We are going to be working with Flat Out Factory on a few projects this year including following their DriftCup drivers, Adam Mitchell and Frazer Jamieson. We have a short introduction to each driver & their car along with how they got on at Round 1.
Name: Adam Mitchell
Age: 26
Hometown: Walsall
Car: Budget built BMW E36 M50 turbo
How long have you been drifting? I have been drifting around 5 years now.
Best drifting experience? My best drifting experience so far has been a practice day at Anglesey going flat out into every corner.
After twelve months of scrimping, saving and slowly building a competition spec drift car from the ground up, it was finally time for my first real competitive drifting event. We got up early and headed to the track for scrutineering which, of course, the car passed with flying colours. Then it was on to briefing. Sweeps talked through the track and the judged line to a room full of drivers hungry for the adrenaline that can only be felt whilst on full lock with your right foot pinned to the floor.
The drivers were then split into two groups for the morning’s practice sessions and I was up first. I fired up the engine, put on my race boots and lined up at the track entrance. As I pulled up to the start line, got the all clear from the Marshal and booted it along the straight I noticed a lack of power. I threw the car into the first left hander with a flick of the wand and a kick of the clutch but it just bogged down, misfired and straightened up.
I rolled back to the pits and with the help of my friends Dan and Tony, cleaned up the plugs and went out for another go. I set off from the line only to get the same again so it was back to the pits to investigate. After looking at the issue, we identified that the turbo wasn’t spooling so we stripped down the front end to investigate further. The turbo had seized and exhaust gasses weren’t turning the exhaust turbine. A bit of a wiggle and it was freed up. We fired the car up and it was boosting beautifully. However, by this time I had missed my allocated practice session and my first real test would be qualifying.
Qualifying came around and I lined up on the start line. My nerves went away and I concentrated on learning the layout and working out what gear to use on each section of the course. I made lots of corrections and straightened up a couple of times in the process. As I rolled around for my second run I looked at the marshal who gave me the thumbs up and go. I raced down the straight to the initiation point, gave it a flick of the wand stepped the back end out round the first left hander into the kidney.
I snatched third and blasted off line, dropping a wheel into the shale. As I manji’d the cross section I threw it into the right hander but had to make several corrections on the handbrake and went way off the qualifying line. Unfortunately this wasn’t enough to secure me a top 32 spot and my day was over. However, I stayed to support fellow Flatout Factory driver, Frazer Jamieson and had a great day. Onwards and upwards for round two.
Name: Frazer Jamieson
Age: 25
Hometown: Burton on Trent
Car: BMW E36 2.5l, stripped out, caged, welded diff, rack spacers and upgraged ECU
How long have you been drifting? I have been drifting around a year and half and regularly drive the fast passenger laps for Flat Out Factory.
Best drifting experience? My best drifting experience is getting to drive at Drift Matsuri.
I had many issues with the car at the end of the build and whilst preparing it for round 1 including being up all night working on the car hours before setting off for the Adrian Flux Arena.
I got to track late so went for briefing with 1 other driver, still having a couple more bits to do on the car before I finally got out onto the track.
My first practice run I was chasing whilst not knowing the track or where it was going apart from what I had seen on the board at briefing showing the lines and clipping points. My lead run was better but that would be all the practice I would get.
My first qualifying run was ok but I spun on the second, it was still good enough to qualify 32nd so I would get through to the battles.
As I went into my battle against Jaime Owen my accelerator started sticking, with a bit of luck and Jaime getting blinded by the sun a one more time was called. I called a 5 minute rule and got to work fixing the issue with the help of Tom Hutchison.
With the problem fixed I was back out on the track and ready to go, unfortunatly during the run the radiator managed to come off its mounts and hit the fan forcing me to retire.