Bothell High grad has been drifting for six years

Like a lot of teens, Kenmore resident Roland Gallagher had always been interested in cars.

But little did he know the wild ride that the sport of drifting would take him on once he discovered it six years ago.

“I kind of stumbled onto it,” he recalled. “I bought the (Nissan) 240 before I even knew what drifting was. I had some friends that were into drifting, and they were more than happy to show me.”

According to drifting Web sites, it is the art of sliding one’s car in a controlled half-sideways position through a tight turn. It takes a balance of braking and throttle control to achieve the perfect “drift.”

Once he got behind the wheel, Gallagher got hooked. He attended his first event at Monroe Fairgrounds back in 2004, and the rest, as they say, is history.

“Ever since then, I couldn’t get it out of me,” he said. “I’ve wanted to drive more and more… and enjoy it. It’s been a never-ending process, from doing it for fun to trying to make money at it.”

Extremely popular in Japan and now having a solid following in the United States, the sport of drifting is one of the few non-timed motor sports in the world. Participants are solely judged on style, making drift races a fun show for spectators.

“You’re judged on your style, your speed and the overall ‘wow’ factor of what you’re doing out there on the track,” explained Gallagher, who graduated from Bothell High in 2006. “It’s one of the only motor sports where you’re not going out to beat a lap time.”

Gallagher’s car, emblazoned with the number 425 so he remembers his roots when he travels to events, is a teal blue Nissan 240 SX, which started out as bone stock — which may be a bit hard to believe looking at the finely tuned machine today.

The 22-year-old estimates that he has put nearly $30,000 into the vehicle, not including half the cost of the tires, which set him back $300 apiece.

“I have a sponsor in Woodinville, Garage Auto, that does my roll cage and fabrication work,” Gallagher said. “They’ve really helped me get my car to the level that it needs to be in for competition.”

Although he has been drifting mainly as a hobby, recently Gallagher decided to take it a step further and join the pro ranks, finally obtaining his professional license in Las Vegas last year after placing third in a preliminary event.

He said that the expenses of the sport, from car maintenance to travel expenses, are the most taxing part of his labor of love, but incredibly, Gallagher has been able to survive in a costly motor sport without a big-name sponsor.

But he admits he is fortunate to have a lot of support on the home front, including his sister, Laura, who serves as his publicist.

“My family has been helping me, and I’m working 40 hours a week as a general contractor,” explained Gallagher. “We’re working down in Gig Harbor right now, remodeling a house on the water.”

Up next for Gallagher, who has entered just two pro races so far with limited success, is the Formula Drift in Monroe on July 9-10. “It’s always a good showing there,” he said. “One of the biggest fan bases.”

Gallagher also noted that Evergreen Speedway in Everett hosts “Open Drift” events throughout the summer, where anyone can come up to the track and drift. For more information about either event, visit Evergreen Drift or Formula Drift.

Q & A with Gallagher

Q: What has been the hardest part for you in making the jump to the pros?

A: “It’s a lot of paperwork and running around trying to find sponsors. It’s a lot more difficult than I imagined.”

Q: What is the worst crash you’ve had in your career?

A: “My worst one was when I was trying to get my professional license down in California, I went into the wall pretty good at about 50 miles per hour. It took a bit to get the car massaged back out and everything going again.”

Q: What advice would you give for someone getting into drifting, that maybe wants to do this professionally some day?

A: “Just put in the money that you can. It’s a cool motor sport like that. You get out what you put into it, but you can buy tires for a stock car and still go out there and have fun. Just keep with it. It’s frustrating at first, until you understand the dynamics of your car and what it’s doing, why it’s pitching out sideways, but it just takes time.”