Written by
Mohd Ghazali Bin Abdul Hamid
Oops! Writer
Photographs by
Alec Goh Tee Chin
Oops! Photographer
On your mark, get set, GO! SP Team
The sound of screeching tyres could be heard a mile away from the SP basketball court on Saturday morning, 29th September 2007as the SP-NP Interschool RC Drifting Competition 2007 begins in asphalt burning earnest.
There were many models of remote control cars on display, from Subaru Impreza to Ford Mustang GT and even Initial D’s Toyota AE86, they all battled it out on the tracks.
Cars having a blast on the tracks
There were two categories in the competition, the Open and School category. The Open category was open to anyone, including SP alumni and mainly dominated by the SP drifters. In the School category, however, it was a very close race between the SP and NP drifters. At the end of the friendly competition, NP emerged as the overall winner. SPRCD did not go home empty-handed as Zi Heng, our very own DARE student came in second with his amazing drifts.
Intense concentration Cars on the line
Results:
Open Category
1st- Alan (SP Alumni)
2nd- Eugene (SP)
3rd- John (SP)
School Category (Best Drifter)
1st- Yuan He (NP)
2nd- Zi Heng (SP)
3rd- Wei Jie (NP)
Overall School Winner
Ngee Ann Polytechnic
SP Team
NP Team
Oops! interviewed SPRCD President and SG Drifter Member, Billy Lim.
What is RC drifting all about?
A number of things, but basically it is applying motor styles using the remote control.
What equipment do you need and how much money is invested in a car?
We divide them into two levels – beginner’s and advanced. For beginner’s, it is about $400. You will receive all the parts needed for an RC car. For advanced levels, it would be around $700-$800. For the real complex car, it would cost a lot more. So in a way, we saved a ton.
How big is RC drifting in Singapore
It’s quite new in Singapore; it started 3 years ago.
How do you feel when drifting?
The most exciting part, to me at least, is when two cars get really close to each other, and start battling fiercely. That is when you get high.
How is drifting judged?
Unlike traditional racing which is judged by time, drifting is judged by style and overall presentation of the car. Special characteristics such as smoke effects made by the car would add points to the score.
Do you think the SPRCD team has what it takes for the inter school challenge?
I have confidence my guys will win. I see them perform over and over, and I can safely say they’re very good. Their knowledge on RC is inspiring; they search the Internet to enhance their knowledge on RC. I am very proud of them.
What are your future hopes for RC drifting?
My future priority is to expand this special interest group and have more of these competitions between schools in Singapore.
To sum it up, RC drifting is more about aesthetics than speed. For you guys who are interested, more information on RC Drifting and video of the event is available in SG Drifters Forum at http://www.sgdrifters.com/e107_plugins/forum/forum.php
Filed under: Lifestyle, Oops! Scoop
