FORMULA D LONG BEACH (April 7th, 2007)

[Formula D]

<img src="http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a87/optionvdo/LongBeach_halfpg_FR.jpg">


New for this year we are offering reserved seating to anyone that wants it. So you can go to the bathroom, or get food without losing your seat. This was an issue last year because of the capacity of the event. Reserved seats will be limted though.

Tickets to go on-sale soon! We will annouce the date.

Also look out for version 4.0 of the website this month.

Also I will change the banner at the bottom so we are not promoting something that already happened.

FD

[Slapshotnerd]

not like you didn't already know this but.....

I'M IN!!

[Octagon]

Well, I'm certainly looking forward to the start of the season, however I do hope that Formula Drift has been considering alternate course layouts for this event because that blind three car wide sweeper into a tight 1.5 car wide hairpin layout was a car-eater, and seeing the next round destroyed because certain someones misjudge the corner and take out two cars at once is really nothing good for the competitors or the spectators.

Perhaps reversing the layout if nothing else is really available?

[Slapshotnerd]

Well, I'm certainly looking forward to the start of the season, however I do hope that Formula Drift has been considering alternate course layouts for this event because that blind three car wide sweeper into a tight 1.5 car wide hairpin layout was a car-eater, and seeing the next round destroyed because certain someones misjudge the corner and take out two cars at once is really nothing good for the competitors or the spectators.

Perhaps reversing the layout if nothing else is really available?

Formula D is a professional series, even more so now than ever before. All of the drivers have either scored a point in top 16 competition last year, or proven themselves at the Formula D Pro Am. This is the best of the best in the US. I think the people who succeeded last year were the ones who had the skills of a professional driver to react dynamically to the conditions of the course. There was plenty of practice time available to the drivers to get to know the course. Sure, several cars hit the wall last year, but the drivers who made it to the top 8 and beyond had the skills to get that far.

There's only 50 or so drivers who have licenses this year. I think every one of them knows what is ahead of them. Part of being a driver is not just driving the piss out of your car, but adjusting for the course and the conditions.

[Octagon]

The problem wasn't with wall hits, but with car-to-car collisions. As the course is laid out, you have to bleed off a ton of speed exiting the sweeper AND get your car to change direction with enough momentum to sustain a drift.

Too fast and you're in the outside barrier, too slow and you lose the drift, it's phenomeonally challenging and makes for great solo runs that really separate the men from the boys.

HOWEVER! Because not all cars (and yes, not all drivers) are created equal, the point at which that balanced speed is found varies wildly, and because the course pinches down so radically exiting the sweeper there's nowhere for a trailing driver to go but into the lead car.

If the course started on the front stretch, it'd be a braking duel into the hairpin, followed by an accelerating momentum drift into the sweeper. This would be equally challenging for the drivers, equally exciting for the fans, and result in a lot less torn up equipment.

[Formula D]

Altering the course for this event is highly unlikely with the exception of pushing out the walls to widen it. We push this as much as we can but we have to work within the limts directed by GP Association and the City of Long Beach. Going in reverse simply will not work or provide any excitement as we have tested it. Drivers would lose almost all their speed and low horse power cars simple would straightend out after the hairpin and have start back in 1st gear. Additionally, as you can imagine, shutting down city street 2X in 2 weeks is not and easy task so we are limted with what can be done.

[yukio@jic-magic]

Has there been any arrangements made for teams to view the event? It was very hard for team members to see what's going since we had to fight for a spot with the general crowd. Thanks.

[Formula D]

ya for sure. We shoudl have all teams covered. We are sectioning off a few hundred seats on grandstand 17 for that exact purpose. We learned a lot from that first event and we intend not to do make teams, fans or sponsor uncomfortable

[J-Rod]

Of course I can't wait!!!
This season is going to be awesome!!!

[deadpirate]

cant wait for this to go down!!!!!

[Tyler McQuarrie]

A Porsche and walls! Sign me up!!!

[Al]

Ill be there!

Oh wait, I can't drive this year.

[BenR]

I'm trying to decide if I should I aim for the walls or the Porsche. My car hasn't hit anything German in a while.

[GaijinSmash]

Will ESPN2 be broadcasting the event live?

[Octagon]

Altering the course for this event is highly unlikely with the exception of pushing out the walls to widen it. We push this as much as we can but we have to work within the limts directed by GP Association and the City of Long Beach. Going in reverse simply will not work or provide any excitement as we have tested it. Drivers would lose almost all their speed and low horse power cars simple would straightend out after the hairpin and have start back in 1st gear. Additionally, as you can imagine, shutting down city street 2X in 2 weeks is not and easy task so we are limted with what can be done.

Thanks for the straight answer, and I do hope you're able to move out the walls leading up to the hairpin a bit more as I think that'd be a good band-aid for the course layout you've got. Interesting that you did test both directions on the course, and in retrospect it does leave guys like Taka (and gals like Hiromi) hanging in the breeze.

Don't get me wrong. I'm looking forward to this event like crazy. With Rhys and Sam in new cars, it really opens the door for a new winner. Quite honestly, I'm looking at Sumida, Gitten, or Gushi for the win, and of the three I think Sumida's due.