One of the favorite things we like to see at SEMA is drift demos. As you have seen in a previous post, SEMA Show 2011: Drift Hoonigans, there was some pretty fantastic drifting taking place at SEMA. Ford out Front brought out the Octane Academy; Ken block and Vaughn Gittin Jr. put on a great show, but they were not the only ones out there shredding rubber.
I was really excited to see Ken go out there ripping it up! We have all seen his videos – so to see him doing it in real life was a treat! I’m not taking anything away from Vaughn, he was just as amazing; but most of us have seen RWD drifting and to see Ken sliding around with 4 wheels loose was not something you get to see everyday.
Next up on the stage was Tanner Foust and Brian Deegan, I really wish I knew how people were able to get rides with them as that would have been a dream come true.
There was something different about this demo compared to the first one, you can call me old school if you want – but to me drifting is still about having 4 or 6 cylinder turbo charged engines, with a screaming turbo while they spool up, not these V8 NASCAR loud noises. Don’t get me wrong, I understand the benefits of a V8, but it still doesn’t sit right yet.
Foust and Deegan took turns whipping their cars around the open track and also around Deegan’s new ride – the Metal Mulisha Monster truck! That’s right, he is adding another sport under his belt. He will be competing in 2012 Advanced Auto Parts Monster Jam. After seeing these two demos, any car guy could have left SEMA as a happy man – but there was a lot more see!