The sun was setting on a fabulous season. On a hot day in the middle of nowhere, the Sanair Speedway welcomed a half-dozen Pro and Pro-Am drivers from the Drift Mania Canadian Championship (DMCC) for one last tire burn-fest.
It was all relaxed and stress-free – just a bunch of friends gathering on a track like work colleagues having a drink at the Thursday 5-à-7. I had spent the entire summer with the crew watching the races, cheering our drivers, and vicariously feeling the rush of the competition. I was on hand for the quick repair jobs and I covered the action for an auto news website.
But on that day, the guys decided to rock my world. They made me sit next to our Pro king, Dominic Desrosiers, for an exhilarating drift session.
You've heard about it, right? Car drifting is the fine art of driving sideways through perfectly controlled weight transfers and oversteer manoeuvres – mixed with the crazy goal of flirting with all the nearby obstacles. The machine exudes performance and agility like a beautiful Adonis in a white shirt embodies sensuality.
Comfortably seated and fully harnessed (helmet on, of course), DD and I hit the track. He had such a great command of the car that I couldn't believe my eyes. Throttle, steering, brakes, again the throttle, more steering... and, oh, let's not forget the shifter. How did he do it?
It seemed like everywhere I looked there was a solid wall coming dangerously close to ending our day. The engine sounded more than happy to oblige, though, and the tires kept screeching almost the entire time. The smell of burnt rubber got to my nose, and white smoke invaded the cockpit. My heart missed a few beats, and my stomach tightened up.
I knew what adrenaline felt like, but this was bordering on overdose!
I couldn't help but wonder how my poor old Civic would fare against Dominic's Toyota Soarer. Obviously, it wouldn't stand a chance. I can't even figure out how to complete a U-turn from a standstill with only one jab at the gas pedal and a turn of the steering wheel. We were going 70 km/h, but at a 30-degree banking angle, it felt more like 30. At this point things seemed to happen in slow motion.
Pow! Suddenly one of the tires popped. We had to return to the pits.
I was breathing harder and only noticed it after freeing my lungs from the safety harness. My ears were still buzzing from the sound of the engine, and my strained facial muscles were pinned by a large grin.
Despite feeling a bit nauseous (which my female pride attributed to the tire smoke), this experience made me discover unique thrills. I've definitely been bitten by the drift bug. Time for an encore!
It was all relaxed and stress-free – just a bunch of friends gathering on a track like work colleagues having a drink at the Thursday 5-à-7. I had spent the entire summer with the crew watching the races, cheering our drivers, and vicariously feeling the rush of the competition. I was on hand for the quick repair jobs and I covered the action for an auto news website.
But on that day, the guys decided to rock my world. They made me sit next to our Pro king, Dominic Desrosiers, for an exhilarating drift session.
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| Photo: Marie-Andrée Ayotte/Auto123.com |
You've heard about it, right? Car drifting is the fine art of driving sideways through perfectly controlled weight transfers and oversteer manoeuvres – mixed with the crazy goal of flirting with all the nearby obstacles. The machine exudes performance and agility like a beautiful Adonis in a white shirt embodies sensuality.
Comfortably seated and fully harnessed (helmet on, of course), DD and I hit the track. He had such a great command of the car that I couldn't believe my eyes. Throttle, steering, brakes, again the throttle, more steering... and, oh, let's not forget the shifter. How did he do it?
It seemed like everywhere I looked there was a solid wall coming dangerously close to ending our day. The engine sounded more than happy to oblige, though, and the tires kept screeching almost the entire time. The smell of burnt rubber got to my nose, and white smoke invaded the cockpit. My heart missed a few beats, and my stomach tightened up.
I knew what adrenaline felt like, but this was bordering on overdose!
I couldn't help but wonder how my poor old Civic would fare against Dominic's Toyota Soarer. Obviously, it wouldn't stand a chance. I can't even figure out how to complete a U-turn from a standstill with only one jab at the gas pedal and a turn of the steering wheel. We were going 70 km/h, but at a 30-degree banking angle, it felt more like 30. At this point things seemed to happen in slow motion.
Pow! Suddenly one of the tires popped. We had to return to the pits.
I was breathing harder and only noticed it after freeing my lungs from the safety harness. My ears were still buzzing from the sound of the engine, and my strained facial muscles were pinned by a large grin.
Despite feeling a bit nauseous (which my female pride attributed to the tire smoke), this experience made me discover unique thrills. I've definitely been bitten by the drift bug. Time for an encore!