I guess, I was lucky enough to get in touch with an amazing girl – Sabine Andriksone. The moment I saw her and what she drives, I joked around that we would be good friends or even soulmates. I was really glad that a girl, specially from my beloved Latvia, came to our country. Saw the first rounds as she drifted, it wasn‘t that good, there were mistakes, but it wasn‘t because she‘s a girl and can‘t handle the car. Girls have balls too, specially Sabine, which competed againts a bunch of guys and proved that she's good at what she does. Shortly after, she got familiar with the track and drove, I think, real good. And what is more exciting, is to see her happy face, I think, I never saw someone being so happy and passionate about something.
Anyway, since she lives in Latvia and while in Lithuania she‘s busy drifting, I contacted her and she was pleased to tell her story.
Sabine's first car was 2001 Mercedes E320, 3.2l diesel, with automatic gearbox; when she got her license at the age of 18. It was her family's car, "Big cow!" Sabine says laughing. With this car she learned how to spin around and, as she says, it was fun because it was pretty big car and it wasn't manual. Though the real first car she was working hard in UK and saving money for was this dark green BMW E36. "I wanted only BMW, because I love these cars, and exactly E36 because it was something I could afford for myself and after take care of it". Sabine got her car on 23rd of December in 2001 and couldn't be happier, "It was 1992 BMW E36 coupe, 2.0l petrol, manual with M bumper".
When I asked her what attracted her towards BMW, she said that it was only herself and she always liked BMW's, "She came to me with very hard work, but I got it and I'm happy now that she's with me". Although Sabine says there's nothing so special about the car, "She's just a BMW E36 coupe with 2.8l petrol engine, welded diff with full sport suspension kit, OMP steering wheel and 3B Motorsport poly-bush", the rest is just a simple stock E36 car. While Sabine was looking for a car, she had listed down five of them, but every car had it's own technical problems. The one she drives now was in the best condition, so she got it.
As I always do, I asked her what kind of changes the car had, when she bought it, she told me that it had 2.0l engine and everything else was simple stock of E36. Sabine first started drifting doing donuts in the snow at nights in some parking lots. She liked it a lot, so she started to ask her drifting friends to participate on taking her for a ride in competitions. "Regnars Mozga gave me his car to try something in race track 333, thanks to him! When I came out of the car, I understood that I needed to do it definitely; I understood that I needed to do something with my car, so first of all I changed the engine from 2.0l to 2.8l petrol". She also, after coming back home from UK again, welded diff was put in, along with full sport suspension kit, OMP steering wheel and, "later on I got full set of poly-bush, thanks to 3B - Motorsport".
"I think that adrenaline you have when you're drifting", Sabine started off when I asked her what was so exciting about drifting, "That feeling when you need to feel your car fully from beginning till the end, need to control it and understand what you are doing with it and what you want from it". Sabine says that she always was a fan of adrenaline, she always loved drift, cars and bikes. "That's my passion", she says.
We all know Sabine is from Latvia, so we talked about her experience here, in Lithuania, "My first drift competition was on 1st of June and second was on next weekend at 8th of June in Lithuania", she adds that the feeling was amazing when she was driving to Lithuania and the support she had here was beyond everything, "Very big promotion about me what made me feel special; When I was there everybody were so kind to me, were giving me a lot of advice and what I need to do to get better at it". S. Andriksone admits, that she hardly trained, but drift organisers let her do that right before qualifications , "Thanks a lot to them because that was very big experience to me and a good training just what I needed".
"After qualification, on drift parade, I've had so many emotions inside, that I even had tears in my eyes of happiness, how much all this support from everybody and chance to train more meant to me. That drift competition experience what I've had in Lithuania I'll never forget and that's why I can't wait for next drifting in Lithuania to come over again", says smiling.
As I see a lot of post of drifting in Latvia, which looks like they are having a great time, I had to ask, what was the difference between drifting in here, Lithuania, and her country, Latvia. Sabine says, that the difference is really big, because in Latvia people doesn't make a big deal of the person behind the wheel. "We have our drift queen in Latvia already and maybe that's why they don't show any attention to it", Sabine can't compare the attention and support she has here and in her home, Latvia.
S. Andriksone has high hopes to get into top16 in this seasons drifting, "To have an experience to drift in tandem - officially in drift competition, not only in trainings!". As from my side, I really hope she will reach her goals, because I can feel the passion going right through her about this specific sport. She constantly reminds herself that she needs a lot of training and for the even further future Sabine will try to get into "Top3 and then slowly grow up and get better results after every drift competition. And of course, one day, get into Queen of Europe - drift competition of all drifting girls in the world", Sabine's smiling.
As for the future changes for car, Sabine, like any other drifter, will look out for opportunities and financial situation and if everything's fine - "We only grow up. Slowly will built it for ProAm class and then maybe for PRO class, but the time will show us how it will all go".
And, as always, from my side, I can only wish the best luck for Sabine and thank her for responding and being so kind and sweet about all this. You can be sure as hell, that I will always support you, girl. Thanks!
Komentarų nėra:
Rašyti komentarą