Drifting... sport or no sport?
 

i equate drifting to the male version of ice skating. There's no clear cut winner, and by that i mean, if someone who didnt know jack about the sport walked up and could easily say "Yep, thats the winner" then its a sport. if it takes a "trained eye" and subjectivity, its not a sport. Example, Hockey... the final score is 3-2... clear winner. On the flip side, ice skating... no clear winners, just a group of people in the judges box making subjective opinions about someones performance in a vein attempt to make it look objective by putting a "Objective" number to it.

Sure it may look pretty, but its all masturbation in my book. I'm all for horsepower and powerful cars... but to me it just seems like a waste of good tires and good talent.

Drifting in my books is similar to the triple jet powered trucks you see at exhibitions... its all for show, no real practical application.

Just my opinion.

Well put.

Paint numbers on Turtles, get sponsors and TV time, and its a sport. I say it is a sport, VERY reluctantly, because as I stated before in a previous thread, I accidentally watched drifting for 5 minutes one time and was zipping throught the channels at 2:00 am and saw it again for 15 seconds. Funny thing though, it looked exactly the same.

Turtles racing would have been more interesting.But if it came down to Poker or drifting on ESPN, drifting wins but just barely.

It's sport in my book

sport? yes.

Talented? Most of the time its peopele who are just not good enough to do any "real" racing. But I am sure alot of the "pro" drifters could beat me around a road course. or maybe not who knows.

I am not sure it is a sport, but it sure looks like fun. I am not sure I could go to the track to watch a day of drifting, but I would jump at the chance to spend 30 minutes behind the wheel of one of the cars. I have only watched short videos of drifting, but I know from my limited exposure there are some talented drivers out there doing it. A controlled 180 slide or sliding thru the esses at 60 or 80 miles an hour in a tight environment without hitting any cones is certainly not childs play.

I voted no. It looks silly. No real meaning to it.

That judged argument isn't getting any events pulled from the Olympics or the ESPN X-Games so you might reconsider your "final score" opinion about sports unless you can keep up with a pro drifter which is what their judging is based on. What's next, denying the skills of a world class gymnast, skateboarder, or freestyle MXer because they don't have to make touchdowns? Ever seen the X-Games? It's one of the biggest draws on ESPN and the vast majority of it is judged. Those guys jumping 150 feet on motorcycles used to race them until they saw how much $$$ the freestylers were making and it's still a sport and they're still athletes.
Who here hasn't had a smile plastered on his or her face from perfectly negotiating a corner by only using the throttle and some skill?? Would you say no if someone offered to pay you for it? I doubt it. If you still want to argue the merits of whether it's a sport or not, try to go out and keep up with them. They have major skill and brass clankers to slide a car around a corner at 80+ completely sideways close enough to the next car to look the driver in the eye. A lot of the top pros in drifting were pro rally drivers which is undeniably a sport but isn't too big in this country so if they want to get paid to drive, they go drifting where the money and sponsors are and if they can make a living sliding a car around a course, good for them! It's a car guy's dream.
Even if it's not a "true sport" in the sense of judging instead of timing, Can anyone here say they wouldn't love to go out there on someone else's dime or watch an event without admitting major skill and enjoying yourself?
The Formula D schedule just added an event in my area this August and I can't wait to see them! Check it before you dismiss it!

I did see this abomination on ESPN once, my wife asked me to turn it, and I did. I could not turn the channel fast enough, but I have also seen bathtub racing and World Series of Poker, The Fishin' Hole, and yes Dodgeball, so I don't consider ESPN the greatest sports channel in the world. I mean really, they have events for how many hot dogs you can eat. Give me a break. I also think the XGames are a joke, and I'm sorry but I no longer watch the Olympics. Too many worthless events, and I can't stomach watching sports that have no place in what used to be a great event as the Olympics was. It's all about sponsors, and what they will pay for and want to see. I'm sorry to say but sponsors will sponsor anything that they think dumb people will watch. If they thought people would watch underwater basket weaving they would have billboards for underwater tampons and douche ads. Just because someone sponsors something doesn't make that something a sport. Sorry just my judgmental opinion. I'm going to write to ESPN to see if they can get behind a "real sport". Beer chugging. I mean we can't get enough sexy beer ads in my book. Don't let my opinion think this is a cut on you JayR, it's not. :)

Haha, no worries Maz, but I think all tampons work underwater.....
I dig X-Games and drifting because it's not the same old overpaid, spoiled brat, stick and ball players and it's a show of unique skills. If you do something well, why not capitalize on it, no matter what you do or who you are? If people line up to see you do it, all the better!