Drifting Gains Traction at New Motorsports Track in Taichung
While many were celebrating Lunar New Year, engines were roaring at a new drift track in Taichung. A local driving academy has opened its course to fans, offering ride-alongs and up-close access to one of motorsport's most unique styles: drifting.
TAIWAN CAR CULTURE
REPORTER:
What started in the mountains of Japan is now an international phenomenon. But so far, it’s only just started making inroads in Taiwan.
Jonathan Ching: FOUNDER, SILVER MIST
We teach students how to do proper drift and also teach them how to save. Save you from losing control. I think that if we want to develop any kind of motorsport events in Taiwan the first step is to help people understand that racing and illegal street racing are completely different things.
Motorsports actually involve very strict requirements and safety regulations.
The standards for personal and vehicle safety are extremely high.
It’s not something that can be compared to ordinary driving on public roads.
REPORTER:
Talking to some of the other drivers, they echoed his thoughts on the sport’s future and why track days like this, where people can see the action close up, are important for the scene.
Liu Chia Hao, DRIVER:
Our audience has been steadily growing. It includes parents, our own relatives and friends and kids too. My two daughters also love watching. They really enjoy drifting events.
REPORTER:
Taiwan — not famous for its car culture or domestic racing series — is warming up to motorsports. Here in Taichung, former street cars with engines brought from Japan park alongside race cars imported from Europe, with a foreign driver on the grid.
Dave Butane, DRIVER:
We traveled all the way from Queensland, Australia to do this. I brought up with my wife that I used to love drifting, and I wanted to get back into it, and she randomly just told me she's like, my cousin does that in Taiwan.
Jerry Chang, DRIVER:
I think that, honestly, Taiwan’s regulations aren’t very friendly toward people like us who enjoy car tuning and motorsports. Even though it’s a bit tough we still choose to have fun in legal and compliant venues so we can enjoy it safely.
REPORTER:
Drifting is a special kind of racing style. It’s not just about how fast you complete the circuit, although speed is a factor. It’s also the angle you take through the curves, how much smoke comes out of your tires, and the distance between the two cars.
One car leads. Then they switch.
REPORTER:
But this is just an exhibition. A friendly day with no stakes, no knockout tournament, just lots of cars sliding around and burning rubber. Drivers are here, not for the money, but for the passion.
Jonathan Ching, FOUNDER, SILVER MIST:
Right now in Taiwan everyone involved is working very hard and putting in a lot of effort. What we hope for is an environment where more people can participate more easily and where all of us can enjoy the sport in a more relaxed and accessible way.
But what does it feel like to be in the car?
Passengers put on helmets and get strapped in — safety first, after all. For many, this is the first time to ride in a car like this. Then the show starts.
It’s loud.
PASSENGER:
It was so scary!
I’ve been interested in cars for a while.
It's just now I have more chances and ways to get involved.
REPORTER:
For many, this is an intro, and organizers hope that when the Taiwan drift series season kicks off in May, that these fans will come back and watch.
Lery Hiciano (TAIWANPLUS REPORTER):
It's still early days for drifting here in Taiwan. But with the second season of the drift series coming up, everybody thinks that it has a bright future in the country. Lery Hiciano in Taichung for TaiwanPlus.
