My son’s 16th birthday was coming up and I was stumped on what to get him. 16th Birthdays are generally for experience presents, so finding something that he would love and that his siblings hadn’t been gifted was a little tricky at first. After googling and researching I soon discovered that there is the Drift School Australia based in Sydney that offers exhilarating rides in drift cars! I knew this would be something my son would love so I booked a visit straight away!
What is drifting?
Drifting is a driving technique where the driver intentionally oversteers and loose traction on corners. The driver still has control of the car while navigating the corner as the cars back-end slides (drifts) out sideways. It takes skill and practice to drift safely and the drivers and their cars at Drift School Australia are all very experienced at their job.
Why drift?
I think most people would agree that Drifting is exhilarating and fun! even watching from the sidelines I experienced the thrill of it! I know that there is races and competitions to show off the skill of drifting, but the bottom line is that it is a fun experience for everyone driver and passengers alike! Drifting battle hot laps with Drift school Australia means that you “battle it out” with another car on the track so it is extra thrilling!
Drift School Australia.
Now the details of the experience! The Drift battle is an exciting experience where two skilled drift drivers simultaneously drive and drift the track together at high speed, leaving you breathless! The cars change spots each lap so you experience being the lead car and the chase car.
The Drift battle experience only happens around once a month generally on a Saturday. I booked directly through their website and there were a few time slots to choose from, I noticed as the date drew closer the time slots booked out so make sure you book as early as you can to secure the time you want. I booked for 10.45am and when we arrived there was lots of people around. It was a little tricky for parking because there was lots going on that day, but we luckily found one fairly close by. Follow the directions on the email they send you beforehand to find the site and also make sure you sign the waiver form they email you as well before you arrive, to save time.
When I was looking at booking, I was kind of stumped on how many laps to purchase my son. The school offer 2, 4 or 8 laps, each one is priced differently. It didn’t come down to a matter on money for me, it was for a special birthday present, but because we hadn’t been there before I wasn’t sure how long the lap was! I didn’t want the experience to be over too quick, but I also didn’t want him to get sick of it (in hindsight that was never going to happen!) in the end I went with the whole 8 laps. My reel on my Instagram here shows how long a lap is, so go check it out! You can always upgrade / add on more laps when you are there if you want to drift more!
The last thing I purchased was the video of the experience. They set up go pros both inside the vehicle and outside front and back. The go pros video all of the action in a split screen format so you can see the reactions of the passenger while drifting around the track. While we haven’t received the copy yet (they email it to you a couple of weeks after the experience) I know that it will be worth the money and an added bonus to the day.
They also have merchandise for sale on the day so if that’s your sort of thing you can purchase while you are there.
Final Thoughts:
My son said it was awesome and something he will remember for a long time. He also said they went so close to the other car that he felt he could reach out and touch them and that it felt a lot faster than what it looked! My daughter and I found awesome spots to watch down near the barriers so really felt part of it as well. Overall, it was well organised by Drift School Australia and was a great gift idea for anyone who is after a thrilling experience! Oh, they also have a drift school attached so you can continue your drifting experience by learning how to do it!
Details:
What: Drifting battle with Drift School Australia
Where: Eastern Creek, Sydney, NSW
How Much: Choose between 2-LAPS ($89), 4-LAPS ($149) OR 8-LAPS ($249).
Video of the drift experience: $85
Need to know: Participants have to be minimum age of 12 years (Under 18’s will require adult’s consent), need to bring and wear long pants and long sleeve shirt (No nylon, cotton preferred. Jackets, jumpers and jeans are acceptable) and to bring and wear full enclosed shoes (joggers, sneakers are acceptable). There are toilets nearby and a place to grab some food and drinks as well, and there was plenty to look at while we were there as there was race meets and v8 hot laps going on, so we had a little look at those after.
Safe Travels
Kerrie
