After tackling what auto “drifting” is and how this type of motor sport started, we now proceed to how the actual process of auto drifting works. If you’re interested in learning how to drift your manual or automatic transmission car, then you need to first familiarize yourself with at least one of the two basic techniques used in drifting: clutching and braking.
To be able to “drift” properly, you almost always need to have a rear-wheel-drive car. Although there are some cases wherein you can drift using a front-wheel drive car, these instances are incredibly rare. So stick with your regular rear-wheel-drive vehicle.
Part I: Performing a Clutch-Initiated Drift Technique
One of the most common ways by which a driver can initiate a drift is by using the clutch-initiated drift. This requires you to have a manual transmission vehicle. While I might not be able to depict every single detail that you need to remember when performing this drift technique, I can give you the general step-by-step process on how you can perform a clutch-initiated drift. When practicing this drift style, make sure you have a professional racer or pro-level drift racer beside you to assist you and help you regain control of your vehicle.
This drive requires at least a few turns, so make sure you’re driving in a safe and clear road. While you drive, as you near a turn, push on your clutch and then drop it to second gear. Then step on the gas pedal and rev up your engine to approximately 4500 RPM. Because of the quick spins being conducted by your engine, the moment you release the clutch, a sudden huge surge of power will make its way to your back wheels, making them spin incredibly fast that they lose traction almost completely. This causes the rear end of your car to swing into a turn.
Part II: Performing the Brake-Initiated Drift Technique
This is probably one of the few techniques you can use when you’re driving a front-wheel-drive vehicle. In the most basic of all basic brake-initiated drifting techniques, you simply pull the emergency brake the moment you enter a turn. This action causes your car’s back wheels to lock, reducing traction significantly, and thereby initiating a drift.
Part III: Controlling the Auto Drift
Now that you’ve started the whole process of drifting, this is where the hard part comes in. You need to exercise enough control on your vehicle to prevent it from spinning out and to keep it drifting. This requires massive amounts of practice. Start small and try lengthening your drifting time by a few seconds at a time. Once you become an expert drifter, you can use several different drifting techniques that would allow you to hold your drift through several turns.
