The rubber hits the road this weekend at the Formula Drift Singapore 2010 Powered by Nissan championship on Apr 24 and 25. UrbanWire was lucky to have the privilege of experiencing drifting first-hand – right from the passenger seat.

Most people already know what drifting is, be it from watching The Fast and the Furious movies or by playing racing games at the arcade. However, nothing can beat the rush of the real McCoy that organizers ESPN and Star Sports offered us.

I didn’t know what to expect as I got buckled into a Nissan Silvia S15 at Changi Exhibition Center, where the practice session for the 42 competitors in the championship was held. My driver Ryuji Miki asked if I was ready. I gave him the all-ok gesture, and we were off.

As the car began to pick up speed, Miki floored the accelerator, pushing the car’s engine to at least 220km/h, and the G-forces began doing their work. I was pushed back into my seat and a second later, I was struggling to hold up my camera to capture the ride on video. If it weren’t for the seatbelt keeping me in my seat, my 38kg body would have been whipped around the car like a ragdoll as it lurched wildly. My senses were overwhelmed by the incredible noises of screeching tires and roaring engines. The vehicle was quickly filled with the smell of fuel and burnt rubber. Everything outside the car became a blur as it spun around the course marked by little orange cones.

Amazingly, the drifter was in complete command of the seemingly out-of-control car at every moment. He conquered every turn effortlessly, making my ride a thankfully safe but extraordinary one.

My heart was still pounding as I got out of the car. Though the ride was only a short minute long, it was a once in a lifetime experience that pumped in more adrenaline than the best action movie sequences running back to back.

Two cars having a friendly competition on the race track

Although you won’t be able to sit in with the drivers when they’re performing their tyre-burning stunts on Apr 24 and 25, you can get to experience the next best thing by watching the drifters duke it out at Formula Drift Singapore 2010 Powered by Nissan. Find out if you’ve won the pair of tickets UrbanWire gave out in our contest by clicking here. A piece of advice for first-timers – bring earplugs, it’s going steal not just your breath, your heart, but your hearing away!

Meanwhile, to whet your appetite, here’s a short video of me riding shotgun in a racecar:

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Want to have the ride of your life at Formula Drift Singapore 2010 Powered by Nissan? The UrbanWire has 3 pairs of passes to give away!

Simply tell us what is the most daring thing you’ve done before and stand a chance to win a pair of passes to watch the daring drivers do their thing  on the Apr 24 and 25.

Send in your entries to contest.urbanwire@gmail.com by Apr 23 with your name, NRIC and handphone number.
For more information and purchase of tickets, visit www.sistic.com.sg.