July SportsCar and drifting

[planet6racing]

OK, I'm not going to rag on drifting or anything like that. I just wanted to point out the quote on page 52 of the July SportsCar, embedded in the picture with the Falken Tire car:

"I had to come up on out here and see these boys act a fool!" DRUNKEN FIRST TIME DRIFT FAN

I'm making no further comment, just pointing that one out.

------------------
Bill
Planet 6 Racing
bill (at) planet6racing (dot) com

[RacerBill]

Awwwww, come on Bill, the only difference between road racing and drifting is that we are trying to stay in control and not get out of control, and the drifters are trying to stay out of control and still be in control.

It probably demands a greater level of driver skill and less car setup, and we have a hard time understanding a sport that resolves a competition by awarding style points (kind of like protests, eh?).

Bottom line is that it generates exposure for the club, when there are so many more activities competing for our lesiure time.

Seriously, one of the most fun qualifying sessions the was ever tried took place at the Texas Motor Speedway, I think it was the second IRL race there. At the end of the second qualifying lap, the cars would come into the pit, change two tires, and then finish with a 60 ft. burnout. Best crowd reaction was directly proportional to the amount of tire smoke generated! I'm not saying that it was the best format for determining the starting order, but it sure got the crowds on their feet.

[planet6racing]

Oh, I'm not making any comments about drifting. It definitely attracts a crowd. I'm just commenting on who was quoted in SportsCar in this case.

Call me part of the wine and cheese crowd, I guess. But listing a quote as being from a "Drunken First Time Drift Fan" just stinks in my book.

------------------
Bill
Planet 6 Racing
bill (at) planet6racing (dot) com

[cherokee]

Not all exposure is good.

[JeffYoung]

Guys, I try to be open minded, but in teh sport/not a sport equation:

Hockey (a sport) is to Road Racing (a sport) as Ice Dancing (not a sport) is to Drifting (not a sport).

It's cool to watch I'm sure, but it isn't racing. The backward hat X-treme crowd can have it.

[Geo]

Originally posted by RacerBill:
Awwwww, come on Bill, the only difference between road racing and drifting is that we are trying to stay in control and not get out of control, and the drifters are trying to stay out of control and still be in control.

What scares me is the possibility that you may actually believe this.


------------------
George Roffe
Houston, TX
84 944 ITS car under construction
92 ITS Sentra SE-R occasionally borrowed
http://www.nissport.com

[greg_umbay]

I read a good commentary about Drifting on SpeedTV's website. had a theme and flavor of "Here we are now, entertain us."

Not all of us like the same things, that is what makes us "us."

Here is a link
http://www.speedtv.com/commentary/10631/

------------------
http://www.ita.hondapowered.com

[Knestis]

I've never seen a drunk fan (driver, crew member, steward, corner worker, whatever) at an SCCA regional, opening his/her mouth and saying stupid things. Never. No way. Uh-uhh.

K

[planet6racing]

But, was that drunken person quoted in SportsCar and labeled accordingly?

I am having less of a problem with drifting. As long as it doesn't take away track time from me (yes, I'm greedy like that), I don't care. I do care when SportsCar, essentially the only published document from the SCCA, starts quoting some drunken fan and labelling it as such. I truly feel this tarnishes our image.

I know, I shouldn't be posting about this only here. I guess it is time to send Mr. Johnson some comments on that quote.

------------------
Bill
Planet 6 Racing
bill (at) planet6racing (dot) com

[Knestis]

So we agree that the issue is with SportsCar and not with drifting as a driving discipline?

K

[lateapex911]

Who was the drunken idiot low life that wrote THAT caption???

errrr...sorry...maybe thats out of line...but I agree.....drifting is fine, but the presentation that we, the memebers of the SCCA made, through that caption, is not.

------------------
Jake Gulick
CarriageHouse Motorsports
ITA 57 RX-7
New England Region
[email protected]

[ddewhurst]

Different strokes for different folks.

I been to one drag race in my life & will(go to one TFIRD maybe.

To my way of thinking road racing is a participant race & not a spectator race. & I can't figure out why someone who owns a road race track don't put up a huge screen & show the races that are being televised. & before ya start, it takes money to make money. Up through the 70's ya couldn't find a place at the June Sprints to watch. Been told, never was there at that time.

Have Fun http://Forum.ImprovedTouring.com/it/wink.gif
David

[1badmk1rocco]

I'm in no way a drift fan, or even a big import drag racing fan. One thing that SCCA Club racers don't really realize is that many of the younger people out there who are into Drifting and Drag racing have a negative view of people who Club Race. Mostly they think of club racers as a bunch of rich guys who spend entirely too much money to win a piece of wood or a plastic trophy. Take a look around at your next club race and see how many drivers are under 40! I don't think it's even a matter of our generation not having enough money to build a competive car, because a lot of money is put into the drag/drift/street race cars we build. The SCCA needs to do something to atttract a new generation, and if Drifting is it so be it.

[Team Rocket]

Originally posted by greg_umbay:

Not all of us like the same things, that is what makes us "us."


True-er words were never spoken. (Is true-er a real word?).

Me? I like anything that moves by fossil fuel. Race cars, drag cars, mini-bikes, model engines,... heck, I like lawn mower tractors! http://Forum.ImprovedTouring.com/it/smile.gif

I was watching them drift this past weekend while we were racing at Beaverun. Very cool! Lots of noise and smoke. To each his own and "Viva la differance!" Or some such French phrase.

Jim

[planet6racing]

Well, I guess I'm sorry that I even mentioned anything about drifting. I don't care about the drifting. It's who made the comment and how it was done it SportsCar. There are very few car events that I think of when someone quotes a "Drunken Fan" and anything associated with the SCCA isn't it.

Am I the only one shocked and appalled by this?

------------------
Bill
Planet 6 Racing
bill (at) planet6racing (dot) com

[Wayne]

So... um... er... would a 240sx make a good drift car?

[lateapex911]

Originally posted by planet6racing:
Well,

Am I the only one shocked and appalled by this?




Um, no Bill you are not. Read back to my post...


------------------
Jake Gulick
CarriageHouse Motorsports
ITA 57 RX-7
New England Region
[email protected]

[Geo]

Originally posted by Knestis:
I've never seen a drunk fan (driver, crew member, steward, corner worker, whatever) at an SCCA regional, opening his/her mouth and saying stupid things. Never. No way. Uh-uhh.

K

Because you're the first to pass out? http://Forum.ImprovedTouring.com/it/wink.gif


------------------
George Roffe
Houston, TX
84 944 ITS car under construction
92 ITS Sentra SE-R occasionally borrowed
http://www.nissport.com

[Knestis]

Hmmm. Actually because I'm a lightweight and am asleep before the fun really starts. I'll tell this story, though...

We were at a regional in Portland once back in the mid-80s and were snoozing away in the tent well after midnight, when we heard the engine on our truck turning over. It was a little pesky to start so it didn't catch (luckily) and when we jumped out the door, we discovered a guy in the front seat trying to start it with HIS key. It had opened the door and was actually turning in the ignition.

He was absolutely hammered and was in a truck that was the same make as his but a different color and minus a camper. We took his keys away from him and sent him on his way (we had a promo deal with MADD at the time, ironically) after he told us he was camped on the other side of the paddock.

The next morning, he was in a race car on the grid IN OUR GROUP, looking like death on toast. Luckily, his car was a POS and didn't run long enough for him to hurt himself or anyone else.

When he never turned up looking for his keys, we hunted him down - and he didn't remember any of it. But he thanked us for finding the keys he had "lost."

K

[Geo]

Originally posted by Knestis:
Hmmm. Actually because I'm a lightweight and am asleep before the fun really starts. I'll tell this story, though...

We were at a regional in Portland once back in the mid-80s and were snoozing away in the tent well after midnight, when we heard the engine on our truck turning over. It was a little pesky to start so it didn't catch (luckily) and when we jumped out the door, we discovered a guy in the front seat trying to start it with HIS key. It had opened the door and was actually turning in the ignition.

He was absolutely hammered and was in a truck that was the same make as his but a different color and minus a camper. We took his keys away from him and sent him on his way (we had a promo deal with MADD at the time, ironically) after he told us he was camped on the other side of the paddock.

The next morning, he was in a race car on the grid IN OUR GROUP, looking like death on toast. Luckily, his car was a POS and didn't run long enough for him to hurt himself or anyone else.

When he never turned up looking for his keys, we hunted him down - and he didn't remember any of it. But he thanked us for finding the keys he had "lost."

K

OMG!!

That tops my best story by far.

When I went to Mid-Ohio for the Champ Car race for the first time in 87, we camped down the road from the track (at the time there was no camping at the track). We got there late and the place was pretty full, and we didn't know where to set up camp so we took a spot in the back. Bad move.

Behind us there was a party going on all night long. It was the corner workers! I got up at 4:30 or so to go to the potty and they were still partying hearty. When we got up at 6:00 to get ready, there wasn't a trace they were ever there!

The corner workers drank through the night and were working corners with no sleep (or a least a group of them)! Eek!


------------------
George Roffe
Houston, TX
84 944 ITS car under construction
92 ITS Sentra SE-R occasionally borrowed
http://www.nissport.com