Many of us would agree that the dramatic sideways courtship between two
cars is one of most
beautiful acts that the eye can witness. So, if you take the time to
mentally step away from the fast paced nature of a professional drift
event, you'll notice that this motorsport is an art form. This
ballet-like spectacle touches every sense in your body; your sense of
sound, sight, smell, and also your sense of touch.

Even if you can't recognize the gargling from an angry two liter
turbocharged SR-20, the anguished whine (and Formula 1-like noise) of a
naturally aspirated four rotor, or the beastly roar that comes from a
race tuned V8, the symphony of noises that you experience is enough to
make the hair on the back of your head stand up. Each car is like one
instrument in an orchestra, and each car brings its own melody to
that orchestra.

But who am I kidding? The sounds that are produced by these cars is so raw and so loud that it reaches into the nether regions of your pants and has its way with you.

In addition to to the symphony of engine noises, there are the epic
sights that these events bring. Each car brings it's own distinct
character to the spectacle. It could be the swooping lines of Rhys
Millen's new Hyundai Genesis, or it could be Matt Powers' absolutely
slamtastic-ricemobile that gives your eyes a feast like none other.

Not only are the cars amazing to look at, but the tire smoke that these
cars produce add to the drama of the event. In addition to the tire
smoke, the smell of burning tires fills the air, as does the sweet
smell of race fuel. To some, these smells are a reminder. These are the
smells we live for. These are the smells that take us to that far away
place, from everything else in the world, and bring us to a world where
there is only racing and nothing else.

Here you can see exactly why Tanner Faust was crowned the FormulaD
champion last year. Consistency and absolute pressure to his opponents
from the get go!

These events are a complete sensory overload. Every sense is on full alert and your body is loving every second of it.

At the next professional drift event that you will attend, take a deep
breath, relax and let your heart rate slow down. You will notice the
little things that you haven't noticed before.

You can catch how the sunlight dance across the lines each car as they
battle it out in a torrent of noise and tire smoke. It's a beautiful
thing to notice.

With each run you can actually feel the battle from the grandstands.
The noise vibrates the grandstands and you can actually feel each part
of the battle through your feet –its an amazing feeling…

If you've never been to a professional drift event, you'll never feel
the magic that these events bring. It's one of those sights and sounds
that you have to experience in person. There's beauty in the rawness of
the sport.

Stay tuned for the second part of "the Art of Formula D: Long Beach."
You'll be seeing Formula D, if not drift events, in a totally different
perspective… 

-Linhbergh Nguyen

Speedhunters Formula D Long Beach Coverage