| Drift and Gymkhana Trials
Association -
Who We Are and What We Do:
Mission Statement
DGTrials was formed with one central goal in mind - to increase
awareness and participation in modern forms of motorsport
through event promotion, retail sales of aftermarket tuning
parts, merchandising, and, ultimately, through partnerships
with other like-minded organizations and individuals.
D is for Drifting
There are many misconceptions about the sport of drifting.
Drifting is not simply sliding a car’s tail out under
power in the middle of or after a turn. Drifting is not simply
spinning your tires. Drifting is not doing "donuts".
The loss of traction alone does not mean that you are drifting.
Drifting is not simply a technique to be applied – there
is a mentality involved as well. Drifting, in the simplest
sense, is the use of an intentional controlled slide to navigate
around a turn. When used on a circuit, street course, or mountain
pass, it can ultimately lead to complex strings of multi-directional
slides that use a variety of techniques to maintain extreme
oversteer. The pure essence of drifting is to never appear
to have control of the vehicle, while always having complete
control over the vehicle!
G is for Gymkhana
At first glance, a gymkhana looks like an autocross –
cones, timing equipment, a pre-defined course, cars and drivers.
This is where the similarities end. Gymkhana is more like
an automotive obstacle course than an autocross. Where an
autocross emphasizes fluid motion and finding the limits of
traction without exceeding them to achieve the fastest time
around a predefined course (much like a smaller version of
a road racing circuit), gymkhana emphasizes course memorization,
driving techniques and vehicle momentum. Complex, tight maps
constructed in small areas guide drivers through 360s around
pointer cones, loop-back slaloms and handbrake turns - the
list of obstacles is long and the difficulty high. A winning
gymkhana car could be a high powered rear drive car like a
240SX or RX7, but it could just as easily be a small and agile
front drive car like a Mini Cooper or Honda Civic. Anything
can happen at a gymkhana event, so preparation and a sharp
mind are key because sometimes getting the course right is
the most difficult part!
Trials are for testing
\Tri"al\, n. [From Try.] The act of trying or testing
in any manner. Specifically: Any effort or exertion of
strength for the purpose of ascertaining what can be done
or effected. The trials portion of our name is indicative
of our drive to hold competitive events. However, DGTrials
realizes that in order to have good competition, there is
a need for good competitors. For that reason, DGTrials dedicates
itself to developing and nurturing a solid grassroots population
that will develop and promote competition. DGTrials will announce
competitive events tailored to driver skill levels at any
given time. DGTrials will also expand its competitions to
include additional forms of motorsport that it becomes involved
in.
Summary
The Drift and Gymkhana Trials Association was established
with the initial goal of making drifting and gymkhana more
accessible to enthusiasts. DGTrials also aims to enhance the
image of drifting in the US, bringing it to the level of other
popular forms of motorsport. In addition to drifting, DGTrials
plans to create a complete gymkhana series similar to events
that one might see in Japan.
DGTrials aims to lead in the development of grassroots movements,
by supporting enthusiasts and developing rules and regulations
to govern their activities to provide safe and enjoyable automotive
fun for those who wish to participate. As DGTrials grows and
evolves, our short-term objectives may change, but our mission
will never waiver – we are serious about innovation
in motorsports.
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