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One - to create a class in Japan that the privateers can hope to compete in. It brings more involvement to the series, and brings in some fresh blood - the last few years has seen much of the same faces at the top level of D1, which makes it feel just a bit cozy.
Two - marketing, marketing, marketing. D1 and drifting is driving aftermarket sales like no other racing series. Super GT has very little to do with street cars, rallying/WRC is either spec cars (Group N) or million-dollar one-offs, and gymkhana is not something that people would pay to watch. Witness the entry of the RWD Impreza, which has a lot of back-office help from Subaru/STi. This isn't because STi is filled with a lot of drift fans, it's because drifting reaches more fans and helps sell cars and parts.
But the top level D1 cars are increasingly going the way of the big-buck series with special, one-off race vehicles that really have no relation to road cars. It is becoming harder and harder for manufacturers and tuner shops to say "you can buy our parts and be just like them!". The new rules creates a class that brings that aspect back into the game. Race on Sunday, Sell on Monday.
D1 is no longer some outlaw, underground movement, it's the big time now. Hollywood all the way.
isnt that hks plan with the altezza to build a completely off the shelf car?
Originally posted by sevenphotos
The rules are there for two reasons -
One - to create a class in Japan that the privateers can hope to compete in. It brings more involvement to the series, and brings in some fresh blood - the last few years has seen much of the same faces at the top level of D1, which makes it feel just a bit cozy.
Two - marketing, marketing, marketing. D1 and drifting is driving aftermarket sales like no other racing series. Super GT has very little to do with street cars, rallying/WRC is either spec cars (Group N) or million-dollar one-offs, and gymkhana is not something that people would pay to watch. Witness the entry of the RWD Impreza, which has a lot of back-office help from Subaru/STi. This isn't because STi is filled with a lot of drift fans, it's because drifting reaches more fans and helps sell cars and parts.
But the top level D1 cars are increasingly going the way of the big-buck series with special, one-off race vehicles that really have no relation to road cars. It is becoming harder and harder for manufacturers and tuner shops to say "you can buy our parts and be just like them!". The new rules creates a class that brings that aspect back into the game. Race on Sunday, Sell on Monday.
D1 is no longer some outlaw, underground movement, it's the big time now. Hollywood all the way.
yea, HKS did the same thing with their S15, they sell D1 spec parts same as what NOB used on the Silvia. Cams, turbo, manifold, exhaust, suspension, all that stuff. That is pretty much why they switched as far as I know, was to create a new line of products, because they would have won the series if they had kept the Silvia. Blitz is doing the same thing soon I have heard with the introduction of their S15 drift car. Its hard to sell the skyline audience drift parts, so now they move on to "the" drift car, the silvia.
I don't think you're going to see a noticable difference in the cars if they run these rules. You will see a new group of drivers since the top current D1 drivers won't "drop" down to the street D1. None of the changes really change drifting itself. I mean, of course you really can't change drifting, but I think they should run a real street D1, meaning cars that come off of the street. They should require that you drive your car to the circuit, and if you didn't crash, home from the circuit. Have a limit of pit crew, so drivers have to work on cars themselves. Basically I want to see what I see when I go to a local drift event. I want to see great drivers come up in their own cars, drift the crap out of them, and then have to change their own tires to drive back home again. And have their aero in the back seat because it came off during a tandem run. I want to see daily driver stuff, personal cars of the drivers. It's a pipe dream of course, pro drifting will never revert like that.
Instead, you are still going to see highly modified cars, with stock engines pushing 350+ hp, stock brakes with slotted rotors and race pads, no air jacks, and a/c and navigation, coming off of a trailer. Couldn't you have seen all that stuff on regular D1 cars anyways? Most of the corollas still use stock engines and brakes, I don't know which D1 cars use air jacks since it isn't that important, and a/c and nav can always be added back to those cars without a great deal of trouble. So all you have now is a heavier D1 car. Basically you will have Nomuken's D1 car from 3 years ago, full interior with navigation. I think we're just going to see companies field 2 D1 teams, with one car to fit each category and rules. So HKS will win twice in one weekend maybe, with 2 different drivers, but the same technology can be used on both cars, but with one being lighter than the other, with a big brake kit and air jacks.
Last edited by raging panda; 07-19-2005, 11:56 PM.
It's only a separate series..they had a "d1 drop-outs" league as well, but that was kind of a special one time thing where the winner got his D1 license. I mean it's not going to effect the US events unless they try to bring over that specific series..it's NOT a replacement and we've known about it for quite some tme now. There are several companies/teams building cars just for this series. It's focused mainly at the drifting community who doesn't have the money for all the craziness and to better show the talents of the driver with a limited vehicle. So you can all relax. I personally think it's cool. D1 has gotten out of hand..privateers have no chance there, at least in the street class they'll have a fighting chance. This is no different than any other motorsport that has grown substancially through time. Things grow and more avenues for competition are opened. BM Hi is more of an entry level event series more focused at creating drivers and the weekend warriors. The "pro-class" they have is very competitive and many of those drivers have had or do have a D1 license, but their are stipulations like in all events...which I don't completely know the details of. Even BM Hi has its' own politics, my buddy Mike outdrove his whole class, but didn't make the cut...he's gaijin. I was there right on the fence and saw everyones runs. I had the best vantage point there is on the Minami course (Ebisu) and he didn't even make the first cut into the top 16. I fear a plauge of politics in Formula D...I hate to say it since I've helped to promote it and have always supported it and its' drivers, but time will tell.
<<<D1 has gotten out of hand..privateers have no chance there, at least in the street class they'll have a fighting chance.>>>
Racing is about money even SCCA events money make a big deal in some classes. Part of racing is getting money too race you can't do that then your not a racer ITS A HOBBY. Anyone who rolls up in a semi-turck and unloads 4 cars no matter what class has a better chance of winning than some guy with a F-150 and flatbed trailer or even some guy that drives the car from his house too the event (<--how many sets of tires do you think he can afford)
I agree with anther guy here all the big teams will then buy anther semi-truck and loaded it up with the street package. Ask me its like Bush vs Nextel cup the street vs D1 is just anther DVD too sell people and make more money. i don't know all the rules but be glad D1 drivers cant drive in street overwise you get the same result.
a new class may be needed in japan (i don't know never been) , but some of the rules are a little off if it is going to be street like you can't change brakes to another models, thats one of the cheaper ways to stop faster (240sx-300z brakes, mustang-cobra brakes), and if they ever make it in the u.s. no engien swaps won't work(show of hands how many 240s have a sr20det)
i like the one class deal too, let the under dogs shine!
on an unrelated note, have you guys noticed that with a few d1 exceptions (wrx,altezza,...), the american cars are much more divers? some one posted that blitz is gona run a silvia, every one loves the uras blitz 4door. sorry about the hijack, probly better in another thread.
- must have legal road-going documents
No complaints about this yet...
- no tubbed fenders/one-off metal body components
So fiberglass ones would be okay?
- no carbon / beamless door replacements
Safety issue. Understood.
- no airjacks
Does it matter how we choose to lift our cars? It is not as if time is critical when we are in the pits (like NASCAR, etc.).
- no custom / standalone relay/ fuse switchboxes
Understood
- brakes must stay stock dimensions; no swaps from other models of same make or not
So I guess this means no 300ZX swaps for the 240s guys then?
- no sequential gearboxes
Okay.
- no motorswaps from other model into other model, same make or not
Does this mean no SR engines are to be installed in US model 240s?
- no fuel cells
Hmm...okay.
- no plexiglass window inserts and replacements allowed
No Lexan. Okay.
- no complete dash replacement parts
Got it.
- must retain OEM amenities (ac/navigation/heater)
Does the A/C have to actually work? What if the car is out of freon and the fan is just blowing...how are they supposed to know that it works?
So....is there going to be ONE class or TWO seperate classes in D1?
to any of the pros complaining please stop your at the top they arent gonig to put u down.. i think this is nice to have a new set of rules keeps everything new and fresh... and regarding the HKS s15 that car was no where near a off the shelf car.. i mean come on seqential gearbox=5k and up now the altezza is a little more on the consumer friendly side as for now but a good example is Apex'i 's FD thast a consumer friendly car nothing crazy about it its got a sound system in one of the cars nothing out of the usauall stuff
to any of the pros complaining please stop your at the top they arent gonig to put u down.. i think this is nice to have a new set of rules keeps everything new and fresh... and regarding the HKS s15 that car was no where near a off the shelf car.. i mean come on seqential gearbox=5k and up now the altezza is a little more on the consumer friendly side as for now but a good example is Apex'i 's FD thast a consumer friendly car nothing crazy about it its got a sound system in one of the cars nothing out of the usauall stuff
dude, a sequential gearbox is just is pretty close to an off the shelf part, you can call getrag or someone and order one tomorrow if you want. It's not like they had to make their own castings and then whittle their own gearing, they bought a box from someone. The FD you talk about has custom fueling system/plumbing with its surge tanks and stuff, way more custom than a sequential gear box. Neither car is a good example of off the shelf, but both were built to show off HKS and Apexi products. HKS did use the same engine parts and suspension stuff that you can buy from them, and so did Apexi with their coilovers and engine management, but neither is an off the shelf racecar.
I think that it is a step in the right direction. There is a certain appeal to the old 2001 and 2002 D1 Videos. Like watching Imamura's chopped JZA-70 Supra truck conversion, or the gaggles of different cars competeing. I like the fact that the limits in engime swaps and modification would force entrients to rely more on finesse and weight shift rather then power. It'd be interesting to see cars like KP-61s and the ilk to be competetive with the S-15s and FDs of the world.
I think there is one misconception going on around here - the rule changes are to make the cars street legal. Not street legal in America, but in Japan. And in Japan, that means it has to pass through the shaken system, which is rather strict. Almost all of the restrictions that are being listed have very little to do with D1 itself, they have to do with what would not pass through the Shaken system.
D1 is still, and will be, very Japanese. D1 Street Legal matters only to the Japanese, really. It only has minor ramifications overseas, to you guys in the states. Street legal in America is much different, as there is no shaken style inspection system that literally inspects all the components on a car, and makes sure that they are either OEM or within certain parameters.
It's a major pain here in Japan, and is also why the majority of Japanese tuning is quite "light" in comparison to America, especially when it comes to power.
- no motorswaps from other model into other model, same make or not
Does this mean no SR engines are to be installed in US model 240s?
This applies to Japan, not the US "series". Essentially this is for the "broke @$$" people that have the skills, but don't have the funds. Like many people have said, this is a step in the right direction.
Sad thing is they ain't shining *Censored**Censored**Censored**Censored* anywhere. So I guess American Pros win this one.
*Censored**Censored**Censored**Censored*ing dolt.
al you swear just cause you get to drive a nice car you are the hot sh!t....please bring it to altamont next thursday and lets see what you got. you would get scraped by us youngins. thanks for the laugh at formula D too that was really great!!
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