(NEW DATE/LOCATION) FORMULA DRIFT PRO-AM Finals???

[Bebop]

Jim

Even though I'm really frustrated with the way this pro am thing is being handled... only a small fraction of it is towards FD. I'm really angry at the organization who have refused to work with FD, and those who have only half a$$ed it. Seriously, the people want to see drifting... why couldn't HIN put a definite answer yes or no with the collaboration with pro am. Seems like the company is cool with having it a low budget exhibition but when its time to take it serious and more money and planning is involved they delay and collapse. It does not make it any better that the other drift series made it very blatant they did not want to be the lesser series of the two and making it impossible for you guys to work with.

America needs another series to work with and around you guys. So from there, its not really a matter of of setting up a pro am finals, its just a mere matter of picking the top 10-16 drivers of that series to receive licences. As long as its fun and well organized I'm willing to show up and have a good time. The FD guys office in long beach cant and shouldn't have to do everything, someone(s) have to step up. America needs its own MSC asap!

[courantcom]

Only issue is, most of the socal and seattle drivers have a unfair advantage. They run this course all the darn time.

I would have shown up to a BOTI or a HIN event. Unless there is a team drift demo, some indo contests like fastest entry or most angle. I'm probably not gonna show up.

Yeah, I think that would be interesting too... "fastest entry speed", "most angle...", "epic fail", "closest call!" Yeah...little things like that just make races more interesting. I don't think it's THAT hard to just make consolation prizes for those categories. ...just some basic guidelines. Fastest entry speed means that they have HAD to initiate and drift as well. I can just imagine someone doing a 1/4 mile style pass and then slamming hard on the brakes right after the radar gun just to get a high MPH. hahaha!

[Jim @ FD]

I hear what you guys are saying but please keep in mind, with the sudden change, the very very limited budget, our team is moving as fast as we can to pull this one together. Hopefully in the future we can stage a East Nationals and a West Nationals or start moving it from coast to coast, region to region. This will all as we develop the pro am program further.

We are also working on some added elements like team drift and special contests, all for fun, but to get some of the pro teams to come out as well. We are also working on vendors and a car show/meet. Blaze1, I think you'll be surprised at what the ticket price will be. So see you at Irwindale on the weekend of October 16-17 for the season finale and when you hear what the ticket price for FD Pro Am National Championship is going to, I'll see you on November 21st as well =)

Come on out and support the up-and-comers!

[Bebop]

Irwindale is a venue that is well worth a cross country trip for. It's in SoCali -- seriously, need I really say more? ;-)

Only issue is, most of the socal and seattle drivers have a unfair advantage. They run this course all the darn time.

I would have shown up to a BOTI or a HIN event. Unless there is a team drift demo, some indo contests like fastest entry or most angle. I'm probably not gonna show up.

[courantcom]

Irwindale is a venue that is well worth a cross country trip for. It's in SoCali -- seriously, need I really say more? ;-)

[Mars]

good to finally have an offical date, but this sucks for us florida peeps

[Bebop]

Was teaming up with the monterey sports car championship ever a option? *never mind that event is like this weekend lol*

Or what about the BOTI event at cali speedway on november 22nd? They got a parking lot the size of vegases, and they have a nice infield.

And what about the quest for the sward event, will licenses be given at that event?

[Slapshotnerd]

correction.... 2 DMCC champs... Tuerck won it in '07.

And you could throw a NOPI champ from '07 in the mix too with Sherman.

[Jim @ FD]

1. Correct there is no budget for 2009 Drifting World Championship, though 10 nations, 3 FD champs, 2 D1 champs, 3 Pro Drift champs and 1 DMCC East champ will be represented at Irwindale. We are working on 2010 DWC.

2. Without getting into too many details, we were planning to work with Hot Import Nights to run the Nationals at their Phoenix event at Firebird Raceway in December, but an official agreement could not be finalize. So instead of dragging it out any further we took it upon ourselves to pull this together all very last minute, not becuase we were sitting on a pile of cash looking for a way to spend it. We did not want 30+ invited ProAm drivers not to have a Nationals to compete at and Irwindale Speedway is going out of their way to make this work for us on such short notice. Sorry for the schedule change but it had to be done.

[Bebop]

This is kinda weak

I thought FD didn't have the budget to do another event. Reason for not having another world championship event.

I say attempt to have one now....

[conspire]

For Immediate Release

October 1, 2009

Formula DRIFT Announces Schedule Change for the Pro Am National Championship;
Event will now be held on November 21 at the Toyota Speedway at Irwindale


Long Beach, Calif. – October 1, 2009 – Formula DRIFT has announced a schedule and venue change for the 2009 Pro Am National Championship. The event will now take place on November 21 at the Toyota Speedway at Irwindale.

The top amateur drivers from the United States and Canada will meet at the infamous “House of Drift,” at the Toyota Speedway at Irwindale. This will be the first time that a Pro Am competition of this level will take place at this location. The rising stars of drifting will be discovered and compete for their chance to earn a Formula DRIFT Pro Championship license. Current professional drivers that made their way up through the Pro Am circuit include Justin Pawlak, Ryan Tuerck, Joon Maeng, and Matt Powers.

“Bringing the FD Pro Am National Championship to Irwindale is not only very cool, but very symbolic as well,” said Jim Liaw, president and co-founder of Formula DRIFT. “Never has a Pro Am competition of this magnitude and importance been held at Irwindale before. And to top it off Irwindale is the birthplace of American professional drifting, back in 2003 when Ryan and I brought D1 outside of Japan for the first time.”

Tickets for the Pro Am National Championship will go on sale on October 17, the same day as Round 7: Judgment Day the final event of the 6th season of the Formula DRIFT Pro Championship. Online tickets can be purchased on the Formula DRIFT website. For more information, visit: www.formuladrift.com.
Formula DRIFT Pro AM National Championship Invited Drivers List
Driver Name / Series Qualified From
Brian Peter Formula DRIFT Atlanta
Dan Willie Formula DRIFT Atlanta
Jason Jiovani Formula DRIFT Atlanta
Tom Barnhart Formula DRIFT Atlanta
Forrest Wang Formula DRIFT Las Vegas
Johnny Kanavas Formula DRIFT Las Vegas
Roland Gallagher Formula DRIFT Las Vegas
Andrew Coomes Formula DRIFT Las Vegas
Cyrus Martinez Formula DRIFT Seattle
Victor Moore Formula DRIFT Seattle
Ian Fournier Formula DRIFT Seattle
Trent Stromkins Formula DRIFT Seattle
Kohei Nakamura DMCC West
Chris Scremin DMCC West
Robert Parsons DMCC West
David Briggs DMCC East
Ryan Lanteigne DMCC East
Claude Poirier DMCC East
Russell Walker HIN Texas
Ameen Rizvi HIN Texas
Gary James HIN Florida
Charlie Thompson HIN Florida
Derek King HIN Chicago
Mike Pollard HIN Chicago
John Johnson HIN Chicago

Note: In addition to the listed drivers, all current Formula DRIFT Pro License holders that do not meet the minimum points for automatic renewal will be invited to this competition. Alternates and additional drivers will be added to the list pending the results of upcoming Pro Am events.


For more information contact:
John Pangilinan
The ID Agency
562.491.7503
john@theidagency.com


ABOUT FORMULA DRIFT

Entering its sixth season, Formula DRIFT is recognized as the North American professional drifting championship. Established on the streets of Japan, drifting has evolved into a worldwide competitive sport that challenges each driver's driving ability and vehicle control. Formula DRIFT provides a forum for professional drifters to compete in 7 events nationwide for the coveted Formula DRIFT Championship crown. As the first official series in North America, Formula DRIFT has taken competitive motorsports to the extreme attracting fans and car enthusiasts from all walks of life and establishes itself as the global focal point for the Sport. For a race schedule and ticket information, visit: www.formuladrift.com.

ABOUT IMG SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Operating in 30 countries, IMG Sports & Entertainment's diverse businesses include: consulting services; event ownership and management; fashion events and models representation; licensing; golf course design; and client representation in golf, tennis, broadcasting, speakers, European football, rugby, cricket, motor sports, coaching, Olympic and action sports. IMG Academies are the world's largest, multi-sport training and educational facilities, delivering world-class training experiences to more than 12,000 junior, collegiate, adult, and professional athletes each year. More information is available at: www.imgworld.com.


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[bmx269]

What is going on? 2 DMCC West drivers that are on our team received email saying Nov 21st, in Irwindale. What is the date? Location?

-Trent

[BWilkerson]

are there any updates on this? I know myself and a lot of the other drivers interested in going to this event will need to plan ahead and it is getting down to the line here.


any info is appreciated.


thanks!

[Mars]

awesome. thanks

[Jim @ FD]

Not trying to leave people in the dark but there are some developments regarding the FD Pro Am Nationals, so until we at FD can 1005 be certain the outcome, we have nothing to officially announce. Our #1 choice, as announced at the beginning of the season is to hold the FD Pro Am Nationals at Firebird International Raceway on Dec 12 in conjunction with a HIN event. If this changes, we do have an alternate venue for a mid November dates (after SEMA and before Thanksgiving). Our plan is to make an official announcement by the end of next week.

To clarify, the FD Pro Am Nationals is an invite only competition and the only way for a driver to receive a 2010 FD Pro License besides petitioning and being subject to review by our committee. A driver receives an invitation via these events... http://formulad.com/schedule/pro-am.html or if the driver is a current FD Pro but did not receive enough points to automatically renew his license.

Hope this helps.