'Drift Underground' Fuels Malaysia's Grassroots Motorsport Scene

The 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’ was the third edition, the first two having taken place in 2024 and 2025, featuring organised drift runs, ride-along experiences and supporting activities, aimed at bringing the sport to a wider audience.

The latest edition, however, was the first to be organised independently.

FAST & FURIOUS

Cargasm cofounder Chen Wing Hong, 30, better known as Wing in the drift circles, said the earlier two editions of ‘Drift Underground’ 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.

pic-2

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 – was partly influenced by the movie ‘The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift’, which helped shape the global perception of drifting as an underground subculture.

ECONOMIC ACTIVITY

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 ASMR (autonomous 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.

pic-3

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.

“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 of ‘Drift Underground’ drew 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 just to experience the event.

“At the recent ‘Drift Underground’ 2026, about 2,000 drift taxi tickets were sold, which is quite crazy for us because we never anticipated this amount of volume. The drifters were very happy too as some of them made enough money from this one weekend to cover their costs,” he said.

SAFETY AND COMPLIANCE

Despite the positive developments, drifting continues to grapple with its 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.

pic-4

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 such as ‘Drift Underground’ 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,” he said.

While interest in drifting continues to grow, structural constraints remain.

Access to suitable venues is increasingly limited, particularly as urban development reduces available open spaces previously used by grassroots drivers.

Chen said locations such as the Shah Alam Stadium, once a common practice ground for drifters, are no longer accessible, leaving enthusiasts with fewer options.

Cost is another barrier, especially for those looking to transition into competitive motorsport.

While entry-level drift cars can be assembled at a relatively modest cost, professional-level builds require significantly higher investment, which limits the progression of grassroots drivers, Chen said.

“For an average or grassroots drift car, you can get one for RM30,000 to RM50,000, but definitely under RM100,000. For a professional car, RM200,000 is like the starting price, with some cars costing around RM1 million, including accessories like carbon fibre,” he said.

Cargasm also operates Drift Academy, which offers comprehensive drift training programmes and personalised one-on-one coaching sessions for beginners and advanced drivers.

pic-5

According to Chen, the academy has attracted more than 400 students over the past two years, offering them structured entry into the sport. Most of them, he added, take up drifting as a recreational sport rather than pursue it as a professional career.

Speaking on Malaysia’s drift scene, Chen said there are currently more than 10 drift-related platforms in the country, with some focusing on organising fun drift events, others on competitions, and some combining auto shows with drift showcases.

He added that one of the things he has observed is the diversity of people interested in drift.

“It used to be very niche, very specific, but now we are seeing couples, families, travellers and teenagers joining our academy. One time we had a grandfather, father and son joining a drift class together… three generations learning drift, it was amazing,” he said, adding, “Drifting for me is evolving from a motorsport to a lifestyle.”

On the current pool of drifting talent in Malaysia, Chen said about 30 to 40 professional drifters participate in each competition organised in this country.

“It’s hard to be a professional drifter in Malaysia as it is difficult to make a living by solely competing in drifting events as the prize pool, sponsors and audience are still growing.

“I’m quite amazed by how many talented drifters there are in Malaysia, but to most drifters here, drifting is more of a lifestyle than a career,” he said.