Does FALKEN dominate D1/Formula D?

[CRASH]

Alot of cars seemed to have big falken sponsors, does falken pretty much own the D1/Formula D?

[Wayne]

nah, but they do sponser tons of cars. many drifters use falken st115s anyways. i know i do

[Octagon]

They haven't won in Formula Drift yet, but they've hired on the drivers who're more than likely the fellows who'd break the pushrod streak. Falken is using the Brannigan "Wave After Wave of Men" tactic, which in theory should work well for them.

However, a lack of homogenity amongst the team's cars mean that setup cannot be shared and the benefits of being a team are lost.

Ever wonder why NASCAR teams like Roush, Ganassi, and Hendrick will keep their backmarker team out lap after lap circulating in 25th on back? It's because that car is like the other cars on the team and can collect setup data for them. Team homogenity is crucial to a team victory.

I'm expecting the 2005 Championship battle to come down to Forsberg, Gushi, Millen, and Hubinette as a dark horse.

(even though he's defending champ and a helluva driver, Hubinette is going to have some time spent working out setup on whatever Carlson and Mopar are putting together for him, so he's the dark horse.)

[Ris4drift]

i think the pool of drivers fighting for the championship is gonna be a lot bigger than that. this year is going to be very very very good action i think for all the drivers and the fans.

[Ghost of Duluth]

Falken is making a large commitment to the sport, not dominating it. They should be looked at as a pioneer into bigger sponserships. Other companies will take notice and hopefully start sponsering these pros the way they need to be backed. This sport has grown enough now to where the pros do not need to hold day jobs, they need to be practicing day and night, not fiddling with their cars, assembling them and what not.

The pool for the points will be larger than 4 drivers this year. You forget some of the best ones. Angelo will be in there for sure. I wouldn't be suprised to see Hampton in there as well and the other Drift Alliance guys. With that bigger sponsership, they will rise.

The lack of unity among automobiles is not as detrimental in Drifting as it is in Nascar. Car set up is important but not as important as it is in Nascar where a wedge or a turn will give you .08 more mph in the turns. Drifting is more style and technique. If your technique is good, you cna apply that to any car.

[110octane]

Team Falken

You guys are analyzing this WAY too much. Falken built there team around cohesivness. If you know any of the guys at Falken you know that they eat, breath, live and $hit drifting and motorsports in general. With them its not just "How many tires do you need, pick them up at the event." These dudes love the sport and the people involved. From what I've been told, Falken chose there team by the individuals that are commited to the sport and hold the same type of work ethic as they do. Believe me, there not like some of other tire companies that walk around events and beg drivers to come on board for "free" tires in hopes that that driver is "the next big thing". The tires are nice, don't get me wrong, but being a part of a team that gives a $hit about you as a person as well as a competitive driver is way more rewarding. And Ghost, this sport has not grown enough yet to where drivers can quit there day jobs. Lets not forget that Drifting as a "pro" sport in America has only been aroud for 1 year. Still pretty green if you ask me?!

Rock on......

[Ris4drift]

i wish drivers could quit their day jobs. that woudl be nice if the other tire companies gave the support falken is giving.

[DomLee]

Originally posted by Ghost of Duluth
Falken is making a large commitment to the sport, not dominating it. They should be looked at as a pioneer into bigger sponserships. Other companies will take notice and hopefully start sponsering these pros the way they need to be backed. This sport has grown enough now to where the pros do not need to hold day jobs, they need to be practicing day and night, not fiddling with their cars, assembling them and what not.
...

I agree that Falken is making a huge commitment to the sport. If anything,...they are the most visible tire company in drifting (here in the US anyway).

But I disagree that the pros do not need to hold day jobs. Tell that to our famed forum member Alex Phieffer. Tell that to Ernie Fixmer. These guys still work on cars from what I know.

Hey Alex...Ghost here says that you can just practice day and night...no need for any more suspension work...

[110octane]

Might I add, that to my knowledge every driver on team FALKEN (Incl.Jpn pros) holds a day job except 2. And thats because they choose not too. If you take a look, almost all D1 Japan drivers have a day job (ie. Koguchi owns a tuning shop, Nomuken owns a tuning shop and so on.....) About the only ones involved in "pro" drifting that can afford not to work are the guys that judge D1.....and thats cuz there the ones laughing all the way to the bank from the commercialization of D1 and Drifting.

[my 1 88 u]

Originally posted by 110octane
Might I add, that to my knowledge every driver on team FALKEN (Incl.Jpn pros) holds a day job except 2. And thats because they choose not too. If you take a look, almost all D1 Japan drivers have a day job (ie. Koguchi owns a tuning shop, Nomuken owns a tuning shop and so on.....) About the only ones involved in "pro" drifting that can afford not to work are the guys that judge D1.....and thats cuz there the ones laughing all the way to the bank from the commercialization of D1 and Drifting.

First off you guys are taking what ghost said out of context, second even the drift king himself has a day job. What he means is that when the sponser support them it is less of a struggle to just focus on practice and getting better without worrying about breaking stuff.

[110octane]

This sport has grown enough now to where the pros do not need to hold day jobs, they need to be practicing day and night, not fiddling with their cars, assembling them and what not.

I'm not sure how it has been taken out of context though? I uderstand what your saying also, any help is good!

Just Curious....what is the drift kings day job?

[Ris4drift]

i personally will try to have a job as long as i can. sitting at home is boring and *Censored**Censored**Censored*.


i think what ghost was taling about is beign able to AFFORD to not have a day job. most pro us drifters right now REQUIRE a day job just to be able to barely afford the daily grind and drifting expenses.

The pro us drivers afaik are some poor mofos (besides some teh lucky ones)

[Drift Alliance]

I don't think you guys realize that the only additions to falken for 2005 are, me, chris forsberg and ryan hampton. yokohama had 18 drivers last year, i think people are getting the wrong perception of how big these teams really are. anyways, yes hopefully falken will be on the podium alot this year

ok, back to work on our cars!

[crimson]

In stateside drifting, you can say that Falken has made a very large commitment into drifting, as they have made their own team to represent their products. They are one of the only tire companies willing to create a Pro team, Toyo Tires being the other.

They do not dominate FD, as most of the drivers in the Year-End Top 10 drive with Yokohama support. The same can be said in D1, where most drivers are backed by Bridgestone or Yokohama.

Falken Tires is making a bold statement by supporting so many drivers in this relatively young motorsport. (Young in the US.) They are, however, making it known that they realize that drifting will not be a fad, and will continue to be a legitimate motorsport. Support from companies like Falken, as well as GM, Ford, Daimler-Chrysler, and countless other American and Japanese companies show that drifting will be around for a long while.

[Hubert Young]

Originally posted by crimson
In stateside drifting, you can say that Falken has made a very large commitment into drifting, as they have made their own team to represent their products. They are one of the only tire companies willing to create a Pro team, Toyo Tires being the other.

They do not dominate FD, as most of the drivers in the Year-End Top 10 drive with Yokohama support. The same can be said in D1, where most drivers are backed by Bridgestone or Yokohama.

Falken Tires is making a bold statement by supporting so many drivers in this relatively young motorsport. (Young in the US.) They are, however, making it known that they realize that drifting will not be a fad, and will continue to be a legitimate motorsport. Support from companies like Falken, as well as GM, Ford, Daimler-Chrysler, and countless other American and Japanese companies show that drifting will be around for a long while.

Well said... What I like about Falken is, as 110octane said, they give a $hit about the sport and the drivers... And they provide a lot more support than just tires...