Here is a pro level drift technique you have never heard of.. the relationship between wheel speed and vehicle speed (your actual ground speed).
In drifting, these two speeds are almost never the same. Wheel speed is how fast the tires are spinning. Vehicle speed is how fast the car is truly moving across the surface. A major problem for many drivers is running too much wheel speed. When the wheels spin far faster than the car’s ground speed, the tires slide more than they drive. That gap creates angle and smoke, but it actually reduces forward momentum. This is why a car with less wheel speed can sometimes move faster through the course.
The key is understanding that the bigger the gap between wheel speed and ground speed, the more you’re “spinning” instead of moving. Reducing wheel speed closes that gap, increases traction, and gives the car more forward bite. This becomes critical in tandem.
If you’ve ever seen a chase car suddenly surge forward without cutting line, it’s because the driver reduced wheel speed at the perfect moment. Lifting slightly lets the tire hook up, propelling the car toward the lead driver. Meanwhile, most drivers just floor the throttle and blow their line trying to gain proximity, never realizing that sometimes the fastest way to get closer is actually less throttle, not more.
