MOTORSPORTS fans will have an experience like no other at the Seaboard Marine Total Drift Invasion, Dover Raceway in St Ann, this Saturday and Sunday, as explained by Harri Tervola, head of the Ter-Tech drifting team.

“It will be the most fun you can have with your pants on,” Tervola joked.

With over 40 years of experience in the team, Ter-Tech hopes to hook the Jamaican audience on the sport of drifting. Originating from illegal street racing in Japan, drifting has in recent years made the jump to an official motorsport event. At its rawest, it’s about getting a car as sideways as possible in and out of a corner. The sport normally is judged on several criteria, speed, angle, line and showmanship. However, as this is an exhibition, Tervola says the concentration will be on maximum entertainment value.

“From what we’ve seen online, high-speed drifting isn’t on the island,” he said.

The five cars brought into the island, have horsepower numbers that range between 400 to 650hp. Tervola intends to use it all to perform feats such as drifting at speeds over 100-mph and generating as much tyre smoke as possible.

“The drift style of the team varies from driver to driver, but Ryan Kaufman in his LS1 powered FC Mazda RX7 is the most aggressive and should easily have the crowd’s attention,” he added.

As this is the team’s first time to Jamaica, Ter-Tech will spend the next few days working out the logistics of full circuit and five car drifts, alongside what other routines Dover Raceway can support.

“I think no-one will be sitting as they’re going to be on their feet with their mouths wide open wondering if we’re going to crash into each other,” Tervola said.

Tervola migrated from Finland to the United States in 1989 after being a budding rally driver from the age of six.

“I entered my first drift event in the USA using a turbocharged 5-series. I didn’t win, but I was instantly hooked and started organising drift shows so that others could experience what I did,” he said.