Gulfstream Park knows racing and it knows horsepower but it’s putting the two together in an unusual way May 29-30.

Drifting, the trendy form of auto racing made popular in the movie ‘Fast and the Furious,’ is making Gulfstream’s northwest parking lot the second stop on its U.S. Grand Prix series.

Qualifying is Friday and the main event is Saturday.

The sport was born in Japan more than 30 years ago and is viewed as both an art form and a sport. Drivers race down the track side-by-side then oversteer causing the rear end to lose traction. The result is a visually impressive ‘drift,’ accompanied by plenty of smoke from the tires.

Three judges score each driver’s performance based on drift angle, speed, crowd reaction and ‘show,’ the artistic impression. A new technology that debuted earlier this month allows race data to be displayed to spectators in real time, taking some of the subjectivity out of the scoring.

Drifting returned to the U.S. after a hiatus with a performance May 2 at Angels Stadium in Anaheim, CA.  Japanese drivers led the way with Daigo Saito winning in his Toyota Chaser. Nobushige Kumakubo in the Team Orange Subaru Impreza was second and an American rookie driver, Forrest Wang, finished third.

“Our first event back in the U.S. proved an overwhelming success for the competitors and the crowds. With the popularity of drifting rapidly growing, we upgraded our venue in Miami to accommodate the increasing number fans and drivers,” said Terence Jenkins, SVP of operations and D1GP USA competition director.

The racing at Gulfstream Park will be accompanied by a car show, music, food, souvenirs and, oh yes, models. They’re an important part of the rollicking ambiance. The race weekend includes events on South Beach and an after-party at Miami’s Voyage lounge.

"We’re very happy to have been approached by the D1GP," says Mike Mullaney, media relations director at Gulfstream. "We believe it indicates interest and validates our belief in the versatility of the property."

Gates open at 10 a.m each day with racing beginning at 10:30 a.m. VIP seats are sold out but bleacher seats are available at $30 in advance or $35 at the gate with general admission tickets going for $25. Tickets can be purchased online from www.d1gp.com. Parking is free.

The event is being produced by D1GP, the sport’s governing body. Future races are scheduled for Philadelphia’s Wachovia Center July 18 and Soldier Field in Chicago Aug. 1.