KEN GUSHI; Ford MUSTANG GT Drift Car DRIVER! (OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE)

[240drftr]

180maniac....

to straighten things up I AM NOT knocking on ken....ken is one of my favorite drifters and i respect him very much as i said im my post. as far as "trying to better himself in his career" IMO he could do so without a mustang and the sponsership he recieved. i dont intend this post to offend anybody. this is my opinion and i am entitled to it.
...also thank u 180maniac for not flaming me and confronting me on your opinion the appropriate way. i appreciate it. sorry for the mis-understanding i hope i cleared everything up

[NismoSigma]

Whats so bad about AMERICAN built cars? You give me one solid reason with evidence, studies, and all that other crap, I'll only buy asian stuff, that includes food, clothing, cars (which i wouldnt mind), and cheap little soft plastics toys that when you press on them to hard, they get ruined! JUST ONE, its sad that someone that lives an america cant appreciate some good ole' american car.

[madmax13]

I agree with you, Sigma. I dislike the attitude of "Everything that is American is evil." Well, drifting is special b/c it has originated in japan, but well, it doesn't always have to be competing in a J-Spec Japanese Car. Thats like saying you can only have European cars competing in the 24 hrs. of LeMans. Well, thats obviously not the case and American Teams won three yrs in a row in the sixties, and a Japanese team won in the 90s. And whats the deal with most people loving Volvos so much (even though its not Japanese) and immediately setting phasers to "kill" when people suggest that someone try drifting an mustang or camaro competitively. A CAR IS A CAR, ITS A TOOL.

[the riot hero]

Originally posted by 240drftr
i am not happy about this at all.....yes i know gushi got the sponsership and the car, but i hate to see him drive an american car. Ghost of Duluth said EVERYONE would take the sponsership if we were in his shoes...but dude with all do respects i wouldnt. and that comes from the heart man. sincere. no matter what anybody gives me ill never drive an american car. not that i hate them i just dont think they belong newhere except the dragstrip. not the drift track. i think drifting is starting to become like NASCAR. as monkeyslide says it "However it will bring with it the "NASCAR style" fan base whom are totally ignorant to Drifting as a competitive sport." i believe that same thing monkeyslide and i dont like it...i hate to see a awesome guy like ken gushi go down like that, by that i mean driving a mustang, because money isnt what its about to me..and i hope yall feel the same. drifting isnt about money. thats why if toyo came up to me and offered me a sponsership and a 05 mustang i would say no. because its not about money. i dont like how america gets ahold of things. i know some of yall have good points like "everyone can do what they want" and "it doesnt matter about what car u drive, just as long as ur sincere" or "let american cars have their chance and lets try something new" but i dont think drifting should try nething new and i dont think the japanese do either. i dont think we should change drifting. i could sit here and type all day but im not....and ken..i dont agree with what your doing man but i still respect u and ur skills. i will always respect you......good luck ken gushi.

drifting is about drifting, i really dont care whos name is on my car if im drifting for free. thats all i have to say.

[Sideways Spanky]

240drft, I'm going to guess that you're about 14, got into the drift scene after playing NFSU and reading about it in Super Street, and think you're going to get mad respect for trying to remain one of the "purists" when you can't even drive a car. You don't even have a chance to get a sponsorship! You can't even drive! You don't have a car! Don't flame on Ken's choices, when you don't know the difference between countersteering and heel and toe. Everyone would take the sponsorship. Everyone.

[Ghost of Duluth]

No need for flaming him on his opinion. Even if we disagree with it. But, for someone like Gushi who is at the top of the pyramid of drivers that compete in the sport, saying no to that kind of sponsership is stupid. See what alot of you people that say that you would say no to this kind of sponsership ( and do mean "say" because in reality you would never turn this down) getting backed by Toyo is what you dreamed of. Not by Toyo per say but by a major player with major money. Do any of you even know how much it costs to campaign a race car and stay competetive? Well lemme break some things down.

Entry fee's, tires (BIG BIG DOLLARS, even bigger than racing SCCA since you burning the dadgum things off every run), travel, gas which is over 2.00 per gallon nation wide, lodging, tow vehicles, loss of work due to driving cross the country to go to these events, pit crew, and the list goes on and on and on. So you can figure between 5-10 thousand per event when you add all of them up and use the average of the big purchases. That ain't no chump change. So when a company steps in and says "Hey, drive our car and we will pay you a salary so you dont have to work, pay ALL your travel expenses, give you a car to drive and unlimited tires to use, tow vehicles, either lodging or a bus to ride in and a team of folks or pay a team of your choosing". What on earth would you say? "Hmm, nah, I dont like Mustangs so i'll have to turn you down and stay in my one horse town and work my job and struggle, but thanks anyway Toyo". Go for it, maybe they will come to my door next.

As for the wrong crowd, sure it may attract some of them. But I don't think your local drywaller or house painter with the #3 stuck everywhere in his life including tattooed on his butt is gonna not go to Talladega to drive all the way to California for the D1. Ain't gonna happen. People in Nascar rally behind Drivers more than they do cars. They aren't gonna say "Well, Dale went to a Dodge, I hate him now. Some may, most dont. Our pros don't talk with enough of a drawl, spit enough or flip end over end 10 times enough to attract that crowd. But maybe that crowd would be a good thing, might keep some of these import Marshall Mathers types in line. Nothing says shut your mouth and dont screw up like 4 300 lb tattooed rednecks and their cussing, whoop your *Censored**Censored**Censored* girls with Budweisers in their hands and bike chain belts.

Drifting is not going to stay an all Japanese car sport. It can't because the Japanese car companies are not supporting the sport in America. At least not on the level that the American carmakers are willing to go to. So with all that being said, if you still tell me that you would turn them down, well, give em my name cause I won't. Remember soldier, if you want to fight the good fight, do it from within cause being on the outside gets nothing accomplished.

[my 1 88 u]

I give it one year and by 2006 all formula d, wdc, and d1gp top drivers will be Japanese. Why? The more money invested, the more money at stake. The more money a stake, the demand for winning at all cost increases. Winning at all cost means sponsering the very best drifters. Japan has the best drifters.

[240drftr]

240drft, I'm going to guess that you're about 14, got into the drift scene after playing NFSU and reading about it in Super Street, and think you're going to get mad respect for trying to remain one of the "purists" when you can't even drive a car. You don't even have a chance to get a sponsorship! You can't even drive! You don't have a car! Don't flame on Ken's choices, when you don't know the difference between countersteering and heel and toe. Everyone would take the sponsorship. Everyone.

hey buddy thats really not neccesary. quite frankly its wrong and i think you are so stupid for sayn that. i am 15. NO i did not get into drifting because of NFSU i think that game is so stupid as well as the F&F. yes i read superstreet and modified mag. so what!? i think those magazines are decent and enjoy them. I DO know the diffrence between countersteering and heel and toe. how stupid do u think i am???u think just cause im 15 i dont know one thing about cars. i learn as much information about cars and drifting as i can so that away when i DO start driving im a little bit ahead. its that alright with you? is it aright if i learn? maybe you didnt learn about cars till you had one, but i choose to learn about cars even though i dont have one. dont u think it makes sense to know some things before you have them that away when you do have them you can put your knowledge into play? i think its wrong to put down a kid with dreams of drifting. to put down a kid who wants to drift like you. thanx for putting me down i appreciate it a lot. im sure tons of people respect you for putting down a 15 year old kid. i bet you feel big huh? picking on little kids, i think thats low. i am not flaming at you but am telling you truthfully what i think. this is my opinion on the matter with ken gushi and his new car. MY OPINION. u dont have to like it i am not asking you too.

I dislike the attitude of "Everything that is American is evil."

i dont hate american cars or think they are "evil" i dont have a solid reason for you to dislike american cars. i PERSONALLY am not fond of them. thats my opinion.

[the riot hero]

I will personally entering in all of the FD events next season except the california events. ill be entering unsponsored, out of my own pocket ill be travelling, i already know exactly how expensive it will be and im prepaired to spend the cash, if i QUALIFY ill be happy, at the end of the year ill be flat broke but itll be worth it, hopefully ill atleast pick up a tire sponsor.

the skill of american drivers is going up exponentially, i can garauntee we will be competing hand in hand with japanese drivers within a year or 2.

[airproe]

Elitism

Wow, interesting argument. On one hand, you want to drift, on the other you do not like american cars. Ok, I will grant you, I am fond of most things with Honda/Toyota/Nissan etc. badges on them. The fact is, that mustang is probably as close to a factory mustang as oh say my shoe. I've seen this argument before in lots of different places. In turntablism, there are some that will only use 1200's, none of that vestax/numark crap for them. In electronic music, to many, trance is crap, and happy hardcore is bubblegum music. The fact is, this argument has been played out a thousands times (who needs change right, look at the luddites). You are indeed entitled to your opinions (yay free speech), but american cars will indeed compete, and soon american drivers will be competitive w/japanese drivers. It is the natural progression of things. With thelevel that Gushi competes on, doors of opportunity only open once, and then maybe never again. Worst case (or best if you like) is that he may use the ford team as a stepping stone to try and get Nissan to step up to the plate so he can jump to their team in the future. If for instance he never took up ford, he may be shunned by the other teams as a brand elitist/purist/snob. Then maybe nobody would want him (politics do suck, but that is the way of the world). I guess it would be like me getting the dream job of engine design for a race team, and turning it down because it was working on 350ci V8's. Nope, I would do it, because the experience would allow me more opportunity in the future. Anyways, that's my two bits, and who knows, maybe your opinion will change with age. I kinda remember back then being alot more black and white for me than it is now (just shades of grey).

Peace-------AirProE

[DrifterN]

Gushi in the 05 Stang!

GO GUSHI!!! Oh damn he's going to kick! I think he's going to become competition in the 05 mustang haha can't wait to see him pilot the car at D1

[Ghost of Duluth]

already know exactly how expensive it will be and im prepaired to spend the cash, if i QUALIFY ill be happy, at the end of the year ill be flat broke but itll be worth it, hopefully ill atleast pick up a tire sponsor.

Do well and you probably will. Right now professional Drifting is so new that constant exposure and good driving will open more doors than you think.

I give it one year and by 2006 all formula d, wdc, and d1gp top drivers will be Japanese. Why? The more money invested, the more money at stake. The more money a stake, the demand for winning at all cost increases. Winning at all cost means sponsering the very best drifters. Japan has the best drifters.

Unfortunately this is all true. If Drifting in America takes off and large amounts of money is to be made here then the Japanese will come over here and dominate. Not because our pros are not good because they are but because they lack the experience that the Japanese have. The need for local grassroots Drifting organizations is at an all time high. Groups like Drift Day, DG Trials and ours, Southeast Drifting Association, are needed to further give people who want to participate a safe, un-hassling environment in which to hone their skills. Most of our pros dont have unlimited access to training areas that they are going to need to compete with the Japanese. The women in Japan are better than most here and that is only because of time. Given access to places, tracks or lots and our pro's could be on par with the Japanese within 1 years time I think. You would be amazed at what driving and perfecting your skill daily can do and our pro's have the skill just not the experience. But without support to the organizations above to push track owners to open their doors, this isn't going to happen and we will be slaughtered when that time comes.

The Japanese regard us as child like when it comes to this motorsport, and we are compared to them. We are viewed as lazy, un-organized and not a threat to them in any way in Drifting. Just watch the latest Option video with the American D1 coverage. They mocked most of the people there right down to their names. It's a fun game and a vacation to watch the "children" when they come here to judge an event and I don't like it.

[CrazyHawaiian]

I posted this in a different thread about this subject. But then the thread was closed because apparently there were TOO MANY threads about the same topic going on at once. My lord. Anyway, here goes ... since people are saying drifting is turning into Nascar:

Drifting is not turning into NASCAR. That is your own misconception that you are giving yourself based on your dislike for certain sponsors. Drifting and NASCAR have absolutely nothing in common. Face it, drifting is the newest extreme motorsport and the popularity is growing. From a marketing standpoint, any auto manufacturer or auto part manufacturer that is not getting involved is missing out. The overhead is low and the exposure is high.

And thats what I think about American Sponsors getting involved. hahahaha

[my 1 88 u]

Originally posted by Ghost of Duluth
Do well and you probably will. Right now professional Drifting is so new that constant exposure and good driving will open more doors than you think.



Unfortunately this is all true. If Drifting in America takes off and large amounts of money is to be made here then the Japanese will come over here and dominate. Not because our pros are not good because they are but because they lack the experience that the Japanese have. The need for local grassroots Drifting organizations is at an all time high. Groups like Drift Day, DG Trials and ours, Southeast Drifting Association, are needed to further give people who want to participate a safe, un-hassling environment in which to hone their skills. Most of our pros dont have unlimited access to training areas that they are going to need to compete with the Japanese. The women in Japan are better than most here and that is only because of time. Given access to places, tracks or lots and our pro's could be on par with the Japanese within 1 years time I think. You would be amazed at what driving and perfecting your skill daily can do and our pro's have the skill just not the experience. But without support to the organizations above to push track owners to open their doors, this isn't going to happen and we will be slaughtered when that time comes.

The Japanese regard us as child like when it comes to this motorsport, and we are compared to them. We are viewed as lazy, un-organized and not a threat to them in any way in Drifting. Just watch the latest Option video with the American D1 coverage. They mocked most of the people there right down to their names. It's a fun game and a vacation to watch the "children" when they come here to judge an event and I don't like it.

Some reason deep down inside of me when they said Formula D would be making this life altering earth shattering announcement, I was secretly praying that is would be a permant drift course for a base. Man I would tow my f*cking car 6 times a year from GA to wherever and back for that.

[FreightPheen]

Hurray for the Goosh!! I love that kid!!

Here's how I see this, it's simple as:

-Japan D1 still pees on american drift

-Japanese Import prices pee on american tuners

-Domestic mustang pees on import prices

-Having guys like Ken Gushi around makes this piss storm bearable.

Oh and mustang haters.... Falken team dropped a 'Stang on Vaughn Gittin Jr. too.. boo yah!