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Video: Weld Racing Wheels Survive Massive Contact In Formula Drift

Drifting is one of those motorsports that doesn’t seem to cater to the luke warm crowd. Some people love it, and others hate it equally – and usually for the same reasons. Those who love it come for the wicked amounts of tire smoke (read that “continuous burnout”) and those who hate it think it’s a waste of money destroying all those tires.

The object in Formula Drift is for both cars to remain close to each other as they snake their way around the track, shifting back and forth at the right time and speed, and keeping up with the lead car. Stay close, make lots of smoke, get sideways at the right time, and make more smoke and you’re at the top of your game.

In this action sequence, you can see how tight the competition is as both cars rub elbows in the turns, and then come together again in a manner that has the crowd cheering.

Of course, all of that sideways action puts a lot of stress on wheels that are constantly spinning, and the lateral stress on the wheels means you better have a good set under the car. When Justin Pawlak needed new wheels for his 2013 ROUSH Mustang, Weld Racing was the wheel that was chosen to help JTP do what he does best.

Weld Racing is well known for their five-spoke RT-S S71 wheel for drag racing, but as we brought to you last year, its new RT-S Pro-Touring wheels have opened up a whole new dimension for Weld. JTP is running the S77 RT-S wheel on his Mustang, and as you watch the video you can see how much abuse these wheels are taking, especially when contact is made with fellow Formula Drift driver Tyler McQuarrie.

They say, rubbin’ is racin’, and that holds true in this session of Formula Drift as both cars get together a couple of times. After a few rounds of making contact, they finally come together as JTP T-bones McQuarrie and makes a Camaro sandwich with his Mustang and the wall. But it’s all in good fun and the spirit of competition as JTP drives off throwing up more smoke.

The S75, S76, and S77 are just three styles of RT-S wheel for Pro-Touring from Weld Racing, and are available in sizes from 18 to 20 inches and varying widths with thousands of applications for classic and modern musclecars.

The wheels are also available in three different pad heights to clear small or large multi-piston calipers. The centers have a gradual bow that clears the biggest aftermarket brake calipers without affecting the offset of the wheel. All popular bolt patterns are also available.

To get a better look at the Weld Racing wheels on his Mustang, visit the Weld Racing website and look for the S77 wheel under the RT-S section.

You can see at about 1:29 in the video above that JTP gets quite a jolt and the rear axle takes the brunt of it.