This November, at Thanksgiving, it would be 125 years since the first automotive race in US history. That’s right, people raced each other in cars all the way back in 1895. To put things in perspective, that is even before Ford Model T – the first mass-market car.

Join me in this post, as I dive into the history behind this first US race and see how it sparked a whole industry of competitions. Hold tight and enjoy the ride!

What was the first automotive race in the US?

With the development of the engine, people had the instant idea to check out just what their inventions were capable of. But don’t get your hopes up!

That first motor competition, called Chicago Times-Herald Race, was a course of 54 miles with just six cars. Interestingly enough, two of those ran on electricity (talk about EV racing!). Out of all six though, only two ever completed the race, with the winner, Frank Duryea, taking more than 10 hours to do so!

Of course, you cannot really expect much of vehicles with a top speed of 7.5 mph. Still, pause for a second. Just imagine what it feels like driving in an open car saloon for hours on a cold November day in the Midwest. At least Duryea won a $2,000 prize (which amounts to about $62,000 when adjusted for inflation) and a gold medal.

Nowadays, the finish marker for the race receives a lot of attention on its own. It is actually a rock that gathers around 100 vehicles each year on Thanksgiving day to remember that initial race. But things go even deeper.

How did the Chicago Times-Herald Race come to be?

Though we like to make up ways to compete, the idea for this race did not come out of thin air. It was meant to be the American answer to the world’s first competitive motor race – Paris-Rouen. That one actually took place around Paris in July 1894.

The event received a lot of media attention, with many who wanted to try their cars in it. Plus, there were car exhibitions during the days prior to the event. We can even say that the Paris-Rouen race set the ground for an entire culture around racing competitions.

After the European race, H.H. Kolsaat (the publisher of the Times-Herald) saw an opportunity to pioneer the same thing in the States. However, his plans were a bit too grand. Though he wanted the race to take place during the summer, preparations took a lot longer, pushing the date all the way to the 28^th of November 1895. Yet that misfortune turned out to be a blessing in disguise!

Why the first US car race was a great achievement

Modern vehicle competitions require a lot of effort and usually have very complex logistics. For example, do you know how Formula 1 travels the world? They have to consider not just vehicles, but equipment, tools, and other essentials.

Nonetheless, people in 1895 had a whole different set of challenges to face. Mass production of cars had yet to be developed, and every single vehicle was hand-crafted. You could even make your own, provided you knew how and had the parts. In fact, such cars made up the whole roster of vehicles in that first US race.

We have to note that actually three of the gas-powered cars were not even American, but were built by Karl Benz. Only the winning vehicle had the American Duryea behind it. As for those two EVs I mentioned, they both failed in the cold weather and could not even finish the race.

However, this race proved two very important things. Firstly, that the US can actually compete on the world racing stage. Secondly, that races could be held during cold weather, although some more preparations had to be considered. And from then on, not only the US but the universal racing stage entered a new chapter in its development.

Would you like to visit “The Rock”?

If you want to commemorate that first automotive race in the US, you can do so at “The Rock”. You can find it at 60th and Cornell in Jackson Park. Granted, this year may be a bit tough, because of all the craziness, but even if not now, considered it as a “maybe” sometime in the future.

That being said, there are plenty of other vehicle competitions that also deserve your attention. If you want to scratch that itch and learn a bit more about one such, check out our article on Formula DRIFT!

The post The birth of automotive racing in the US appeared first on Altered Steel.

If you are not afraid of the cold and enjoy German auto engineering, we have something for you. It blends together great cars with some awesome action at the Mecaglisse Circuit near Montreal, Canada. To be more specific, luxury Porsche cars meet the slippery surfaces that North America has to offer. The weather might be “frightful”, but that is just how we need it for some snow drifting action!

What is the Porsche Ice Experience?

The world has seen plenty of events that auto manufacturers organize for their own vehicles. Exclusive car shows gather big crowds all over the world, but most of them have little to do with sports. Even if they do, they are much more of a “see what our cars do” than anything else. So, is Porsche Ice Experience (Porsche IE) one of those? I would not say so!

At first glance, you may think that Porsche just looks for yet another way to display their vehicles. Yes, putting them in winter drifting conditions may render the whole thing more interesting, but so what? Many other companies have figured that crazy events draw attention. What makes Porsche IE different?

For starters, this event is not your run-of-the-mill corporate stunt. It is not even a race, per se. Once you go there, you get to enjoy a whole slew of things, and you are not a simple attendee. Indeed, they let you in on the action!

One of the unique things at this event is that you are actually a part of it. You get to experience it, as its name suggests. That means they take you through an entire drifting course, teaching you operation specifics. This is a rather unique proposition, in my opinion. Oh, yes, I almost forgot – all this happens in luxury Porsche cars. You get to drift them… on ice!

Why makes Porsche Ice Experience unique

Like I have mentioned in my article on Formula DRIFT, certain drifting skills can be quite tough to build. Considering that driving, in general, can be a bit dangerous, you understand why drifting is not an easy skill to get. This is why I think that makes any controlled course in drifting quite valuable. Enter the Porsche Ice Experience!

Even if you set aside the awesome fact that you will be driving iconic Porsche models, the event is still great. Many people want to learn how to drift and this allows them to do it. On top of that, many of the skills you will get translate well into winter driving everywhere. Sure, you may not be drifting your way through the interstate, but handling slippery conditions is crucial.

The controlled environment at the Mecaglisse Circuit makes for a wonderful beginner’s course. However, the cool thing is that you can actually ascend the ladder, so to speak. If you enjoy the experience, you can graduate over three levels. By the end of it, you should be a somewhat proficient ice drifter.

That being said, you will have to spend a hefty sum for such a pleasure. You can only go through one level at a time, which means you will have to attend Porsche IE at least 3 times for all the levels. Still, it is well worth it, considering how comprehensive all courses are. But what about the cars?

What cars can you see there?

The whole topic about Porsche cars available at the Ice Experience is a bit tough. Firstly, they may change from year to year. Secondly, not all cars are available for driving anyway. That does not mean you cannot see some great models on the side, but the lineup you can drive is limited. On top of that, not all drift levels have access to all vehicles. Which may actually give you something to strive for!

The whole event features a lot of the Porsche models we all love. Of course, none of them are the actual classics, but you can still see some awesome cars. Here they are:

• 911 Carrera S – The iconic Carrera is an awesome car to drive and drift in, so it should be enough fun for all beginners. With its acceleration time from 0 to 62 mph being 3.6s, you will surely get quite the kick out of it.
• 911 Carrera 4S – This is pretty much the same model, with the exception of it being a 4-wheel drive. This is perhaps a good thing for snowy conditions. In any case, you have the option of choosing between this and the former model.
• 911 Turbo – This model is a step up from the previous two and is reserved for the last level of the Ice Experience. With 540hp it cuts down the 0-62 time to a mere 3 seconds. Of course, these are just numbers, as you will hardly be reaching top speed or anything, but still…
• 911 Turbo S – If the last model was not enough, they give you the option of picking its S version as well. It is marginally more powerful, though you will likely not see much difference between the two.

Obviously, regardless of the drifting level, you get to ride some great cars. Though I wait the day to see a full EV (like the Porsche Taycan) getting into snow drifting. Anyway, while the current cars differ in certain regards, most will be equivalent on the icy track. Additionally, your vehicle will be equipped with special studded snow tires at some point. But now let us see what exactly you get to experience there!

What you go through at the event

The Porsche Ice Experience gives you plenty of opportunities to meet fellow car enthusiasts. However, its main goal is not networking, but teaching you actual skills. As such the 3- and 4-day programs are quite packed.

The beginner’s Ice Intro course is carried over a span of 2 driving days. Expert Porsche instructors teach you some winter driving and drifting theory. You get briefed about the vehicles you will drive and then you jump in on the action. You will learn a bit about understeering and oversteering, braking, course handling, and more.

For returning attendees the course gets extended by an additional day. The intermediates are taught certain slalom techniques in addition to reviewing the theory. Plus, the course toughness is somewhat increased, as you would expect.

Obviously, the most interesting experience out of the bunch is that for advanced attendees. They get to enjoy mile-long handling courses in the fastest Porsche cars available. They also get additional winter driving tips and some unique experiences as a whole. Though I have talked a whole lot about the event, I figured I should also tell you a bit about winter drifting itself!

Why winter drifting is something special

I bet that many car enthusiasts have been tempted to try drifting at some point. Any car with a rear-wheel-drive kind of pushes you into that. Yet even if you have never tried drifting, you can imagine that ice would somehow make it all more challenging. Well, it goes further than that!

Naturally, snow makes getting into a drift easier. The problem comes when you try to control your drift. Most people have an instinctive reaction to overcorrect, which gets intensified in icy conditions.

All of the above happens even during regular drifting, but not to such a drastic extent. Actually, a lot of drivers face such situations if their car starts sliding during winter. The only difference is that most cars nowadays are either front-wheel or all-wheel drives. That means you will not experience such a spiral of control loss in a short period of time.

With all that said, proper teaching and enough training will get you quite proficient in navigating snowy conditions. You can train your body to respond better, instead of shooting your car completely out of control. This makes Porsche IE rather valuable, as the experience gets easily translated into real-life scenarios.

Would you go for the Porsche Ice Experience?

Even though it is a bit on the expensive side, I would definitely think about joining Porsche IE. Or perhaps I would just want to see more car events that place such an emphasis on attendees. It feels nice to know that people are trying to bring some value for car enthusiasts in general. Sure, we all enjoy cool motor shows, but the firsthand experience is something entirely different.

What do you think of this Porsche event? Would you want to take part in it, or is snow drifting not your cup of tea at all? Hey, if you know about a similar event, be sure to mention it. I will try to cover it, and expand my bucket list with one more unlikely entry!

The post Breaking the ice at Porsche Ice Experience appeared first on Altered Steel.

For example, since the dawn of time we have had racing in various forms. We have raced cars, horses, dogs, and I am sure somewhere in our history we have tried to race stones. Perhaps deep within our psyche a voice keeps shouting “if it can move, it can race”. Take that ingenuity, add a bored guy mowing his yard, and the birth of lawn mower racing becomes just a matter of time.

Indeed, this peculiar sport has been with us for a while now. Yet most of us do not know much about it. As it turns out, it involves a whole bunch of things that make it that more interesting. I think it is time to leave our chores for a second and hop on to read about lawn mowers. Will you join me?

The heart of lawn mower racing

This sport deserves a place among the most entertaining motor races you can watch. In essence, it involves a bunch of people on a variety of modded mowers racing across different tracks. Usually they are flat off-road surfaces, but things can get more extreme than that. How about a 12-hour lawn mower race through muddy terrain? That surely takes some grit!

To be honest, I knew nothing about the sport until recently. I had heard about it, of course, but for the longest time I thought it was not a serious thing. In my mind it was all about a bunch of dads racing their mowers out of boredom. How wrong was I!

While not the most competitive thing on Earth, lawn mower racing can get vicious. As with any other sport, some people are just eager to win at all costs. They may spend months (or even years) working on their machine to squeeze the last bit of performance out of it. Which is actually one of the sport’s main selling points!

By nature, lawn mower racing is very inclusive. The sport has a fairly low barrier to entry, not to mention that literally anyone can fix up a track in a day or two. All you need is some haystacks, an empty field, and people who would want to mod their mowers a bit (though not always necessary).

And if you want to really compete, you can register with the US Lawn Mower Racing Association and get started. You need to learn how to mod your mower properly, but there are plenty of guides online. This makes it relatively easy for anyone to feel the thrill of the race. That said, modding your mower for a race is not exactly the obvious thing to do. How did it all start then?

The origins of lawn mower racing

If you try to dig out the roots of this sport, you may have some trouble. Depending on who you ask, it originated… everywhere. People in the US have their own story, UK folks can also tell you one, and Australians will want to join the conversation too. But there can only be one beginning, right? Well, sort of.

The earliest records seem to indicate that Americans started it all. The Twelve Mile 500 is an annual lawn mower racing event that began all the way back in 1963. It looked a bit differently from today though.

In the beginning, people did not mod their mowers, they just removed the blades for safety reasons. That meant that the mowers moved with a speed of about 6 mph. Not exactly the most thrilling thing to watch, barely above a turtle race. Our competitive spirit did not disappoint though, and soon the mowers started to get faster.

From that very tradition stem all the US lawn mower races. Currently, there are two associations – for modded mowers and for regular ones. Yet that only tells us about the US side of things. What about other countries?

Lawn mower racing across the globe

The US may technically get the credit for being first with the whole idea, but the UK was not far behind. Folks there had their first officially organized event in 1968. Not much is known about it, aside from the fact that it was a fundraiser of sorts. Did you notice the key phrase though? It was the first “officially organized”. It is entirely possible that the idea originated way before that.

That being said, lawn mower racing became a serious thing there after 1978. Some friends were drinking at a local pub in West Sussex, discussing how the regular guy cannot join a motorsport event. You would need sponsors, training, and years of experience. Or you can just hop on your lawn mower and give it a go. This is when the British Lawn Mower Racing Association was founded.

It is worth noting that the British way of doing things is a bit different. They do not mod the engines, they go without sponsors and they make the entire thing super easy to join, even for casual runs.

Then we get to mower races in Australia. They also date back to 1978. It all started after an argument over alcohol. It seems like booze is the culprit for many of humankind’s competitions. Still, history does not tell us how the squabble snowballed ito a whole sport around the country, but we can imagine it.

Now that we have our history lesson, let us see what makes a race-worthy lawn mower!

All about the machines they race on

In the world of motorsports, there is the concept of “min-maxing”. This refers to optimizing everything to the last detail, so you can get every single bit of performance from your machine. Obviously, this is crucial for the naturally small motors of lawn mowers, yet with some caveats.

Currently, there is no unanimous opinion on which stock lawn mower is best for modifying. Because of that, min-maxing in the mowing world looks a bit different. You cannot simply optimize for speed without accounting for other details. Here are just a few things some people focus on:

• Mower stability – Having a fast lawn mower makes sense. But if it cannot hold its own in sharp turns, what good is it? This is why some folks prefer to make the mower as stable as possible, even if they lose a bit of speed in the process. Since this is not drag racing, they make up for it by not having to slow down as much while turning.
• Handling – The faster the mower goes the harder it is to handle. This relates a bit to stability, but some mowers are just difficult to keep under control when they reach higher speeds. It is recommended that beginners start with a mower with better handling, even if it is not as fast.
• Acceleration – If you want a powerful mower, you would likely go for a gas engine. However, some people are trying hard to mod electric engines, because they have much better acceleration.

With all this info, I bet you are wondering how fast a mower can truly go. Usually, they will not exceed 40 mph, though with some mods they can reach 85 mph. Obviously, this is not recommended, because even the most stable lawn mowers will have trouble at such speeds. This leads me to a very important point!

Some lawn mower modding concerns

While modifying your mower may seem like a fun hobby to try, it is actually not that easy. Even if you can manage the technical stuff, there are many safety concerns. We will go over them, so you can know what people are getting into!

One thing you can see everywhere is to not mod your lawn mower for regular use. If you want to race you need a dedicated machine. It does not make much sense to mow around with 35 mph, unless you are looking for trouble.

Additionally, you should not simply mod the engine on a stock mower. The entire frame has to be altered, and many safety details have to be included. Remember that I mentioned stability? Stock mower frames simply cannot handle the speed. Ultimately, you cannot simply buy it, you need to build a racing lawn mower. Skills like welding will come in handy!

It is also a good idea to familiarize yourself with the electrics. You would likely have to do some modding there, as it is necessary to have a kill-switch. This is a special switch that turns the vehicle off if you fall from it. Depending on the association there might be additional requirements as well.

Does lawn mower racing sound fun?

I am not the biggest fan of racing sports, unless they involve some interesting details. For example, I find Formula 1 quite boring to watch, unlike dirt racing. This means that lawn mower races are up there for me in terms of interest!

What about you though? Do you find them engaging, or do you think the whole thing is a bit silly? I think the ridiculousness is actually part of the fun. It is competitive enough to have stakes, but still maintain the friendly spirit around it!

The post Kicking grass: All you wanted to know about lawn mower racing appeared first on Altered Steel.

There is no doubt about it – races are dangerous. If you cannot control your car perfectly, bad things happen. This is why racecar drivers go through extensive training, both physically and mentally. They have to remain calm under harsh circumstances with an unwavering focus on controlling their car.

Then there is another kind of race. One, which seemingly glorifies operating your car on the very edge of your control. Meet Formula DRIFT – a dream come true for the fans of Fast and Furious. Or alternatively, a semi-popular spectacle which causes many people to wonder why it even exists. Let us check out what makes it so interesting, and what car control really means!

A course in drifting

If you are not familiar, drifting is a special driving technique. The main idea is to take a turn by sliding the car. That maneuver would generally lead to loss of control, but in the context of drifting that is not the case. Drivers learn how to operate the car in such conditions, allowing them to make turns at incredible speeds.

Drifting originated in Japan in the 1970s as a technique to help race drivers maintain speed while turning. Kunimitsu Takahashi, the guy who invented most drifting techniques, won several championships thanks to them. That drew the attention of other competitors, who quickly adopted a similar style of driving.

However, once drifting gained racing popularity, enthusiasts started exploring it on the streets as well. Cars like Mazda RX-7, Toyota Supra 4^th Gen and Nissan 350Z became the go-to vehicles for such experiments. Their specific drivetrain and handling made them fairly easy to drift.

Drifting hit the streets not only because it was another way to brag, but because it was also fun to watch. Even people who were not into races enjoyed the spectacle itself. Thus it did not take long for it to become a sport, at least in Japan. As it turns out, the States had some catching up to do in that regard!

Drifting in the US

More than 20 years had to pass for a drifting race to officially find its way on US soil. One of the earliest recorded races here was held in 1996. Funny enough, it was a Japanese drifting magazine that organized it. They even brought Japanese drifters to give lessons to US drivers.

That decision was a blast though! Quickly afterward, the driving technique exploded in popularity. It spread not only through the States but also Australia, Europe, and the rest of Asia. Again the major contributing factor was the fun of watching it taking place.

Still, for a while drifting races were not that structured. They were one-off events mainly focused on being entertaining. Eventually, some people joined forces and turned it into a US competitive sport with rules and regulations. They factored in style as the very thing drivers could go after, instead of crossing the finish line first. Thus Formula DRIFT was born!

The rise of Formula DRIFT

The drifting series was founded in 2003 with the help of the people who had already brought drifting from Japan to the States. This makes Formula D (its other name) the first official drifting series in the US.

Initially, the series did not gain a huge amount of traction, although it had plenty of fans. The reason for that being that it was a niche competition in an already saturated racing market. That meant it had to stand out even more and draw additional attention. Luckily, time was on its side.

Over the years Formula DRIFT grew larger and larger. As people started seeing its development, drivers from all over the world set their sights on it. Today the all-time Formula D winners come from several nationalities, the leader being a Norwegian. But what precisely made Formula D so appealing even for foreigners?

What makes Formula DRIFT special

As a whole drifting has always been a rather underground interest outside of Japan. Most countries do not look favorably at wannabe drifters who race on open streets (usually at night). Of course, that is not without reason, but it makes the scene difficult to get into for serious drivers.

Formula DRIFT, on the other hand, embraced the spectacle. They decided to regulate the type of cars and actually judge on a few concrete criteria. That way you could display your driving prowess without worries.

The sheer size of the US market also plays another huge role. Here even niche interests have a comparatively sizeable market. All these factors pushed drivers from other countries to consider a career in the States.

Continued improvements to competition-level judging also brought people in. The folks behind the series strive to make judging as objective as possible. Considering it has to do with style, that is surely a difficult task. Nevertheless, everyone can understand how drift judging is done as it is laid out on Formula D’s own site. Below is the gist of it.

Competition Judging Standards for Formula DRIFT

• Line – Each track has an ideal drift line. It is designed to make drivers use the entire track, not just the parts they feel comfortable with. So the more the drivers stick to the ideal drift line the more points they get.
• Angle – This has to do with actual technical ability. Drivers that make smooth transitions between turns with as little steering as possible receive better scores.
• Style – Style is perhaps the most difficult to judge and the most subjective. Nevertheless, it still involves guidelines for as much objectivity as possible. They are quite technical though, so we will not go into much detail here. Suffice to say that a lot goes into achieving the perfect drift.

These three aspects determine the judging criteria for the qualifications. What is that? Well, instead of being a full-blown race, competitors first have to qualify for the top 32 places in the bracket. Then they face each other in tandem (1 vs 1) races with a process of elimination. It is pretty much like duels, but with cars. Exciting!

Without a doubt, drifting makes for quite the display. In order to achieve it though, there are many details that have to be done right. From knowing your vehicle to choosing the right moment to initiate the drift, small changes can make a huge difference. What else plays such a pivotal role?

The science behind the vehicle

If you take a look at most drift enthusiasts you may come out with the wrong impression. Many of them think that all you need is a BMW M Series and you are pretty much set. But while BMWs are famous in drifting circles, that does not mean they have some special capabilities.

To be honest, Formula DRIFT has vehicle standards, so it is kind of futile to discuss the merits of different marques. Instead, we should focus our attention on the true game-changers – car mods.

In order to achieve an impressive drift, many modifications have to be done to the vehicle. Engineers do their best to alter the cars as much as possible while still falling within the standards. The weight is adjusted, seats are specially designed, the steering wheel is completely different. The cars use a special kind of tires too.

All in all, the end result is a vehicle, which operates in a vastly different manner to your regular car. Engine, suspension, breaks, and body continue to be altered in hopes of building the perfect drifting machine. You can easily say the entire thing has become a science of its own by now. And driving such a beast is no small feat either!

The importance of skill

If you have ever driven a car on a long road or even in congested traffic, you know how exhausting it is. Even when cruise control can let you relax a bit on the highway, you still do not arrive refreshed.

Now imagine what it feels like drifting. The driver must have their attention on several things at once. Breaking, clutching, steering, adjusting – all these things need to be tracked. While it becomes second nature after a while, it certainly takes a toll. Even if the driver is experienced, they cannot let their concentration slip or bad things will happen.

That brings us to the second set of skills that are required – mental presence. On top of concentration, peace of mind and mental clarity are also necessary. Snap decisions have to be taken regularly, especially in tandem drifts, which leave virtually no room for error.

It goes without saying that the driver needs knowledge of their car too. Now when you add to that technical ability and mental presence, you get the pinnacle of vehicle control. Without any of these three pillars, no one can even get a place on the track. This is what makes Formula DRIFT such an interesting thing – it is visually entertaining and subconsciously thrilling.

What do you think about drifting and Formula D?

I understand that many car enthusiasts are not specifically fans of racing. I would count myself among them. Yet I do enjoy a good display of skill every now and then. To me, Formula DRIFT seems like the perfect thing to watch, if other series seem boring.

What do you think though? Have you heard about Formula DRIFT before today? Do you find it exciting or boring? Maybe you think it is unacceptable for drivers to deliberately seek loss of control. Let me know!

The post Formula DRIFT: The science of supreme car control appeared first on Altered Steel.