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The fourth round of the Japaneseusedcars.com European drift championship was held this weekend at Santa Pod in Northampton.
The track was set out as a street style circuit, using a large area of Santapods DriftWhatYouBrung drift practice area.
The track comprised of a high speed right hand entry towards some sturdy concrete barriers, into a long 180 degree left hander that constantly tightened into a clipping point, then switched to a quick right hander with another clipping point. It was a reasonably technical course with an uneven bumpy surface that further added to the complexity of getting around in one piece.
The event was a full weekend of hardcore drifting. Saturday was round four of the Europeandriftchampionship, and Sunday, was an EDC organised team drift event.
Team Orange were once again in attendance in their rear wheel drive converted Subaru Impreza drift cars, alongside the field of top European drift teams.
The Wednesday before the event we’d tested the Driftworks S15 with great success. We’d completed our suspension setup after struggling with alignment and the immense steering angle causing the wheel to hit the body, and the car was running beautifully.
In the Saturday practice sessions, we familiarised ourselves with the course, trying a few different lines to avoid some of the more serious bumps in the course. This rough track really showed up the difference in suspension quality between the teams. The two most comfortable quality suspension setups that shone through were the DG5 coilovers used on the Team orange cars, and the Driftworks Control System coilovers used on our own S15, and some other team cars.
Keeping the wheels on the ground when transitioning made for a much more predictable, and less scary ride, but you still needed blinkers on, to block out the fast approach to the 1 ton concrete blocks lining the outside of the course.
Qualification into the top 16 was once again run with positions 7 through to 16 up for grabs, as the top 6 drivers in the championship as it stands are ‘seeded’ and therefore pre-qualified.
I made my three runs, and was very happy with how the car had performed. I’d gone in real fast, hit the clipping points, and created the obligatory Driftworks Federal Tyres smoke screen.
Chris Parry (Paz) one of our sponsored drivers, and very good friend, had been getting to grips with his Honda S2000 powered AE86, and made an absolutely fantastic first qualification run. On his second run, he went in just as well, but the huge bump on the first transition lifted the front wheels at just the wrong time, and as he tried to recover by using power to get the back end to step out, it ploughed on, and he had absolutely no time to hit the brakes before slamming into the concrete barrier head on, cracking the concrete block, knocking it over, and totalling the front end of his absolutely mint AE86. He stepped out of the car straight away totally fine thanks to EDC’s strict safety policies, and his Driftworks safety gear.
Mr Kumakubo and Tanaka from Team Orange had been nothing short of flawless in the morning practice, and were exactly the same in qualification, making perfect run after perfect run.
Qualification Results
1st place Tanaka Team Orange
2nd place Phil Morrison Team Driftworks Federal Tyre
3rd place Kumakubo Team Orange.
Because the pre qualified drivers took up the first 6 positions, this meant that I was to once again drive against Kumakubo in the top 16.
As I’d qualified just ahead of him, I lead the first battle. I was happy with the run, but could feel the Subaru breathing down the back of my neck as I laid down a wake of smoke in an attempt to distract him. This had little effect though, as we exited the course he was right there behind me.
The second run I followed, and although happy with my run, he was fast, and showing shallow angle managed to keep more distance between our cars.
I was happy with both of my runs. I drove as well as I could, and was just beaten by the better driver. I’m intent on getting more familiar with my new car, and at least getting a one more time against him before the end of the year.
Bonbon in the Driftworks Chaser had drawn Stiggy (Stephen Evens) again. The David and Goliath battle has been played out many a time before between the massive Chaser, and the little Starlet. Two cars from the same Toyota era, but so different in size it’s hilarious to watch.
Bon lead the first run, and as Stiggy hit the transition he span. Then in the second run, Bon managed to force Stiggy into an error and overtook the little Starlet.
Newcomer Adam Richards from New Zealand, had qualified well in his RB26 powered Nissan Cefiro with some impressive runs.
Like me, he kind of drew the short straw, and his top 16 battle was against top qualifier Mr Tanaka from Team Orange. The big Cefiro was out done by the nimble Subaru, but Adam put up a fantastic fight, and is certainly one of the new drivers to watch out for in the following rounds.
In the Top 8 Bon had drawn my newfound arch nemesis Mr Kumakubo.
Bon had been struggling with the uneven surface as we haven’t yet fitted the Driftworks coilovers to his car, so it was bouncing around and grounding out on its JIC suspension. Again the nimble Subaru, and incredibly precise driving from Kumakubo just got the better of us, and despite putting on a real good show, Bon was knocked out..
Other top UK drivers that suffered at the hands of the bumpy track or the incredible driving from Japans top team, were Brett Castle who got hit by Scott Armstrong as he span out and went backwards into Bretts S14, Mark Luney, who was taken out by Tanaka in the top 8, and Paul Smith who front ended his car on the concrete wall
The final ended up being none other than Kumakubo verses Tanaka.
Having seen them drive many times now, It was an obvious finale. They are just so good, and when they drive against each other you know you are in for a real treat.. The difference in technique between their ‘demo’ twin drifting, and when they battle against each other was obvious. There was no going wide to let the following driver catch up, or leaving space to duck a nose in. They were fast, and flawless. Both times the following driver finding space where there was none, and pressuring from a couple of inches behind. There was no obvious mistake from any driver, so much to the crowds pleasure, it went to one more time, where Tanaka made the tiniest of tiny mistakes just clipping a cone, giving just enough of a reason for the judges to call it in Kumakubos favour.
Report Phil Morrison / Driftworks
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