R/C Drift Competitions - Qualifying
By Steve Fujita

In the last issue of DARC Mag, we featured an overview of R/C Drift Competitions. Now, we can start to dig into the details that make up each stage. There are 2 different stages, Qualifying (Tanso) and The Battles (Tsuiso). Here, we will be discussing the first stage, Qualifying.

Qualifying - Tanso (Translates to Single Run)
The first stage of an R/C Drift Competition is Qualifying. During Qualifying, each competitor completes a designated number of solo runs (usually 2). The objective during Qualifying is to run the Qualifying Line as accurately as possible while making it look good.
Each run will be awarded a score based on the competitors’ performance. These scores are used to determine Qualifying Position and ultimately who they will face in the following stage - The Battles (Tsuiso).

Judges - For Qualifying, the normal setup is 3 judges. There are different variations, but the standard setup seems to be one judge for Line, one for Angle, and one for Style. This has proven to produce the most consistent scoring overall. After each run, the scores are added to arrive at the final score for the run.

How Scoring Works
Scored Zones - During Qualifying, there are Scored Zones (usually 3-4). Each of these zones are scored by how well the competitor executes their pass through each of these areas. They are awarded separate scores based on the Line and Angle they can MAINTAIN through these areas.

The objective is to pass through the ENTIRE Scored Zone with the highest possible points. Both Line and Angle are scored at the competitors WORST scoring area in the Scored Zone.

For example, if you enter at a score of 10 for Line, and exit at a score of 5 for Line, your score for Line in that particular zone will be 5. If you enter at a score of 5 for Line, and exit at a score of 10 for Line, your score for Line in that zone will be 5.

If you enter at a score of 10 for Line, come out into the 8 scoring area, then exit at a 10 for Line, your score will be 8 for that zone. This is because each Scored Zone is scored at the WORST scoring area within the zone, NOT the best.
To score a 10 for Line in a given zone, you must enter at a 10 for Line, maintain the 10 for the entire zone, and exit at a score of 10 for Line. This will be an earned score of 10 for Line for that zone.

Angle is scored the same way. It is the Angle Judge’s decision on whether or not a score for Angle will be awarded if the competitor scores a zero for line. Often there is a slight bit of leeway. In the illustrations, usually touching the angle markings is enough. This is established before the very first qualifying run, and is carried out the same for each run.

The only areas where Line and Angle will be awarded any points are in the Scored Zones.

Style Points - The rest of the Qualifying Line will be judged on Style. Style is everything outside of the Scored Zones. How well is it done? How good does it look? How difficult is it?

Factors considered in scoring Style:
Aggressive Driving - Big angle and snappy, quick transitions, big, early initiations, wall-rides, high risk maneuvers, above average speed and/or angle, etc. all are big point earners for Style.

Smoothness and Commitment - Minor corrections in line and angle will earn an average score.

Deviating from the Qualifying Line - Doing this will drop Style below average points. Average, safe driving will earn an average Style score. This is usually the median of possible Style Points.
Example: 20 Style Points possible, average is 10 points. If 30 Style Points are possible, the average score is 15 points.
Typically, total possible points are a perfect 100. 40 for Line, 40 for Angle, and 20 for Style.

How the Scores Are Used - Once each competitor has completed their 2 qualifying runs, the better of their 2 scores is used to determine the qualifying order. The highest score of the day is recognized as the Top Qualifier for the competition. Some regard this as the highest honor since there is no luck involved, just pure skill they themselves are in full control of.

Once the qualifying order has been established, the competitors are seeded into a bracket where each competitor is matched up against another in groups of 32. Top 32 competitors are matched against each other with the number 1 qualifier going against the number 32 qualifier, the number 2 against number 31, etc. This ensures the highest probability the top competitors will meet at the end and battle for the top spots of the competition.

This is how the Qualifying Stage is run, scored, and used for an R/C Drift Competition. In the next issue we will cover the Battles, the most exciting part of any R/C Drift Competition.