Quantified drifting is here

Actually it's been here for a couple of years apparently, but this is the first I've heard of it and I don't think it's been discussed here yet:

http://www.speedhunters.com/2014/12/is-this-the-future-of-drifting-red-bull-drift-shifters/

Many years ago on this board (actually the old board) I discussed how improvements in GPS and motion sensor technology could soon allow drift scores to be calculated based on location, speed and slip angle, similarly to how it's done in video games, rather than being judged. Then a few years later (maybe around 2008?) the technology arrived, and seemingly nothing came of it other than at least one drift-oriented track data logger.

So we now have the technology to do it - in this event it's done by placing sensors on the track rather than the car, but it could be done with a modern data logger in the car that could cost easily under $500. There are many data loggers that already have the hardware to do it in fact - you could use a post-processing script on their output files to calculate a drift score.

A few weeks ago I was discussing this very issue with a mechanic who also hadn't heard of Red Bull Drift Shifters so I'll recap that discussion here. I argued that it was silly to not move to quantified drifting now that the technology was available, especially with all the judging scandals in pro drifting. It's just as intelligent and natural as the progression from dudes squinting intently at a finish line scratched in the dirt, to photo finish, to trip beams w/ high-speed camera. He argued that the culture of drifting, even at pro level, is too concerned with "style" and "fun" to make the change (which I found funny, considering that it's now a big-money sport where it's hard to compete with sub-4-digit HP). This is the same line of thought that the author of the Speedhunters article takes - although I think a more fine-tuned algorithm could come closer to properly quantifying the "visual awesomeness" of a drift.

So I think this will be the future of drifting, and maybe (trollface on) this could make drifting "racing" now that it's measured rather than judged.

I know Formula Drift has been using radar guns to determine speed for some time. I operated one for them at their 2009 Road Atlanta event and radioed speed back to their judges.

To me, that would be like a computer printout that said "Skater X was 3.27 feet off the ground and her legs made an angle of 127.5 degrees. Skater Y was 3.35 feet off the ground and her legs made an angle of 133.2 degrees. Skater Y wins." Skater X might have had a much more fluid and expressive routine, and deserved to win.

Drifting isn't a numbers contest, it's a coolness contest. That's OK, it is what it is. Trying to make it somehow "objective" doesn't help IMHO.

Duke wrote: Drifting isn't a numbers contest, it's a coolness contest. That's OK, it is what it is.

Thank you for being the first person to explain Drifting to me in a way I could understand: It's a coolness contest!

I couldn't understand ME not liking something that involved incredibly powerful RWD cars mixing car control with speed (or the illusion thereof) and displaying it through clouds of tire smoke. I'm just not COOL enough to get it.

Duke wrote: Drifting isn't a numbers contest, it's a coolness contest. That's OK, it is what it is. Trying to make it somehow "objective" doesn't help IMHO.

and this is why drifting is an utter waste..........

Duke wrote: Drifting isn't a numbers contest, it's a coolness contest. That's OK, it is what it is.

QFE.

I'm not sure how the current scoring system works, but here's an idea I thought of after reading GB's post.

I get that drifting is style thing, but I think GB has a strong point regarding the technology. There could be multiple categories contributing to the overall score, one with human judgement based on styling and one based on the math. It would increase objectiveness but maintain the style aspect at the same time.

I don't agree with a complete switch to computers, however.

oldeskewltoy wrote:

Duke wrote: Drifting isn't a numbers contest, it's a coolness contest. That's OK, it is what it is. Trying to make it somehow "objective" doesn't help IMHO.

and this is why drifting is an utter waste..........

So because something isn't quantifiable it isn't worth doing?

There goes my sex life.

In reply to JG Pasterjak:

Maybe you need one of these attached to your hootus.

^There are apps for that

(Seriously)

bgkast wrote: In reply to JG Pasterjak: Maybe you need one of these attached to your hootus.

I appreciate the fact that someone ran that up to 1337 for the photo. I don't want to know if a hootus was involved, but if it was I think I'm impressed.

^^^ psshh. Easily did in my mid twenties with one lady. My current wife.

oldeskewltoy wrote:

Duke wrote: Drifting isn't a numbers contest, it's a coolness contest. That's OK, it is what it is. Trying to make it somehow "objective" doesn't help IMHO.

and this is why drifting is an utter waste..........

So anything done for the fun of it is an utter waste?

I've said it before and I'll say it again, drifting is a driving style, nothing more, nothing less. It is only when someone tries to make it a sport that it gets silly. Nobody gets bent out shape because a certain dancing style can't be made into a sport, or a certain fighting style isn't easily made into a sport, etc.

I'm not insisting that all drifting events are great and totally valid, but it can be fun, and even has some uses (improves your car control if you learn to do it well) just as something like dancing tango is fun, or learning judo can be useful. Just my 2 cents, YMMV.

Any time you put money and competition on the line with a subjective component it becomes a hot mess.... gymnastics, diving, ice skating, dancing.... but at least with some of those (gymnatics and diving) there is some numbers game in that your scor is multiplied by a preset difficulty... the problem with subjective scoring is that my eye might not match the judges eye.... adding in SOME objective data is worth while IMO.... sure a guy may have been smoother or LOOKED better but if another guy had 3 more mph and a 5deg better angle (which it seems to me is "cooler") he SHOULD get credit for that even if the human eye cannot determine that in the heat of the moment. This is why we have replay in MLB and NFL... it alleviates the subjectivness of the ref....