Sanam Sekhon, hailed as the Drift champ of India, dominated proceedings at the inaugural JK Tyre Drift Challenge as he swept unopposed to victory in two out of three categories at the country’s first-ever official drifting competition. Seasoned drifter Mudit Grover also finished at the podium in all three categories of the JK Tyre Drift Challenge. Sekhon looked poised and in control as he slithered his specially-prepped Lexus GS 300 sideways around the corners and Mudit in his BMW E46 showcased his spectacular skills on the twisting drift track at the Buddh International Circuit in a masterful display of tyre-smoking car control.
The Chandigarh-based driver won the D1 category with a whopping haul of 744 points, with his closest rival Jugraj Singh Bhurjee, driving a BMW M3, only picking up a score of 476. Mudit Grover, with 286 points, sealed third in his BMW E46.
Sekhon scored 460 points to also win the D2 category with Mudit Grover (262 points) and Mugdha Grover, driving the Mercedes C200 K, (156 points) completing the podium. His hopes of completing an unbeaten run, however, were dashed with Mudit beating him to victory with 700 points to Sekhon’s 636, with Samyak Kapoor on 281 points a distant third.
Points were awarded by a three-member expert panel of international judges comprising Mr. Taniguchi Atsushi from Japan, Mr. Tanakorn Lertyaovarit from Thailand and India’s own drift expert Mr. Alistair Woodham.
Drivers were judged on multiple parameters including line, angle, style and speed. The three categories – D1, D2 and Open – were differentiated by tyre width. Cars competing in the D1 category were running on tyres that were 215-255mm wide. The maximum permitted tyre width in the D2 category was 205mm, while all competitors, regardless of the width of their tyres were eligible for the Open category.
Drifting is a motorsport discipline that rewards skill, precision and car control over outright speed. It involves drivers throwing their cars into a slide and using oversteer to go sideways through a corner at speed.
The sight of the cars, balancing on a knife-edge, sliding around a corner, wheels smoking, is a spectacle to behold which has made Drifting popular with fans, especially the younger generation.
Backed by the Indian motorsports body the FMSCI, the JK Tyre Drift Challenge was the first officially-backed drifting event to be held in the country. Organised by motorsport pioneers JK Tyre, it introduced fans to yet another motorsport discipline, with hundreds turning up to watch the event in person and many more tuning in to the live stream.