The grandstands of turns Nos. 9 through 12 on Long Beach's Grand Prix street course were the epicenter of excited drift fans under sunny skies Saturday.
It was Round 1 of the Formula DRIFT Pro Championship and 32 drivers were out to compete. The 32 qualified Friday, where 47 people initially competed.
The top 32 competed tandem style, two cars going at once, down to the top 16, top eight, and top four. In tandem competition, one driver leads and the other shadows.
Ryan Tuerck, took first place, Stephen Hubinette second and the 2008 champion Tanner Foust came in third.
The Formula Drift Streets of Long Beach competition drew a diverse crowd to downtown Long Beach for some serious motorsports showmanship.
Fans almost filled four grandstands and many others lined up along the fence behind rows of cameramen, other media people and crew members.
Tents next to the straightaway between turns Nos. 9 and 10 were also full.
Countless other fans wandered through the vendor fair and between the trucks set up by each drift team. They could see the cars up close and, with the right timing, could meet the drivers.
Even more people watched from balconies of surrounding buildings.
On the other side of the track, across the Firestone bridge, was the JTuned Auto Gallery. More than 60 modified cars were on display in the gallery varying in makes and years. All the cars on display were modified for drifting.
Drifting involves controlling a powerful car as it slides sideways at high speeds through a marked course. The sport originated in Japan and crossed the Pacific to the U.S., where it thrived underground until bursting into the mainstream over the past few years.
One thing that brought drifting to the public eye was the 2006 release of the movie "The Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift," in which Foust was a stunt driver.
On Thursday, I got to ride along with Foust in his RWD Scion tC. It was a little scary as first, sliding toward a wall but Faust had the car under control and made the turn, speeding on to the next one. His angle and speed impressed me the most.
As in any motorsport, there is a risk of crashing, which is something fans enjoy - as long as no one is seriously injured. When Conrad Grunewald drifted right into the tire barrier, taking off the rear bumper of his Chevrolet Corvette, spectators rose out of their seats cheering and remained standing to watch the cleanup crew in action.
Early in the Top 16 competition, one car lost its rear bumper, inspiring one fan to shout, "I want that bumper!"
Drifting fans lucked out on the weather. Friday's event was covered by clouds, but Saturday was sunny with very few clouds over the track.
After this competition, Formula Drift moves to Round 2 in Braselton, Ga. Formula Drift will find its way back to Southern California in October for the final round of the season.
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