Drifting

Book excerpt: Dreamed up by drivers trying to outdo each other on the mountain passes of Japan, the art of the sideways descent of a switchback-what Wired described as "the fishtailing ballet of burning rubber called drifting"-has made it to the United States in a big way. What began as a new kind of daredevil driving among teens has, over two decades, become a sanctioned sport, making its way across the Pacific through video games and magazines, anime and the Internet, to take root in California's fertile underground racing culture. Drifting tells the story of drifting from its arrival on the West Coast to its emergence as the hottest form of motorsport in the United States. A dramatic visual record of the sport in America that includes over 400 photos, the book also profiles the people, teams, techniques, web sites, publications, videos, and trends that have made drifting the phenomenon that it is today. For the curious newcomer, author Antonio Alvendia's introduction succinctly explains what drifting is, setting the stage for the thrilling automotive drama that then unfolds. For the veteran drifting fan, this book is the first illustrated book on the latest motorsport to conquer the world.