Maxxis got the chance to sit down with Team Japspeed before the start of the 2014 Maxxis British Drift Championship. We find out how the guys got into drifting, their hopes for the season ahead and much more...
Our first Q&A will be with Shane O’Sullivan, better known to drifting fans as “Sully”, who drives the Team Japspeed RB25DET Nissan Silvia S15!
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Shane, can you tell us how you got into drifting?
I got into drifting after I bought a Nissan 200[XX] in 2006 when I just wanted a decent car for the road. After sliding and bashing it up a few times, I took it to the track and bashed it up a bit more. I played about in it for a couple of years and then I got a car from Japan which was a big step up from the Nissan. I started doing a few rounds in England in from 2008, which is when I met Paul at Japspeed.
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How long have you been competing in the BDC?
I have been competing at the BDC since 2012, when I competed at every round. I did a couple of rounds last year and I’m planning on doing a full season this year.
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Have you made any modifications to your car since last season?
We have turned up the power on the RB25DET a little bit!
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What, in your opinion, are the major attributes of the Maxxis MAZ1 Drift tyre?
One of the major attributes of the MAZ1 Drift tyres is that they never run out of grip. All the way from start to finish, until they’re nearly bald, there’s good grip. If you’re in a twin battle and you start off, the tyre might be new but sometimes on other tyres they start to go off half way down, but they just last all the way through. You can’t go changing tyres half way through a battle so that’s the bonus of the MAZ1 Drift tyre. They’re just the same level of grip too, if you took a hundred different tyres, they seem to always be the same.
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How does the MAZ1 Drift compare to other tyres you’ve used for drifting in the past?
Compared to what I’ve used, the MAZ1 Drift tyres are by far the best out there for drifting and they create loads of smoke which the crowds love.
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The BDC is now one of the largest championships in Europe. How do you compare the BDC to other championships you’ve entered?
The BDC has come on leaps and bounds in the last couple of years, everyone has top notch cars and everyone is pushing harder every year, so its getting a lot tougher
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Who are your strongest competitors this year?
Everyone in the BDC is a strong competitor. Anyone that is in the top 16 or even top 32, anyone can go through, there’s no playing around anymore.
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How are you going to make sure you’ve got the edge over your competitors?
I’m just going to drive as fast as I can, enjoy myself, whatever happens, happens, but the main thing is to enjoy yourself
