Action Matsuri

Action Matsuri Drift Event

Screeching tires, exhausts screaming notes of high rpms, smoke rolling towards the afternoon sun, it catches my attention. Making my way to the wired fence, the paved oval track becomes clear as I watch.  

I watch as one by one they take their turn and begin to accelerate from a stop.  

The first corner comes at them fast, they are thrown to the side and all of a sudden they lose traction, but they don't lose control.  

They are sliding, they are drifting. 

Eyes stay one step ahead, pulses race, adrenaline heightens, they drift around the wide bank of the oval track.  The course setup brings them in from the bank and winds them down the center of the track. 

Photographers snapping away with their high end cameras on either side of the chaos.  

Coming out on the other side of the track they finish the course with half of the second bank on the oval.  So close to the wall that divides you from the roaring beast that there are almost sparks, and you wonder how the wall doesn't reach out and grab them. 

They bring their beast to a crawl and round the corner off of the track and back to their friends, old and new, waiting in the paddock. 

Removing their helmet, you'll find a huge smile from ear to ear with sweat rolling down their face and neck from the extreme heat.  They tug the handle on their, most likely, home made door insert, unbuckle the complications of the harness, reach down, yank the hood release, and slide out of the bucket seats that never want to let you go.  

Moving around to the front, they slide their sweaty fingers between the scorching hot metal and flick the lever, the hood comes up.  

The beast cools down and their driver replays with others what just went down and how they can continue to improve.  

Cars loosely held together, many optimistic people, a track willing to turn it's pavement black, always makes for a fun day.  It all just feels so raw and it always catches my attention.

Extras!

Thanks for reading!