Formula D

[Dov]

Formula D will join the CCWS circus (no pun attended) on Sept. 11-12 at Laguna Seca.

From the website:

Champ car to host Formula D drivers at Seca!!!!!!
The Champ Car World Series will host the top Formula D drifters at Laguna Seca September 11th-12th to perform a choreograph demonstrations and take on one of the top road racing facilities in the country. More details to come but check out the Champ Car website for race details Click Here!


I'm not a fan of drifting, but if it can attract some younger people to a Champ Car race then I'm all for it!

[Flatspot]

I've never seen it before. Now's my chance. Drifting the Corkscrew sounds like a wild ride.

[brightline]

The tuner market equals youth fans.

These kids are speed junkies, and love turbos! Sure they want to put carbon fiber everything and like 20 inch rims, but they are the market to attract sponsors. These are youthful b2c companies with strong ties to the auto industry such as car audio companies, tire manufacturers (although Bridgestone is doing a great job imo), after market engine, suspension, body kits, etc.

Don't get me wrong I love all the b2b companies that have been such a great part to CC's past, but are any of us on this forum really ever going to get anywhere near a new gulfstream airplane? I do hope Vasser gets a win this year so we can hear him say my gulfstream car was flying down the track...

Hopefully drifting can become part of the Champcar family, but on paper it sounds like figure skating with a car. Some video clips I've seen look really cool though.

[StickShift]

my intelligence as a racing fan has been insulted.

If I wanted to see fast cars making lots of smoke, I'd watch a tape of a 1994 McLaren.

[macdaddy]

This shouldn't come as a surprise to any of us...
They were discussing this when the "MotoRock" concept was alive.

I'm not a drifting fan, but you'd be ignorant to not realize the enormous fanbase out there. The discipline is a rapidly-growing one.

I like what OWRS is doing here. They're trying to tap into the NASCAR market via Vegas, and the tuner market via Laguna. Pretty good ideas.

[Pete Fenelon]

http://www.barryboys.co.uk

pete

[gttouring]

this is a slam dunk for champcar to get the folks in the seat
a car show, a drift event and a mighty champcar truno superrace-excellent
(not to mention SPike TV in the US carries coverage of both series anyway-coincidence??)

[Uesque]

Originally posted by StickShift
my intelligence as a racing fan has been insulted.

Seeing that the whole purpose of racing is to keep the wheels from spinning, it would seem to go against the grain. Personally, I don't see the appeal. However, it attracts a pretty fervent following, and is a good way to bring in more fans with lots of disposable income. At least the way they go through tires, you would think so, and have you seen the cost of 26" rims?

Isn't drifting the same thing I did with my dad's Malibu wagon(don't laugh too loud, it had a Warner T-10 close ratio 4-speed) on rainy or snowy days?

[JohnSSC]

Looking down your nose at other variations of motorsports must be a generic thing! While not into drifting myself I think it is cool! It attracts young people to the sport, gets them involved with their cars and does actually teach car control!

We had this discussion on the local autocross discussion thread here and I read many of the same comments. If it is about cars it is all good as far as I am concerned. I guess if some want to make fun of drifters they can, just like I remember "sporty car" drivers being made fun of by "roundy-round" folks.

Maybe we need to spend some time figuring out ways to include the new with the traditional and make these folks feel welcome and intrigued by what open wheel (or any form of racing) has to offer.

30 years ago the sports car guys had a field day making fun of a drag racer who towed his Dodge Colt to an autocross. "Can he turn right and left?" they asked. He proceeded to set fast time of the day in what was basically his drag-prepped car (no, it weren't me!) showing that yes indeed, one can "crossover" and enjoy different genres of motorsport.

If you are at a race/drifting event do the sport a favor: go up to these folks and start talking about their cars and then just see where the conversation goes!

[JohnSSC]

Actually, I tried to speed-shift my dad's 1967 Chevy Biscayne (straight-six, three on the tree) - a three speed standard shift on the column doesn't lend itself too well to "performance driving!"

I still look forward to that first snowy day when I can fling the car around in the parking lot!

[jjspierx]

Its funny how many hardcore race fans look down on drifting. From a drivers standpoint, I think its damn fun to watch and I am really impressed by the drivers car control skills. There was a drift competition going on at Infineon raceway the same weekend I had a race, and all of us racers went out of our way to watch them even though it was at the other end of the race track. All of us were impressed. Did we want to become drifters instead of racers? Heck no, but its still fun to watch and an impressive show of driving skill(not racing). I think its silly to feel insulted about having a drifting competition at a champcar event.

[Uesque]

Originally posted by JohnSSC
Actually, I tried to speed-shift my dad's 1967 Chevy Biscayne (straight-six, three on the tree) - a three speed standard shift on the column doesn't lend itself too well to "performance driving!"

I still look forward to that first snowy day when I can fling the car around in the parking lot!

We've probably "drifted" some of the same snowy parking lots. It really does teach a lot about car control, just easier on the tires in snow or dirt.

[Sean O'Gorman]

This is going to be nothing but bad for Champ Car. You guys don't realize this since you don't know any drift fans, but they all hate "grip racing." "Grip racing" is the term attached to the forms of motorsport where the object is to go through the corner as fast as possible. Yeah, pretty strange concept, huh?

Drifting is stupid, and instead of embracing it, Champ Car should look at it as a very serious threat to it's fan base.

[fobi0]

Let's bring in Paul Walker and Vin Diesel to race the Champ Cars to please the drifting crowd, what does Champ Car have to lose? Those two can't do much worse than Philippe or Lavin.

Just the other day someone was saying something along the lines of NASCAR fans being racing evolutionary inferior to Champ Car fans. That won't be the case if Champ Car start pandering to drifting fans.

[JohnSSC]

Actually Vin Diesel's dream is to make a musical in the Rodgers and Hammerstein traditon (go figure) so you can't stereotype! His father was, I believe, a producer or director in NYC.

My point is that each subset of motor racing tends to look on the other subsets as inferior somehow. Our job is to get the Drifter's attention and show them what is good about open wheel and then let them decide for themselves if they want to participate.

[Snrub]

I really think that most of the people interested in drifting are not currently interested in racing. The average person who is associated with the so-called "import crowd" are automotive enthusiasts, but have very little knowledge of automobiles. These sorts of people are interested in turbos because it's a buzzword. Given the choice between a 800hp engine vs a body kit and a fart can they'd take the later. They are NOT speed junkies, or they'd have taken the required 5 mins of research to determine that their 90hp Civic is going to have a tough time beating the soccer Moms in their Minivans and SUVs. They like the idea of speed. That said, I think the series needs to try to convert these kids, because they're not currently into any motorsports, and they must have more fan potential to CART than the average person on the street. I really think it boils down to educating them about speed and racing and then they'll like it.

If you want to understand why people look down on "tuners", etc. go to a meeting of these people. With a friend I ONCE went to a local one. First no one had any auto knowledge or any concept of what was fast/slow. Second they went for a cruise. The idea was to drive downtown, through traffic, constant redlights, etc. Go to meet with what many would consider "real" enthusiasts and it's very different. The most obivous being that they seek out the country winding hilly roads and endanger the lives of all who happen to be in the same area.

[dubby99]

Not a fan of drifting comps at all,but can only see this being a addition to the lifestyle program with Bronte.

[Flatspot]

On a day to day basis I couldn't care less about drifting but this isn't even a competition it's a demonstration. I don't understand why anyone is having a problem with it at all. The alternative is watching an extra hour of pace cars going around the track. Watching some guys get sideways will be a pleasant break.

[StuiE]

Originally posted by Snrub
I really think that most of the people interested in drifting are not currently interested in racing. The average person who is associated with the so-called "import crowd" are automotive enthusiasts, but have very little knowledge of automobiles. These sorts of people are interested in turbos because it's a buzzword. Given the choice between a 800hp engine vs a body kit and a fart can they'd take the later. They are NOT speed junkies, or they'd have taken the required 5 mins of research to determine that their 90hp Civic is going to have a tough time beating the soccer Moms in their Minivans and SUVs. They like the idea of speed. That said, I think the series needs to try to convert these kids, because they're not currently into any motorsports, and they must have more fan potential to CART than the average person on the street. I really think it boils down to educating them about speed and racing and then they'll like it.

If you want to understand why people look down on "tuners", etc. go to a meeting of these people. With a friend I ONCE went to a local one. First no one had any auto knowledge or any concept of what was fast/slow. Second they went for a cruise. The idea was to drive downtown, through traffic, constant redlights, etc. Go to meet with what many would consider "real" enthusiasts and it's very different. The most obivous being that they seek out the country winding hilly roads and endanger the lives of all who happen to be in the same area.

Not necessaraly..well Honda people maybe, the US seems to be full of Import owners just wanting to be cool. In the car club I'm in most people are very knowledgeable, and have quite a few have performed engine converions, manual conversions (I'm about to do one), and know what sensor will cause what effect etc. There are still the tools with NA FWD cars with no power and think they are everything (there is only one NA FWD car I have seen with balls), people that just want to look cool etc. (like a R33 Skyline with a NA SOHC 2L motor....with a big bodykit and rims).

Anyway, back on topic, I'm not a fan of the commercialisation of drifting, every kid now says "that'll drift awesome" instead of "that'll do good burnouts" or any other uneducated remark...and I kinda liked the battle scarred cars that used to get seen, that said I still like drifting itself, just not how it is marketed. How can you not like a car sideways smoking the rubber?

Still, it's a good thing for Champcar, better than music fans for sure

[hsaabedra]

This is a double edged sword for OWRS, for one thing the fans of drifting could be open minded enough to watch and learn about Champ Cars, but then again this is also the same type of crowd that would boo an American car company trying to get into a perdominantly Japanese "pseudomotorsport". I like drfiting, it's interesting to watch, and even more fun to try, provided the right conditions are met. Saying that, do I think it's the future of motorsport, absolutely not, I think it's just another form of motorsport albeit newer than most. Do I like the fact that there aren't many Champ Car fans my age? Not really, but then again these are the same kids that treat the words "turbo" and "carbon fiber" as holy grails of import performance, so that may be a good thing, I don't know.

[Uesque]

Originally posted by Sean O'Gorman
This is going to be nothing but bad for Champ Car. You guys don't realize this since you don't know any drift fans, but they all hate "grip racing." "Grip racing" is the term attached to the forms of motorsport where the object is to go through the corner as fast as possible. Yeah, pretty strange concept, huh?

Drifting is stupid, and instead of embracing it, Champ Car should look at it as a very serious threat to it's fan base.

How many of us in our teens and twenties lived for what was then called the "burnout". And of those, how many are still doing them on a regular basis? The drifting fans are going to grow up and move on, and now is a good time to get in front of them. As far as being a threat to the fan base, I doubt many Champ Car fans will be converted to Drifting.

[Snrub]

Originally posted by gtr69
Not necessaraly..well Honda people maybe, the US seems to be full of Import owners just wanting to be cool. In the car club I'm in most people are very knowledgeable, and have quite a few have performed engine converions, manual conversions (I'm about to do one), and know what sensor will cause what effect etc. There are still the tools with NA FWD cars with no power and think they are everything (there is only one NA FWD car I have seen with balls), people that just want to look cool etc. (like a R33 Skyline with a NA SOHC 2L motor....with a big bodykit and rims).

I know there are those people out there, but I think they are the minority. I would go so far as to say that people interested in Zs and to a certain extend 240SXs are far more likely to be interested in performance and racing and are fertile soil to become CART fans.

BTW: I have no idea what an R31 wagon looks like...and how much did it cost to import that thing?!?

[nsxr]

this has to be the biggest insult to racing ever. not that drifting will support cart but some of you. you guys know nothing of what you speak. {those of you who are open minded please go on.} drifting is SKILL!!!!!BASED!!!!!! if you thing it's just matting the gas then you think NASCAR uses stock cars. it requires more skill then you can even comprehend.

and those comments about doing it in a station wagon in the rain. Well hot shots dust these bad boys off and go to a TRACK AND COMPETE Then. you guys should clean house against factory paid pro drivers.I mean they only drive jgtc factory cars on the weekend your way better then those hacks. listen dont disrespect what you dont understand. go back to hating tony george and leave the drifting to the fans and drivers. oh yeah if you wont to learn their some great dvd's out their jdm option.,option,option2 drift society pick them up. better get the drift bible

[nsxr]

oh yeah what did drifting do to you guys? it's a youth sport. drifting been here for years folks it's not new. why do you guys look down on it? listen simply because you feel that their out of place their is no reason to go after them. watch and ask questions and give my generations some credit. most of you were alive during the muscle car era. were just following you guys.{well not drifting but} dont get mad now that we blow by you guys in our sporty cars while your in your suv's missing the good'ole days

[Heidi]

WRC drivers are the best drifters on the planet.