Bill Elliot executed a near perfect run first lap before mechanical gremlins
sidelined his ride.
Enthusiasm for driving of every kind knows no such division, and the drivers were completely nonplussed by any apparent friction bias from the stands. Viper pilot Sam Hubinette was smiling after the event and impressed by how fast student Kasey Kahne took to sliding the V-10 equipped SRT entry.
"It was great. They were nice and humble guys. No big heads. We all have a passion for driving. We have different styles. Chris Cook was the coach, and he was phenomenal. Kasey Kahne, who I was coaching today, picked it up really, really quick. Being up on the big oval already tonight is a big achievement for him," said Hubinette.
Chris Cook was the mediator( or instigator depending on how you look at it) and no stranger to driving, running ShiftIntoGear driving school when he's not sliding around in a drift car. It was Cook who introduced the NASCAR drivers to the skills required.
 Chris Cook and Sam Hubinette after the event. That's Option Magazine and D1GP founder Daijiro Inada in the suit and tie. |
"I had a chance to work with Kasey Kahne a little bit, and get him used to the transitional stuff , in a non-drift car, basically a stock Ford Cobra. Just to get a feel for the throttle control involved, and manipulation for lack of a better term. I worked with Greg Biffle. I worked with Casey Mears a little bit. It is very unnatural for a race car driver like a stock car driver to do what you normally don't do,” Cook said .
Cook was also grinning well after the crowds had vacated the stands under the flag tower, and was ecstatic about being able to twist a drift spec race car around the House of Drift. In the end the event touted as a battle proved more exhibition than competition.
"The cool thing , for me too, is it’s the very first time I've ever driven a proper drift car in my life. I eat it up. I love it! All the drift guys were real open. It's very rare. It's a really good blend of personality and driving. We had a blast tonight,” said Cook.