Frequently Asked Question

Who Owns/Heads Ter-Tech Inc.?

Our fearless leader is non other than Harri Tervola. Harri owns and operates Ter-Tech Inc. He is a professional drifter who originates from Finland, however he has called the United States home for two decades. Harri is not alone in his ventures with Ter-Tech he has a crew of determined friends and family behind him to help. Harri got his start at a rather young age driving and drifting on his grandparents farm at the age of 6. From then on in one way or another he has been involved in motor sports. Harri has an exclusive contract with Moroso Motor sports park for drifting events and Octane TV where you can find him on numerous episodes. Currently he is driving a BMW 535i Turbo charged with 550 HP and 640 ft. lbs torque nick named the beast.

He is presently sponsored by:

AEM sponsored engine management
Evosport sponsored tuning, wiring, repairs etc…
Designs2go graphics
Eibach sponsored Suspension
B&P Paint sponsored paint job
JDM of MIAMI drivetrain for teh Nissan 240sx sr20det drifti school car

Harri has competed all over the nation here is just a few of his race results

4th in Toyo tire shoot out
4th in Formula D qualifier Texas
1st in Drift Fury Atlanta
Nopi Miami top 16
Nopi Denver 6th
Nopi LA qualified 10th with a blown engine and was unable to run on the second day
Nopi Atlanta top 32

What is Ter-Tech.com?

Ter-Tech.com is a Florida based company that promotes and organizes drifting events through out Florida for professionals and amateur drifters. Ter-Tech.com is a web site dedicated not only to promote but to educate people about the sport.

What kind of car you need to get started?

The car has to be rear wheel drive in order to be competitive, occasionally you can see 4 wheel drive cars that the front drive is been disconnected, but it is rare.

What modifications are required to make the car driftable?

Most important single fact on a drift car is that is has a limited slip or full lock diferential. this forces both rear tires to spin simultaniously while drifting.
second upgrade is to change the suspension to coilovers or equivalent, stiffer swaybars basically make the car stiffer and lessen the bodyroll.
third upgrade is to make more power with the excisting engine or do a engine swap (like sr20det into nissan 240sx is very common)
after these upgrades your car should be ready for the track against almost anyone.

places to get upgrades?

for Japanese parts/upgrades contact www.JDMofMIAMI.com
for german and europian parts/upgrades contact www.Evosport.com
DON'T FORGET TO MENTION TER-TECH TO THEM AS YOU CALL OR E-MAIL. SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS.

What is required to pass the technical inspection?

First and foremost we ask you use common sense if it seems like it may be unsafe it most likely won't pass tech......Ter-Tech also reserves the right to change, alter, modify, or omit the following requirements at any time.

Modifications– any modification to a vehicle must meet a standard of safety in design and installation.

Hub spacer/ adapter – Hub spacers or adapters must be installed properly and torqued to specifications. Lug nuts used in conjunction with these adapters must retain minimum threading to hold tension and be present on every stud.

Engine – Modifications to the engine must not interfere with required safety systems (brakes, steering, etc) of the vehicle. Engine modifications must also not create a fire or fluid leakage hazard. All aftermarket piping must be properly secured to the frame of the vehicle. Vehicles with transplanted engines must have all intake channels, intercooler piping (if present), and exhaust piping properly secured to the vehicle.

Suspension – If present, aftermarket roll center adaptors, alignment compensation brackets, and steering linkages must be torqued to specifications and meet required tensile strength.

Brakes – Brake systems must be able to handle extended periods of hard driving conditions

Brakes must be free of fluid leaks.

Brake lamps must be functioning properly.

Body / Suspension – The body of a vehicle must be able to adequately protect the driver.

Lug Nuts – All lug nuts must be torqued to 80 ft/lbs. on approved fasteners, and be used on every stud. Lug nuts must have a minimum of 4 turns worth of thread.

Steering System – Steering system and linkages must be in proper working order.

Suspension – Suspension bolts must be torqued to specification. Suspension mounts must not be damaged.

Windows / Windshields – Windows and windshields must be free of cracks or breaks over 1 inch in length, or 0.5 inch in diameter.

Body Panels – body panels must be present and secured by fasteners.

Engine – The engine must be able to perform safely under hard driving conditions

Battery – The battery must be secured by a standard battery bracket, and at least one terminal covered by proper electrical insulation.

Oils and Fluids – All necessary fluids such as engine oil, transmission oil, brake fluid, and other important engine fluids must be filled to manufacturer specifications. Leaks of any of these fluids are not permissible.

Ignition / Fuel System – The fuel system of the vehicle must be responding properly and free of any leakages. Any wiring or tubing associated with the fuel delivery or ignition system must be clear of hot areas to prevent potential fire hazards.

Wiring Harness – Any insulation associated with the wiring harness must not present a potential fire hazard (i.e. clear of hot areas of the engine).

Exhaust System – The exhaust system of a vehicle must be properly secured to the frame of the vehicle.

Safety Equipment – All forms of performance driving require proper safety equipment be functioning on a vehicle

Helmet – For practice events, a Snell rated SA helmet is required.

Seatbelts / Harnesses – Seatbelts must be properly attached and in good working order. If present, aftermarket racing harness of at least 4 points must be attached to the chassis by methods approved by manufacturer, and must meet racing use requirements.

Roll Bar (Convertibles / Open Topped vehicles) – All convertibles / open top / soft top cars must have roll bars equal or exceeding 6 points and be connected to the unibody or sub frame.

Additional Rules when Tandem / multiple car driving are scheduled during competitions and practice.

Four point Drift Association LLC approved, "occupant protection bars" or approved 6 point roll cages with door-side impact protection beams are required and installed by approved methods.

Helmets must be rated and no older than SNELL MA/SA 2000, or FIA 2000

What is drifting?

Drifting refers to a driving technique and to a motor sport involving the use of the technique. A car is said to be drifting when the rear slip angle is greater than the front slip angle, and the front wheels are pointing in the opposite direction to the turn (e.g. car is turning left, wheels are pointed right), and the driver is controlling these factors

How do you win a drifting competition?

There are several factors when a drifting competition is judged. in drifting judges look for several key elements. such as line, angle, how close you get to the wall, speed and show factor. Line refers to the set course the driver must follow. Show means how close to the wall the car gets, crowd reaction, and tire smoke. Angle is the angle of a car in a drift, Speed is the speed entering a turn, the speed through a turn, and the speed exiting the turn; faster is better. points are awarded accordingly. Sometimes a clear cut winner is not agreed upon by either the judges or the crowd when this happens more runs may take place. There are some stipulations overtaking the lead car under drift conditions almost always wins that pass. A few more are
Overtaking the lead car under grip conditions automatically forfeits that pass.
Spinning forfeits that pass, unless the other driver also spins.
Increasing the lead under drift conditions helps to win that pass.
Maintaining a close gap while chasing under drift conditions helps to win that pass.

What are some techniques for inducing drift?

Beginner techniques

These techniques don't use weight transition, so are typically the first thing the novice drifter learns. However they are still used by the most experienced drifters, and require skill to execute properly. These techniques aim to induce a loss of traction on the rear wheels, either by locking the wheel (e-brake drift), or using enough power from the engine to break the traction force (power-oversteer and clutch kick).

Hand-brake drift

While the clutch is depressed, the hand brake (or emergency brake) is pulled to induce rear traction loss. As soon as traction is lost, the driver releases the clutch, depresses the accelerator, and countersteers. This technique is used heavily in drift competitions to drift large corners, or to trim the car's line mid-drift Also used primarily in FF (FWD cars) as they are unable to rotate the rear tires.

Power oversteer or Powerslide

It is usually done at the corner exit by stepping on the gas hard, to slide side ways out of the corner. It is most commonly employed by beginners because it teaches steering and throttle control without the danger of an actual entry oriented drift.

Clutch Kick

This is done by "kicking" the clutch (pushing in, then out, usually more than one time in a drift for adjustment in a very fast manner) to send a shock through the powertrain, upsetting the car's balance. This causes the rear wheels to slip. The foot should be at an angle so the brake and gas may be pressed as well, this being needed to control speed and stop from spinning out in the drift.

Why are the correct tires so important in drifting?

The cars quite often have different tires on the front and back, and the owner may have quite a few sets. This is because a single afternoon of drifting can destroy a new set of tires. As a rule, good tires go on the front for good steering. On the back, hard-compound tires are used, quite often second-hand ones tend to end up in a cloud of smoke. 15" wheels are common on the rear, as 15" tires are cheap. As a driver gets better, they will most likely want to upgrade the tires used in the rear for a higher grip compound. Although cheap/hard tires are fun purely for their slipperiness and ease of drifting, they quickly become a hazard for high-speed drifts. More advanced drivers require the most grip possible from all 4 tires, so as to retain control adequately during high speed drifts. Competitive drifters often run DOT approved tires closer to racing tires, which is permitted, with the exception of some major championships including D1GP which only permits commercially available tires that are approved by them. The grip is required for control, speed, and a fast snap on the initial entry. Some companies have started to create tires with special effects for drifting. One such company is Kumho. They recently released tires designed especially for the drifting crowd. These new tires produce colored smoke instead of regular grey smoke when drifted. Lavender-scented tires have also been developed. They are not permitted in many competitions, as they are seen as giving an unfair advantage to teams with the funding to use them; now, they are currently expensive, but available to the public

What is drifting's history?

History

For years drivers have intentionally used oversteer in motor sports such as dirt track racing, motorcycle speedway, and rallying. Early Grand Prix drivers such as Tazio Nuvolari also used an at-the-limit form of driving called the four-wheel drift. It has also featured prominently in stunt driving and other forms of exhibition.

Modern drifting started out as a racing technique popular in the All Japan Touring Car Championship races over 30 years ago. Motorcycling legend turned driver, Kunimitsu Takahashi, was the foremost creator of drifting techniques in the 1970s. He was famous for hitting the apex (the point where the car is closest to the inside of a turn) at high speed and then drifting through the corner, preserving a high exit speed. This earned him several championships and a legion of fans who enjoyed the spectacle of burning tires. The bias ply racing tires of the 1960s-1980s lent themselves to driving styles with a high slip angle. As professional racers in Japan drove this way, so did the street racers.

A street racer named Keiichi Tsuchiya became particularly interested by Takahashi's drift techniques. Tsuchiya began practicing his drifting skills on the mountain roads of Japan, and quickly gained a reputation amongst the racing crowd. In 1977, several popular car magazines and tuning garages agreed to produce a video of Tsuchiya's drifting skills. The video, known as Pluspy, became a hit and inspired many of the professional drifting drivers on the circuits today. In 1988, alongside Option magazine founder and chief editor Daijiro Inada, he would help to organize one of the first events specifically for drifting. He also drifted every turn in Tsukuba Circuit in Japan.

One of the earliest recorded drift events outside Japan was in 1996, held at Willow Springs Raceway in Willow Springs, California hosted by the Japanese drifting magazine and organization Option. Inada, the NHRA Funny Car drag racer Kenji Okazaki and Dorikin, who also gave demonstrations in a Nissan 180SX that the magazine brought over from Japan, judged the event with Rhys Millen and Bryan Norris being two of the entrants. Drifting has since exploded into a massively popular form of motor sport in North America, Australia, and Europe. One of the first drifting competitions in Europe was hosted in 2002 by the OPT drift club at Turweston, run by a tuning business called Option Motor sport. The club held a championship called D1UK, then later became the Autoglym Drift Championship. For legal reasons, the business was forced to drop the Option and D1 name. The club has since been absorbed into the D1 franchise as a national series.

Present day

Drifting has evolved into a competitive sport where drivers compete in rear-wheel drive cars to keep their cars sideways as long as possible. At the top levels of competition, especially the D1 Grand Prix from Japan and others in Malaysia, Australia, Canada,the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom, Formula-D in the United States, and New Zealand, these drivers are able to keep their cars sliding for extended periods of time, often through several turns. Drifting is not recognized by the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile) motorsport's governing body, as a professional form of motor sport.