If you like cars, racing or are just looking for something different to do, look up Formula Drift. To give you an idea, cars go sideways while inches apart from each other at very high speeds. Check out the videos and gallery below!

Formula Drift PRO Championship has 8 locations across the US and Canada, so hopefully there is one near you. We have always attended the Seattle event, held in Monroe, WA. So this blog is about that one specifically.

Formula Drift Seattle (refer to #FDSEA or The Throwdown) is held in Monroe, WA each year generally in July (this year it was in August). We have attended for several years and it is a great time every time! Good for the family or with friends.

So why should you go?

Cars

If you are a car fan, this is your place. In all honesty, I’m really not. So I won’t delve into this too much (because I am sure to say something wrong and embarrass my husband). But that is kind of the point. If you know nothing about cars, this is still a fun event! Obviously watching the races is amazing but you can also walk through the “pit” areas and see the cars and drivers up close. There is also car show which allows you to get ideas for your own build or judge other people’s poor decisions. Just wandering through the attendees parking can have you finding some awesome vehicles!

Vendors

There are several vendors every year. There are the obligatory sponsor vendors such as Falken Tire and Sparco but there are several others catering to different participants. There is PNW gear for those with Seattle pride along with a vast assortment of car/drift loving clothing and accessories. Some vendors give out freebies (Scion…now Toyota, especially) throughout the day so keep checking back! The vendors and pits are in the same area. Makes for a fun walk.

After-parties

Monroe is a very, very small town. There isn’t a whole lot happening race weekend, except the races. If you are staying in the local hotel, there are sure to be fellow race fans packed in with you. We choose to camp each year right there at the venue. Not only is this economical but it puts you right in the center of fans only party city.

Now if you are sold on attending. Here is the breakdown of everything you need to be prepared….

How to get there:

Formula Drift Seattle is held at the Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, WA is just outside of Seattle, along HWY 522 and HWY 2. It is easy to access by driving, there is not much public transportation, however. If you are arriving on Friday or Saturday morning, expect a lot of traffic. Although there are probably some pretty cool cars around you, so it won’t be too bad.

What days to attend/tickets:

This event is always held on a Friday and Saturday. You can see the schedule of events on the website. The main event is on Saturday and if that is all you can make, still do. But if you can come for both days, it is usually just a few bucks more. Friday has the qualifying and the vendors have already set up shop. It is usually less crowded and more laid back. Saturday is a busy day with the races starting with the top 32 drivers going head-to-head becoming top 16, then 8, and so on.

You can buy tickets in advance. You don’t generally need to but they have sold out on occasion. The prices (at least for this last year) were the same online as on-site. This was unexpected as the online site charged a $5 service fee, however, the price at the venue was $5 higher than the base price online, making it the same. The site is easy to use and no one I know has had a problem.

Where to stay:

There are two good hotels in Monroe. The Evergreen Inn & Suites and the Best Western. Book early as many of the racers stay here so they will fill up. There are a few other local (a bit run down) hotels in the area as well. If you really want a hotel, Bothell is less than 30 minutes away and offers a lot more variety (I suggest the McMenamins Anderson School if you are willing to splurge and want a great place to stay, eat and drink). We don’t do any of these, however…

Camping! That’s right, you are reading a budget traveler blog. Plus who doesn’t love camping? Evergreen Speedway is actually part of the Evergreen State Fairgrounds. Because of this, there is camping right behind the venue. They have both tent and RV spots. The spots will run you $20 a night and you can have multiple vehicles. There is a list of rules, but no-one appeared to follow any of them. This is party central by car people. So expect a lot of revving engines, drift attempts and yelling. It really is fun if you don’t need to sleep.

If you do need to sleep and still camp. You will want to head out to the Thunderbird RV and Camping Resort. That is the closest campsite and is actually pretty nice.

What to eat:

Monroe has all the regular chain restaurants ranging from McDonald’s to Red Robin. There are also a few local joints and pizza delivery places. You can get a stamp to leave the venue and come back so those are options for any meal. There are also a few food vendors inside including elephant ears, street tacos, beer garden, etc. You can also bring in your own food, just no alcohol (unfortunately). If bringing in food, keep coolers small. Since we camp onsite we just head out to make pb&js or grab snacks between races.