The recreational sport of drone racing has taken a long-awaited turn towards the drifting scene. Enthusiasts are designing, building and driving RC cars on professionally designed tours. RC cars are fast, sexy and realistic with the names of the world’s popular manufacturers drifting adorn the fenders and wheel wells as seen on traditional life-size racing cars. The ability for these drivers to control their cars through tight corners and eighths, at breakneck speeds, while the vehicle glides seemingly uncontrollably, is profound and inspiring. The new trend is expected to reach a broader global audience as the sport picks up the wind and grows as fast as the spinning wheels of the RC cars they race with.
Dedication to precision and realism
For many drifting RC car owners, racing is more than a hobby and the level of commitment to every detail of the car becomes important. Owners try to get their vehicles as close to the combustion version as possible, right down to the miniature rivets and racing loot decals taped to the side like sponsored ads. The tires are specially designed for use in drift cars and allow the vehicle to slide in the way that is the characteristic concept of the sport. The wheels are lightweight and are also designed to look like the actual manufacturers that produce the wheels used on professional drift racing cars. From the wheels to the anti-roll bars to the exhaust tips, the cars look, function, and respond just like a real drift car would.
Tracks that mirror a real-world racing circuit, in a fraction of the size
To accommodate advanced technology and precision engineered remote control cars, enthusiasts commission the construction of elaborate and precise model road circuit circuits. Often the field is equipped with sharp turns and all the obstacles seen on public roads and highways. It is common to see lanes and exits painted on model roads to offer some degree of challenge and precision to expert drivers, while beginner courses sometimes use miniature cones to act as regulators and guides.
Learn from the pros in online tutorials or contests.
The internet is packed with content for people interested in joining leagues dedicated to the sport of drifting RC cars. There are international contests and competitions, such as the Korea RC Street Drift Challenge, which invites professionals from around the world to display their skillful slides before a live audience and a professional camera crew. Guidance can be found online to aid in the design, manufacture or purchase of a track ready drift car or as a tool for drift tips, handed down by credible and capable RC drifters.
The RC world is experiencing the same explosion of interest as the racing scene with the introduction of drifting. Screeching engines and whiplash keep engagement high and attention focused, while the speed and realistic look of individual cars keep the hobby modern and eye-catching. With the sport’s growing popularity, the world of RC drifting should expect faster cars and cooler tracks in the very near future.
