Hey,

Has anyone else heard of this? There will be a drifting event at RA in April with SWC as well as Pro IT, Miata Cup, Zetec cars, and a Mazda car show. Should be the best weekend for both cool racing and rice Myabe it will be cool though. I dont know what to think, what do you guys think of SCCA drifting? Here is the post from Road Atlanta's website:

Road Atlanta will host the inaugural Formula Drift® Series event as part of a new import tuner focused weekend called Drift Atlanta® that also will include two invitational SCCA SPEED World Challenge Touring races, and a Mazda Extreme Street import car show.

The Mazdaspeed Miata Cup, Formula Ford Zetec Championship, and SCCA Pro-IT series will also be part of the Drift Atlanta®, April 24-25, at Road Atlanta. Lifestyle marketing events including a concert and extensive vendor displays will also be included.

Announced as a four-event Championship in 2004, SCCA Pro Racing will sanction the Formula Drift® Series, which will be promoted by Irvine, Calif.-based Slipstream Global. Slipstream was responsible for the first professional drifting event in North America, the 2003 D1 Grand Prix at Irwindale, CA, and is the management company for the Mazda Extreme Street import car show.

Drifting is a high-skill, high-powered motor sport that calls for drivers to control a car while it slides sideways at high speed through a marked course. It is similar to rally racing, but is done on a closed, paved course. It is judged on execution and style rather than just time.

The Formula Drift® competition at Road Atlanta will be conducted in the Turn 10 complex, a right left-right-hand combination that will require the drifting competitors to quickly change direction while in full drift mode. The competition will include Saturday qualifying to determine a 16-car field for the finals Sunday, with two cars paired together on consecutive runs (one leads, then they switch). A panel of professional drifting drivers will determine the bracket winners.

The Mazda Extreme Street is one of the top sport compact/import car shows, and has been part of Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta the past two years. It will be a feature attraction in conjunction with many American Le Mans Series races during the 2004 season, and offers prizes for numerous Best in Class import cars.

 

personally, I have an issue with the name.


what part of drifting is "formula"?

I think the entire idea is pretty dumb in reality. Motorsports don't revolve around "style". They revolve around times, and who has the least of it on the clock.

 

While I have to agree it doesn't really lie in the same area of driving as competitive racing, I know even just dicking around in a parking lot sliding my car around is a hell of a lot of fun. Does anyone object to that, or just the competition aspect of drifting?

 

I object to dicking around in a parking lot a lot more than an organized, sanctioned drift competition. I used to compete in freestyle skiing and even though none of the events were timed waaay back then (moguls is now), it was a sport, sure as hell.

Anyone who can say that "style" isn't an important aspect of circuit racing - formula cars, sports racers, GTs, sports cars, even Honda Challenge - might be missing some important points about the big picture here....

How many of us have purchased T-shirts at a race? Hat? Jacket? Have you ever said, "Dang - that is a great looking racing car!" Laughed at a ghetto'd out POS because it isn't? Do you think F1 cars sound really cool? That the technology of the Audi endurance cars is awesome? That it looks freakin' tough when cars blow flames on the overrun as night is setting? That real race gas exhaust smells fast? Do you get wood when an Atlantic car on the edge of grip makes that AHHH-AH-AH-AH noise when they skip along irregularities on a street circuit? Have you ever shaken your head at a photo of glowing brake rotors? Puckered your butt watching - or participating in - a REALLY good catch? Laughed your *** off when somone spins through a big, gooey puddle in the grass at VIR (or gets stuck in a pond)?

Yeah. Thought not.

K

 

Kirk

 

Well spoken sir. I think the big problem most people have with drifting is the people they see doing it (read: stunnaz). I see it the same way I see moto X. Not the same as motocross but entertaining just the same. I don't find drifting as entertaining as moto X but I'd rather watch that then drag racing.

The big thing that is great about drifting is that it provides a better gateway into motorsport. Before everyone starts blabbing about autocross I ask you this, how many people come out to spectate at autocrosses? I ran an autox over here alongside a NASA US Drift practice and there were at least 3 times as many spectators as there were drifters. If it brings em into the fold without messing up the sport I'm all for it. But...If I see some dumbass drifting in front of me at the next HPDE I may be inclined to tbone his ***...

 

Kirk you could not have described me any better

 

If ITC was included in the Pro-IT classes I'd be there.
Spectators are never a bad thing (unless they're in the paddock stealing your ****, but thats another topic altogether).

Sanctioned drifting = not my thing but I'm OK with it.
Street jackassery = never OK.

 

I dig drifting, it seems like a lot of fun. I'd dig it more if the cars weren't so obnoxious looking in some cases, and if the people who talk about it weren't for the most part clueless about what racing is. I've heard people say "when are they going to have a drift race here?"

Kindof like Corvettes. Love the cars, for the most part love the people who race them but hate hate hate how everyone else talks about them.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by PseudoRealityX &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">personally, I have an issue with the name.


what part of drifting is "formula"?

I think the entire idea is pretty dumb in reality. Motorsports don't revolve around "style". They revolve around times, and who has the least of it on the clock.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Then what about track days, HPDE programs, lapping sessions and the like? Is a guy who only does CarGuys or HPDE events not a motorsports participant?

I have spent some time with the drift crowd, and you know what? Well, you'll have to read my next column to find out. Seriously, it was much closer to "our" world than many would believe. Maybe that's where the fear comes from. (Or maybe it's something else.)


Modified by David S. Wallens at 3:55 AM 2/4/2004

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by PseudoRealityX &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">personally, I have an issue with the name.

what part of drifting is "formula"?

I think the entire idea is pretty dumb in reality. Motorsports don't revolve around "style". They revolve around times, and who has the least of it on the clock.
</TD></TR></TABLE>
that's racing.

figure skating might not be racing on skates, but it sure as hell is a sport. (i'd love to see counterarguments on this one)

 

The only part that really "pisses me off" is for some reason the "Event Promoters" and land owners are willing to let a bunch of guys go out and do donuts in their parking lots but for organized autocrosses, the strictly state "No, it's too abusive on the pavement"

I.E. Raceway Park.... They've got us sharing the back corner lot full of enough pot holes and chucks to run a Millen Truck through testing. Just wait until one of these guys is "styling" through one of the "Manhattan monsters" and finds 2 wheels...There'll be a mess to clean up in the left hand seat..

BTW the RC car drifting is really cool, there's a video floating around this site somewhere..
Jeff

 

Yes, read about that event. Sounds awesome. I really really hope we'll be able to make that weekend..

And if it rains and they take late registration, the talon's goin drifting! T10a and b? I wonder if any racecars will sign up for that since you definitely don’t need to hold an official drifting event in that complex to see some big drifts.

Looking forward to it, as it should be a very interesting weekend.

 

Formula Drift Vs. road racing argument is actually more akin to the following:

Aerobatic championships Vs. Air Races.

All the above mentioned is a sport, and I like aerobatic flying championships the most out of all mentioned. Throwing around an Extra or Pitts special precisely in the air requires lots of control. Doing that in a confined space about the size of a football field requires utmost control. And hovering in a prop plane is cooler than drifting in a car. Air races are cool, but its even harder to watch an air race than a road course race....dang 500mph P-51 mustangs and Hawker Sea Furys are too fast for piston craft!

In aerobatic championships you are going solo showing what skill and precision you have and what you can push the plane to do.

In air races you are there to beat the other pilots to the finish line; and not only do you have to worry about the other racers behind and to the side of you, but also below and above you as well. Not to mention any mechanical problem is not good news...

Vracer111, who likes Lawnmower racing too! You know, lawnmower racing is to offroad racing what Karting is to road course racing....

 

Anything that is judged is hard for me to accept as a real form of sport or racing, just too much room for interpretation and judges that let their personal opinions get involved. Even though I love watching diving, skiing, snowboarding and many other sports that are judged, they always have the gray area whether there was proper judging... hmmm I don't know.

I recently saw a video of a "drifting" competition and I could not believe what I was seeing, fool drivers opening their doors with their hands and feet out the window. And they turn 240's in to trucks with neons all over them. That is not a form of auto racing to me.

_nate (really do not know what to think)

 

ya know, i've never seen a topic that no matter what forum you are on, there is a constant running debate about. so ya know what, instead of restating what i've said literally 20 other times, i'll say this.

to each their own.
but for me, drifting can kiss my ***.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Nate &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Anything that is judged is hard for me to accept as a real form of sport or racing, just too much room for interpretation and judges that let their personal opinions get involved. Even though I love watching diving, skiing, snowboarding and many other sports that are judged, they always have the gray area whether there was proper judging... hmmm I don't know.

I recently saw a video of a "drifting" competition and I could not believe what I was seeing, fool drivers opening their doors with their hands and feet out the window. And they turn 240's in to trucks with neons all over them. That is not a form of auto racing to me.

_nate (really do not know what to think)
</TD></TR></TABLE>

well the activity is still a sporting activity. it's just the manners in which the winner is determined that doesn't sit well with everyone.

that factor alone should not be enough to rule out whether an activity is a form of sports or not IMO

 

We're really going to have this discussion again? Really?


<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JMU R1 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I think the big problem most people have with drifting is the people they see doing it (read: stunnaz).</TD></TR></TABLE>


I honestly think that the "stunnaz" will fail to become participants in these events very quickly. There is a lot of money behind this particular series. I feel like the separation between those with money and those without will become very evident very quick and those without will be relegated to the bleachers. 2am "drift sessions" in the local parking lot aren't going to prepare you for the racetrack -- and a stock 240 is just going to get you embarassed.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by tnord &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
to each their own.
but for me, drifting can kiss my ***. </TD></TR></TABLE>


I feel the same way, just something about Drifting gets under my skin..

-nate

 

"Drifting at Road Atlanta"

 

lol yeah just look at that rwd crx go!

I think keeping the drifting competition in T10a-b instead of in T12 will keep quite a few cars out of the bodyshop.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JeffS &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">We're really going to have this discussion again?</TD></TR></TABLE>

No, we're not.... &lt;/hint&gt;

 

Anyone want to host a ~40MB video of a drift competition at Atlanta Motor speedway? One of the local autocrossers in the Atl. region is going pro for Formula D, and this is his promo video. Yes, they really have a professional, paid driver for Formula D. The thing is, he's a hell of an autocrosser. He's getting *paid* to go drifting. I'm all conflicted.

 

That wouldn't be Jay "Have you seen the side of my car lately" Parcon would it?

If it isn't, it should be. That guy's car control skills are insane.

And this:

Isn't drifting mostly because I feel pretty confident he didn't mean for that to happen. BTW - What'd he use to get the stains out of his suit after that?

 

OK everyone, go practice!

http://www.shockwave.com/sw/content/zipzapsse