The gate opens at 8am and the cars are already running. That's the thing about our home event - there's no warmup period. Engines are hot, tyres are waiting, and the smell of burnt rubber arrives before the gates even open.
Gujarat, for those who haven't been, is not what people expect from a drift venue. It's our private ground - purpose-built for sliding - and it doesn't try to be anything else. No bleachers, no grandstands. Just a sealed surface, barriers, and as much room as you need to get sideways.
Neil was behind the wheel from the first session. This is his event, his ground, his vision - and it shows in how the day flows. No dead time between sessions. The car is always either running or being prepped to run.
Drift Taxi ran from 11am. We put passengers through in sessions throughout the day. The youngest rider was 14, with his dad's consent and a grin that didn't leave his face for the rest of the day. The oldest was 68, a retired engineer who said it was better than he imagined.
Competition runs through the afternoon. Neil pushing hard on his own ground, going for angle and commitment on every lap. This is where you see what the car and driver can really do when there's no holding back.
Vaibhav, Dhruv, Maria, and Rachel kept the day running smoothly behind the scenes - registration, safety briefings, timing, keeping the crowd informed. The event doesn't happen without the crew.
We do this once a year. One day. One ground. If you want to be there in 2025, get on the list.