Drift to Survive: Stories of the Drivers Shaping the Regional Drift Scene
On the track, we see only a few minutes of driving, tyre smoke, speed and the final result.
Behind every run, however, are years of work, thousands of hours spent in workshops, mechanical failures, financial investment, personal sacrifices and decisions the audience rarely gets to see.
That is exactly why Drift to Survive was created.
The DONUT video series features conversations with drivers from across the regional drift scene, introducing the people, cars and stories behind the results seen at competitions.
Across eight episodes, we spoke with drivers from different generations, backgrounds and stages of their careers. Some have been competing for victories and championships for years. Some have already experienced international competition, while others are still building their place among the region’s best.
Together, they show just how many different paths can lead towards the same goal.
MORE THAN A TRADITIONAL INTERVIEW
Drift to Survive was never intended to be only a conversation about results.
Each episode introduces the driver, their car and the journey they took before the DONUT audience first saw them on track.
The conversations explore their beginnings in motorsport, their first drift cars, the development of their current builds, major mechanical failures and challenges, as well as their relationship with competition, pressure and the future of the sport.
The aim is to bring the audience closer to the side of drifting that cannot be understood through a qualifying table or footage of a single tandem battle.
EPISODES IN THE SERIES
The drivers featured in Drift to Survive so far are:
Adrian Petričević — [Watch the episode]
Nikola Ilić — [Watch the episode]
Miloš Ilić — [Watch the episode]
Marko Brdek — [Watch the episode]
Bruno Stergar — [Watch the episode]
Erik Janković — [Watch the episode]
Petar Krznarić — [Watch the episode]
Toma Ostojić — [Watch the episode]
THE CAR AS PART OF THE DRIVER’S IDENTITY
In drifting, the car is more than a piece of sporting equipment.
Every build is the result of hundreds of decisions involving the engine, suspension, power delivery, tyres, weight distribution and the way the driver wants the car to behave on track.
That is why the cars themselves play an important role in the series.
Drivers explain how their projects began, what needed to change during development and how different the current version is from the original idea.
Two cars may look similar from the outside, but behind them are often completely different budgets, technical solutions and development philosophies.
WHAT HAPPENS BETWEEN TWO EVENTS?
The audience usually sees the final result, but most of the work happens between competition weekends.
Cars need to be inspected, repaired and prepared. Parts must be sourced, transport organised, tyres secured and problems resolved — often issues that only become apparent after the car has returned to the track.
Alongside the technical work are financial, logistical and personal challenges.
Most regional drivers compete while also working full-time, running their own businesses or managing the entire project with only a small team around them.
Drift to Survive gives space to this part of the story.
A result becomes much more meaningful once you understand how much work was required simply to get the car to the starting line.
WHY DOES DONUT DEVELOP ITS OWN MEDIA FORMATS?
Organising competitions alone is not enough to develop a sport.
The audience needs to know the drivers, understand their relationships and have a reason to follow them throughout the season.
At that point, a driver is no longer simply a name in the standings. They become someone whose development can be followed from episode to episode and from one event to the next.
Drift to Survive is part of DONUT Media, through which we aim to document the regional scene and the people shaping its development.
The content remains relevant long after the season ends. It allows future audiences to discover the drivers while preserving a high-quality record of a period in which regional drifting is developing rapidly.
