Mad About Cars

For everyone who loves their fast cars will love F1 and Sunday marked the start of the season in Bahrain. With 24 cars lined up on the grid and many new drivers and teams it made way for a great race many with their eyes on the return of Michael Schumacher to the track.

The new rule of no re-fueling has been criticised by many as some have suggested that it makes it impossible to overtake unless someone makes a mistake.

The Ferraris of Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa took first and second place with Lewis Hamilton taking third spot to get a podium finish.

Five times World Rally Champion Sebastian Loeb confirmed that he’s ready to try his luck by racing a Formula One car instead of the WRC:

If Toro Rosso need a driver I’d love to help out.

Sports Daily l’Equipe was interviewing the French driver who made a Citroen’s Xara WRC a legend by winning in it five time in the row. He also mentioned that as long as the F1 and Rally calendars won’t overlap he is available for Toro Rosso. The Red Bull team was doing some tests last year using the French driver in Barcelona.

But the good news is that there is no way Sebastian Loeb could start racing in F1 and forget about WRC, according to Citroen’s Rally boss Oliver Quesnel. At least for this season.

Santa Pod Raceway – Home to the fastest and loudest motorsport on the earth!!

With its infamous quarter mile strip of European Drag Racing – its host to the national televised ‘FIA European Drag Racing Championships’, and here you’ll find all the action – from dragsters to demolition to beetles to bikes!!!

Over the year during the race season (January to November), Pod hosts over 50 events helping to draw in crowds of thousands from all over the UK and abroad…

Besides public track days, they have all kinds of events going on – such as Specialist events like ‘Performance Vauxhall’ and ‘Classic Ford’ Shows, Classic Car Collections, Modified car shows (The Fast Show and Ultimate Street Car) and ‘Run What Ya Brung’

As well as Japanese Performance Car Shows, VW Beetle & Camper Van festivals (Bug Jam and Big Bang) and most importantly! – The National Drag Races!!!

It’s an action packed 3-day monstrosity with all kinds of attractions besides the racing, from Fairground Rides, Music Tents, Cars for Sale, Fun Activities in the Sun, Racing Accessories, Food Stalls and the best bit – aeroplane engine powered Jet Cars!!!

The grounds are full of weekend campers and the weather is usually beautiful! So remember to get involved in the endless fun and stock up the suntan oil and that outdoor equipment!!!

I couldn’t help but show you all the dynamics of this one!

Now we don’t like accidents at all but when it turns out to be a sleepy driver on his way to Hyundai Heaven we cannot help but spread the shame – luckily everyone’s ok in this one!

This Lambo is obviously the perfect shape to be shunting SUV’s in the air as its nose dives under the rear bumper of this Hyundai Santa Fe on a freeway somewhere near Seattle, U.S.A.

The Lamborghini Murcielago holds up well considering there’s a few tonnes bursting through the windscreen…!

I wonder if he’s learnt his lesson!!! Ouch!!

So yes, we all love drifting / power-sliding / broad sliding, whatever you want to call it!

And if you can actually drift across one end of a car-park to another then hands down to you but what actually goes on with the car when in this breath-taking motion???

Well, were about to find out!!…

The word ‘drifting’ obviously comes from a Japanese derivative (dorifuto sōkō?) and looks a bit like this – (ドリフト走行) – and is it surprising given our far eastern friends are the brains of all rapid technology!
And all the fun!!

They are masters in producing technology their forte being ‘engines’ and equally supplying the support gear needed to be able to control the car in adverse situations, and electrifying the crowd!

A real drift is where a driver will intentionally over-steer a vehicle through turns which results in loss of traction at the rear wheels. At the same time they are still controlling the vehicle whilst exiting the corner at high speed.

A car is said to be drifting when the rear slip angle is greater than the front slip angle prior to the corner apex, and the front wheels are pointing in the opposite direction to the turn (e.g. car is turning left, wheels are pointed right or vice versa).

The driver is always controlling these factors, and that’s what makes drifting an art!!! We love it!!!