From sliding sideways through professional drift courses to working overnights as a flight attendant, Alex Lichliter's life has been defined by speed, travel, and a deep love of cars. A Maryland native, Alex brings a one-of-a-kind perspective to the Athletic Ambassador Community: a professional drifter turned drift school founder who embraced a plant-based diet and a daily gym routine along the way.

 

In this November Spotlight, Alex shares what it takes to become a professional drifter, how he built his own drift school, and where his career as a flight attendant has taken him along with his go-to Athletic brew. 

 

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? 

I was born and raised in Maryland, and I love it here! For almost 13 years I’ve been a flight attendant for a major US airline, which has let me explore the world and see so many cool places. On top of that, six years ago I earned my professional race car driver’s license and became a professional drifter. I was one of only 45 people in the world to do it, and I competed professionally for four years. Racing is a huge passion of mine, and living the professional drifting dream has been an incredible journey.

 

 

For those who aren't familiar, what does it mean to drift professionally?

 

When most people think of racing, they think of oval racing, drag racing, or dirt racing. Drifting is the art of making the rear end of your car slide out, almost like you're inducing an accident. If you've ever lost control of your car on a snowy road, that's a drift! I do it on asphalt road courses, holding the slide while switching from left to right through the course.

 

In professional drifting, two cars compete at a time: one leads and one chases, mirroring each other almost like figure skating pairs. Then they switch positions, go again, and a panel of three judges decides who demonstrated the best drift. It's not timed, and it's not about how fast you go. Drifting grew out of freestyle sports like skateboarding and snowboarding, where the goal is to demonstrate control and style.

 

You now run your own drift school. What inspired you to start it?

 

Professional racing is expensive, so I started my own drift school and put the proceeds back into my racing.The school no longer has to fund my racing, but it’s still the most rewarding part of what I do. I’m the only drift school in the US that provides the car and sits in it with you the whole time, setting goals based on your skill level. I’ve taught about 70 people, and roughly 80% go on to buy their own drift car. I’ve even had students fly in from other states and countries. 

Outside of racing, what are some fun facts or passions people might not know about you?

Before I ever raced, my first job out of high school was an auto mechanic. I didn’t even know how to change the oil in my own car at first. Over time I worked my way up to becoming a certified mechanic. I still work on my own cars today, and right now I’m in the middle of a huge repair on my truck.

I’ve owned over 100 cars in my life between flipping, racing, and daily driving. My dream car is a 1993 rotary-engine sports car. It runs off triangles instead of traditional pistons, and I love the way it sounds.

I also grew up skateboarding, so I often bring my board on overnights and seek out local skateparks. And I can’t forget about my golden retriever, Arya! She’s almost 10 and has come to every race with me - She’s the real star of the show! I even have a big sign that says “come pet my dog,” and when I get back to the pits there’s always people hanging out with her.  

 

 

How long have you been an Athletic Ambassador, and what made you want to join? 

I joined the Athletic Ambassador program this summer! 

My path to Athletic Brewing started in the world of professional racing. You get invited to a lot of social events that revolve around drinking, and I noticed that I was consuming more alcohol than I wanted to. I wanted a change, so I started looking for something different. I found that Athletic makes brews that mirror the traditional options out there, like an Oktoberfest or an Irish-style red, instead of just one style. 

Around the same time, I started going to the gym every day and became plant-based. I eventually realized that drinking just didn’t fit the direction I was heading anymore, and Athletic gave me a great-tasting option that did. I became a true fan and joined as a member on the website. When I saw the post looking for ambassadors, I knew I could do it, and I am happy to be a part of the program. 

What is an overnight adventure that sticks out from your time as a flight attendant? 

A typical trip for me is a three-day schedule and the real magic of being a flight attendant is the overnights. I try to pick overnights where I know someone I can meet up with, or I bring my skateboard and cruise a local skatepark. Sometimes the best overnights are the unexpected ones. You’d think a night in Los Angeles at a sky bar would be epic. But I’ve had amazing nights in smaller towns, with a great crew, grabbing tacos and exploring. 

My favorite was an overnight stay in Bozeman, Montana. A few of us rented a car and drove to Yellowstone. We had a 22-hour layover, so we saw as much as we could before heading back to work in the morning.

 

 

What is your favorite Athletic brew?

My go-to for taste and availability is Upside Dawn. I can pick it up at just about any store. It’s light-bodied enough to be perfect at any time of day. That said, I truly love the seasonal brews. I recently had Dark & Gourdy and the Oktoberfest. They were great, and I just ordered a Black IPA that I can’t wait to try! 

What is something you are looking forward to late this year and into 2027?

 

I do a lot of my flying in the winter when the racetracks are closed, so I'll be packing in a lot of hours from November through February, which I enjoy. The big news is that my family and I are looking to move to Florida. I'm tired of the cold, and we are actively house hunting. Our hearts are on the gulf side, but we're exploring other areas on the east coast too that give me enough land for my race cars, shop, truck, and trailer. I'll be rebuilding my drift school network there, introducing myself to new tracks and making new connections so I can bring the drift experience to Florida.

 

I’m also hoping to connect with more people in the ambassador community!