What do you think a Pro Driver is?

[soultron]

A pro driver is a driver that is a professional.

zing.

[slideways2004]

so who in FD gets paid? Sam gets paid. who else?

[Octagon]

I believe whether or not John Q. Slider is earning a salary off his ability to drift his Toyobarusan S86FCGTR is totally inconsequential to the poster's question.

Folks, stop beating around the bush on this one and let's really tear into the question. It's not about money, it's asking why some folks regard drivers in some series to be pro and why other drivers in other series aren't viewed that way.

Let's take this thing apart.

Here is a posing question for everyone..

What are the key traits of a Pro Driver?

Traits. As in distinguishing features. He goes on to define what some people have told him these distinguishing features are.

Some have said to be able to compete with the D1 drivers on their level and not wash out in qualifying rounds for an event. Some have said you have to be a Formula D driver. Other have said it is not about sponsors or vehicle but skill level. With all the debate and commentary on the ”Death of Drifting” from to many “Pro” events and the like it makes me wonder what does everyone consider a Pro Driver?

Using these traits as comparative guidelines, we can determine that what's being asked is if there's a skill set that sets apart the pros from the amateurs: A measurable qualifier.

If you look at lets say open wheel competitions like Indy, Champ Car, Formula 1, Is one a pro series and the rest not? Or are they ALL pro series events? In drifting you have Driftcar America, Formula D, D1, and NOPI all chanting they are a Pro series so does that mean only one of them or two a pro series and not others? I would like to see what everyone thinks on this it is something I have talked about with friends and everyone seems to have a different view.

And here's the real crux of the matter. We have TWO series in this mix that require a "Pro License" - D1 and Formula Drift. The others are brand new series attempting to instantaneously grasp the same prestige as the established professional tours.

What this conveys to me is that somehow an arrogance is being perceived on the part of Formula Drift and D1 backers, looking down upon the drivers of the new series as not being true professionals because they're choosing to compete in an unestablished series.

Quite honestly, this is BUNK, but a very true attitude tossed around by people unhappy with Formula Drift's status in the competition world. Our series' meteoric rise and ever expanding coverage (and budget) has meant that old homebrew Japanese cars have quickly been replaced by new, corporate sponsored machines in a wide array of manufacture.

And since our series isn't based out of Japan, this means a certain animosity is more than predictable.

That's really what I most see here, animosity towards the established and profitable series, masquerading as veiled accusations of arrogance.

[IDCR]

Just to be clear..
I do not think I personally have said FD or D1 is not a Professional series. But I asked the question of where is that line for the drivers. Between amiture and Pro. JR, Sam, Tyler etc etc I all consider Pro drivers without any question. I look at Formula D and D1 as a Professional Series. And yes I do think and have heard personally the bias or tainted views of this series over that series Formula D or D1.

But that is not in question here. Or at least I didn't think it was. This is just a question of the Drivers.. Not the series.

[Octagon]

The line, according to Formula Drift, is drawn by car preparation that falls entirely within the rules ordained by Slipstream Global and the Sports Car Club of America, as well as an officially sanctioned demonstration of the ability to consistently drive at a particular level of competency agreed upon by the existing driver pool and officials.

D1 is surprisingly similar, according to all that I've read.

That is how you attain "professional" rank according to the two major sanctioning bodies in drifting. This is clearly spelled out in their rulebooks and I don't think is in question at all.

Is the official definition somehow inadequate, then?

[IDCR]

No that is not inadequate. But ....

and FD and D1 are not in question on what they classify as a Professional Driver

But.. according to the Definition you give or FD or D1 uses if another series had rules and such similar that would make their drivers pro drivers to? Or pro kart racers etc etc. The definition of a Pro anything comes into question then.

So a driver from Formula 1 wants to drift lets say. He is considered a pro drifter ? So to say "We do not let Pro Drivers compete in the series". Or drivers that are no longer able to compete in FD or D1 want to run in x series or x event are they no longer considered Professional? Where is that distinction line because then you could end up with lets say and I HIGHLY DOUBT this would happen but a top seed in D1 competing in a drifting event against the amateurs and killing it. All because he is not competing in D1 that year? would suck for the up and coming drivers. Yes good competition but totally unfair to have to go against someone with the skill level of what should be a professional driver.

[Octagon]

Generally speaking, series or sanctions that wish to remain purely amateur in their driver base will maintain a separation by simply preventing "licensed" drivers from competing.

For instance, if amateur events wanted to prevent Sam or Kazama from competing, they may either simply disallow them based on their licensing, or (say if one of them had lost their pro ride) institute a "waiting period" in which the driver in question must have remained inactive in pro competition for a minimum amount of time.

A good case would have been Ueo, when his AE86 turned up missing from D1 competition. If he'd had wanted to compete with a personal or private car in amateur events, he would have had to have sat out a minimum number (or competed in fewer than a maximum number) of professional events to show that he's dropped from professional competition.

As far as a gap in skill level between a former pro and an amateur when it , there are several phrases for that.....

"That's Racing."
"The *Censored**Censored**Censored**Censored**Censored* *Censored**Censored**Censored* Stops When the Green Flag Drops."
"Sit Down, Strap In, Shut Up."

and so on.

[RyanHampton]

A pro driver in the correct definition, or as it applies to our sport is; One who competes for prize money. Which in reality means you will spend $5000 to get to an event, and compete for $2000 in prize money.... So all in all, there are very, very few people actually making enough money to just drive.

Thats pretty much sums up all of motor sports not just drifting.

Ryan

[shmately350z]

good man hampton

I like what ryan stated.

I know of a driver/dooshbag(cough..matt fresh) who spends well over a millon every season out of his own pocket to race for turner motorsports in the speedworld challenge. He often overdrives and crashes cars ruining races for really good drivers like Bill Auberlan. Sure this guy competes in a very competitive pro racing series, but is he a pro driver?

Then again look at my situation, I have earned a d1 license and I had an FD license untill the season ended and I failed to qualify for an FD license again.

Am I a pro? Am I japanese pro but not an american pro? Was I a pro when I had both licenses? Does a bear $hit in the woods?

Who cares! The good drivers are good and thats what counts!
So what if your a pro, that is nothing without adequate skill.

If you can get out there and drive well, it will speak for itself.

[Al]

Im a mothafockin' pro.























in crashing.

[AaronConklin]

I don't think a pro (drift) driver is always someone who gets paid. I think that it is someone with the necessary skill to be good at the sport, but to back that up they have a spiritual drive helping them to do better. Like for example I drift to honor my tuning shop and my father, when you have a drive like that and you gain the necessary skill; there is no doubt that you will be good at what you do. When I see a pro anything, I see a strong spirit...yeah...

[Ernie]

I can only define it as being paid for what you do. I am not there yet to what I consider my goal, but I hope to support a family off of it someday. The sooner the better, cuz its getting tougher.

[Bebop]

I can only define it as being paid for what you do. I am not there yet to what I consider my goal, but I hope to support a family off of it someday. The sooner the better, cuz its getting tougher.

Planning on making a comeback some time soon?

[teamINERTIA]

Here is a posing question for everyone..

What are the key traits of a Pro Driver? Some have said to be able to compete with the D1 drivers on their level and not wash out in qualifying rounds for an event. Some have said you have to be a Formula D driver. Other have said it is not about sponsors or vehicle but skill level. With all the debate and commentary on the ”Death of Drifting” from to many “Pro” events and the like it makes me wonder what does everyone consider a Pro Driver?

If you look at lets say open wheel competitions like Indy, Champ Car, Formula 1, Is one a pro series and the rest not? Or are they ALL pro series events? In drifting you have Driftcar America, Formula D, D1, and NOPI all chanting they are a Pro series so does that mean only one of them or two a pro series and not others? I would like to see what everyone thinks on this it is something I have talked about with friends and everyone seems to have a different view.

Here is my take on it,

A PRO driver is a driver that gets paid and earns most of his income for driving in a series regardless of what the said series is.Most of the associated costs for the series are picked up by minor and major sponsors.

can a driver be a pro driver if he is paying his own way and running in a pro series?

the answer to that question is yes and no, a driver that runs in a pro or other series on his own dime is a PRIVATEER. A privateer can still be sponsored parts, money and services, but they are not enough to allow him to run a pro series without spending money out of pocket for necessary items.
(but a privateer can be considered a pro driver if that is his main occupation)

in the world of U.S. drifting it is my understanding that most "PRO" driver fall between "PRO" and "Privateer" ( correct me if i'm wrong)

[Bebop]

I think they call some series pro series because the series it self is sponsord, so if you compete in the seies as a pro (getting paid...making a living off sponsorship support) or a privateer you still win money if you win.