Red Bull Car Park Drift Regional Qualifying Competition.

Last year's winner Mishari Al Thefiri.

Kuwait is getting ready to host a unique motorsport event and motorsport fans should get ready for the most intense and exciting drifting event ever, the Red Bull Car Park Drift. This thrilling event will take place on Friday, April 22nd, 2011 at 3.30pm Kuwait International Fairgrounds, Mishref off the 6th Ring Road.

The Red Bull Car Park Drift is an event where drifters have to show all their skills in car handling and keep their cars sliding for extended periods of time, often linking several turns. Only rear-wheel drive cars and all-wheel drive saloon and sports cars are allowed to enter this competition.

Several factors will be taken into consideration to determine the results such as taking the correct line, the speed entering and exiting the turn and the show factor which is based on the amount of smoke, engine sound, how close the car is to the cones and the crowd’s reaction.

While the contestants will seek to provide the best and most exciting performance, a judging panel of Rally Champions will be on hand to evaluate and give the appropriate points for the best drifting show. The judging panel will consist of Lebanese Rally Champion and Middle East Hill Climb Champion Red Bull’s Driver Abdo Feghali, Middle East Rally Champion Mishaal Al Nejadi and Kuwait Champion Salah bin Eidan.

Kuwait hosts the local qualification for this event on Friday, April 22nd, 2011 and the winner will have the chance to compete in the final round taking place in Lebanon on Friday, July 22nd, 2011.

This event is open for the public and Motorsport fans are invited to watch the Red Bull Car Park Drift event from the grandstands located at both sides of the track.

Drifting refers to a driving technique and to a motorsport where the driver intentionally oversteers, causing loss of traction in the rear wheels through turns, while maintaining vehicle control and a high exit speed. A car is said to be drifting when the rear slip angle is greater than the front slip angle prior to the corner apex, and the front wheels are pointing in the opposite direction to the turn, and the driver is controlling these factors. As a motor sport, professional drifting competitions are held across the world.

Modern drifting as a sport started out as a racing technique popular in the All Japan Touring Car Championship races over 30 years ago. Motorcycling legend turned driver, Kunimitsu Takahashi, was the foremost creator of drifting techniques in the 1970s. He is noted for hitting the apex at high speed and then drifting through the corner, preserving a high exit speed.

Drifting has evolved into a competitive sport where drivers compete in rear wheel drive cars, and occasionally all wheel drive cars, to earn points from judges based on various factors.

Because driving is a responsibility and maintaining public safety is always required on public roads, Red Bull Car Park Drift will be a unique opportunity for drifters to test their skills and compete within safe and secured measures.

Call 66406020 or visit http://www.redbullmea.com/ for more info.