Red Bull Car Park Drift event revs up renewed passion in Jordan’s drifting scene

DEAD SEA — The screeching tyres, the smell of burning rubber and the thunderous engine roars excited the audience as the Red Bull Car Park Drift event made a triumphant annual return to Jordan. Against the stunning backdrop of the Dead Sea, the 13th edition of this adrenaline-fuelled spectacle unfolded at the Jordan Rally track, showcasing the exceptional talent of Jordanian drifters.

As the clock struck 9pm, the drifters took to the track, their cars roaring to life with a ferocious energy that matched the crowd’s enthusiasm. Each drift was a testament to the mastery of both man and machine, a fusion of courage, technique and calculated risk-taking.

“The main goal of creating these events is to give a platform to our local drifters to showcase their talent and world-class tuned cars to a bigger network, and for the Jordanian drifting community to get its well-deserved recognition,” the event organiser said in a statement sent to The Jordan Times, emphasising that safety was a priority for the entire working team, participants and attendees.

As the competition reached its zenith, the placements were announced. Moaid Marwan clinched the coveted 1st place, securing the honour of representing Jordan in the upcoming Qatar World Championship to be held in December. Fares Sarrar claimed 2nd place, while Anas Al Helo, last year’s champion, secured the 3rd place title. 

“Words can’t describe how it feels to be crowned the 2023 Jordanian King of Drift,” Marwan said in conversation with The Jordan Times, adding that winning this event was “one of his dreams”.

“Dreams do come true, I still can’t believe it,” he said excitedly, highlighting that focusing on training and skill improvement throughout years led him to his point.

Looking forward to the Qatar World Championship, he expressed his excitement, explaining that his training will include a combination of track and simulator work.

Sarrar, the 2nd place winner, told The Jordan Times that “this close result fuels my determination to push harder”. 

“I’ll focus on refining my transitions and mastering more complex manoeuvres to stay ahead in the future,” he added.

Commenting on his performance and drifting style, Sarrar noted that “it’s a mix of aggressive and precise, with a focus on maintaining a high level of control throughout the drift”. His uniqueness lies in the ability to consistently hit challenging clipping points while maintaining speed and angle, he added.

To round off an already sensational event, daring motocross (MX) athletes, including Jordanian MX champion Abdullah Abu Aisheh “Al Sab3” and Zaid Jaber, alongside Lebanese rally and drifting champion Abdo Feghali, took centre stage with a series of jaw-dropping jumps and drifts. One particularly audacious stunt involved the two Jordanian MX athletes soaring over a drifting car manoeuvred by Feghali, positioned between two ramps. The gasps and cheers from the crowd were a fitting tribute to their daredevil feats, adding an extra layer of excitement to an already electrifying evening.

“It was a combination of crazy and beautiful. The thing that impressed me the most was the circuit and the participating cars’ strength, and that all the participants were from Jordan,” said Nehad Al Astek, an onlooker and a talent manager at an agency, in an interview with The Jordan Times.