Getting Sideways with Jim Mc Farlane

2016 SupaDrift Series championship contender, Jim Mc Farlane is heading into the upcoming round of the series hot off a win from Round 3. We caught up with Jim to chat about his Drifting career, how it got started and where he sees it going. Find out what he had to say below.

Name: Jim Mc Farlane

Nickname: Mr Consistent

Age: 41

Hometown: Benoni

Years drifting: 7

Vehicle and setup: Nissan 350Z Body, Tein Super drift coil over suspension, Custom F & R strut braces Standard tie rod ends, Adjustable camber arms, RS Developments Angle Kit, Custom Roll cage, Custom body kit, Fibreglass bonnet and drift wing, Sparco racing seat , 4 point seat belt harness, Hydraulic 2 – pot calliper h/brake, Exedy stage 2 clutch, Eng: 6L V8 LS2 motor, Custom radiator Front mount oil cooler, Dictator management system, After market intake manifold, fuel rail and injectors, Branch and external waste gate and F1-X Custom exhaust system

Sponsors: Achilles Tyres, Turn 1 Wheels, Speed and Sound Magazine, F1-X Exhausts, Jonnesway Tools, Liqui Moly, Turtle Wax, GoPro and Greensky

Give us some background of how you got into the drifting scene?
As an extreme Sports Event Co-ordinator for the past 15 years, we became service providers for ESPN and X Games in Asia and Middle East. We were invited by ESPN to go to LA for the X Games, and had always looked for a 4 wheel Motorsport to accompany what we do with Freestyle MX. Apple the Commentator at the time told us not to look at Rally, and to join him in Las Vegas to see another Motorsport. He said the magic word…Vegas, and there we witnessed Drifting for the first time. When coming back to SA, we purchased 2 Nissan 350Z’s, and started learning from a few guys that had started in SA. The rest is history. My current competitive car is still the same 350Z we bought, obviously with some serious upgrades over the years.

What was your first experience of drifting a car?
With Jonathan Rudman (one of the first to drift in SA), in the same 350Z car I compete in. He threw us around the track, and I was hooked.

You’ve been involved in the Action Sports industry for years, when did drifting first make its impression on?
In Vegas, we saw the best in the world competing in the Formula Drift Series. Seeing those guys sliding around, with smoke blowing and engines roaring, it was love at first sight.

Together with your business partner you run SA’s premier drifting series, SupaDrift. How did the series come to be and how has it progressed over the years?
When we came back from the US and bought our Nissan 350Z’s, we decided to do demonstrations for drifting, similar to our Freestyle MX setup. It was a great introduction into the world of Drifting, where we identified that although there were great local and club events, there was nothing like a National series where the best in SA could test their skills against each other. We partnered with the Gauteng Motor Show in 2010, and started the 1st of what was to become the SupaDrift Championship. It has simply grown exponentially into the Premier Drifting National Championship with the best in SA battling it out for Drift Supremacy over 8 stops around the country per year.

What have been some of your career highlights over the years?
Drifting in Saudi Arabia in front of a massive crowds was amazing, but being able to podium a few rounds of SupaDrift, let alone win some of those is right up there. Also going and showcasing Drifting to neighbouring countries like Namibia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique has been a true blessing.

How much actually goes into the skill and control of drifting a car?
I think it is the ultimate in car control. Sliding a car at 160km/h mere cm’s from walls and obstacles is quite something, and takes a lot of skill and ‘Kahuna’s’ to make it look smooth and effortless while counter steering in the opposite direction. I have done many forms of motorsport and stunt driving, and there’s still nothing that compares to Drifting.

What are some of your favourite manoeuvres?
I love the initiation close to the track walls, where we flatten the accelerator, go as fast as the car will let us into the corners and yanking the e-brake to ‘Initiate’ the slide into the corner and to the walls. The adrenaline rush is insane. And this at 130-160km/h!

For those that don’t know. Explain how a Drifting race day works?
On the Friday afternoon, from 12-5pm, the track is opened to competitors for official practice where we look to fine tune the lines and angles that the judges would want to see. On the Saturday, from 8-10am the official practice still continues with the Judges marking speed and styles of various drivers. Mid day, all drives then have 2 runs to qualify for the event. Judges mark drivers on Angle, Style, Line and Speed and give them a score out of 100. Once qualifying is done, drivers are then paired up for tandems. 1st goes up against the lowest qualifier, 2nd against second lowest…etc. And, like Wimbledon, you battle your way through to the finals. Each driver in a Tandem has a chance to lead a run, and to chase in the other run. The judges choose which driver was the better of the 2 runs. A driver literally has to show how he out drives the other.

What are some of your favourite locations/ tracks to Drift?
My ultimate track in SA is Dezzi Raceway. I think it is the best in the world, with off and on camber corners, incline and decline sections that will challenge the best drivers in the world. Nestled in Port Shepstone on the hills overlooking the Ocean. It’s an amazing track and facility. I also loved Donny Brook in Zimbabwe, it was a great flowing track.

You have just come off a race win at Round 3 of the 2016 SupaDrift Series. What does the win mean to you and where does it leave you standing in the championship points?
It was great to win at Dezzi, and was one of my career highlights but a championship is a long and tricky endeavour, and to keep consistency is key. Hopefully a bit of luck to stay at the top fighting for the championship win. I am currently 2nd on the log by a few points.

How are you feeling going into Round 4 taking place at The Rock Raceway on 23 July?
That’s a tricky one as you always want to do well and push hard after a win but you need to stay calm and pace yourself. The weekend is tough on the body and the mind but when you on the start line, and the lights go green…well, that is another story. Always go hard!

What are your goals for the rest of the season?
I would love to take the win for the season but am also pushing hard for podium finishes.

Who is your main competition this season?
At the moment, it’s Shane Gutzeit who is super fast and has amazing runs. Beating him at his home track at the last event has shown that we can fight it out till the end. Zein Hussen and Paulo Gouveia are also insanely talented and are always pushing and rubbing on the tracks. Jason Webb and Wade van Zummerun are competing overseas, but Wade has joined a few of our events this year, and is always a thrill competing with him.

How would you best explain the thrill of drifting?
Imaging strapping yourself onto a rocket, expecting it to blast into the sky, and it veers off horizontally around buildings and other obstacles, chasing another rocket to see how close it can get. The control of that rocket is what keeps you going. Other than that, it’s by far the most fun and exhilarating experience you can have in motorsport.

For anyone wanting to get into the sport, what advise would you give them?
Come Join us at our Drift courses where we teach you to Drift, or go get your mom’s car and give it a go in an open parking lot, the first option is usually better and safer.

Any shout-outs?
Go check out http://www.xsdrift.co.za for the drift courses. http://www.supadrift.co.za for the championship and http://www.xspromotions.co.za for the events company.
Achilles Tyres for the long-term association with me and the team, and all my sponsors. Also, to Mike Skelton and the rest of the awesome crew at XS Promotions, and my amazing wife and kids for their support.