pre-Falken showoff PRIVATE event confirmed...hmm

[Coiloverkid]

hmm. this is interesting. I spoke with toshi today from apex'i and he said he's going to be out at irwindale on friday drifting. wait..Friday? "yeah, it's a private event". so later on I run into kenji @ greddy and he confirmed that SOMETHING is going on that day. So, my only guess is some kind of press/shakedown is going down bright-and-early friday morning.

Now here's where I became uneasy. Think about it: team MOPAR had a "private event" two days before the last round of Formula D so sam could practice his 360, yadda yadda...

My point is: Do you think it's unfair for big name teams/drivers who have the cash to RENT EXTRA practice time, leaving the normal amateurs with only day-of-event practice? I'm sure there will be a mustang or two on friday, or a G35. only due to someone writing a check for some time. It already has begun to skew the field of cars, even persuading the track owner to allow mopar to put a big SLIDE SAM SLIDE banner on the main sweeper as a thanks for an extra couple G's for private practice.

Not everyone can do that, and it's becoming commonplace before every event that happens there. D1: "press" day meant MORE practice for top popular or seeded drivers...just another example. I think i'll go early friday and see if I can get in and see what this is all about; and if it IS a shakedown of sorts, then i'll try to get some spy shots.

[DomLee]

I think it is perfectly fair. Any amateur competitor can go to a DriftDay event for example...and drive his car...to work out the kinks.

There are no rules limiting the actual "seat time" by the driver or the crew.

There have always been press events that are a day or two before the actual race day. Not only that...but a number of the major sponsors purchase track time for their cars. A'pexi did it, when they debuted their RX-7 drift car here to the US (and I remember there being photos on this very website). Falken rents track time out too. The difference is that you didn't hear about this "extra seat time" until now.

[LOVMUFN]

Cry all you want, money talks. Although your point is somewhat valid, it shouldn't make a difference. There will be enough practice time that a good driver that has never been to Irwindale will be able to learn the corse well enough to drive it. Fair is for events where there and not any privateers, why do you think some people LOVE privateers? Let me answer that for you, it is because the deck is stacked against them but they still have the drive to try. If the deck weren't stacked against them it would mean nothing to be a privateer and there would be a lot of them.

[Ris4drift]

im jelous i cant get seat time like that. but im not gonna complain.

i do kinda wish FD had a official event tracktime limitation. bubbadrift uses texas events for shakedown if we even have time for that. i know nascar has a policy to even out the testing on santioned tracks, but if you run a non sanction track you get all the testing you want. before the oval was shut down at texas world speedway teams would come here to test for michigan all the time b/c it woudnt count against them.

[Octagon]

Limit seat time and you just get poor drivers. Not to mention it's almost impossible to police.

Would you think it was fair if one of our drivers, in-between Formula Drift events, was flown out by their sponsor to take part in D1 events?

How about this, Rhys Millen actually takes the GTO to SCCA Pro Rally events "as a one off for fun". He placed third with it in class at Pikes Peak (was leading until he lost the power steering). Fair?

But, how can you shuffle this into a "practice" category. The drivers are participating in other forms of motorsport or other sanctioned competition. Start telling the drivers "No, you can only race when we tell you" and the drivers stop coming.

And if you start telling the sponsors "You can't hold exhibitions and press days because it's an unfair advantage since the drivers who're invited get more seat time" then the sponsors go away too.

[foilman]

Re: pre-Falken showoff PRIVATE event confirmed...hmm

My point is: Do you think it's unfair for big name teams/drivers who have the cash to RENT EXTRA practice time, leaving the normal amateurs with only day-of-event practice?

I think it's totally fair. What's the track supposed to say... "No, you can't rent our track for practice". What's FD or D1 supposed to say, "No, you can't spend your money on track rentals"?

That's just nutty. Those with more money can afford more track time to develop the cars and drivers and that's just the way it is. Fair or unfair really isn't even an issue. Everybody has the same right to by track time.

I'm a top 16 FD driver, and D1 qualified, but don't have the money/venue to rent over here in Atlanta. I wish I had more practice time, but you won't here me crying foul because others have a better opportunity. It's only a problem if the sactioning bodies pull strings or give extra time to a particular driver/team and not others, or if the give extra time at the actual competition days.

-Tony
Team Toyo/Finishline Motorsports

[slideways2004]

i think it's fair. if you had the opprtunity, you would do it too. All the drivers practice, this just happens to be at a racetrack, irwindale. and it just happens to be the same track for the d1 competition

[mav1178]

You guys think too much.

First off, the course today was the D1 course; the Drift Showoff course is not the same as what we ran today.

Aside from that, it was $150/person and the whole point of today's practice was for some of the drivers to practice tandem driving for Sunday's tandem competition. First of its kind in the U.S. Top pair gets a cash prize.

So, stop thinking so much about these things. Plus the "amateur" competition on Sunday should be very even between all the competitors... we'll all get the same shitty track time.

Oh, and I crashed today too. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

-alex

[110octane]

Thanks for stating that everyone here "thinks too much" alex! You are right. Sorry to hear that you wrecked today.

I can't believe people are being criticized for getting too much practice?!

Oh yeah Coiloverkid, no Mustangs or a G35 out there huh.......Imagine that?

[Driftday]

At times we have big names attend our events, but I try to book these events for people that want practice time. Andy Yen usually makes the request for me and I pass on the information for other drivers to see if they want to practice too.

There is no advantage if everyone gets the same opportunity. Right? When it comes to private events, there is a reason for being private. We get charged less for not allowing spectators into the venue and it does not help if information like this post is tossed around forums. Especially if you have no intention of driving..... The only peole that suffer are the drivers and I would hate to tell the drivers that coilover kid made them pay an additional $50.00 because he has a big mouth.

Naoki
www.driftday.com

[CrazyHawaiian]

Nah its a part of life. You gotta pay to play. Thats why those of us that dont have alot of $$ just practice in "other places" hahaha. There are alot of private events here in Hawaii that I dont get to goto. Sure it sucks to be left out, but its not like I cant go drifting someplace too (just not at the track ahha). Besides, practice is practice. Sure it helps to be practicing on the same turns of the event, but even then, practice on a mountain road can be much more beneficial.