26/05/2026

TUESDAY | MAY 26, 2026

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M’sia’s drift scene shifts into high gear

o Once linked to underground street culture, controlled motorsport is being reshaped through regulated events, formal training and growing fan interest, says co-founder

KUALA first impression is unmistakable: a scene lifted from the 2006 American action film ‘The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift,’ featuring cars drifting through tight spaces with precision and tyres screeching as engines reverberate against concrete walls. Yet unlike its cinematic counterpart, the atmosphere in the basement carpark of the Mines International Exhibition & Convention Centre in Seri Kembangan, Selangor, is less tense, more measured. Every slide is controlled, every movement intentional – with the drift event taking place in an environment that is safe for both drivers and spectators. The 20 or so professional drifters who participated in Cargasm’s ‘Drift Underground’ three-day event last month desired the same thing: the perfect drift line and the roar of approval from the crowd. (Drifting is a driving technique where a driver intentionally causes the rear tyres to lose traction and slide, while steering and using the throttle to maintain vehicle control.) In Malaysia, drifting – long associated with underground street culture as well as reckless and dangerous driving – is gradually being reshaped in a more controlled, regulated and organised setting within the grassroots motorsport scene via drift platforms such as Cargasm, even to the extent of creating income opportunities for drivers. The recent Drift Underground is the third edition, the first two having taken place in 2024 and 2025, featuring organised drift runs, LUMPUR: The

ride-along and supporting activities, aimed at bringing the sport to a wider audience. The latest edition, however, is the first to be organised independently. Cargasm co-founder Chen Wing Hong, 30, better known as Wing in the drift circles, said the earlier two editions were held as part of a larger automotive showcase, where the drift segment was managed within a broader event framework. He noted that running it independently allows the organiser to assess its ability to draw crowds and sustain participation. Chen said future editions will likely adopt a mix of standalone and collaborative formats, depending on the outcomes, to “enable us to better understand our audience base and operational capacity outside of a larger event setting”. He added that besides the Klang Valley, grassroots drifting activity is also present in other parts of the country, including Penang, pointing to a wider but still niche community. He also said that Drift Underground – sanctioned by the Motorsports Association of Malaysia (MAM), which governs motorsports in Malaysia is partly influenced by the movie ‘The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift,’ which helped shape the global perception of drifting as an underground subculture. Speaking to Bernama about his journey into drifting, Chen said he had no background or connections in motorsports when he first entered the workforce. He worked as a freelance content creator in marketing and advertising, producing automotive videos as well as autonomous experiences

Chen said despite high costs and limited venues, grassroots drifters are pushing the sport into the mainstream. – BERNAMAPIC

image as a street-based activity, often shaped by viral footage of illegal drifting on public roads. Chen said content produced by Cargasm is deliberately curated to highlight drifting in controlled environments, rather than as an informal road activity. This, he said, is part of a broader effort to reinforce proper practices and shift public perception towards a safer and more structured form of the sport. He added that events are held in sanctioned settings, with approvals required from MAM and the police, a process that can take up to six months to complete. “If we want to make drifting more structured and more professional, we have to do it the right way.” Cargasm also operates Drift Academy, which offers comprehensive drift training programmes and personalised one on-one coaching sessions for beginners and advanced drivers.

“For every drift taxi (service), they get paid. Some of them (drivers) can make RM3,000, RM4,000 or even RM5,000 (at each event),” he said. The format also broadens access to the sport, allowing newcomers to experience drifting firsthand while supporting drivers financially. Responding to the turnout at their events, Chen said the first edition saw around 1,000 to 2,000 spectators. The number tripled the following year, with this year’s edition attracting more than 10,000 people, including visitors who flew in from Australia, the United States, Singapore, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. “At the recent event, about 2,000 drift taxi tickets were sold, which is quite crazy for us because we never anticipated this volume. The drifters were very happy too as some of them made enough money from this one weekend to cover their costs.” Despite the positive developments, drifting continues to grapple with its

sensory meridian response food content before briefly venturing into fitness. The turning point came when he was introduced to drifting by a fellow enthusiast Beysshwen Dasnamurthy, 28, which motivated him to undergo formal instruction and eventually participate in drift events. Chen and Beysshwen went on to establish Cargasm in 2021, which has since evolved into a platform to organise drift events, as well as train drivers and foster community building. Chen is also currently looking at Drift Underground to function as a platform for economic activity. Each event cycle brings together not only drivers but also a broader automotive community, while creating income opportunities for participants. Chen said the drift taxi model, where spectators pay for ride-along experiences in the cars during an event, has become a key mechanism for drivers to earn an income.