F-AVTO at the Eastern Europe Drift Championship.

So on the 16th of May 2010 the Eastern Europe Drifting Championship (EEDC) took place in Belarus.

A lot of people, burned tyres and driving experience were the exiting part of the event happened on that day.

There were too many people and all of them wanted to see the exiting show! However there was one exception. As it turned out almost everyone didn’t understand the rules of the competition. We interviewed one of the drift organizers - Aik and he told us not only the main rules but also many interesting moments:

F-AVTO: Aik, Could you tell us what this competition is about. rules and finalists selections?

Aik: Competition is taken in pair heats - Top 32 and Top 16. But before the participants will get into Top, they have to pass qualifications - selection matches. These are single heats in which start of the corner speed, a drift angle, a trajectory and audience appeal are estimated. These characteristics have simple equivalents:

Start of the corner speed - 30 points
Drift angle - 30 points
Trajectory - 30 points
Audience appeal, style - 10 points

Initially all participants have 100 points and then according to each characteristics, points for mistakes are written off.

Trajectory of turn passing: there are specially marked points (clippers-points), passing near which the racer can get more points than usually. Participants should pass as close as possible by rear of the car to external clips-points and maximum close by front to the internal. Clips-points are put this way so if correctly hit them at first passing of the line will be simplified.
According to the results of qualification the ones who has more points get into Top32 or Top 16.

Competitions in Logoisk began from Top 16.
Then competition were conducted in pairs. The rules are as follows:
Each pair drove twice. First time the first driver starts and the second driver follows right behind him. First driver drift must be fast so second one would not catch him up. Also it must be spectacular as points are very important. The second driver should try to pass a line as more synchronously as possible repeating all maneuvers and to catch the first one. The separation should not be more than 3 body shells as in this case it is simply impossible to repeat trajectory. In the second heat the rules are the same, but opponents swap with each other.
Passage synchronism, speed, angle skid and a faultlessness of line passage are estimated.
Initially each participant is given 5 points, and then points are charged according to the enumerated characteristics.

Top 16 winners get into Top 8 and so on to the final where they compete according to the same rules.

F-Avto: Thanks Aik. When did you decide to do this competition in Belarus ?
Aik: We have started doing it only last year. The first drift competition took place on June the 28th of 2009. Ans as you see we are still new to it.

F-Avto: Could you tell us what is the strongest team as the Eastern Europe Drift Championship is held in Belarus?
Aik: Drivers from Baltic Sea region (Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia) are usually very strong. As i said before drifting only started in Belarus last year so hopefully we will improve very soon. Russians has quite good team too.

F-Avto: ОК, And what is your personal thinking about competition held on May the 16th in Logojsk?
Aik: I think we have succeeded as we have planned. It turned out to be spectacular and organized competition.

F-Avto: And as our interview comes to an end what are you thinking about future events?
Aik: Actually, we have many plans and if I tell you it will take 2 hours at least! I'll say one thing - each time it will be cooler and more interesting!