Since the weekend just past brought the 2012 Drift UAE season to a close at the Dubai Autodrome, we figured we’d Canon up and check out the paddock before the show got under way, shirking the ‘till late’ part of the online invitation in the belief that Ford Mustangs and spec’d Silvia S14s would be worth missing our bedtimes for.

Another reason – besides the usual petrolhead urges to watch some race-tuned cars hurtle round on-track sideways and at ridonuculous speeds – was the UAE Drift series itself.

You may have noticed a few UAE Drift race reports floating onto crankandpiston during the last few months, and we’d like to offer our thanks to TheToolzReport for the team’s much appreciated help. Much to our chagrin, most of the events we’ve been unable to attend.

So, for the season finale, it was time to roll up our sleeves, handily ‘forget’ prior commitments, promise the wives that we’d take the rubbish out later, and head to the Autodrome to watch Mohammed Alfalasi and the Drift UAE boys in action.

Drifting is one of those sports that so often falls beneath the radar. And yet, as you can see from these pictures, the camaraderie and commitment is no different or indeed any less professional than you would find in any other motorsport formulae. These guys may be doing what they love, but they all want to win.

Just ask Fahad Alloghany from xsix. Given his victory on Friday, he’d probably agree that there’s no better way to finish a season than on top.

And just in case you thought those were the only photos we shot, check out our full gallery HERE.