I Taught Drifting to Over 2,000 People in 16 Years

I have been watching the game from afar for a few years now. But I've been yearning to return to the sport. I wished for it, and it happened. Maybe it's the law of attraction at work or pure coincidence, but it makes me happy. I have been lucky to work with some of Europe's most skilled and passionate pro drifters.

That includes media/PR, sponsorship management, and logistic responsibilities. I've made many friends in many countries, which has greatly contributed to shaping me as an individual.

I drift because it is the most exciting way

One of the people I'm most thankful to is Adam Frank, a former pro drifter who is still teaching people the art of going sideways in an RWD car. I worked closely with him for several years as we tried to clinch the European Drift Championship title. But he's also my friend and teacher. Yet somehow, we haven't seen each other for eight years.

Our bond was too strong for time to mess with, and as we met in Budapest two weeks ago, it was like we had never been apart. It was an emotional moment, and I realized that drifting is not exclusively about driving. Adam invited me to MyWay Drift School in Hungary for a special occasion I can't discuss yet.

I can tell you that what he has been building for the past 10 years might revolutionize the sport, and I'll dive deeper into the topic soon. Until then, I thought it would be important for you to know more about the mastermind behind that project. This way, you'll better understand the scale of it all.

Let me take you back to the past to get some background on the story. When I first met Adam (circa 2010), we were both at Mariapocs Rabocsiring - a small but very exciting racetrack in Hungary. He was in his drift-spec BMW E30, and I was shooting video with an old Nikon D90 camera. We started talking and quickly realized we shared a flaming passion for the sport.

I thought it was the coolest thing you can do with a car

Fast forward to 2012, he called me about a huge project he was working on: Europe's first 1,000-hp pro drift car. I have watched him go at it since day one, all the way to being on European podiums, and it was a journey I'll proudly tell my grandchildren about. I included one of my favorite videos of him going all out in "The Beast," but I also came back to him with a series of questions to reveal the essence of his years in the sport.

I wanted to learn about some of the most memorable moments in his drifting career. "In 2002, I was at the BMW Motorsport School in Lausitzring, doing a racing course on the new M3 E46. The instructor challenged us to try power-sliding through a wet roundabout on the second day. I thought it was the coolest and most challenging thing you can do with a car."

"I didn't even know it was called drifting. I only succeeded in doing it through part of the roundabout, but I was hooked for life on this cool yet stupid action. In 2004, I saw Keiichi Tsuchiya's Drift Bible, and with the motivation I got from watching this video, I started searching for opportunities to exercise what he was demonstrating."

"Unfortunately, I didn't have an RWD car, so I had to convince some of the drivers who came for a course with me to let me try it in their cars. Drifting through the whole roundabout that year in a Nissan 350Z made for one of the best days in my life." I have been lucky enough for my wife to support my passion for cars, which isn't always valid for everyone. And the same goes for Adam's family, where his wife, Efrat, started drifting before he did.

It was truly a Cinderella story

"Through unexpected circumstances, I participated in my first competition in 2008 and finished 3rd. I then quit my circuit racing activity and dedicated my life to drifting. Fast forward to 2012, famous Instagram star and racing driver Josh Cartu proposed to start a racing team with me as the driver. As I had no resources to fulfill this huge dream, it was truly a Cinderella story."

"Our target was to become the European Champions, and I will forever be grateful for Mr. Cartu's support during those years." After dialing in the car in 2013, Adam was stronger than ever in 2014. That's how he went to a One More Time with Vaughn Gittin JR in Valencia, which was also one of the highlights of his career. "In 2015, the Drift King himself, Keiichi Tsuchiya, handed me the Vicechampion Trophy at Slovakiaring. I was very proud of how far I had gone ten years after seeing his Drift Bible special."

Of course, achieving greatness is never easy, and I asked Adam about his most difficult moments in the sport. "It was always connected to some kind of mechanical failure or problems with the car. Pushing the BMW to its limits meant breaking it a lot, which was very uncomfortable during competition. In 2013 at Slovakiaring, the engine blew up in practice, and my mechanics had to drive several hours back to the shop to change the engine overnight for the next day."

"On another occasion, we couldn't find E85 fuel anywhere in the country where we were racing. There was always a lot of pressure on me to perform, not knowing if the car would fail. It was unpredictable and very stressful, so I struggled to maintain a clear mind to give it my best. So I would say reliability was always a huge concern." One of the things I love about drifting is that it's extremely immersive, like riding a motorcycle. If you want to do it right, you must clear your mind of any thoughts and go with the flow.

Drifting is healing

After so many years, jumping back into a drift car had me crying tears of joy after I connected all the corners. It's a feeling I wish more people would experience in life, and I was happy to see that Adam had the same perspective on the topic. "The most important thing I learned about drifting is that it can heal you. Whenever you are in the zone of drifting, you feel free. It's a retreat from ordinary life, with all of its stressful and difficult moments."

"I feel that drifting can clean and clear your mind in a way that's healing you." Earlier today, I popped on an older video of Adam at an event in Italy, and when I heard his car firing up, it sent shivers down my spine. Ignoring its reliability issues, it was a formidable machine and signaled the start of a new era in professional drifting. And if you're as obsessed with cars as I am, you could think of it as music to your ears.

Still, I wanted to see Adam's perspective on what makes the perfect drift car: "It's the car that gives you the confidence to drive, the freedom to feel connected, it doesn't matter if it has 200 hp or 1,000 hp. The driver has to be able to operate it calmly, in a way that will be comfortable for him." I could probably spend days talking to Adam about drifting and enjoy every minute of my interview.

But I had one question I was almost afraid to ask him, as I was curious to know if he ever thought about returning to competitive drifting. "No. I don't think about it. But the funny thing is that I keep dreaming about it at night. In my dreams, we are preparing to go out with the car, the team, and all the excitement behind it."

I still dream about it

"I dream about our cool adventures and journeys as a team, going to racetracks and really cool places in Europe. I remember experiencing a new track and meeting my friends/competitors at the events. But I think this chapter is over for me in my daily life. If I ever start competing again, I would have a go in a mid-range car at a SemiPro class just to enjoy the atmosphere and have fun with it."

"That would be the only I'd do it again." Now, you need to understand that as an owner and teacher at MyWay Drift School, Adam has access to a fleet of over 12 drift cars he can have fun with at any time. So going sideways is still something he enjoys often, all without the stress associated with competitive driving.

Those following the sport 10+ years ago might remember those T-shirts that said "Keep Drifting Fun," and that's precisely what Adam is doing in his life now. In 16 years since starting MyWay Drift School, he has taught over 2,000 students, many of whom choose to return for more. As he is still in his 40s, I'm sure he will still be doing this 20 years from now. And I can't wait to share more of his exciting ideas for the sport in the years to come.