The Ultimate Drift Experience: Witness the Magic of Vietnam’s Top Drifters

April 28th marked a significant day for Vietnamese motorsport as it witnessed the launch of the country’s first professional drift competition, Vietnam Drift King 2024.

Organized by Vietnam Drift Club and sanctioned by the Binh Duong Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, as well as the Vietnam Automobile Association, this special event was held at Dai Nam Tourist Area in Binh Duong Province. It followed the standards of international drift competitions in terms of participation regulations, scoring systems, and competition formats.

Vietnam Drift King 2024 featured two competition formats: the Qualify (elimination) round and the Battle (head-to-head) round, consisting of three parts.

In the first part, athletes performed the Qualify Run to earn ranking points from the judges and prepare for the Battle – Drift head-to-head in the second part.

After the rankings from the Qualify round, the judges paired the athletes for the Battle round according to their corresponding rankings. Each match consisted of two runs. In the first run, the car with the higher Qualify points went first (Lead Car), while the other car followed (Chase Car). In the second run, the car with the lower Qualify points went first (Lead Car), and the other car chased (Chase Car). In both runs, the Lead Car had to ensure it followed the prescribed path, passing through all the designated points as in the Qualify round, and tried to create as much distance as possible from the Chase Car. The Chase Car’s task was to stay as close as possible to the Lead Car, maintaining a corresponding drift angle without causing any collision or overtaking.

After the two runs, the judges evaluated the Lead and Chase performances of both drivers to determine the winner of that match. This process continued until the Final Round.

Finally, the top 4 drivers advanced to the Final Round to compete for first, second, and third places.

At Vietnam Drift King 2024, most of the cars chosen by the athletes were from the Nissan brand, including models such as the 180sx, Cefiro a31, 350z, and Supra. Additionally, there were two BMW e46 cars in the competition.

The majority of the vehicles participating in the competition had been significantly modified and upgraded with essential equipment for professional drifting. Engine swaps and enhancements were common, with Nissan’s renowned RB20 and RB25 engines and Toyota Supra’s 1JZ and 2JZ engines being popular choices. Other modifications included transmission upgrades, increased camber angles for deeper turns, specialized wheels and racing seats, and roll cages for driver safety.

In terms of prizes, the first-place winner received a trophy and an award of up to 30 million VND, along with a cup. The second-place winner received 20 million VND, and the third-place winner received 10 million VND, both accompanied by cups. Additionally, the drifters received prizes from sponsoring brands.

The organizers also included a Taxi Drift program after the main competition, where spectators could experience riding with the drifters, interact with them, and take photos with promotional models from the sponsoring brands.

Vietnam Drift King 2024 was the first professional drift competition in Vietnam, and it was open to guests and spectators free of charge. The event attracted a significant number of car enthusiasts from Ho Chi Minh City and neighboring provinces.

The Vietnam Drift Club organizers promised more exciting racing events in 2024, currently in the planning stages. This professional platform caters to the drifting community in Vietnam, offering them a chance to showcase their skills. Additionally, the organizers teased the possibility of a show car event for modified car enthusiasts, promising a well-organized experience.

Here are some photos from the event:

TT – Dat Nguyen (Tuoitrethudo)