School Driftooo'

[jojo]

So I finally got round to using my Drift School groupon voucher, after purchasing it waaay back in December! I was so excited about finally getting it booked in(it's hard to book a space/slot for 2 people!), I got the month wrong and thought it was last month, but alas, it was today!

Anyways, It cost me 63 quid or something discounted, and you get 2 hours, and it's in groups of 10-12 from what I can see. They do 3 sessions a day 9-11am/11am-1pm/1-3pm, I went with 11-1pm, as I had to work in the evening.

On turning up, you just park your car up and walk up this hill and just arrive at this open space that's on a slight incline, with a continuous running hose at the top flowing water downwards to make it slippery. I then head towards a container/office and sign up, it's all very basic, felt like it's was all cheap with what was parked up.

There was a Skyline R32 GTS-T 4dr minus it's front and rear bumpers(forgot to take a pic of this) and the car below, so not too excited now.

Then after the sign up and driver's briefing, a couple of 350Zs turn up, now this is more like it!

We spend the first hour in this section, we only have around 5 minutes of car time where the instructor teaches you how to donut the car, he takes the driver seat first and demonstrates it, then we swop seats, and it's a free for all for the next 3 minutes where you are just mashing the throttle to 'try' and hold a slide/donut! It's actually a LOT harder than I thought!! I had prepared myself as much as I could mentally, but you just want to correct a slide when it happens, and my session didn't go that great.

So another 30 minutes passes, and everyone has had a go, it's figure of 8 time. Basically doing the donut thing again, but controlling it in the middle and start spinning the other way. I got a bit frustrated again after 1 minute, but this was a different instructor who was willing to teach me! I finally sussed it and had the car continually drifting for around 30 seconds with smoke all over the place!! haha what fun!

Once this is done and dusted, we are sent over to the 'course', which is a large figure of 8 course, and they teach us how to go into a slide, but flicking the car from one way drift to the other. Again, it was 5 minutes max of car time, and non of us actually managed it! I had 3 attempts and only managed one way, then going into a full spin flicking the other way. My brother inlaw was a bit unlucky, the instructor messed up a hand brake turn and ended up front ending one of the 350Zs into the barrier, and now my brother inlaw has a sore neck!

Once we finish this part, the finale is a full drift lap around the circuit as a passenger with the British 2009 drift champion at the wheel, the guy is bonkers, and it's obvious why he is champion, car control on the limit!

Topped off with sun all the way through, so all in all, a not bad day out and worth the 60 odd quid! Wouldn't pay more though.



I have a couple of vids, but can't seem to upload onto youtube annoyingly!

 

[jojo]

OK, here's a vid of me trying to do a figure of 8 in a tight spot. I'm in the 350Z on the left, my brother inlaw was in the GTS-T on the right. Quality of the vids not great, but what did you expect from an iphone! lol



Here's the vid of a passenger ride in the GTS-T drifting all the way round in a figure of 8.

 

[voorhees]

I don't think need for speed will be calling you to drive lol
Glad you enjoyed it Joe

 

[jojo]

I don't think need for speed will be calling you to drive lol
Glad you enjoyed it Joe

No mate, it's difficult, all this it's easy is a load of crude. I can see how some people are a natural at it! Out of the 11 of us who took part, I'd say only one guy managed to keep the car in a continuous donut for more than 2 spins.

 

[Sandra]

Glad you had fun Joe. Wouldnt mind trying that myself. x

 

[k1ano]

Fantastic

Oulton park do open drift days on their 2 low friction drift tracks - always great fun to spectate or have a go

 

[jojo]

Well, the guys call this course an introduction to drifting, which it basically is, there was a mature guy with white hair there and this guy I nicked named 'full throttle'! lol He had no balls, couldn't get the car's tail out at all, he was afraid to step on the loud pedal!!

They reckon drifting is the cheapest form of motorsport in the UK to day, just by a rwd car, weld the rear diff, and look for partworn skinny rear tyres job done! And you can go to drift sessions for as little as £25 for the day in your own car!

There was a full day course you could take for £150 a day, but no one took it up! haha

 

[Sarah's A3]

Oooohh that looks fun, always fancied a go. We get the local hoons doing it after the rain on all the local roads :-( in their rear wheel V8 utes lol, wont say how many you see littered around bashed up, upps! they need to go on your course Joe

Glad you enjoyed it Joe

 

[Nilz]

Seen this come up on groupon (or one of those websites) a fair bit recently....

Where did you do it, coz im sure they do something like this at wheels too??

 

[jojo]

Seen this come up on groupon (or one of those websites) a fair bit recently....

Where did you do it, coz im sure they do something like this at wheels too??

Birmingham Wheels indeed mate.

 

[murran]

it is harder than it looks.


i got a little better.

but not much.

sold it last year, as i just couldnt afford the fuel to travel to do the days.

did days at brawdy airfield, santa pod, llandow and barkston heath.

 

[ScottD3]

Nice one Joe.

I did a stunt day via groupon. Really enjoyed it but it was over to fast and got annoyed watching people doing it.

Same sort of set up. Empty land and container with some tents. Lol

At least you enjoyed though mate.

I've done rallying, off roading and stunt driving. Next has to be drifting or something.
Hurry up groupon and do some more.