Let a Professional Driver Show You How to Drift a Front-Wheel-Drive Car
Not everyone has a rear-wheel-drive to play with, and Formula Drift ace Chelsea DeNofa knows that.
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Rear-wheel-drive cars are the love of many enthusiasts, especially drifters, but not every driver has a RWD machine at their disposal. Oftentimes, you have to deal with the car you have, but as Formula Drift driver Chelsea DeNofa shows, you can have fun with any drivetrain layout—even front-wheel-drive.
DeNofa is coming in hot off the sixth round of the 2018 Formula Drift season. At Gateway Motorsports Park near St. Louis, piloting his Mustang RTR drift car, DeNofa was able to grab a podium spot and came in third place behind Fredric Aasbo and Matt Field.
Like many Formula Drift drivers, DeNofa has a vlog series on YouTube. He features content during the offseason, in between Formula Drift rounds, behind the scenes at FD events, and all the fun in between. The Drive has previously featured some of his content including a useful video showing how to buy a drift car and everything to look for.
This time, DeNofa is teaching you how to drift a front-wheel-drive car. He grabs a friend's Mazda 3 and hits the track at the PARC School of Drift. DeNofa describes all the differences and misconceptions on "real drifting" in a rear-wheel-drive car versus sliding a comparatively-underpowered machine that only spins the front wheels.
"If you have a front-wheel-drive car and you pull the handbrake and you think you're drifting, you're not," says DeNofa.
To get all the details and learn how to perfectly hoon your family's front-wheel-drive grocery getter, check out DeNofa's tutorial below.
PSA: Maybe don't try this when the kids are in the back seat.
