Gallery>> Nfs-edc Silverstone – Desert Storm

Drifting, yes you know it's all about the S words…………skill, speed, smoke, sensation, SpeedHunters and……….errr sand?

Round three of the 2009 European Drift Challenge was held yesterday at Silverstone.

The high entry speed into the first corner, Brooklands, caused several to cross the fine line between drifting and beaching.

Declan Hicks in his Toyota Soarer GZ20 should get some kind of prize as he carried 98 mph into the corner. He reckoned that the engine had not fired properly during his first runs then on this run at initiation, bang the power came in on full song and OMG!

At on stage the tractor had more track time than the competitors.

And to prove that no one learns from others' mistakes………..

Get the tractor out again…………

And again………………..

Once more unto the beach……………

Even the final was decided in the sand trap as Brett Castle was tempted into cranking on a bit too much throttle which then bit him hard.

Buried as was his chance of victory.

There was an unsubstantiated rumour sweeping the paddock that drivers had been distracted by some dodgy headgear seen at the side of the track, causing the momentary loss of concentration and then a close encounter of the sandy kind.

Can't see any truth in this story.

More later….

-John Brooks

Silverstone NFS European Drift – Time Attack Coverage on Speedhunters

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1

lol, fastest comment xD



Cool pictures, how ever, srry to see those cars

2

lol @ the tractor getting more track time than the cars...

3

Great post, i like!

4

Treacherous

5

i went to this, fricking HOT day lol
that gravel is so deep that i even saw a few people struggling to open their doors =S

6

it really shows how bad the standard is in EDC these days when half the grid of 16 drivers they get !!! ends up in the gravel trap!!!! far from proffesional

7

feint drift - have you ever actually watched drifting or is it on past your bedtime?

8

Well it was me that landed the fastest entry of the day & on into the gravel. In 15 practice runs I never went near the stuff, every run was near perfect with proper backwards entries! But Silverstone let's you push that little bit harder & what happens when you have a bunch of guys with 500bhp & a big circuit to play you all keep trying harder - lol



Still the gravel is handy for my plant pots :) Roll on Brands Hatch on the 28th

9

"far from proffesional"

So is your spelling!!! LOL.



I think you need to realise that at this circuit a very small mistake leads to harsh punishment, it has always been the way there.

From my point of view (the start-line) the standard of driving is as high as it has ever been, it may be that we use the most challenging circuits, take our next event, Brands Hatch. It has never staged a drift competition in its history, we are the first, so does that tell you something?

You also have a pop at the amount of drivers that take part, we run differently to most competitions and judging by the crowds that attend it seems that we are doing it correctly.

Hope you can make it to Brands.

10

@dowcra , i actually drift myself in BDC , and i was actually at the event!!!

just from looking at formula d , and D1 ive never seen so many guys end up in the gravel, it wasted so much time, that the drivers got no near time to pratice



there was 105 mph entry at FD long beach, did half the cars get wrote of when there? and hit nthe wall

what im saying wall or gravel trap they shouldnt be going in that much!!!

11

Feintdrift - you may compete but it shows you aint trying hard enough if you dont make mistakes - but saying that the EDC guys do run at tough tracks so when you achieve an EDC license and go compete with em then your opinion might count !!!! Nice to see the EDC drivers are trying 101% flat out as Drift should be hardcore, and at least these guys put on top events at tough venues unlike a lot of the other car park/go kart tracks everyone else in europe seems to be running on these days !!!! Thank god for EDC organisers and it's drivers keeping it Pro without trying to polish a turd or roll it in glitter like the other so called events organisers seem to be doing these days.

12

After coming back from the event i was very disappointed to see such a poor event, in my eyes edc are going backwards as the level of driving is not improving and these are supposed to be EUROPES best drifters, the only thing it had going for it was the word "Silverstone".

13

It is going backwards, how come no one went into the gravel back in 2007, 2008

Just scrapping around for drivers at this stage taking anyone that can enter

Look at how many top drivers have left the series even the 2008 winner



If it is the best how come all the drivers are in other series?

14

Are you sure that the gravel wasn't visited in 07 & 08? I was there and funnily enough I do remember people going in there. Strange as it may seem, when its a wet event fewer people end up in there as the speeds are less.

I don't think EDC are desperately seeking drivers as you suggest and if you actually took the trouble to research why Bon isn't there this year the reason is readily available.

Can you tell me who the "anyone can enter" applies to?





15



The EDC is the only series in the UK that currently has a true near 100mph entry speed at the majority of its events in 2009, and at those speeds a minor mistake can cause big consequences - hence the sand pit visits.



I see the point about too many trips to the sand cause delays that spectators didnt want - my own guest even rang me to find out why the cars kept getting stopped. But surely thats partly why they watch - the little gremlin inside wants to see the carnage half as much as they want to see mega close twinning........risk and reward

16

EDC is the best series in Europe for me, it has much better venues than Prodrift, and I personally think the level of driving is higher. Some of the entries at Silverstone were fantastic, Declan Hicks, Brett Castle and Ian Harrison really stood out with some great early entries



I do however think the licensing needs to be tougher, imo some of the new licensed drivers aren't up to the standard of the others and the BDC is there for drivers to develop their skills.

17

I see where you're coming from, however, how do you step up to a 100mph entry when there is nowhere to practice at those speeds, other than at EDC?

It must be a difficult step to take, and the drivers that do take that step need time to adjust and need (and get) full support from EDC officials and drivers. I know some of the more experienced drivers were showing new guys the lines at Silverstone! How cool is that.

18

EDC has had its day......ha ha ha without EDC there would be no real drifting in europe as it would all be backyard second rate stuff on third rate car parks like the polished prodrift and bdc seems to be. I went to doningon at the start of the year and i have neevr witnessed so much rubbish in my life especially when the hype was so cool, it was a complete waste of money to see a few guys going around a few read and white water filled barriers all day and to see the write ups and photos afterwards supposedly showing what an awesome event it was is very embarrassing when the people actually turn up to this style of event and witness nothing like the hype and pictures try to portray. EDC for me keeps it real and does EXACTLY what it says on the tin and in a market that is very hard placed for funding and support. I mean just look at the lack of sponsors for prodrift and bdc who are supposed to be professional and up there and the amount of support and sponsors edc has, the only thing that seems professional about prodrif and bdc is there staff camera guys and film editors so like i said before these guys are the masters of polishing a turd and rolling it in glitter which to me and many other drift fans here in europe is lame and really sucks i'm afraid to say!



Yeah I see some of the new guys driving and can se they are not as good as the regulars but hey at least these guys get a chance to shine and learn so big up to edc for letting them in, also i did hear a few drivers never got an edc license at knockhill so it shows they dont let everyone in just for the money like a lot of other people do.



Found a couple of spectator vids on youtube which arent polished or propaganda and show really how cool edc is



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hnwpx5RHVMY



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCrdfXRjkbk

19

Onevia - I disagree that 'BDC is there for drivers to develop their skills'. The standard of BDC drivers in 2009 is equal to those in EDC I feel, and in some cases this season greater.



Maybe thats why EDC are handing out licenses all over the place, to drivers who are classed as Semi Pro in BDC.

20

"without EDC there would be no real drifting in europe" riiiiiiiight... I think, Switchback, that you perhaps need to purchase an Atlas and see what "EUROPE" actually is. Taking less than 20 cars to half a dozen UK circuits, quite honestly, makes a complete joke of the title "European Drift Championship". There aren't even that many non-UK European drivers taking part! If you want a classic example of polishing a turd and rolling it in glitter then the title "EDC" for this entirely UK based championship is it and I think it far from "does what it says on the tin".

Europe is a big place with thousands of drifters and to say there is no real drifting in Europe other than the 19 or so drivers competing in EDC is arrogant, short-sighted and completely deluded. It is also insulting to every other championship in Europe and every driver that takes part in a championship as you are effectively saying that they aren't really drifting (if, as you claim, EDC and its drivers provide the only real drifting in an area that spans thousands of square miles). That is in addition to the other UK/Irish championships that you specifically name in your insults. I am not disputing the talent of EDC drivers but your attitude towards others (who may have hoped to compete in EDC one day) is quite appalling and far from promotes EDC (or its sponsors) in a positive or professional light which is a shame for the existing EDC drivers and sponsors who deserve better.

21

holy hell whats happened here

i thought it was called the English drift series, but no you cant say that about other drift series, looks very arrogant when the EDC series is only made up of 13 uk based drivers and 3 from northern ireland, and only goes around the uk, not very european



Big respect for using silverstone, but all it is at the end of the day is a 30minute sideshow to time attack series which brings in the monies, that doesnt really sell drifting when D1/FD and all the other big leagues are all day shows, which does sell

22

Hey am not trying to promote EDC at all I am just a fan who has seen a lot of drifitng over the years and pointing out what is fact and what is bull. edc seems to have a lot of crap thrown at it through no fault of its own but they put on events at amazing venues and i am sure invite drivers from all over europe to come and compete, i have no idea why more from europe dont come but maybe its just propaganda as i always see them being put down in a lot of places and strangely from prodrift and bdc people andseeing as they are working to together it seems perhaps there is more behind this, who knows. The world series baseball does not travel outside the usa so why should edc be any different, i never see mainland europe organisers holding high level events at awesome tracks so perhaps there is a reason edc dont travel outside uk anymore, i mean where is the prodrift european series going this year as we are already in june but no one moans abou them, i think a big conspiracy is going on towards edc as the other organisers and so called drift fans follow the lead by these organisers and bad mouth edc, i would have thought you guys would ahve been supporting edc at every chance not putting them down, you call yurself fans.......well i dont think so and you guys should be embarrassed to call yurselves drift fans and supporters as you are just hurting drift by no supporting it. i dont give insults i just say what i see in a real way and at the end of the day edc gives drivers at a lesser ability level the chance to comepte at a higher level and that is put down, edc run at awesome venues with awesome shows and that is put down, edc invests in drift and that is put down, edc has major sponsors who actually attend the events to see for themselves and that is put down, edc drivers try101% and that is put down, in nearly every way edc is put down it seems but sneaks like you guys who hide behind the lies that you support drift, so keep your bull about me giving insults and being short sighted as all you non edc guys above seem to be doing is making trouble for a championship that in reality is head and shoulders above anything in europe, so hey i m just going to enjoy drift now and hope that edc continues as from what i have seen if edc was not around drift in europe at a decent level would not exist and it would all be 3rd rate and competitions just covered in glitter or is that what you guys really want..i think personally bdc is cool as it is well placed to help new drivers but when i went to donington i expected big thing from the hype but got let down by the whole thing, perhaps bdc should stay as it is which is grass roots and not think it is a big players as it isnt but it comes across as it is but i dont see tha, i see lots of guys having fun in a car park and thats it which is good but its not high level, its also good to see bdc guys go into the high level but you guys even put that down so i dont understand what you say and mean sometimes...i dont know but you guys can have this post as i dont want to waste my time anymore reading your spiteful lies and hatred of a drift champiosnhip (edc) that i enjoy to pay and watch with my mates and come to read bad stuff about it when that is not the way, perhaps you guys need to think before you keep putting edc down and stop being so negative.

23

Its not a case of spiteful lies and hatred of a drift championship. It was actually a defence of every other championship and drift event organisers in Europe after your claim that if they aren't EDC then they are not really drifting. To follow that up with a dig at other people for not being drift fans and hurting drifting quite honestly beggars belief! I can see from your typing style that you have limited diction and do not pause for breath but you may wish to consider your comments and the things you have said earlier and then work out which person here is being the most derogatory to drifters, drift organisers and drifting both in the UK and in Europe.

Some people commented that the photos did not portray EDC in its best light as it proclaims to be and is expected to be the pinnacle of drifting in the UK. There are plenty of photographs elsewhere showing a very high standard of drifting at that event. In putting down every other championship and its organisers you are not doing EDC any favours as in order to take drifting forward in the UK, organisers and championships have to co-exist as harmoniously as they can with mutual respect as rather than damaging each other they ultimately only damage the sport.

Unfortunately I am struggling to relate drifting to the Baseball World Series in America is there aren’t anywhere near as many other countries that play baseball or hold baseball championships as there are countries that hold drift events and championships. I am also not entirely sure why you keep referring to sponsors as I think drivers and fans are more bothered about the standard and amount of drifting that takes part at an event rather than what sponsors are in attendance.

I suppose this boils down to what you travel to an event for. If you want a day out at a modified car show where there is a variety of track action and things to see off the track as well then EDC is the championship for you. As the organisers of EDC are also the organisers of TA, the Modified Live shows, JAE etc, they are obviously in a good position to provide access to the larger tracks as they already have use of them for their car shows and the funding to hire this level of venue from the entry ticket sales to car clubs and the general public paying to see those clubs. If you are not interested in modified cars or other track events (I am included in this sort of group as when I go to BTCC events I have no interest in Renault Clios etc running on the same day) then PD, JDM or BDC are more suitable events as they are mostly drifting only. Its horses for courses and so long as you and your friends can continue to enjoy EDC then you should be happy at that.

24

in case you didnt want to read above.



lots o' words, loud voices, gravel, good drivers, regression, support, lack of support, ph balanced for women, etc...







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