Foust is one of the most recognized drivers on the Formula D circuit, the U.S. series for drifting. Drifting is an exciting Motorsport imported from Japan (where it began about 15 years ago) in which drivers slide their vehicles around the track seemingly on the verge of losing control. The object of drifting is to maintain a slide at a high rate of speed through several apexes, often with another car inches away from yours. Judging is based on a combination of proper technique and style, and the best drifters exhibit both qualities in competition. Imagine entering a decreasing radius turn at 80 MPH, sliding at full countersteer and transitioning that slide into an opposing apex without straightening the car, and you get an idea of the technical difficulties of the sport. It is, in fact, controlled chaos from start to finish.
Drifting was recently glamorized in the movie "The Fast and The Furious, Tokyo Drift." Many of the racing sequences in the movie feature Foust behind the wheel in "DK's" Nissan 350Z.
Like drifting, Foust's life might seem a bit chaotic to some, but the 33-year-old driver manages to maintain complete control. He is a member of the AEM Racing Team and driver of the AEM/Memphis Car Audio Drift Nissan 350Z. He is at racing events "about three weekends every month." Some are Formula D events, some are road races, some are rally races. But racing is just part of the driver's busy schedule.
The growing popularity of drifting has led to numerous publicity opportunities for Foust and his car. If you were paying attention in recent weeks you may have seen them on CNN, ABC's "Masters Of Champions" TV show, ESPN The Magazine and on SpeedChannel. Last year he worked for a month as a stunt driver on the movie "The Dukes Of Hazzard." Foust also was host of SpeedChannel's "Redline TV," now seen in reruns, and he recently hosted the ESPN2 show "Import Racers," which debuts in December '06.
Proving that he is the Ryan Seacrest of the racing media, he also hosted the Global Tuning Awards, which aired in August on Fox Sports Network. He also has appeared on the Discovery Channel, National Geographic and Good Morning America.
"I'm surprised every time I go to an event that so many people are familiar with what I do," said Foust.
FAST & FAMOUS
That sort of notoriety is exactly why companies like Memphis Car Audio are eager to sponsor his race car. Memphis actually sponsors two AEM cars, the Z driven by Tanner and a Honda S2000 driven by veteran racer Stephan Papadakis, which appeared in CAE in the December 2005 issue sporting a custom Memphis Car Audio system with removable housings for when the car is on the track.
"We joined AEM as a sponsor of their drag racing team in 2005," said Tanner Wilson of Memphis Car Audio. "But when they got into drifting, we were happy to get on board with them. The sport is growing incredibly fast. It's like a firestorm. And it touches so many of the people who are in our demographic. We think drifting is a great way to get exposure for our brand."
Foust didn't grow up with dreams of being a famous race driver. In fact, he was bound for medical school with the intention of being the eighth generation of his family to become a doctor.
"I was completing my degree in molecular biology at the University of Colorado and preparing for med school," said Foust, speaking on a mobile phone as he drove from one racing event to the next. "For a short time I had an opportunity to work with a guy who was an inventor of amusement park rides. It was a great experience and it made me think about what would be my ideal job. For me the ideal job was driving a race car."
Foust said he had always been a "car guy."
"As a child I remember watching my dad shift gears in his car, and the feeling of acceleration. I enjoyed that. Always have."
At the age of 24, Foust launched his career inauspiciously at a racetrack in his hometown of Denver, Colorado. "The owner of the track tried to run me off. Eventually I was trading mechanic work for seat time in a spec Ford racer," he said.
The racing experience led to an opportunity that would lay the groundwork for his future career as a drift racer and stunt driver. For eight years Foust taught rally driving techniques at an ice driving school in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
"I trained Navy Seals, Secret Service agents, race drivers and regular drivers how to maintain car control on the ice and in other minimal control situations. I learned that a car is really just a big tool. You give it the same input over and over and you get the same outcome over and over. You soon get comfortable with the reaction of the vehicle once you understand the physics of what is happening."
SPEED SENSATION
Trying to explain the sensation of drifting can be a bit difficult, even for someone as experienced as Foust.
"It looks violent from the outside, but it requires a great deal of calmness from the driver," he explained. "Your panic level increases during a race."
Foust noted that much of drifting is counter intuitive; you drive in a way that is opposite to normal driving.
"It is a constant battle between your natural instincts and proper technique. You have to trust your training and your muscle memory."
It is unlikely that life will slow down for Foust any time soon. He expects his schedule to be even more hectic in 2007.
"This year was a breakthrough year for drifting. I expect this will be a hot sport for several years to come."