Here is the interview in full!
RM: What is the most important factor to consider in order to win a Pro Am drifting competition?
EC: Practicing. Learning the drifts and learning the car. Basically how to manipulate the car in a way that you want to so that outside of the car it looks completely out of control but you are totally in control. Car control is of course a huge thing in drifting.
RM: What skills must a driver have in order to be competitive?
EC: Car handling skills. Technical knowledge is not that bad either, to know what is going on with the car, how a car will react to the changes that they make. Drifting has come a long way in the U.S. and took the notion of how setting up a car with a decent amount of horsepower with a stiff rear end and a loose front end but the real key is setting up the suspension and how it will react to what the driver is doing. It is all about the proper technique too. Using the handbrake and not just gassing it into a corner and hoping you get it, but really how to initiate and keep a drift going. And also, knowledge of the car. A good team can set up the car for the driver but without any feedback from him it can be very difficult and frustrating, especially if the driver is by himself. Like for example maybe the limited slip is starting to give out and that spin difference in the tires will make a huge difference but the driver without technical knowledge will not really know that.
RM: What specific drifting techniques would you say are most effective?
EC: It all depends on the track. It depends on that first initial impact weather it be at Irwindale and being high up on the bank. Also, it depends on the car. Maybe you have a car with a lot of torque where you can power over steer where you just go and unweight the car with a Scandinavian Flick where you use all the inertia to drift. Also the handbrake to lock the rear tires but honestly it depends on a lot of these factors. A good driver knows how to utilize all these techniques and when to implement them. Especially for tandem you have to be as close as you can but not too close. You have to know how to stay close and not let off the gas too much so as to spin out. It is great to know them all so you know how to manipulate the car and really be in control of it.
RM: What is more important, the car set up or the driving technique? Why?
EC: I think it is a combination of both because you could have all the knowledge in the world on how to get a car sideways but if you do not know how to set up the car for that technique weather it be weight distribution, spring rates, or suspension geometry it will all go for not. You could be the best drifter in the world but if you cannot set up the car you are not going to get very far. Especially at the professional level it has become so precise so you have to know both.
RM: What is the most effective way to learn the essential drift techniques?
EC: Honestly there is a lot of those drift day events out there. If you have your own car and you want to get into it you can go down to those practice events. Like up at Willow Springs, “The Balcony,” is a nice open area. Rhys (pro driver) actually took us out to El Toro and taught us the basics. He set up a cone and taught us how to do a doughnut around it and properly apply steering and throttle to keep it going. Then we did figure eights so we could learn how to slide both ways. For someone learning that is the best place to go. And sometimes those guys will have cars you can rent so that is really neat also.
RM: What is the most cost effective way to set oneself up to drift?
EC: It is going to be a car like a 240sx. You want a car that has parts that you can buy parts off the shelf that allow you to make those adjustments easier. If you have a car and you are having to make everything it makes it difficult because you are now spending your money making parts that may not be exact. As supposed to having like a 240 or a Corolla or now a days a 350z, granted they are more expensive, with parts that you can go buy that are all adjustable and then it is about going to talk to people and asking “Hey what set up do you run?” Ask the guys who are doing good and see what works for them. When we first started drifting I looked at cars that had similar weight and wheelbase to see what worked for them so that I could implement that into our car.
RM: How would you set a car up to be a drift car?
EC: The more that we have done with the vehicle we are setting it up more towards a road race type of set up. You know that you want a car that has a really good front end and what I mean by that is that it has really good turn in and is precise. It does what you want it too and is not going to turn into a big understeer and start pushing and then you pull the hand brake and it goes to understeer so kind of more towards a road race set up. Then once you feel comfortable with the car and can keep it out there then we start working on what we call forward grip and it is not so much in a straight line but sideways. So you can pay with the way the toe is set up in the back and the way the tires are turned to actually help push forward as you are sliding to keep close to that guy so every time you get on the throttle you are getting pushed forward.
RM: How can the car set up effect your ability to compete with other drivers?
EC: You know its funny it is definitely down to horsepower but usable horsepower. If that makes sense. You know some cars you hear out there and they say they have 1000 horsepower but depending on where that power range is can they really use it? And that is the biggest push with everybody going with the V8 is that it has a lot of torque and it makes that power band really wide so you can drop down to really low revs step on it and it instantly responds and you have that power, you have that torque, and you can make the tires spin. You can easily overpower the tires when you need to. There is still a good combination of both. You know we run a V6 that does have good torque and it is turbocharged but we keep an eye on our turbo size and the exhaust housing which effects how the turbo will spool up and where that power band is. We could probably go out and say you know we have a 1000hp Hyundai but that power curve is all at the upper end which means Rhys will always have to be very high in the RPMS and if he ever has to slam on the brakes or slow it way down when he goes to get on it, the power is not there, so you know it is a different driving technique that the Japanese have. They do tend to set their cars up a little bit more on the stiff side it seems like so that it moves easier around. You can still be competitive with the smaller engines but some of the courses might favor higher horsepower. An SR might do well at say Long Beach where it is tight 90 degree turns and a tight hairpin. On the other hand if you go to Washington where it is a long bank you wont be able to keep up and you’ll lose points dropping down in the bank. And you know maybe the guy with the V8 in front of you is not as good of a driver as you. Maybe your technique is better. Look at someone like Taka (Aono) who has a lower horsepower car. Granted he is not making podium finishes but he knows how to use the car and use the speed that he does have. We build into a drift car funny enough, a lot of grip then use the power to overcome that so that you can have that as you go sideways you can go forward.
RM: If you were going to start out drifting what steps would you take?
EC: Doing kind of what you’re doing and networking. Going around and talking to people. Asking them “Hey what did you start out with?” Getting the car then going out and practicing and getting used to what you have. Not worrying about what you don’t have. Just practice with what you have and getting used to car control. Just driving any tack events too. Seat time is extremely beneficial. Learning about it and reading about it. The community is big in drifting. Just doing that stuff and learning and keeping your eyes open. Get people to ride with you and having them tell you what you’re doing wrong.
RM: How much of a factor is driver mentality?
EC: You will see a lot of the drivers go up to the judges asking them where they want them to be and they also know the driving line. Where is the apex of the corner and where you will drift out to. You see the drivers asking critical questions. In their mind they know what the judges are looking for. All of the drivers have spotter to tell them what they saw as well.
RM: So can you tell me a bit about the spotter?
EC: Yeah well each driver has to have a spotter to tell the driver “Hey on this turn you were kind of late on initiation maybe start earlier.” It works well as a team to do something like that. They also communicate from the race stewards to the drive. From the driver’s perspective he can only feel out his run from his seat and the spotter is there to give an outside perspective. Seating position is night and day so when you switch cars it makes a big difference.
RM: What would you consider the best possible frame of mind for a drifter?
EC: Really just kind of doing their normal routine and doing what they do. A lot of drivers walk the course and seeing if the surface is changing. All the surfaces will react differently with the tire and it can upset the car so you have to react to that appropriately. A lot of drivers know what they need to do and they just go for it. They go out there during practice and but the second practice session they are pretty much just doing the motions once they get into that mind frame.
RM: You know there is such a huge difference in each performance from one day to the next what can you attribute that to?
EC: Well like ay sport every competitor has both good and bad days. Maybe even the track conditions too. Maybe there was a race a few days before and there is a different rubber on the ground or there was motor let go as well. All that can affect the driver’s performance. Another thing too is that since it is a judged sport the judges can sometimes have off days or be looking for something completely different than what you were doing. You know you could just not be feeling it.
RM: What other factors should be taken into consideration?
EC: The tire manufacture you are going to run is important. If you are a privateer you are probably going to be running any tire you can get but you’ll find some tires perform better than others. For us we try to align ourselves with a good tire manufacture. When we see a good tire come out we will try and lean towards that manufacture. You know we never knew this but heating the tire up makes a huge difference. Doing that big smoky burn out with the tires we were using at the time made a difference. The tire came alive when we heated it up and it is different with every tire.
RM: How fast can one progress from the Pro Amateur league to the pro league?
EC: It is going to come down to the driver’s raw talent. Some people are gifted and good at what they do. Some drivers will get there quicker. And unfortunately with motor sports it is an expensive hobby so the guys with more money might progress not saying they always do but it is like that sometimes. It can kind of hinder a lower budget driver.
RM: How important is sponsorship?
EC: It helps a lot because it allows you to put resources into other things that you won’t have to pay yourself. Maybe you pick up a tire sponsor and now you can run the tires when they are at their best and not have to run them to the very end. Sponsors definitely do help. There are also a lot of sponsors that are not just monetary not just giving you money but product. It might not seem like a big deal but it makes a huge difference. The way to do that is presenting yourself right and getting those high finishes so that you stand out. Keeping your car clean, coming out with fresh body parts, it is always painted, and it looks good. A company notices that and they want professionalism. The car needs to look as well as it can. We take off damaged parts and replace him. It is going to look better than the guy who maybe is the drift champion but his car is barely hanging on buy zip ties. It works for grassroots but even if a grassroots guy takes the time to care that much it looks even better.
RM: How would one get sponsored so that they can lower the out of pocket cost to compete in the sport?
EC: It is really getting the results. The sponsor sits there and wonders why they are going to give you money. You want to keep a portfolio of what you have done and your finishes. The more you can be successful the easier it is to sell yourself to a sponsor. You have got to get these proposals together and go to the companies. You might be able to get product and that is always good. That is still a sponsorship and it lowers your out of pocket cost. Who knows, the guy who gave you product maybe it turns into something bigger because he notices his company growing. Being marketable is huge. Do you go out there a look presentable? I mean granted there is always going to be the guys who are wild and outlandish who get the sponsorships. As drifting goes on you find people are becoming more corporate and acting presentable to represent their sponsors in the right light. As a crew we always try to keep our area clean and the car clean. I mean you go to any professional race and look at their pit and very rarely are you going to see bottles and cans or tools lying around.
RM: What are some of the most common mistakes people trying to drift make? How could you prevent them from happening?
EC: I have not seen anybody do anything detrimental to themselves. You know back in the day maybe guys would do a doughnut or a burnout going back to the pits where people are walking through and it is kind of kiddish. At this point the drivers have learned what they need to do.
RM: So can you describe to me the difference between a sponsored driver and a privateer?
EC: Well first of all it depends on how much you want to do it. How much passion do you have for it? There’s been guys like Joon Meng who drive their own truck and trailer, sleeping on the road, eating what they can like top ramen just to get to each event. And maybe you just want the experience and that is cool too. Privateers will not be able to stop at hotels they will probably be stopping at truck stops to take showers and I commend them because they are able to still put on a good show. Sponsored guys like us we have a driver and our truck takes the car to each event and we get to fly out and stay in hotels. In motor sports it can also be being in the right place at the right time. Some guy just might be able to talk to sponsors better and its unfortunate.
RM: So a lot of these guys do not make too much money just racing can you talk to me about that?
EC: Right well it is all about your passion for the sport. A lot of these guys have day jobs. You know Rhys has his company which he started many many years ago and he has worked really hard to make it successful. Someone like Rhys being a car owner and driver is much more conscious about where the money is being spent not just spending money on things that are unnecessary. And that is why I commend the privateers because they will do what ever it takes to get to each event. We have had situations where there has been guys who go “Hey can I stay in your hotel? I don’t mind sleeping on the floor I just need a place to crash,” or they are just sleeping at the track. You have to have the passion and you have to want to do it. There has been guys who come into the sport for maybe one or two years then are done with it because they got the experience. Kind of like those kids who graduate high school and say they want to go travel then after some time they go back to the real world. Life experience is huge. Experiencing something you have never experienced before can make you a stronger person in the long run. A lot of these guys when they are done maybe realize the value of a dollar much better.
RM: What is the most important thing to remember when driving?
EC: Honestly once they are in their car they are not really thinking. It comes natural to them. Rhys gets in the car and he is very calm and very neutral. Then their are other guys who are very nervous shifting the gear back and fourth and tugging on the e brake. Some drivers will get into the car and maybe visualize the course and think of how they will attack the course. Most drivers though just kind of get into that car and everything comes natural to them. It is second nature. they just kind of go into it and do it. The first time they get into the car they make sure its ready to go. Rhys will check the brakes, grab the handbrake a few times, check if the fluid up, and get the car up to temperature. He will never just get into the car and take off. Most drivers though it is second nature and there has been times where they watch themselves drive and go “Hey I was doing that there.” because they are not necessarily aware of it at the time because its so animalistic when they are in their car and driving.
RM: Would you say it is important for the driver to understand the rulebook thoroughly and why?
EC: Definitely. You want to understand what you can do to your car to get the most out of it and of course be within the rules. A lot of drivers will ask questions during driver’s meetings. It being a judged sport they ask the judges what they want to see. They want to put on a good show and get the crowd into it as well so that way the judges recognize that. Drifting is one of the few motor sports that is judged and you can get the good and bad end of that.
RM: What advice do you have for up and coming drivers?
EC: First and foremost have fun with it. Get out there try and drive as much as you ca n. Don’t worry about what you don’t have it’s what you do have. Go out there and practice and do not get discouraged. You have to have fun and enjoy it. There is always going to be someone that seems like they are better than you but that just makes you strive more. If you are passionate and like it do not give up and learn about the car. Do as much work on your car as you can with just you or a buddy. When you do that you have more respect for it and people will have more respect for you. Also ask questions. If your car is doing something and you have an idea talk to someone and ask for their opinion.
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