Posted: September 11, 2008

John McCain is drifting to the right.

More conservative energy policy, you ask?

No. Cindy's driving.

It seems that the Republican presidential candidate's wife is a drift racing enthusiast, who has even built her own modified drift car.

Autoblog reports, "Few years back, Cindy and son Jack were intrigued by drifting after catching television coverage of the sport. Rather than just look it up on Wikipedia, Cindy McCain -- who is an avowed lifelong gearhead -- headed to Japan, birthplace of drifting, to learn the practice from a sensei." She and her son Jack "dove wholeheartedly into drifting, building a 240SX drift car and competing as a team in amateur competition."

ESPN explains, "For people who have never seen it, drifting occurs when a driver intentionally skids a car sideways through a turn on a road or a marked course, usually at speeds that exceed the legal limit." While conventional drivers brake into turns, drifters do the opposite. Race journalist Justin Gardner explains, "First, a drifter must have a powerful rear-wheel-drive car, something like a Corvette. When they head into a left turn, they pull the wheel sharply to the left and mash the accelerator, which would get the back end of the car to slide out. Then they quickly turn the steering wheel [all the way] to the right." ESPN Continues, "With the wheels pointing to the right, the car then slides sideways through the left turn before proceeding normally again. Some drifters employ the emergency brake; others rely more on the clutch. But every method requires lots of practice, not to mention a modicum of chutzpah. "

Needless to say, it's not a technique typically associated with politicians' spouses.

Incredibly, McCain herself credits drifting with helping her recover from a stroke. She tells our Washington Whispers column, "I learned that I could push my limits and exceed my goals" through motorsports. "After the campaign, hopefully, we will be able to go out again."

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