Why Abdo Feghali’s still the drift king
Energy drinks and competitive sliding combined recently at Red Bull’s Car Park Drift event in sunny Durban, where GQ witnessed excellent driving talent – and realised why Abdo Feghali is still the original drift king
Iced coffee, FIRST dates, looming deadlines – these are just a few things that get my heart racing. Though, after the
Red Bull Car Park Drift event, I can add another to my list. There’s nothing quite like the smell of burning rubber to wake you up on a Saturday morning. Well, that and a can of Red Bull…
That was the order of the day when
Red Bull invited GQ to its adrenalinefueled event held at Suncoast Casino in summery Durban. Legendary rally champion and Red Bull athlete Abdo Feghali graced South African shores for the official event in a bid to help showcase the sport of drifting to a broader audience.
For the uninitiated, Abdo ‘Dado’ Feghali is a Lebanese rally driver and triple national champion who began his career in 1998. As his passion for drifting grew, it pushed him to develop his talents and become a drifting veteran.
Since 2008, however, Dado has been a key player in the Red Bull Car Park Drift, whereby he technically supervises the event. In addition to that, Dado works closely with all the participants in the specific region, sharing with them his experience, knowledge and unique drifting skills.
Back at the event in Durban, Dado witnessed South Africa’s top drifting talent face off at the regional qualifier. Jim Mcfarlane, piloting an impressive
Nissan 350Z, proved his elite drifting skills to emerge victorious after a tyre screeching final round.
The intricate course tested drifters both mentally and physically as they tackled five challenging obstacles. Drivers had to impress a panel of five judges, including the indefatigable Dado.
The weekend didn’t end there, though. A supersecret film project took place on Sunday in tropical downtown Durban. Red Bull’s “Miniland Durban” is the culmination of ingenuity and hard work that goes into a creative short film. Keep an eye on
Red Bull’s socials for when the spectacular end product goes live.
After a weekend of burning rubber and sideways slides, Red Bull’s Car
Park Drift event is definitely a must-see.