Letters.(Letter to the Editor)

Drifting meets other sports

Richard S. Chang's column (Sept. 20) on drifting recalls my first encounter with the sport. The Baldwin Hills golf course in Los Angeles had been sold to a land developer, and it was abandoned. As I drove by one morning, I saw two cars on a fairway sliding around on the wet grass. I turned my car onto the grass and began pitching my car sideways. Inevitably, I spun out, but stayed on the throttle to see what would happen. I happily spent the day learning about car control by sliding and spinning 180s, 360s and figure eights. I improved my education on auto dynamics in a way not taught in driver's ed. Chang says this sport has "attitude,'' which makes it unique. My golf course escapade happened in 1946 in my '34 Ford. On wet grass I bet I can blow Chang's doors off. How's that for attitude?

Don Luke, Silicon Valley, Calif.

The one phrase that really caught my eye in Mr. Chang's column was "drifting on snowy Danish roads.'' I've done it. Yes, we knew we were drifting, all over the road at times, but that was not the sport we pursued. We drove on the ragged edge of control in the desolate middle of nowhere so we could ski in fresh powder before the snow even stopped falling. Drift on, brother!

David Poor, via e-mail

Chang calls drifting "an acceptable form of motorsport.'' Real motorsports use ...