Gymkhana motorsport to make Vietnam debut next week

There will be two elimination rounds next month, at the Vietnam Ethnic Culture and Tourism Village in Hanoi on December 7 and at the Dai Nam Tourism Park in the southern province of Binh Duong a week later.

The 20 best racers will qualify for the finals in Hanoi on February 8-9 next year.

Racers who make the qualifying round will be awarded the gymkhana drift racing accreditation by the Vietnam Motorsports Association (VMA) to serve the various tournaments it plans to organize from now on.

The competition will be divided into five categories: front-wheel drive cars with engines below 1,601 cc and above 1,601 cc, rear-wheel drive cars with engines below 2,001 cc and above 2,001 cc and all-wheel drive cars without engine limits.

Both men and women need to have a Class B1 driver license to compete and can drive any production model.

The Encyclopaedia Britannica describes gymkhana as an "automobile sport in which a series of events is planned to test driving skill and demonstrate accurate car handling."

Races usually require drivers to maneuver around obstacles in the fastest time possible, display drift skills and drive figure 8s, Ss and in circles.

Registration for the qualifying races closes on November 30. The entry fee is VND1 million ($43).