Drift competition glossary

Terms are listed alphabetically. Rules for how each one is judged vary by competition; examples refer to EFVD's published guides.

Angle

How far the car is sideways relative to its direction of travel. Judges reward high angle that stays stable and controlled.

Battle

A head-to-head matchup between two drivers, made of two tandem runs so each driver leads once and chases once. See tandem drifting explained.

Bracket

The knockout tree that decides the winner after qualifying. Drivers are placed by qualifying rank, and the winner of each battle advances.

Bye

An automatic advance to the next round when a driver has no opponent, for example when fewer drivers qualify than the bracket size.

Chase

The following driver in a tandem run. The chaser tries to stay close to the leader while copying their line, angle and transitions.

Chase jump

The chaser leaving the start slightly early to close the gap before the first corner. Many competitions allow it as long as the start procedure is followed and there is no contact.

Clipping point (inside clip)

A reference point on the inside of a corner that the front of the car should reach without cutting the corner.

Correction

A visible steering or throttle adjustment to save or adjust the drift. Small corrections cost a little; big or repeated ones cost more.

Deceleration zone

A marked area where drivers are expected to slow down, often before a tight section. Lead drivers must not use it to trap the chaser.

DNF (did not finish)

A run that lost so much judged value, through a spin, stop or major off course for example, that it cannot count as a completed run.

DQ (disqualification)

Removal from a run, battle or event for a serious procedure or conduct issue.

Feint

A flick of the car in the opposite direction before a corner to start the drift. A three-point initiation or stacked feints are usually not allowed unless the event permits them.

Flow

How smoothly and naturally a run connects from corner to corner, keeping momentum.

Initiation

The start of the drift. Competitions set an initiation point by which the car must be drifting; judging of line and angle starts there.

Judged line

The path through the course that organizers want drivers to follow, defined by zones and clipping points.

Lead

The front driver in a tandem run. The leader sets the run and must drive the judged line at a pace the chaser can follow.

Line

How closely a driver follows the judged line, including filling outside zones and reaching inside clips.

Mimicry

How well the chaser copies the leader's line, angle and transitions.

OMT (One More Time)

Called when judges cannot separate two drivers after a battle. Both drivers repeat the full lead and chase exchange.

Outside zone

An area on the outside of a corner that the rear of the car should swing into and fill, while staying within course limits.

Proximity

How close the chaser stays to the leader. Close and controlled earns credit; uncontrolled closeness can lose it.

Qualifying

The solo judged runs before battles, usually two per driver. The best valid score sets the driver's position and bracket seed.

Restart

Re-running a run after a valid issue before it properly starts, such as a technical problem. Restarts need confirmation from staff or judges.

Round

A single competition event, usually one day, within a season.

Season

A series of rounds where drivers earn championship points toward an overall title.

Seed

A driver's position in the bracket based on qualifying. Higher seeds face lower seeds early and usually lead first.

Straightening

Losing drift angle so much that the car briefly drives straight, breaking the drift. Usually a major deduction or a DNF.

Style

The overall commitment, aggression and smoothness of a run beyond line and angle.

Tandem

Two cars drifting through the course together, one leading and one chasing.

Tire drop

Putting one or more tires off the course surface. The deduction depends on how many tires, where it happens and its effect on the run.

Top 32

A battle bracket for the 32 best qualifiers, a common target size for larger events.

Transition

Switching the drift from one direction to the other between corners. Judges look at timing and control.

Unchaseable

A lead run the chaser cannot fairly follow because of a major lead mistake or abnormal pace.

Frequently asked questions

What does OMT mean in drifting?

One More Time: the judges could not separate the two drivers, so they repeat both lead and chase runs.

What is the difference between a clipping point and an outside zone?

A clipping point is on the inside of a corner and the front of the car should reach it. An outside zone is on the outside, and the rear of the car should fill it.

What does straightening mean in drift judging?

The car loses so much angle that it stops drifting for a moment. It breaks the run's continuity and is usually a major deduction or a DNF.