Drifting into the Past.(Tom Kristensen)(Interview)

Byline: Richard S. Chang

When I had lunch with Tom Kristensen at Matsuhisa's in Los Angeles four years ago, he had two Le Mans championships under his belt. Hard to believe the best lay ahead of him: He was driving an Audi R8 in the ALMS, was a Jag test driver, and was one of the best sports car drivers in the world. Not to mention that great hair.

Intimidating stuff.

Of all the drivers I've interviewed, Kristensen remains atop the list. He took questions about Le Mans, stuff most people have asked him, regarding fitness, strategy, his success. I then filtered through information I had gleaned from the Internet: The Jag F1 test drive. The British Touring Car Championship campaign. A racing stint in Japan he holds close to his heart.

While we were on the Japan years, Kristensen stopped the conversation. He leaned in, tan face crowding the table, and smiled. I've learned there's a confidence instilled in superstars that enables them to command any situation. Call it charm, an offshoot of talent, whatever. But when Kristensen smiled, it felt like the entire restaurant shut down; words froze, captured in bubbles above people's heads. In the silence Kristensen said something I'll never forget: "Do you know Keiichi Tsuchiya?''

My brain couldn't place those words coming from that mouth.

"The Drift King,'' he said, a soy-sopped tuna roll scissored between chopsticks. He swallowed the roll and went on to talk about how much he relished racing against the driver my generation sees as Evel Knievel on four wheels, two in opposite lock.