KEY POINTS:
Drifting has hit the world by storm, helped by the film Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.
New Zealand is no exception, with the Drifting New Zealand series providing opportunities for newcomers to strut their stuff and spectators to enjoy the action.
Drifting started on the streets years
ago, by drivers sliding around in the rain not knowing what they were doing.
Many people look at the sport and ask: "What is the point? All you are doing is driving dangerously. You could hurt people."
But drifting is all about driving precision and car control.
Steve Mitchell, drifting since 2005, says: "Drifting helps in slippery conditions. If you hit an oil patch or ice you know what to do if the rear of the car slides out."
New drifter Greg Munt says: "Drifting is all about taking the car to its limits and beyond, controlling the car in a slide.
"You are constantly improving your general car control - which has to be good for your driving on and off the track."
The cost of drifting varies, but entry to the sport is relatively cheap compared with other motorsports.
Nick Teeboon, who has been drifting since 2003, says: "It depends what you drive.
"You can buy a Nissan Silvia S13 for $6000 to $10,000 that is road legal and set up for drifting."
Munt got involved by going to track days in his street car. "You can do that - that's the good thing about drifting."
But competing at national championship level in a purpose-built car comes with serious motorsport costs.
Professional company Racepro has just built a full competition Nissan 180SX for about $60,000. It is powered by a 2.5-litre six-cylinder engine from a R33 Nissan Skyline.
Then there are the running costs. Says Mitchell: "Sponsors help a lot, but competing at the top level and going to all of the rounds throughout the year sets me back anywhere from $20,000 to $35,000 by the time you count tyres, mechanical failure and accidents."
"Again, it depends on what you drive," says Teeboon. "For me to take my Toyota AE86 to all the rounds costs from $20,000 to $25,000 a year." But what about novice drivers, how do they get into the sport?
"Anyone can learn to drift with time, but good understanding of how a car works helps," says Teeboon.
Munt advises wannabe drifters to go to a track on open days and seek instruction from other drifters. "Keep it off the roads," he says.
The sport is becoming so popular that Racepro has started a drifting school. Rookies get a day's instruction in a fully prepared car with some of the country's best drifters.
