If you’ve ever seen a car spinning in tight circles with its doors flung open, smoke everywhere and a driver halfway out the window, balancing between madness and precision, then you already know: this is not your average motorsport. This is spinning.
Born in South African townships, raised in underground parking lots and now drawing crowds around the world, spinning has gone from cultural ritual to full-blown spectacle. And right in the middle of it is Samkeliso “Sam Sam” Thubane, a spinner from Mbombela who’s helping put the whole movement on the map.
A sport like no other
Spinning isn’t drifting. It’s wilder. It’s not about neat corners and scoring points. It’s about showmanship, control, chaos and culture. The driver becomes a performer. The car is the instrument. The crowd? Right there in the smoke, living for the moment.
In the early days, spinning didn’t need grandstands or race tracks. It happened in the streets, often during funerals, a way of honouring someone with noise, with motion, with fire. A defiant celebration of life. No sponsors. No permissions. Just a rear-wheel-drive car, a crowd and enough fuel to make it count.
For years, it stayed on the fringes. Police shut it down. The public didn’t understand it. But in the townships, spinning became a language. A flex.
Sam Sam: from Mbombela to Europe
One of the most exciting names to come out of this scene is Sam Sam. Raised around the sound of revving engines and tyre screeches, he learned to spin in his hometown of Mbombela, a place where spinning wasn’t just entertainment, it was all energy.
He worked his way up from street sessions to the national stage. But in June 2025, Sam Sam made history when he performed at Red Bull’s Hangar-7 in Austria , one of the most high-profile motorsport venues in Europe. Video clips from his performance went viral within days.
With international eyes watching, Sam Sam brought full kasi flavour to the event. His performance was pure theatre: sliding across the floor, smoke machines unnecessary because the car was already doing the most, and the kind of control that looks effortless but takes years to master.
It wasn’t just a personal win — it was a moment for South African car culture. Spinning had officially left the parking lot and stepped into the global spotlight.
What makes spinning different
According to Vic Pardal, longtime advocate and Sportive Director of Red Bull Shay’ iMoto, spinning stands out because it stays raw. It’s motorsport with heart and no barriers.
“Spinning is motorsport’s most democratic expression,” he says. “It welcomes everyone. Background, bank balance, none of that matters. If you’ve got skill, you’ve got a shot.”
It’s one of the few sports where the audience can literally touch the edge of the action. It’s real. It’s loud. It doesn’t ask for permission.
Still spinning, still ours
Even with its global appeal, spinning hasn’t lost its roots. You’ll still find it in parking lots, still find kids dreaming about it from the pavement, still hear it at community events. But the movement is evolving.
Events like Red Bull Shay’ iMoto, now heading to Durban this August, are helping bring structure, safety and a bigger platform to the sport. But it’s doing it without polishing away the soul.
Sam Sam’s story is just one example of how far spinning can go. And where it’s heading next? Probably somewhere we don’t expect, because that’s just how spinning works.
