Drifter chooses stunts over medicine

Tanner Foust has a degree in molecular biology and once was on course to follow a family tradition and become a doctor.

Along the way, though, he switched to a career requiring equal precision, one where he assumes the risk.

"I was going into the family business, medicine. I'd have been the eighth or ninth in a row in my family," the University of Colorado graduate said. "My dad's a doc and wised me up to malpractice insurance. I figured motor sports would be cheaper."

This weekend, the resident of Dana Point, Calif., will try to slide his way to a second straight Formula Drift title at Las Vegas Motor Speedway's dragstrip.

He'll begin his slippery march with practice and qualifying at 7 tonight. Championship eliminations in the country's top drifting series will start at 6:30 p.m. Saturday.

After college, Foust, 37, worked for a Colorado inventor and began road racing in the Sports Car Clubs of America as a hobby. Soon he began coaching other drivers and started a race-themed business before moving on to some of the most gnarly endeavors in motor sports.

He was the lead stunt driver for several movies, including "The Dukes of Hazzard" and "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift." He hasn't met a car or obstacle he hasn't enjoyed.

Since winning Rally Car Racing and SuperRally gold medals in the X Games recently in Los Angeles, Foust has raced in Alaska, competed in a European Rally Cars event in Germany and spent this week in the Arizona desert filming an episode of "Top Gear USA," which will debut in November on The History Channel. The original "Top Gear" is a popular humorous, automotive-themed show in Britain.

Foust might have more free time had he become a doctor, but he's pleased with his career decision.

"I get a chance to try a variety of cars and disciplines," said Foust, who is second in the Formula Drift series to Vaughn Gittin of Joppa, Md. "It was so expensive to advance in road racing, and the edgier, action sports are a lot more fun. I just like racing when you're sliding sideways."

That's why he loves drifting.

Nearly every entrant drove imports when major league drifting debuted at the speedway five years ago with a Japan-based series. Formula Drift, which will race at the track for the third straight year, blends American muscle cars and imports.

Foust will be drifting a 2010 Toyota Scion converted to front-wheel drive and powered by a NASCAR V8 engine.

"In Formula D, we get to really think out of the box with our cars," he said. "The Rockstar Scion I drive is completely out of the box. We put American soul into it. The racing will be a clash between American muscle and Japanese precision."

High-winding imports will be drowned out by the brute power of Mustangs, Challengers and a Corvette.

"The sounds are insane," Foust said.

So is the concept of drifting. Racers can reach speeds of about 100 mph before intentionally sliding two at a time through corners, trying to come within a few inches of concrete guardwalls; the more extreme slides produce billowing clouds of tire smoke.

"I get more nervous drifting because the closer you get to crashing, the higher your score," Foust said. "It's a judged sport, so it's more about putting on a show. You're constantly pushing yourself."

The perils of medicine must be daunting if Foust opted to make a living this way.

Contact reporter Jeff Wolf at jwolf@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0247.