Drifting in the Inland northwest is starting to become more widely recognized. Initially
Stateline Drift drifting started out as some kids getting together, calling up a business with an open parking lot, and seeing if they could rent it out for a day and lay some tire treads on it.
Now, as successful as this was... there needed to be some more concrete organization of events.
So after the parking lot rentals came and went, the local guys had the idea to talk to the local track, Spokane County Raceway in this case, to see what it would take to get their cars on the road course.
After some talk the track was open for them to rent, and this step is what initiated, and solidified the staple in the Inland Northwest Drift that the organization
Stateline Drift is today.
This is the first of their events that I shot, I had heard rumors of a drifting scene near the Spokane area but had never seen one or witnesses the organization of an event of said nature.
I did a whole bunch more research narrowing my search, and starting to even search Facebook for some sort of group that liked to slide cars around, because if you didn't already know drifting is one of my favorite forms of motorsport, and maybe even the purist form at its roots.
After tossing and turning many a night, I found myself looking at the official Stateline Drift Facebook page.
I found them early this January on my lookout for local automotive events to feature here on
Air Pumps.
Initially I was Skeptical as to how legit these events were and what they had to offer. But I bit the bullet and went to an event, their season opener, test and tune at the Spokane County Raceway road course.
This was the first car that I saw when I got to the event that morning. I did a little story on it
here and was pretty impressed with the build. After seeing this pull out of the trailer I knew I was in for a good day, even if it was just to see a car like this smoke some Achilles rubber.
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| "Shredding Sideways"-jds041115_001 |
This is probably my favorite photo of the event. The undeveloped backdrop of the track gives the illusion of a country road ready to be opened up on. And the fact that this Pump was street legal made it all the more authentic.
To buy prints of the above image click on the PayPal link below.
Stateline has some great drifting sections to offer. In the aerial photo of the course layout below there is a section of esses on the left that, with enough talent can be linked and produce quite the fluid series of skids.
The way the event was set up that day was super laid back, and produced a subject to shoot, or watch with little delay.
Hot laps were the choice of organization for lapping the track, there were cars sliding on all sections of the short course, as the full course only offers one more corner.
This was this first time I ever saw hot laps done at an event like this, I was more used to the formula drift style of runs to pit and repeat. I think everyone was really happy with it and the number of cars at the event, fifteen tech inspected cars total provided a great uncrowded number to keep everyone smiling.
the chassis of choice for the day was by a long shot the 240sx, but there were a couple others that chewed up the track including this happy little Miata.
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| "Big Sky Miata"-jds041115_002 |
I didn't get the chance to do a in depth shoot on this, but it had a cammed V-8 and pink paint, and anything that is pink is fast, and this was no exception.
To order a Poster of this feller click the link below.
later on in the day the lower section of the road course switched directions and a team tandem practice time was set up.
This team practice time produced some decent team shows, but considering this was the first event of the year there was some rust to shake off and confidence to grow.
I was very impressed with the organization of the event.. right after the lunch break, the track direction was switched and after everyone had had a fill of their team tandem, the direction was switched back to counterclockwise to finish off the jovial activity of drifting.
This shows the lineup for the parade lap, before the event kicked off, outside of this shot is a couple other Pumps including the extremely rare Merkur XR4ti. These cars are basically the equivalent to the European ford Sierra Cosworth. I thought it was great to see on of those out there doing something it was never designed to do.
The best looking team by far was the matching red S-chassis cars seen here with the Miata riding them.
They even took off their hoods together, if that isn't team, I don't know what is team...
One of these cars was suffering from some serious understeer, but when it did get the "o" so lusted after oversteer there was nothing to complain about.
This was another 240sx that showed up later in the day, got teched and hit the track, those taillights were the showstopper for sure, everyone wanted them by the end of the event.
If there was a spirit of drift award given out that day I'd have to say
the characters that showed up with this junk yard swapped v8 240 would
have won it.
This was their set up for to and from the track. This dodge van used to
be a camper that was then chopped in half and had the back of a cargo van
welded to the back of it, that's right, see how the brown back is a different than the white front... spirit of drifting.
Over all I loved the event. The feel of it, the organization, and the layout of the track. I will be back there this summer for the 4th of July Matsuri if not for another event at State line speedway. Another venue these guys host events at(on the poster below).
Here's the photo I promised of the track layout, I took this out of my private helicopter last summer for an incognito assignment for the local police department. Fun case, turned out it had nothing to do with the racetrack so I never got to use this as evidence.
And here is their 2015 year poster!
Until next time..
Joshua Sewell
Instagram: josh_sewell_photo
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