My Drift Day at Santa Pod on Wednesday....

[Suprash]

Thought I update a few of you that have been following my early drifiting days, well I went on my second drift day at Santa Pod on Wednesday. Had lots of fun, and really progressed I felt through out the day.

 

They had 3 circuits, the first a begginners figure of 8 play pen, the second was a intermediate kidney shaped circuit and then an experienced EDC competition layout, which consisted of some 3rd gear drift sections.

 

So my day started out at 06:00 meeting a local lad in his stripped out, caged, S14a in hook. We arrived at Santa Pod at around 08:00 and it was straight into McDonalds for some breakfast, Pod opened at 08:30. So after swapping my good rubber for some old rubber I started out on the begginers figure 8, quickly getting bored, there is only so many times you can go round in circles lol, but then went onto the kidney circuit. Now thanks to roundabouts and stuff I have always been a lot more confident drifting clockwise so started on the kidney in that direction. After an hour or two of that I was finally linking the whole kidney circuit which felt really good, but then decided I needed to progress on my anti-clockwise drifting techniques, so proceeded to master the other way some more, which again came along nicely after a few spins and getting used to going round the other way.

 

So by now it was around midday and I now took the plounge for the EDC competition track, now this track consisted of two large corners at opposite ends with a 3 bend S straight down one side for second gear and a larger S bend straight down the other side for 3 rd gear. Now I havent ventured into any 3rd gear drifting yet so this was totally new for me. But off I set in second gear at first going around the whole track and at times was managing to link bits of it together quite well, slowly but surely I was getting more confident, or just braver, but after a few more laps I eventually entered the bigger S bend straight in 3rd gear, and WOW how that is so much faster then 2nd, so after several attempts at not nailing 3rd gear I kept at it and eventually found my feet, so entering into the larger corner in 3rd, giving a little tug on the handbrake whilst turning in, then opposite lock and catching her on the slide and then power on, but wow what a feeling 3rd gear was, I was smiling immensely behind my helmet as that now feels like you are drifitng properly, lots of speed, lots of angle and lots of opposite lock. I managed to nail this a couple of times through out the day, but think I managed only to catch this on the bullet cam that was mounted on the roof of the car, but so far I need to run the video through something to compress it at its super large and I cant get it hosted anywhere.

 

So by now it was 14:00 and I wanted to start heading back as I had a night shift to do at 19:00 and wanted to get back in plenty of time before rush hour. Now I realised at this point I had no more cash on me for the tyre matey to swap back my good road rubber, and it would meaing leaving Pod to find a cash point, then getting back, taking my wheels off, tyre matey swapping the rubber, then wheels back on, all that could easily put another 60-90mins on top before I get to leave, so thought sod it Im gonna run with whats on there. So left Pod got onto the M1, and no sooner then 5mins later the left rear tyre blew out, bless it, so pulls onto the hard shoulder, jacks her up, totally forgetting the handbrake is still in drift mode and the button is tapped up, so the handbrake isnt on, nor did I even put her in gear, so blown wheel off, and Im trying to pull the very heavy solid rubber spare wheel out of the boot and leaning against the rear bumper to aid my leverage, and yep, pushes her straight off the jack, so Im now sat on the hard should with the left rear hub on the deck, FFS Im screaming at myself. Managed to find somewhere under the left rear suspension arm to squeeze the jack under, wind her up so I get the blown wheel under the diff, rests the car on that and then re-positioned the jack properly and raises her again to put the spare wheel on. By this time those wanna be coppers in their patrol van had turned up, cant fault them really, and my opinion of them has changed, depsite everyone seeming to hate them, and in all fairness with a one still dodgy right rear tyre I would rather them boys be there then traffic cops, but we have a chat and a laugh, the're asking about the car, see I have been to Santa Pod and asking about that, and even gave me a man size wet wipe for my hands, so hats off to them boys in all fairness......and Im on my way again, just praying in the back of my mind that the other rear tyres holds for remianing 150 odd miles back to B/Stoke as if that goes Im out of wheels lol........but after leaving Pod at 14:00, then with tyre issues, then with usual shit M1 traffic, then more delays on the M25 and an accident on the M3, I eventually hit B/Stoke at 18:20, just in time for a quick bath and into work for a night shift lol........

 

Anyway I will get the rest of the video up when I have managed to compress it but for now, two little clips from the kidney track for you.....

 

 

[supra matt]

Nice One mate sounds like you had a good Day ,

[Blackie]

Looking good (On one video anyway) How do you do it properly then? Braking traction at what speed?

[Suprash]

Well the way I have been taught is to enter the corner, and just before you turn in get on the handbrake, then turn in, which initiates the slide as the back end will slide out while on the handbrake, then while coming off the handbrake counter steer, and bang on the power, then feathering the throttle while on opposite lock around the corner.......at first it feels like there is a lot do in such a short space of time. I seriously felt like my hands were all over the place and then trying to combine all that hand movement with your clutch and excelerator takes some getting to used to, but it does become natural after a while......