With plans in motion to officially plant its roots in the Western part of the world, Red Bull for the very first time will host its annual Red Bull Car Park Drift (RBCPD) competition in Jamaica. The event is set to take place on October 1, 2022 in the island’s second city at the Catherine Hall Sports Complex in Montego Bay, St James.

A total of 20 local participants, who have already been selected, will compete in nine obstacle courses set by Abdo Feghali, National Motorsports champion from Lebanon, three-time Rally Champion and Guinness world record holder for the longest drift. Drifters, who must expertly make their way around the challenging course, will be tested on their skill and precision, rather than speed. 

Drifting has existed for over half a century and is said to have originated in Japan. A group of racers set out to beat their A to B times by exceeding the grip limit of their tires when taking sharp corners. Though their racing times did not see much improvement, it led to the evolution of an entirely different racing discipline, redefining driver control. 

WESTERN HEMISPHERE NOW WELCOMED INTO THE FORE

It was first featured as an official part of the motorsports scene in Japan in 1970 at the All Japan Touring Car Championship. It took two decades for the international motorsports scene to take on drifting.

Countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and China made drifting a fully-fledged sport. Fast-forward to 2022 and the Western Hemisphere will now be welcomed into the fore with the Red Bull Car Park Drift Competition. 

Each drifter can be awarded up to 300 points total by a panel of three judges, which includes Jamaican race car driver, Doug Gore, former sprinter and racing enthusiast, Asafa Powell, as well as RBCPD representative, Yusif Bassil.

WINNER TO ADVANCE TO WORLD FINAL IN SAUDI ARABIA

Points will be divided according to a set of judging criteria which includes Drifting Skills throughout the various obstacles (Box runs, Pendulums, Spirals and many more), Smoke, Car Sound and Car Looks and Design. Points will be lost if contestants spin the car, hit obstacles or drift in the wrong direction, while three penalties will lead to a disqualification. 

The 20 contestants, the top four from five previously held national qualifiers, will compete in this National Final. The winner of the National Final will advance to the World Final in Saudi Arabia, where they will represent Jamaica for the first time in the competition’s history.

Opening its doors at 5 pm, the competition, which will commence at 7 pm, aims to tap into the underground drifting scene and bring awareness to the sport and its participants as the true athletes they are.  

The Red Bull Car Park Drift is one of the largest drifting competitions and is now in its 14th year.

The event was first conceptualised in 2005 following a Red Bull manager’s discovery of drifting fever in a car park in Hong Kong, China.

Drift legend Abdo Feghali, who has taken an integral role in the organisation of the overall Car Park Drift Competition since its 2008 debut, will be in attendance at the competition’s 14th season. Come November 25, contestants will compete for the Global Drift King title in Saudi Arabia. 

Here is everything you need to know about the Red Bull Car Park Drift:

• The first Red Bull Drift event was held in 2008 in Lebanon at the City Mall car park. 

• The first ever crowned King of Drift was Michel Feghali. 

• Jamaica will be the first western country to host the competition. 

• Each drifter can be awarded up to 300 points from a set of eight criteria. 

• Each judge can award up to 100 points. 

Who will be the drift champion? Head to www.redbull.com/driftjamaica to find out more about the competition.