The whole crowd will remember the sound of the MTM-tuned Audi S1 rally car that turned out to wow them. Sounding dangerously like the Millennium Falcon, the S1 was a blast from the past and a brutal work of art. Cargraphic brought its GT3 RSR racecar for some hot demonstration laps.
When the fun was over with the Tuner GP itself, there was still plenty of action in the Sport Auto Drift Challenge. In previous years, this had been nothing more than a sideshow, with the same drivers and cars coming out to let it all hang loose after the serious business. Not this time, despite the special tires that give off red smoke.
Drifting now has a foothold in Europe and competitors are taking it seriously. Entries came from as far as America and Japan to show their skills. It's a surreal feeling, watching an aging BMW M3 and Toyota Corolla clean up, blowing $250,000 supercars off the track in the hands of drifting pros. Irishman Darren McNamara took top honors with the Corolla, followed by Dutchman Remmo Niezen in his M3.
Let's all make a date for next year.