What to Pack for Your First Drift Event

The first time you are a driver at a drift event can be pretty overwhelming.

Is your car ready?

Do you have everything you need?

Do you have a backup plan if something goes wrong?

All of these are pretty important questions to answer before you just jump right in and go. Every event is a little different, and there are plenty of variables depending on the track, your car, and whether you are driving or trailering it there.

The goal is not to bring your entire garage with you. The goal is to make sure you have enough to safely get through tech, drive the event, handle a few basic problems, and get yourself home afterward.

Will Your Car Pass Tech?

Before worrying about tools, tires, or anything else, make sure your car is actually ready to pass tech.

Are all of the wheel studs and lug nuts accounted for?

Are there any major fluid leaks?

Are the seats mounted securely?

Are the seat belts or harnesses safe to use?

Does the battery move around?

Are there any obviously loose suspension or steering components?

The best thing you can do is check with the event host before the event and find their current tech sheet.

Drift MB, Piedmont, Off-Grid, and many other event hosts usually have their tech requirements listed on their website, registration page, or social media.

Do this before you load the car.

Finding out at tech that your car has something wrong with it is a bad way to start your first event.

Drift car in the pits with hood open after a power steering rack leak
A power steering rack leak is the kind of problem you want to catch before tech or before the first session.

Personal Safety Equipment

Once you know the car should pass tech, the next thing to look at is your own safety equipment.

Helmet requirements vary between event organizers.

Many drifting organizations require a Snell SA-rated helmet, while some events may have different requirements.

Always verify the current helmet requirement directly with the event host before buying or bringing one.

At the time of writing, SA2020 and SA2025 helmets are commonly accepted by organizations that allow helmets within the current rating cycles, but the event organizer's rules are what matter.

If you do not own a helmet yet, some event organizers offer rentals.

Check ahead of time instead of assuming one will be available when you arrive.

Driftaholic Racing also carries helmets for drivers who need their own.

Basic Tools

You do not need a professional race trailer full of tools for your first event.

A basic hand-tool setup can handle a surprising number of small repairs.

I would bring:

  • 3/8-inch socket set
  • Ratchet
  • Combination wrench set
  • Screwdrivers
  • Pliers
  • Channel locks
  • Diagonal cutters
  • Allen keys
  • Breaker bar
  • 1/2-inch torque wrench
  • Correct socket for your lug nuts
  • Tire pressure gauge

One of the most important tools you can bring is a torque wrench.

Check your lug nuts before you start driving and continue checking them throughout the day.

Jack and Jack Stands

Bring a floor jack that works with your car and a good set of jack stands.

Even something as simple as checking underneath the car or replacing a wheel can become a problem if you do not have a safe way to lift it.

Do not rely on a jack alone if you need to get underneath the car.

Basic Fluids and Supplies

You do not need to bring enough fluids to rebuild the car, but having a few basics can keep a small problem from ending the day.

Bring:

  • Engine oil
  • Brake fluid
  • Power steering fluid if your car uses it
  • Funnel
  • Spare fuses
  • Zip ties
  • Electrical tape
  • Shop towels or paper towels
  • Flashlight

Zip ties especially tend to become surprisingly useful around drift cars.

The more events you attend, the more you will figure out which fluids and supplies your specific car tends to need.

Destroyed differential gears after being run without fluid
This differential was destroyed after being run with no fluid.

Fuel

Some tracks have fuel nearby.

Others do not.

Even when a gas station is close, leaving the track to buy fuel costs you seat time.

Show up with the car full and consider bringing a full fuel jug if the event allows it.

Make sure fuel containers are transported and stored safely and follow the event organizer's rules.

Catastrophic boosted engine damage from fuel pressure loss
Fuel pressure loss in a boosted car can turn into catastrophic engine damage fast.

Wheels and Tires

Wheels and tires seem obvious, but this gets more complicated if you are driving the drift car to the track.

If you are street driving the car, you need to think about how you are getting home.

Do not plan on driving home on rear tires that have been used all day and are showing cord.

Ideally, keep a safe set of tires for the trip home.

If you do not have room to bring a large number of wheels and tires, another option is to bring one or two sets and arrange tires ahead of time through the event's tire vendor or trackside tire service.

It may cost more to have tires mounted and disposed of at the event, but it can save a lot of room and may mean the difference between continuing to drive and ending your day early. Driftaholic Racing's drift tire ordering page can help you plan tires by size and brand before the event.

If You Are Driving the Drift Car to the Track

This is probably the biggest thing first-time drivers overlook.

What happens if the car does not make it home?

Cars break.

Clutch hydraulics fail.

Failed cheap clutch AN fitting that ended a drift weekend
A cheap clutch AN fitting failed and ruined the weekend.

Tie rods bend.

Cooling systems fail.

Accidents happen.

Drift car with hood open after engine started knocking from low oil level and pressure
After excessive hot-lapping, this engine started knocking when the low oil level and pressure were not caught soon enough.

I have had to limp cars home after failures before, including clutch hydraulic problems and damaged transmission components.

It is not fun.

Before leaving home, have a contingency plan.

Ask yourself:

  • Do I have roadside assistance?
  • Do I know someone with a trailer who could help?
  • Do I have enough money available for an emergency tow?
  • How far away from home will I be?
  • What happens if the car cannot be repaired at the track?

A long-distance tow can cost more than the entire drift weekend.

Having a plan before something breaks is much easier than figuring it out in a parking lot Sunday evening.

If You Are Trailering

Trailering takes away one major concern because your drift car does not have to survive the drive home.

But now the trailer becomes part of your preparation.

At a minimum, check:

  • Trailer tire pressure
  • Trailer lights
  • Tie-down straps
  • Hitch connection
  • Safety chains
  • Wheel bearings
  • Trailer spare tire

That last one is important.

Trying to find a trailer tire late on a Sunday afternoon can create a huge headache.

If you are bringing a trailer, make sure you have a spare before you leave home.

First Drift Event Packing Checklist

Everyone packs differently.

Start with the essentials and build your track kit over time.

You do not need to own everything imaginable before attending your first event.

Need - Driver

  • Driver's license
  • Event registration confirmation
  • Helmet that meets the event's current requirements
  • Closed-toe shoes
  • Comfortable clothes
  • Water
  • Food or snacks

Need - Car

Before leaving home:

  • Car meets current event tech requirements
  • Wheel studs installed and in good condition
  • All lug nuts present
  • Lug nuts torqued
  • No major fluid leaks
  • Battery securely mounted
  • Seat securely mounted
  • Seat belt or harness in good condition
  • Steering feels tight
  • Brake pedal feels normal
  • Tires are safe
  • Fuel tank full

Need - Basic Tools

  • 3/8-inch socket set
  • Ratchet
  • Wrenches
  • Screwdrivers
  • Pliers
  • Channel locks
  • Diagonal cutters
  • Breaker bar
  • Torque wrench
  • Lug nut socket
  • Tire pressure gauge
  • Floor jack
  • Jack stands

Need - Basic Supplies

  • Engine oil
  • Brake fluid
  • Power steering fluid if applicable
  • Funnel
  • Spare fuses
  • Zip ties
  • Electrical tape
  • Shop towels
  • Flashlight

Want - Makes the Day Easier

These are not absolutely necessary, but they can make your first event much more comfortable.

  • Canopy
  • Folding chair
  • Cooler
  • Ice
  • Portable fan
  • Phone charger or power bank
  • Cordless impact
  • Battery jump pack
  • OBD-II scanner
  • Multimeter
  • Magnetic parts tray
  • Nitrile gloves
  • Rain jacket
  • Sunscreen

Occasionally Need

These depend on the car, weather, track, and how far you are traveling.

  • Fuel jug
  • Spare tie rod
  • Spare lug nuts
  • Spare wheel studs
  • Serpentine belt
  • Basic hose clamps
  • Spare ignition coil
  • Spark plugs
  • Jumper cables
  • Tow strap
  • First aid kit

You may eventually want these, but you do not need to buy the entire list before your first drift event.

Closing

Do not feel like you need to own everything on this list before your first event.

Every experienced drifter started with a basic toolbox and slowly figured out what their own car needed.

Every event will teach you something.

You will forget something.

Something may need attention before the day is over.

You will borrow a tool from somebody in the pits.

That is part of learning.

The goal is not to bring your entire garage with you.

The goal is to be prepared enough that a small problem does not end your day and, most importantly, that you can safely get yourself and the car home when the event is over.

Want to Take Your Track Setup Further?

Our next article covers what we bring when the goal changes from simply surviving your first event to keeping a drift car running for an entire weekend.

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