I've done both. Well.. kinda.
I've raced Autocross one time just for kicks at an officially sanctioned event at my college run by
FCSCC. The catch; I raced an electric car (
Solectra Force - Basically a electric powered Geo Metro.) and wasn't PAX'ed right so I lost the heat. Should of technically been in my own class but whatever. It was a fun time.
As far as drifting goes, front wheel drive kinda dissallows a lot of that, and the best drifting done with front wheel drift really isn't considered drifting, but is done in the snow. Last week was good for that.
But I did "drift" down 95 South in Enfield on my way back from the River Rage competititon in New Hampshire this year with some friends in the car when my rear drivers side wheel wheel bearing locked up on me. I pulled over with smoke coming out from the back of my car, and thought it was just a flat tire.. and seeing no tires flat, started to try and drive again. The wheel was locked up, and a quick backup and forward move unlocked it and I drove it off the exit, flat top tire and all and changed the tire.
$500+ later fixed the root of that problem.
This is the result of that:
That was kinda scary.
Planned drifting = Fun!
Unplanned drifting = Scary!