(2009 SCHEDULE) D1GP USA Events

[SSmith]

D1 > FD

Only 2 FD events out of the many that I've attended were exciting: Vegas and RBWC. Pretty much you always know the judges will most likely pick either:
Millen, Sam, Foust, Dai, Forsberg. I would too if I were a judge because of the huge gap in skills between the top 8 drivers and the rest. It's like judging a dunk contest between a guy who can do a windmill 360 vs a guy who can barely dunk.

D1 is more fun to watch because the skill level is pretty much even from top to bottom. Watching D1 you really don't mind if the same drivers win but you always know that you'll be at the edge of the seat throughout the entire event.

At the RBWC, only 2 or 3 tandem runs were worth cheering for and a couple of them involving Ueo! The only other one was between Dai and Rhys. Even during the solo run, only a couple of runs were exciting because of how close the cars were to the wall.

D1 is more exciting from start to finish, I think FD is getting there once the skill levels start to even out. Good luck D1, as a fan, I'll definitely go to your events. Good luck also FD, I think you've done great things for drifting and I'll still attend your events only to watch the top 16.

[5150 Cruiser]

I really enjoy FD, however, I still think D1 > FD.
To me D1 just more fun, cars are cooler, judging is not ridiculously wrong, fan service will always beat FD, and entertainment/organization was always great. FD's always so focused on competition and the ugly *Censored**Censored**Censored* cars just get boring after a while.

.

I'd have to disagree with you about the diversity of the cars in FD. The cars in FD are WAY more diverse than anything in D1. With D1 its mainly S15's and AE86's. FD has Vipers, Solstic, GTO, mustang, V8 powered 350Z's, etc. As far as what looks better, i guess thats just personal preferance, but FD cars look better IMO.

[courantcom]

I'd have to disagree with you about the diversity of the cars in FD. The cars in FD are WAY more diverse than anything in D1. With D1 its mainly S15's and AE86's. FD has Vipers, Solstic, GTO, mustang, V8 powered 350Z's, etc. As far as what looks better, i guess thats just personal preferance, but FD cars look better IMO.

...so you're saying that FD brings in corporate sponsored entries? I guess the team with the most money wins in the end. ;-)

[courantcom]

D1 > FD

Only 2 FD events out of the many that I've attended were exciting: Vegas and RBWC. Pretty much you always know the judges will most likely pick either:
Millen, Sam, Foust, Dai, Forsberg. I would too if I were a judge because of the huge gap in skills between the top 8 drivers and the rest. It's like judging a dunk contest between a guy who can do a windmill 360 vs a guy who can barely dunk.

D1 is more fun to watch because the skill level is pretty much even from top to bottom. Watching D1 you really don't mind if the same drivers win but you always know that you'll be at the edge of the seat throughout the entire event.

At the RBWC, only 2 or 3 tandem runs were worth cheering for and a couple of them involving Ueo! The only other one was between Dai and Rhys. Even during the solo run, only a couple of runs were exciting because of how close the cars were to the wall.

D1 is more exciting from start to finish, I think FD is getting there once the skill levels start to even out. Good luck D1, as a fan, I'll definitely go to your events. Good luck also FD, I think you've done great things for drifting and I'll still attend your events only to watch the top 16.

You mean...you weren't excited when the Emergency Hooker was dispatched out?

[courantcom]

I'd take that bet. FD drivers have more than proven that they can hand with D1 drivers. Personally, (hold on, let me put on my flame suit) for the most part, i don't see a seperation any more.

I'll never believe that. Some of the D1 drivers have been drifting for as many years as some of the FD drivers have been alive. Experience is experience...and quite a bit of the D1 drivers have had all the correct experience stacked end on end....or should I say more side to side.

[Bebop]

I believe in the state of the sport is right now its so easy to pick up drifting.

When dudes started out 20 years ago in japan they didn't have manuals, books, movies to teach them the ropes. Or just show them the right perspective of the sport.

In other words, American drivers have it easy compared to old school dudes in japan. They might not have the experience, but the formula is at there fingertips.

[courantcom]

I believe in the state of the sport is right now its so easy to pick up drifting.

When dudes started out 20 years ago in japan they didn't have manuals, books, movies to teach them the ropes. Or just show them the right perspective of the sport.

In other words, American drivers have it easy compared to old school dudes in japan. They might not have the experience, but the formula is at there fingertips.

I don't think so. Just think about it this way. A Medical Doctor with years and years and years of the correct experience will always have an edge over anyone fresh out of med school. No matter what, correct experience > books + videos.

[Cavi Mike]

It might be easier to pick up but with the police so strict here in the states, it's very difficult to get the practice in that the japanese have been getting on the streets. Getting caught drifting here can land you in jail for the night and losing your car.

And then there's the track support, there's really nowhere to just go drift because tracks can't afford the insurance because americans are so sue-happy. You can find somewhere to drift every weekend in japan but there's nothing like that here. No gymkhana events around here either.

But the biggest problem, americans just drag race and that's all FD is. If your car is underpowered, the judges couldn't care less that you nailed all your clipping points perfect and were at full lock in every drift. I love watching them pick the fastest car every time even when the fast guy loses drift and misses his clipping points when he's chasing. It's eff'n pathetic. But he wins every single damn time.

FD is a joke.

[courantcom]

It might be easier to pick up but with the police so strict here in the states, it's very difficult to get the practice in that the japanese have been getting on the streets. Getting caught drifting here can land you in jail for the night and losing your car.

The Police in Japan is JUST AS STRICT. You make it sound like that if the Japanese police see you "street drifting", they are going to leave you alone? No...they have "stings" there too. They setup "traps". They roll up with their lights off too, and then pop out of nowhere. They will chase you down too...all the same. Getting caught drifting in Japan can also lead to stiff fines which will lead to you losing your car.

And then there's the track support, there's really nowhere to just go drift because tracks can't afford the insurance because americans are so sue-happy. You can find somewhere to drift every weekend in japan but there's nothing like that here. No gymkhana events around here either.

You can find something at least 2x a month here in So.Cali alone at a proper track/venue. Maybe more if you start driving to Vegas because I know VegasDrift holds events as well. In fact, here at Willow Springs Raceway, you can become a "member", and then "practice" all you want for an extremely discounted fee.

But the biggest problem, americans just drag race and that's all FD is. If your car is underpowered, the judges couldn't care less that you nailed all your clipping points perfect and were at full lock in every drift. I love watching them pick the fastest car every time even when the fast guy loses drift and misses his clipping points when he's chasing. It's eff'n pathetic. But he wins every single damn time.

"Americans" also love NASCAR, and Off-Road racing, and Power Boat Racing, etc. Americans also love Nitro burning monster trucks, and pretty much anything Nitro burning for that matter. Americans do love "power", as the typical American car builder solution to making a good car is just to solve it with a good dose of power. Americans love a V8. They love it more than a V10, or a V12, or anything flat. Smooth power is useless against brute power. But then again, who's the argue? E-V-E-R-Y-O-N-E who's a car fanatic loves power. ...even those who aren't such fanatics still love power, and you can't argue that. Power just costs money and that's where people start to find a "balance". But...none of this matters for the point of this discussion.

For what you had mentioned, you seem to have forgotten something. Power is one thing, and putting it all down as traction is another. A car may have gobs and gobs of power, but if the suspension design is crap, a lot of that power goes to waste.

The drift cars need to have correct power for the weight of it. I'd like to see ideas of a rule that correlates horsepower against the car's weight.

FD is a joke.

Seems like you just mean to say that their judging is a joke. Please remember that FD does more than just judge events. Judging is a detail in the grand scheme of things, but it DOES have to be done correctly as well. It's like painting a car. The actual painting part (pulling the trigger of the paint gun) is the easiest part. All the prep work and finishing work has to go into play as well.

[Lord_EJR]

I'd have to disagree with you about the diversity of the cars in FD. The cars in FD are WAY more diverse than anything in D1. With D1 its mainly S15's and AE86's. FD has Vipers, Solstic, GTO, mustang, V8 powered 350Z's, etc. As far as what looks better, i guess thats just personal preferance, but FD cars look better IMO.

Are you kidding? Have you ever watched/followed D1? You're saying that FD is more diverse because they have crappy american cars? To me aside from the mustang, all those american cars suck. Viper? Jeez I hate that car with a passion. I dont know why but it just doesnt fit with drifting, its like a redneck exotic car. The decals and design of that car is just ugly to me. I'd much rather see a nice vette drifting (Dont talk to me about that Tanaka racing monstrosity).

You talk Diversity? D1 has had tons of different cars with different set ups. There was even a 1000hp+ Aristo in previous years for crying out loud. Lol I was watching FD atlanta today, I forget who the driver but guy was driving basically a stock pontiac solstice, WTF?

V8 350Z? I admit I liked that car, but D1 had a unique drifting Z too, RB powered Top Secret built Z, car was fast as hell too! Even Kuma's Subie or Evo are more diverse just because of the damn engineering that went into them.

'09 D1 is going to be even more diverse. Daigo in a mustang? Ueno in a BMW? When it comes to cars (and driving) D1 will always >>>>>>> FD. FD will have the same ugly *Censored**Censored**Censored* cars, aside from the hand full that are cool.

In other words:



I'm not an FD hater. I think they are cool, I appreciate their hard work promoting drifting in the US. I just dont like certain things about that series. Cars should be cool, not look like a damn Frankenstein or a fatty on a blind date

[Justin Banner]

Ugh, that front end is ugly. What's up with the headlight area?

[courantcom]

Ugh, that front end is ugly. What's up with the headlight area?

Ahh...braille battery car. Maybe it looks good in "braille". ;-) ...or maybe it already is in braille?

[Bebop]

I don't think so. Just think about it this way. A Medical Doctor with years and years and years of the correct experience will always have an edge over anyone fresh out of med school. No matter what, correct experience > books + videos.

Medicine is thousands of years old and drifting might be 25, depending on who you ask.

Does anyone remember a video of forsberg going to japan, and talking about how he was up to par if not better then most of the drivers he drove with there. And that was like 3 years ago....

I think the sport is 100% more accelerated in the US

[Cavi Mike]

Better than who, the local amateur drifters? Maybe, but he's not better than the D1 drivers, he's just a cocky little snob b!tch.

[Lord_EJR]

Does anyone remember a video of forsberg going to japan, and talking about how he was up to par if not better then most of the drivers he drove with there. And that was like 3 years ago....

I think the sport is 100% more accelerated in the US

LOL, he said that? hahahha. Man the guys in japan must use that video when they want some comedy. The only drivers in the US that I feel come close to japan skills are JR (best US drifter in my opinion), Rhys, Tanner, and Sam. I cant believe Forsberg said that lol. Yea mustve been an amateur event for girls or children.

I hope some of the FD guys come out to the D1 events and show what they got to offer. I love D1GP but I'm pro USA when it comes to Japan vs US. I also really hope that FD and D1 can patch up their differences so we can see who the real top dogs in this game are. I think I already know the outcome to that tho.

I dont agree with the US 100% more accelerated stuff. What facts due you base this on? US (FD) has ugly cars, lots of boring drivers, and its always based on competition. Its not that fun. On top of that, at the drift events themselves they always have ugly models, weak rappers, crappy judging, bad MC's (Like when he called Takatori's R34 and 240sx, lol! that was the worst!) and bad organization. Like I said, I'm not an FD hater, I just want to see them get better!