With the start of the 2013 British Drift Championship just around the corner, we thought that now would be the perfect time to take a look at this year’s line up. From the stalwarts to the newbies, the movers and shakers to the long time protagonists, this season looks set to the best ever for both the drivers and the spectators.

The Stalwarts – There are plenty of teams competing in the BDC that have been involved since day one, and it is thanks to their continued hard work that the sport of drifting in the UK is rapidly gaining more and more exposure. Starting with the SATS Motorsport team and it has been all change with their world famous JZA80 Supra. The monstrous 2JZ power plant and the well-exercised right foot of Mark Luney still remain but on the outside the brand new livery of the Lucas Oils UK Drift Team adorns the BN Sports bodywork.

The Japspeed boys have always stood by the mantra of strength in numbers, with their trio of S15s and 1JZ powered Impreza taking many of last year’s podium places. Shane Lynch, Shane O’Sullivan and current title holder Paul Smith remain, but Steve “Baggsy” Biagioni’s recent departure from the team means that the Scooby is currently lacking a driver. We have no doubt that the guys will have a new driver at Round 1, but the question is who will it be?

The Falken boys have a lot up their sleeve for their 2013 onslaught. Paul Cheshire’s unique G35 has received a fresh 2JZ to aid the destruction of his massive 19″ Falken tyres, while (at the time of writing) Matt Carter was busy completing his new R32 Skyline with the help of Garage-D. Let’s hope he gets it done in time!

Up & Comers – While the longstanding old guard of the championship are often the ones commanding the headlines and podiums, there are a number of up and coming teams that have spent the last couple of years biting their ankles and it is these teams that are ready to steal this year’s headlines and column inches. The professionalism shown by the Acorn Motorsport guys has been a shining example to other teams as to what can be possible with a little dedication. Fabricator Ian Waddington will be competing in the Pro class while his longstanding team mate Mark Lappage dips his toes into the world of Super Pro having been promoted at the end of last season. However, the team’s big news is the recent signing of 2009 champion Steve Biagioni who will also be piloting an S13 just like his team mates.

Another big change for this season has come from the SkidRoh boys or, as they are now to be known as, the Car Loan 4U Drift Team. The guys have been very lucky in securing a major sponsor to support their championship campaigns in the Semi Pro (Joe Ankers, Matt Samuel) and Pro (Alex Law) classes.

The Returners – While there may have been many long-term stalwarts of the BDC throughout the last five seasons, some drivers have come and gone despite past successes. 2010 champion and Driftworks head honcho Phil Morrison will be making a full return to the championship having only competed in one round last year. With the Driftworks S15 having been sold on and a new ASCAR powered AE86 in the works, Phil will be relying on the faithful Driftworks 1JZ powered R32 for the time being.

Make no mistake about it, drifting at the top level can be an expensive business and unfortunately we have seen a few great drivers fall by the wayside over the years due to spiraling costs. One of these was Mike Gaynor who, back in the day, took the rule book and tore it apart with his E30 BMW. Now with a fresh sponsorship deal for 2013, Mike will be joining Wayne Keeber as part of the Steelmate Drift Team powered by Car Media Racing.

The Internationals – With the British Drift Championship gaining notoriety around the world as each year passes it’s no surprise that we are always overwhelmed by the number of overseas drivers wanting to take part and compete.

This year we will see Teemu Peltola of Black Smoke Racing fame joining us for all five rounds of the championship. We can’t wait to see how he gets on in the team’s new car and to see how Teemu fares against the established domestic names.

Kevin Corsius definitely put the cat amongst the pigeons when he travelled from Belgium to attend last year’s Lydden Hill round. Having finished the weekend on the top of the podium in the Professional class everyone is eager to see if he can repeat the feat in 2013.

The Tracks – Of course, we can talk about the drivers all the day, but that would be forgetting one crucial ingredient: the tracks! This year the championship visits some of the best drifting tracks in the country, with driver favourites Lydden Hill, Teesside and Knockhill all hosting one or more rounds each this year. 2013 also marks the BDC’s first visit to Pembrey in south Wales which is bound to filled with thrills, spills and suspense as the drivers get to grips with a track that is unknown to them.

At this point all that is left to say is good luck and we wish each and every competitor the very best for the upcoming season – see you at Lydden Hill in a week’s time!