After talking to officials about the ins and outs of competitive drifting, I made a crucial error of asking how hard was it to get into the sport of drifting.
Operations manager Tayla Kennedy pounced on my words and offered me the opportunity to accompany a driver around the track.
An offer I could not refuse.
Some 20 minutes later I found myself in the passenger seat of a drifting car next to pro-level driver for the Hi-Tec Oils team, James Abbott.
I like to think of myself as a bit of an adventurous person, someone who will say yes to new experiences but as we left the pit lane and Abbott flicked the car sideways for the first time my stomach sank.
The engine bellowed and then whined, signifying that the rear wheels had lost all traction, but that's not to say the car was out of control.
Abbott had the car under his spell, right on the edge of the track, not a centimetre between perfection and spinning off track.
And that was just to get to the start line.
Abbott lined up just behind another car, the official gave the all clear and a practice battle commenced.
Abbott followed the car with centimetres separating us at times.
For myself, it was like a roller-coater that had a mind of its own but from the outside the two cars were performing a sideways ballet on track, perfectly reacting to one another’s flicks from the left to the right.
The adrenaline running through my veins could have had an elephant’s heart racing, it was an experience I won’t forget.
If you’re brave of heart and a bit of a thrill seeker, there is no feeling on four wheels more exhilarating than drifting.
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