NODRFT @ NPR
Belle Rose, LA - NODRFT organized another full day drift event at No Problem Raceway this past Sunday. NPR’s small road course sits alongside their drag strip and provides an open track with great visibility and large runoff, making it a great space for all skill levels to just get started or practice five-car tandems. This was my first time visiting this track that’s about 50min South and across the Mississippi River from Baton Rouge, LA. I enjoy visiting grassroots organized events like this for the atmosphere. There’s really a sense of community here. Organized and run by a local group from New Orleans, there’s the clear sense that everyone in attendance is passionate about their sport and are able to create an environment where all type of drivers, cars and skill levels can develop.
In my time in Louisiana, I’ve been indoctrinated in the appeal of big V8’s like the Hellcats and Demons that are much more common here than on the West Coast. But in the past two years, this might have been the most Nissan’s I’ve seen in one place. The 350Z has been a reasonable option for drifting for a few years now; being cost effective platform with good power out of the box and excellent aftermarket support. But still, who doesn’t like an underdog story? I was most excited to see plenty of lower displacement cars like 240SX and at least one MX-5 holding their own on the track. These started as humble entry-level platforms once upon a time, but become more rare every year.
