to win two rounds this year, shot up from fourth in the Formula DRIFT Pro Championship rankings to second behind Field, who now has a narrow 19-point lead.
“I’d actually been here about 13 years ago, so it was cool to see the track layout from behind the wheel of an insanely well set-up car,“ DeNofa said after the podium ceremony. “I didn’t know what to expect but the fans were amazing, packed in, tuned-in to everything—they were pumped to have us here and we were pumped to be at the track.”
Round 5 Up Next
With Aasbo finishing second, he held onto third place in the FD PRO Championship, while Aurimas “Odi” Bakchis (Lithuania) in the Falken Tire/Feal Suspension Nissan S15 dropped to fourth. Top rookie finisher was Josh Reynolds (USA) who put his Drift Force/Nexen Tire F22 Eurofighter BMW into 19th place.
Jim Liaw, Formula DRIFT president, said after the race that, “We’re very happy to have added this amazing facility in the Great Lakes area to the 2021 Formula DRIFT schedule. The crowd came from across the Mid-West and Eastern Seaboard, and we’re hoping to see Canadian visitors once the borders open up. We’ve built a great foundation here for years to come in terms of the close competition we can expect and engagement with the fans. I really hope they enjoyed the inaugural Formula DRIFT event at Lake Erie Speedway—it certainly looked as if they did—and we have tremendous opportunities to grow from here.”
The New Course
The 3/8-mile oval Lake Erie Speedway is popular with local drift racers, but was totally new to the majority of Formula DRIFT Pro drivers. To ensure high-speed action, Formula DRIFT created a new course layout for the teams, providing three sweeping Outside Zones that rewarded smoothness while allowing the spectators to enjoy the close proximity of the cars during the tandem competition runs.
“I really hope they enjoyed the inaugural Formula DRIFT event at Lake Erie Speedway—it certainly looked as if they did—and we have tremendous opportunities to grow from here,” Liaw added. “We’ll evaluate how everything went and see how we can make the 2022 event even stronger!”
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