Speed, sights sounds in Davao

The closest we got to a drifting exhibition was watching the Hollywood flick, The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift, starring Lucas Black. The action spectacle that came with the screeching of cars, Evel Knievel turns and eye-popping driving sequences was enough to get audiences thrilled and entertained.

Seen before as a mere hobby for few enthusiasts, professional drifting has now been touted as the coolest motor sport that continues to gain growing attention across the globe. The exciting sport has gained more audiences and encouraged the brave to get into the art of controlling uncontrollable cars.

Last May, we got to witness a real drifting event in the second series of the PLDT-sponsored drifting craze to drum up its MyDSL Internet service. It was a veritable showcase of speed, sights and sounds that came with the efficiency of the broadband provider.

Since then, the event became much awaited and most attended as it stretched from Greenhills to Mall of Asia, from Pampanga to Cebu. Drifting, with its combined super speed, engaging sounds and beautiful sights, complements what PLDT MyDSL has to offer.

According to Gary Dujali, PLDT MyDSL head of retail acquisition, the nationwide drifting tour has proven to be a very effective tool to boost the company’s Internet service. “The event turned out to be a certified crowd drawer everywhere we went,” said Gary of the drifting series. “We’ve also quantified the success of the activity through increased sales.

“This year, we reached our highest record level in sales for MyDSL. Last month alone, the number of our subscriber base more than doubled. But for me, sales volume is short term. With this kind of event, we make it more memorable to the customers and make them feel important in a special way.”

Gary informs they also did blitzes in school campuses and gas stations not just to promote the event, but to make the public more aware about PLDT MyDSL and bring consumers closer to the Internet service “in a big way.” In October, the drifting event is set to invade Bacolod during the Masskara Festival celebration. With Gary in the nationwide drifting tour was Tony Valdez, PLDT MyDSL head of retail marketing.

Last Aug. 16, the PLDT MyDSL drifting spectacle reached greater heights when the series took Davao by storm during the province’s celebration of its famed Kadayawan Festival. Nancy Jane and Eat, Bulaga!’s EB Babes provided eye candy for the audience.

Hundreds of awestruck spectators had a feel of the exciting sport staged at Damosa Market Basket, where drifting experts David Feliciano and Alex Perez displayed their skills in doing awesome open-door 360-degree turns with their cars. Adventurous ones even got to ride in the race cars, while the drifting champs were in action.

Aside from the actual drifting event, the activities in Davao included a radio tour, motorcade and a party at Bar One, one of the hottest night spots in the city. Manila’s top DJs Ace Ramos, Yoshi, Marlon and MC Nathan J provided non-stop music throughout the night.

Of course, there was also the grand display of the latest PCs and laptops at discounted prices, made possible by dealers through MyDSL’s Ultrabroadband Blowout. Top PC dealers in the country like Villman, Complink, PC Express, MRD, Thinking Tools, Ingenius and Accent Micro have converged to bring PLDT’s biggest Internet and PC event of the year.

The Ultrabroadband Blowout series gave opportunities for consumers to purchase affordable computers with free MyDSL Internet service for business and personal use. The special rates have attracted shoppers and Internet users everywhere, therefore concretizing MyDSL as an over-the-counter product.

Drifting refers to a driving technique and to a motor sport where the driver intentionally skids the rear tires through turns, preserving vehicle control and a high exit speed. A car is said to be drifting when the rear slip angle is greater than the front slip angle, and the front wheels are pointing in the opposite direction to the turn (e.g. car is turning left, wheels are pointed right or vice versa), and the driver is controlling these factors.

Dave Feliciano, who is touted as the Drifting King of the Philippines, attests the sport is safe to learn. As a professional who started drifting four years ago, Dave has done doubles for actors like Dingdong Dantes in the Medicol TV ad and Richard Gutierrez on GMA 7’s action-series, Asero.

Dave also taught drifting to such celebrities as Ryan Agoncillo, Bryan Revilla, Judy Ann Santos and Beth Tamayo. “Drifting is not traditional,” Dave maintains. “It has spunk and it’s different. It’s faster than linear (car) racing and I believe it’s heading fast toward mainstream motor sports.”

One of the drifting celebrity enthusiasts is Bryan Revilla, who joined the event in Davao. His friend, drifting champ Alex Perez, got him interested in the said motor sport. Bryan started to learn the sport last year from David, who owns a school in Katipunan, Quezon City. Bryan practices in Clark and has fallen in love with drifting.

“This is my love life now,” said the eldest son of Sen. Bong Revilla Jr. “Girls will make you cry. This (drifting) won’t give me any heartaches. I put my money here.”

Bryan now ranks third in the over-all list of Philippine drifting competitors (following Alex Perez and Kevin Tuyao) and got to compete in the second round of the drifting series last May. Another celebrity, Ryan Agoncillo, competed in the same event but didn’t win.

Bryan himself owns a Nissan which he uses specifically for drifting. Admittedly, drifting is an expensive sport. “Pero sulit naman if you are really an enthusiast,” he enthused. “I used to own three cars for drifting, but I already sold one. Drifting is big in Japan and Europe. It (drifting) is the fastest growing motor sports in the world.”

Bryan’s mom, Lani Mercado, was hysterical when she found out her son was into the said racing sport. “Actually, both my parents were initially worried, but that’s understandable because they were thinking I might get hurt,” Bryan explained. “It’s a dangerous sport, but the worst that happened to me was when my car skidded on the sidewalk. I was not hurt physically naman. If you lose in the competition, that’s what hurts. It’s your pride. My dad has yet to try it and I’ve been encouraging him.”

From the first drifting show last April to the Davao event, the PLDT MyDSL drifting series never fails to draw in the crowds. Motor sports enthusiasts had likewise gone gaga over the event. On Aug. 30, this year’s overall drifting champ will be announced during the final leg of the drifting competition at the Greenhills parking lot, where the 30 of the country’s top drifters will compete for the ultimate award.