(2009 SCHEDULE) D1GP USA Events

[Formula D]

“With our new management team in place, we decided to focus all of our initial efforts on two main objectives. The first was to make the events more appealing and accessible to local, out of town and new entry level fans. The second was to deliver a new high impact state-of-the-art racing experience that will define the future of drift racing in the United States ,” said Rich Goodwin, President of D1USA.

Drift racing? New format?

[akuma S14]

OH WOW! Drift Racing!!!!!! New Format!
Upgrade your drifting system! New and improved formula - now with 20% more stupid.

I love to see D1 USA continue to step on their own nuts....

[Brian]

*Censored**Censored**Censored**Censored* everybody that calls it drift racing.

ASB or bust.

[akuma S14]

*Censored**Censored**Censored**Censored* everybody that calls it drift racing.

ASB or bust.

I could not agree more. They might as well call it total crap racing.

[NismoP10]

*Censored**Censored**Censored**Censored* everybody that calls it drift racing.

ASB or bust.

I agree. Never been a fan of the term "drift racing" or "drift racer".

[eomund240]

It seems the D1GP officials are the 3 year old with the shiny ball. When they were the only ones with the ball they loved the attention, but when we got our own ball to play with, they took theirs and went home.

Now they want to show is they can do new tricks with their ball. Lets see if they succeed or fail. And if they fail, will they pop their ball by mistake?

[akuma S14]

yeah......balls!

[Bebop]

Does anyone riches email, I need to relay a message for him.

[Smokeemup]

Hmmm

I am relying to the message on here posted by Formula D. These guys have straight out been copying D1 for year's in just about everything they do. Now they are trying to take credit for the concept of the Red Bull World Championships. Let's see, D1 Tokyo Drift was held in June of 08'. The Red Bull event was announced at the end of July of 08', The Red Bull event was held in November of 08'. Let me ask you, does the track layout / set up of the D1 Tokyo Drift held 4 month's prior to the Red Bull event look familiar to anyone?Now who is really copying who FD?

[Brian]

...you could also say FD copied the Irwindale D1 drift course...

[eomund240]

I am relying to the message on here posted by Formula D. These guys have straight out been copying D1 for year's in just about everything they do. Now they are trying to take credit for the concept of the Red Bull World Championships. Let's see, D1 Tokyo Drift was held in June of 08'. The Red Bull event was announced at the end of July of 08', The Red Bull event was held in November of 08'. Let me ask you, does the track layout / set up of the D1 Tokyo Drift held 4 month's prior to the Red Bull event look familiar to anyone?Now who is really copying who FD?

Ummm... Not to be a complete smartass (well maybe a little), but when did FD say anything about copying?

[Formula D]

I am relying to the message on here posted by Formula D. These guys have straight out been copying D1 for year's in just about everything they do. Now they are trying to take credit for the concept of the Red Bull World Championships. Let's see, D1 Tokyo Drift was held in June of 08'. The Red Bull event was announced at the end of July of 08', The Red Bull event was held in November of 08'. Let me ask you, does the track layout / set up of the D1 Tokyo Drift held 4 month's prior to the Red Bull event look familiar to anyone?Now who is really copying who FD?

I was simply replying to the term "drift racing" used in an official press release that came directly from the new group. It is common knowledge that that term is not the preferred nomenclature to describe drifting. A little petty, I admit, to point it out, but D1 as the "leader" in drifting, one would think that you might want to call or describe the sport in the way that the consensus does or at least calling it what it is. If you wanna do a disservice to the growing fan base, call it drift racing, something that it is not. One of the biggest challenges drifting faces is a simplistic and quick education on what a fan is seeing. Who won and why? Racing implies if I beat you across the line, I win. Anyway...

I am happy to respond to your "copying" allegations however......

These guys have straight out been copying D1 for year's in just about everything they do.

Wow, that's funny. Copying D1 for years? Please share an example if you will. If we were copying, what we would do is announce events and then cancel them or promise international drivers certain things only to back out at the end of the day fueling further the sometimes present attitude about the strength of this sport drifting, especially from the originator. This is well documented with them. Conversely, we try to do things that they do not do. D1 is the originator and for that we are all grateful, however their business interactions outside Japan is a complete guide to how not to relationship build or do business in a foreign country. The list is long of people that have been burned by a bad D1 experience in some way, shape or form. We do not copy that. I'm a bit hopeful the new group will have more control to do the right things. I know them well and they are respectable, but I honestly can't understand what they are thinking with this latest venture.

Similarly, to your allegation, you may have missed the press conference at SEMA 2007 (that's November 2007) when we actually announced the World Championship. I can send you the dated release or video for that matter if you like. Or better yet, you can ask any of the people who were there which would be just about every domestic team. That would mean to announce something like that and not back out we would have been planning venues and such in the Summer of 2007. That's quite a bit earlier than your record of events you use to support your "copying". You may have also missed the last 3 years of on going conversations with other international sanctioning bodies to get all groups talking about things like similar rulebook and formatting all which properly builds direction for events like a World Championship. Were you aware that more INTL bodies use our rulebook or a form of it than any other body? As a matter of fact, I'm not sure anyone else is even doing that. This helps international bodies when they do come together, have similar rules helps establish the vehicle competition curve and minimize it. D1 does not have a history of doing this. Rather, they come to a land foreign to them to conduct business and say, this is how it will be done. UK, NZ, all prime examples of that exact thing. So your "copying" argument seems to be unable to hold much water when looking at those facts as well.

The open line approach and attitude FD employs lent for us to be able to compile the the most diverse group of drifters in the world for the RB event. By the way, your sentence about us "taking credit" for the concept of a World Championship... Can you find me something that verifies that? You do realize the concept of a WC is not a proprietary thing to anyone group and certainly not to D1? What makes a WC depends on who defines it. The facts are that the RBDWC was by far and away the most diverse group of international champions in the history of the sport. That's just a fact. Stating facts isn't claiming, it's being involved in reality. Who was missing at that event? Ah yes, D1. Here was an opportunity to participate and bring the international community together to an event that wasn't even under our own FD brand so there could be no boasting from our end that everyone is competing at OUR World Championship. That would be so lame for us to do that anyway. D1 was the only group missing. Master Ueo was a brave soul and so was Daigo Saito but mysteriously he was pulled from the event last minute. Weird. It's been said that Saito was allowed to come but it is widely known that it was in his best interest to not participate. After the initial talks with D1 where they demanded that we alter things at the event that we were producing in a certain way and tried to dictate how the event should be run, even though amongst other things, we completely changed the judging format to favor no specific sanctioning body. We designed the event to be as fair as possible. The only thing that I wish we would have done to be even more transparent is use judges from other selected countries. Ironically, most of the bodies minus D1 were fine with our existing guys, but I totally want to do an INTL drifting panel. It totally works with the new head-to-head format. In the end D1 claimed financial hardship and bailed. Totally understandable. Interesting though considering EVERY other smaller INTL team and organization had no problem getting here nor did they demand we change things for them. Moreover, the RB was a collaboration between all bodies. Ideas were welcome. We even provided a small subsidy (what we could) to the INTL teams and would have for D1 as well just to help lower the costs of travel or whatever they wanted to use it for.

When D1 ran their "World Series" events, did they once call us to say anything, ask our help or opinion? No, and we didn't expect them too. Did we knock down their door saying they need to do this or need to do that? Again, no. Somewhat of a double standard there I think. This mentality is what has led to so many broken relationships domestically and abroad. It's sad. It's sad because so much could be done by aligning in accordance with how things work in the area a group is trying to conduct an event.

Some history of note... In what we felt would have been an amazing event for the scene and a true progression in drifting, in 2006ish, we made an offer to D1. We offered to co-promote an event. The event would be D1 vs FD. Their top 16 versus our top 16, straight up. We could have co-promoted it or we would have funded it or whatever. It was all open for discussion. Judges could be picked by committee or whatever way the two groups wanted. And if our guys got smoked like we keep hearing they would, hey, oh well. I think most of them would just be more motivated and again this would have elevated drifting quicker. Though I think JR has done especially well against their best. This idea, they turned it down.

Let me ask you, does the track layout / set up of the D1 Tokyo Drift held 4 month's prior to the Red Bull event look familiar to anyone?Now who is really copying who FD?

Copying a track layout? Ya, well the track for the WC was being designed in January so your timing is a bit off again. I can provide the dated layout we had to submit to the city if that is helpful for you. Besides to my knowledge Odaiba is not a triple digit entry and additionally we didn't put a poll right in the main turn. Remember this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhu1cJF_Mjc

That accusation is pretty laughable. You would have had more credibility on that one if you said FD Houston 2005 looked like Odaiba. At least you would have some more accuracy. I would have gone along with that.

I'm really trying to not come off harsh, but your allegations are extremely off base though don't seem spiteful per say, but seem to lack accurate knowledge or back story. That's understandable. It is not uncommon. On my end though, everything being typed by me is backed up so there is no speculation and if there is I make note of it clearly. The problem is that when you post on a public forum things that provoke and breed an environment of negativity when it would be just as easy play a role in actively participating in the debate of what is best for drifting which I think would be amazing. On this forum, you have teams managers, drivers, etc.

FD has been around in the US and growing for 5 years. This would be 5 years after D1 said that they would not do anything but exhibitions in the states and sent Slipstream (at the time) packing. Fact: D1 had no intentions of doing anything but similar events to what we produced for them in 2004 from that point forward. In fact they turned down our idea to run a D1 US Series with American drivers. No risk to them. We would sell it, promote it, etc. We were told the Americans would not make exciting drifting because their level was not as good as the Japanese. Had they said yes, they would own this market right now. But it's their brand, so their choice. In the end it was a no go, and that actually gave birth to FD ironically. I can speculate that only after the initial success of FD year one in 2004 that is when it became a good idea to have more D1 events in the states. That is when the American guys got respect.... when they were seen as viable. Again, I'm speculating here, but the timing of it all is suspect. Copying is saying no to a concept, then seeing that it works, then trying to do the same thing or something similar.

So on to more "copying". The drivers I mentioned above are the same drivers of which many are now doing drifting full time or close to it. This is only possible because of the consistency of events and the return to sponsors of teams through FD events. However you view FD, the fact is that we have been doing it and doing it consistently and that consistency and growth has allowed hobby drifters to actually make a living from the sport in some way. We have been supporting the industry and contributing the best way we can. Over the past 5 years, FD has run or operated over 50 competition events, team drift, demo's and the such in the states alone. We have been on both ESPN and SPEED, the two premiere sport networks and billions of audited impressions have been calculated. Google "drifting" and besides this forum see what pops up first. I say this not to boast because our vision of this sport is so much more than it is now. If we were the first to do those things, how is that "copying"?

One of the main reasons D1 can try another comeback is because there is a market here that has been developed... from West coast to East. Why is that, you think? Don't get me wrong, FD doesn't care if they make another come back. D1 is certainly relevant. It's the manner they are saying they will do it.

If memory serves correct, D1 has had one event outside CA in Florida and I'm not sure you can call that a pro level event. They would admit this as well. The problem is that I can't see how what they are trying to do now can do anything but divide and separate the community a la drag racing. If they can pull off what they are saying they can, more power to them, but in terms of what the market can bare and support from a fan base perspective and in terms of sponsorship, it seems irresponsible. At least at this point in the game. You will find this is the consensus amongst most of the key players in the drift game. Additionally, I think FD is in a unique position to have a credible view on this. Don't get it twisted, this is not too dissimilar to a potential Champ Car/IRL thing in terms of what could be. History has taught us a lot with situations like that, right? Champ Car gone. XFL, gone. Import drag racing destroyed. When the writing is on the wall, it's hard to pretend we (drifting community) are immune to similar situations. Minus import drag racing, the other ventures were funded by deep pockets by people who had $ to lose.

Furthermore, the challenge I would pose to D1 is to do their events without recruiting drivers who run in FD. They can't. It is not financially feasible to bring over all the cars from Japan or build enough back-ups for storage here in the US. The model does not work; at least not at this time. So if D1 is producing an event and lets say fielding a roster of at least 16 and only 4-5 of those cars will be actual D1 cars (so we have been told by D1 directly), that means at least 50-60 percent of the cars will need to come from FD. That's with a field of 16. 32 is more likely and in that case, the percentage would swing higher. That being the case, besides the different locations and the potential production build, is this not primarily a FD dominant event with the D1 brand on it? How is this something new especially if only 4-5 D1 cars will be here? Is that not what we are seeing in our own series right now with guys like Miki, Takatori, Yoshioka and Orido from time to time. I think the difference is we are not recruiting, they are coming on their own volition and we are honored to have them visit us. Come on, bring the whole D1 driver roster and you've got me as a fan though that doesn't negate the fact that you are risking dividing the industry and it's health.

It's interesting to note that FD does not overtly or secretly restrict drivers on what they can and can't do. If a FD driver needs to go make $ to run an event, go for it. There is a long history of this attitude with us. However, we do feel that we have invested heavily into the promotion of the drivers and their personalities in hopes that names can be made for themselves and thus they can find streams of revenue. After all, the end game is just that for the drivers. Yes, they have passion, that is a given, but making a living through drifting is a dream. So this is where identifiable exposure comes in to play. One example of how we help with that is that we created a reality based TV program that some of you have seen called Drift Style. This is an investment we made for the specific reason of promoting the drivers lifestyles and personalities. Currently the show is one of the highest rated shows on RUSH HD. So between that and the Speed show which is distributed domestically and as well as over 300 million homes internationally, I think if we wanted to we could take a harder line when it comes to what drivers can and cannot do. We don't however. Though each driver "makes" himself and though we wont take all the credit, many drivers in the series have done very well for themselves outside the drifting arena with contracted jobs partially because they are a FD drifter. This is an amazing thing for those guys. The drivers are smart. The understand things like even though some NASCAR drivers participate in other forms of racing like Dale E in GT, they are known as NASCAR drivers. That is how they market themselves and that is the smart way to do it. That is how they build equity in their brand. The equity is built by exposure. How do they get exposure? Well for one the reach of their primary series is key, like with TV as I mentioned above. With few exceptions, TV it is generally NOT a money making venture. This is an exposure and branding play, an investment in your brand and subsequent assets (drivers). This means that the series may consciously make decisions that may have negative financial ramifications for the betterment of those that have chosen to invest in the series, i.e: drivers, sponsors, teams. We do not 1 but 2 shows. Who is doing that? Who have we copied? And with all that, do you think it is fair to ask other promoters to build their own stars in some sense?

D1 holds the drivers tight to their chest and for good reason, it's their product. D1 drivers know they need to be in those videos and get those sponsors by being loyal to D1. Is it not hypocritical to operate in that manner but then assume that FD would be stoked that after 5 years of being the main investor in drifting in the US, that we would not want to have the same attitude they have for their drivers? I don't get it. Though we don't technically contract drivers, say, like the UFC does with fighters, our job is to do as much as we can to help drivers own skill set and personalities shine through via exposure. Drivers are certainly the stars, we act as the canvas. You wont see George St. Pierre fighting in another organization without Dana White flipping out and suing him. Though, that is not the level we are at, the example is relevant when you look at what's been invested by the series and how D1 does the same thing with their drivers.

To continue, everyone (drivers, teams) is telling us, no expansion in 2009..... no more than the current events. Why? Look around. Things are hurting, money is tight in almost every avenue of potential funding for teams. This is a hold tight and ride this out. So why now? Why what started as a verbal 2-3 D1 events, now we are hearing 6? All attempting to be built in downtown areas, one of which we have done (Chicago) and are keenly aware of the extreme union costs, etc. A production like they are proposing is a multimillion dollar venture. How can you potentially make it viable? A build like that with grandstands and infrastructure is insane money. And from what I know, there is no TV component to help justify the sponsor fees, so how does this all work? Spend and see what happens? I can't find how it makes sense. Unless of course the market dictates their direction and it changes. Then again you go back to saying one thing and doing another and history repeats itself. And in an attempt to preempt the rebuttals, yes they are going to different markets. We see that. But again, it is so hard to see how it will work. And to reemphasize, can they do it without recruiting FD guys? And though D1 told us straight up they are NOT doing what we are doing and will NOT go after our sponsors, it was all of one week before we heard they were talking to current sponsors of our series. Look, I'm willing to accept the fact that maybe they know something that we don't in all this, and this will all be amazing, but seriously. I can't get my head around the motivation.

And now to the elephant in the room? How does this help in anyway to grow the sport? How does this not lead us down the drag racing path? That risk is extremely possible. There is not two NBA's, MLB's or NFL's. Now, we are not saying FD needs to be the end all tell all for drifting in the states. As I stated above we were VERY open to working with them or anyone for that matter. As a matter of fact, we took on considerable expense at Red Bull to open the doors publicly for two days to promote Pro-Am and help strengthen the grassroots. We understand that area of drifting is sooo important and we will be attempting to incorporate Pro-Am in as many of our regular events next year. Our actions generally speak for themselves. By the way, I thought the events D1 was doing a few years back in Feb/March and at the end of the year were superb. Great way to have a different product without any harsh conflicts. Why not do that?

I know this is a long post, but we don't often defend ourselves for things that are straight up off base or not accurate at all.

D1 is the originator of drift. We have no issue acknowledging that and more so we are thankful that because of them we have the opportunity to have a great sport here in the states, but this latest resurgence is not an attempt to help drifting grow in my opinion and the opinion of others. This is a dangerously (not healthy, which is possible) competitive series that requires assets (FD drivers) to operate and potential additional burdens on everyone who is already cashed strapped. There are no major discernible differences that we can see. Doing something so closely competitive to what we do, is, "copying" as you say.

If D1 wants to work with us to build consensus on what would be healthy for drifting here in the states, it's an open door over here. But in what they are currently promoting we are at odds in terms of what is healthy for proper drifting growth.

[eomund240]

I'm actually suprised you guys would take the time to give such a strong responce. Well deserved though.

And to take some of the seriousness out of this:

[J-Rod]

Well said Formula D...

[Slapshotnerd]

Formula D has been very transparent about their business practices, and has gone above and beyond the call of duty to try and promote the event and the series. you don't see D1 doing ride-alongs with local news stations or demo's like Champ Car / Mexico / etc. Formula D has constantly worked to promote the sport and the drivers, where D1 (and NOPI) always seemed to only be around for the profit.

I really hope that D1 can be resurrected and can create a successful business model in the US. I fear that they STILL want to be the only game in town, and are willing to burn bridges to get what they want (like they have in the past).