D1GP DIRECTOR QUITs.....

[GBC]

I put my $.02 down in an article What’s Next for NASCAR and Drifting in America?, it is all pure speculation right now, but I am sure I can't be that far off.

[MonkeySlide]

I think you guys are over reacting a little bit because you still have the WDC fresh in your mind.

First of all if this is even true..its not like D1 was already an American series and Hideo broke off to start yet another one making the total to three.

If he pulls this off this would make a grand total of ..2..professional drift series not exactly the "bunch" or "a$$ load" of series that you guys are complaining about.

Secondly..as Mike said..yes there aren't that many "pro" level teams out there right now but everyone has to start somewhere. And well Formula D is getting to the point where its starting to get harder for them to support a ton of drivers. Which is why its much more difficult to get a license now than it was when they first started.

As it is now Formula D can't support 70 teams trying to compete in their series unless they expanded their schedule to 15 events or something it just can't happen right now. It's like this in almost any major motorsport.

The IRL, Champ Car, F1..only allows for SO MANY teams to run in the series because if they let everybody in they'll eventually get over loaded.

Also, just because another American series is started doesn't mean that all the top pro teams in Formula D are automatically just going to try and do double duty and compete in both of them. The whole WDC fiasco proved that already.

All what this "DRIFTCAR" series means is that the droves of grassroots guys who missed the cut this year to get in to Formula D have something else to shoot for.

Hideo isn't just some random dude with money trying to start a series either..the guy has been the American organizer for D1 for quite a while now so he wouldn't be doing this if he didn't know what he was doing.

There are many ways Formula D and this potential series can work together and keep things good for everyone and even make things better in the future.

I say save your judgement until we know more details about Hideo's plan if this is something that is even gonna happen before we thrust WDC status on him.

Formula D got out of the gate first, is extremely well esablished, and has tons of momentum behind it.

They dont have ANYTHING to worry about from this..They'll be better than fine so I think everyone should just chill and see what this new thing is about.

[Slapshotnerd]

The problem is that there isn't enough money to go around as it is. More series = money is stretched even thinner = even less likely that drifters will be able to make a living from it. Even at the amateur level, any type of 'series' should be coordinated through FD IMHO. Local events will always have their own niche market, and I'm all for that. But the second you mention "series" and "points" and "championship", i think that it's a bad idea right now.

I think we all want drifting to become a professional sport that the drivers (and hopefully other members of their teams) can actually make a living doing. Right now, that's not the case, and the more we try and stretch sponsorship dollars across different competing series, the less likely that will happen. I could give you a history lesson on the Show scene in the US as well as the Drag scene, and how competing series have impeded growth in some aspects (if not flat out failed), but I don't want to get too off track in this thread.

IRL / F1 / nascar are completely different. If you have enough money, they will let you come and qualify. look at how many Nascar teams have tried to qualify this year, it's more than you'd think. they also have several feeder series, and are overflowing with sponsorship dollars. Apples to oranges here.

Like i said, I hope people are looking out for the best interest of the drifting community, and not just their own interests / profit.

[Bebop]

I agree with monkey slide and disagree slapshop. I think there really should be a 2nd series, but it really needs to be diferent from FD. It will be grassroot guys at first just like FD, but the skill and sponsorship will grow within the series. We need to open up the market, I'm tired of drifting being some side show for car show goers. I want the sport to legitimize, and have the focus be on the drivers not the vehicle. Honestly I'm, not too sure we can do it in the states seeing that Nascar, IRL, and Champ car overshadow production car racing like Speed World Challenge and Grand American.

I'm all for a second series, I just want it too be legit and not some fantasy ricer sideshow.

[Slapshotnerd]

I put my $.02 down in an article What’s Next for NASCAR and Drifting in America?, it is all pure speculation right now, but I am sure I can't be that far off.

i personally think that you are connecting too many dots... unless you have insider information that would suggest that this will actually happen, i think you're stirring the pot way too much with this article.

[Mike Peters]

And well Formula D is getting to the point where its starting to get harder for them to support a ton of drivers. Which is why its much more difficult to get a license now than it was when they first started..

i think the difficulty ( fd qualifier/pro am) was created since there is only so much money and support available to teams, and it was more of an effort to cut down on the bs artists pulling in sponsors, then bailing out after claiming to be FD teams/D1 teams, now there is a cut and dry list of peopel who are eligible to compete, therefore no more of the lies and deciet put out by so many people, which has left a bad taste in a lot of peoples mouths. even though to this day there is still a lot of companies leaving drivers who are barely making it to events in the 1st place hanging after dragging them in the door and making promises they decide not to keep.

with the liscencing/us drift series anything not established and liscenced is a pure gamble, therefore companies will be more likely to support someone who the series knows will be competing and is able to compete, therefore keeping companies who chose to take a risk sponsoring what is still somewhat not 100% accepted, drifting, at least they will get a good driver/team that will represent them well, instead of someone who will never make mainday then bash the series judging when in reality it was their driving ability that came up short, but it doesnt do good things for relations between the series and outside companies.

[ModifiedGuy]

Its not a Tire Company who is doing it. Think Atlanta and think much much bigger! If the rumours I hear are true these guys have about half a mil from a major corporate sponsor already, and are proven event marketers!

I wonder if this has anything to do with a certain tire company wanting to do their own pro series also?? That Tracy chick from Batlground on Maxxis tires sent out something on myspace.com asking for driver input and crap because an un-named tire company wanted to start a new pro series (or just a series).

Here is the myspace bulletin

[akuma S14]

good luck Hideo. I know you have a good heart and put on great shows. It was an honor to work with you. I look forward to working with you again when the time is right.

[GBC]

Half a mil is enough to have two teams, hardly a "field." I did some more searching and made some updates to my article. I was wrong about NASCAR, and real money, being involved with DRIFTCAR.

Looks like it will still be a while before more then a handful of drifters can "make a living" by just being pro drivers, but don't doubt that it is on the horizon, and will happen.

[Slapshotnerd]

Its not a Tire Company who is doing it. Think Atlanta and think much much bigger! If the rumours I hear are true these guys have about half a mil from a major corporate sponsor already, and are proven event marketers!

Just heard some rumors today about this... thing is, if it's the company I think it is, then they've always tried to be the 'other' guys... and if their events are along the same lines as other events they have thrown, they will be A) east coast, B) centered more around the 'lifestyle' and atmosphere than the compatition, and C) in a lot of smaller markets. The good thing is that the event promotor is well known for payouts, but I don't think they'll be taking over Formula D anytime soon.

FD had a little mini version of their SEMA speech yesterday, in which they mentioned what was coming up for next year. Nothing super crazy was announced (same number of events, more champ car events, FD Amateur series would be stepped up), other than a 'team drifting championship in conjunction with the Champ Car events'. I also heard a rumor of a drifting series landing a contract with a major broadcast television station, but I wouldn't bet on that one in vegas...

Ryan from FD did say something very important at the meeting though - if any of the FD staff were in it for the money, then they would have resigned after day 1. These guys are so incredibly dedicated to the slow, steady, and proper growth of the sport that they are willing to do almost anything 'in the best interest of the sport'. Look at where drifting in the US has come in 3 years. Their alliances with Champ Car / EA Games / G4 TV / all the tire companies / OEM manufacturer backed teams / all the other non endemic companies are all huge accomplishments in the sport. It took years for Drag racing to make half the headway that drifting has made in far less time, and drifting is still bigger than sport compact drag racing ever was.

I still think that there are pieces of the drifting 'pie' to go around, but people need to leave Formula D alone as the leader of the pack. They don't need to be 'put into check' just yet...

[akuma S14]

"It took years for Drag racing to make half the headway that drifting has made in far less time, and drifting is still bigger than sport compact drag racing ever was."

LOL. Slappy - sometimes you say some real good stuff and other times it seems like you enjoy swinging from FD's nuts.
To say that these guys are not in it for the money is like saying Greenpeace is not in it for the trees, or Your not in it for the photos. Get realistic.

[Slapshotnerd]

to say that they aren't making a living is one thing. But I don't think jim/ryan/the rest of the staff are "ballin".

Terry - I know that you aren't throwing events to stuff your pockets full of money. You also aren't helping other companies out because you think that you can get rich that way. You do it for the love of the sport and to help out your drifting friends. I remember you mentioning at a recent event (unnamed) that you actually spend money out of your own pocket to take care of your guys. And honestly, I commend you for that! that's why your guys are so faithful to you!

Using that same mentality, I think that FD is doing what they can to take care of their drivers. Obviously, they aren't going to go bankrupt to take care of their drivers, they have to keep the lights on. But they aren't making promises they can't keep / lining their own pockets in gold / writing checks without money in the bank like other companies are.... i think you feel me on that.

[akuma S14]

I see you point and it's a good one at that. I don't think anybody is going to supplant FD as the premier series in USA. They are doing a fine job of running it. I can agree with that.
Terry

[Slapshotnerd]

I see you point and it's a good one at that. I don't think anybody is going to supplant FD as the premier series in USA. They are doing a fine job of running it. I can agree with that.
Terry

ok, don't ever agree with me again. that was too wierd j/k

[hatebbobbarker]

I was just gonna post "whatever" after the crap that was FD yesterday. If someone wants to start a local amateur series, hell yeah! Id definitely drive in it too. As for a pro series, there are barely enough "pro" drivers for FD. I'd say there aren't enough to be honest, so starting another series would be both pointless and annoying. It would end up strangling the sport, FD is still mostly privateers they need a chance to be bigger.