HP advantage in professional drifting?

[OldSkool510]

Just wondering if anyone else thinks having a high horsepower motor gives a major advantage in drifting?

[Slapshotnerd]

yes, having 500 hp is going to make the car easier to drive than 300 hp, and will allow you to cover your mistakes a bit easier. But there's a limit to the advantage. Certain tracks will favor higher horsepower cars, while other tracks (like long beach, Sonoma, and Seattle to some extent) don't have a horsepower advantage because of the off-throttle parts of the course.

Also, traction and overall car setup will have a far bigger difference. HP doesn't mean anything if you can't get it all to the ground at the right times.

If anything, I'd say having multiple gearing options would make the biggest difference. Being able to initiate at the right time and hold certain gears through certain parts of courses can make all the difference in the world. I think the teams that can't afford or don't have access to a quick-change are at the biggest disadvantage.

[OldSkool510]

Great info... It seems that the high HP car is able to create a greater separation off the start when leading and enables them to stay closer when trailing. I think this influences the judges too much.

Perfect example from last night's FD event is Tanner Foust vs. Matt Powers. Personally, I think the high HP advantage won it for Tanner because Matt was killing it out there?

Hey Slapshot- What do you think about a "spec class" for professional drifting?

[Slapshotnerd]

Hey Slapshot- What do you think about a "spec class" for professional drifting?

I think it would suck. Part of the fun of drifting is the fact that the rulebook is so open when it comes to what car / motor / setup you want to build. V8 FC / V8 Scion / 4 Banger Scion / Mustang / Subaru / S chassis / 350Z / etc... It creates rivalries and discussions like this about which setup is best.

Consider this:

- 5 different drivers won an event (Tuerck, Forsberg, Dmac, Foust, Steph Verdier) in 4 different chassis. And although Tuerck and Dmac have the same chassis, they have very very different builds.
- Beyond that, 6 more drivers (Gushi, Sam, Tyler, JR, Miki, Eric O'Sullivan) made at least 1 podium, and they represent 3 more different chassis.
- The top 10 drivers in the points standings represent 6 different makes of vehicles, 9 different motors (10 if you consider Dmac and Tyler's to be different), and 4.5 different sizes (V10, V8, V6, 4 cylinder, and whatever size you consider JTP's 3-rotor to be).

Yes, 5 of the top 10 are V8's, but I think as people develop their engine packages further, there will be further deviation.

Now remind me why anyone would want or think we need a "spec" car?

[Justin Banner]

I think the open-ness of drifting is what has been missing in any type of motor sport for a while.

Think about what NASCAR used to be just 20+ years ago. 200+ MPH from cars with no draft. Formula One used to be about bringing new, faster technology. Now that these sports have gone to a spec setup, the races are boring and they are losing spectators.

On the Amature level, sure it could work and refine new drivers. On a "Pro" level, no. Uncork them and let the best driver who can control a car on the brink of disaster that produces enough power to rotate the earth backwards, I'd love to see that.

[OldSkool510]

I think it would suck. Part of the fun of drifting is the fact that the rulebook is so open when it comes to what car / motor / setup you want to build. V8 FC / V8 Scion / 4 Banger Scion / Mustang / Subaru / S chassis / 350Z / etc... It creates rivalries and discussions like this about which setup is best.

You have all the answers and I love it.....With the open-ness of the rulebook, do you think "TIREGATE" was necessary? With such discrepencies in engine sizes, do you think tire compound and durometer reading should even matter in professional drifting?

[OldSkool510]

Yes, 5 of the top 10 are V8's, but I think as people develop their engine packages further, there will be further deviation.

Now remind me why anyone would want or think we need a "spec" car?

The 5 out of 10 V8's is the number I was looking for. If not a "spec" car, how bout a cap on HP?

Slaphot and Justin - Do you think the Final FD standings would be the same had there been a "spec" class this past season? There are some drivers that I think would be more competitive if the playing field was more equal.

[Justin Banner]

Slaphot and Justin - Do you think the Final FD standings would be the same had there been a "spec" class this past season? There are some drivers that I think would be more competitive if the playing field was more equal.

The cream will always rise to the top. You'll never stop that, as the guy who is always testing, researching, and developing will always win specifications or not.

[Bebop]

Spec classes would be lame.

But I would not mind a smaller series that catered to the lower hp/ lower skilled drivers. A series that would have much stricter chassis selection guidelines and laxer tire and driver qualification guidelines.

[Justin Banner]

Spec classes would be lame.

But I would not mind a smaller series that catered to the lower hp/ lower skilled drivers. A series that would have much stricter chassis selection guidelines and laxer tire and driver qualification guidelines.

I agree. We need a good feeder series in the US, much like D1's Street Legal series (I guess that's what it was called), or a Nationwide/Camping World type series (plus I wouldn't mind seeing a Drift Truck class ). This is something I think we all have been saying for a long while now, we need a series that caters to the guys that have just got their licenses but are not truely ready to take on Tanner, Millen, or JR. To step up from grassroots to Pro is just like going from your local short track to Sprint cup and still using your short track, 500HP car at Atlanta.

I know I keep brining up NASCAR, but even though they are the Left Turn, Candy Colored Circus, they have a great feeder series and are the example to go by in terms of bringing up a local guy to a professional series.

[McRussellPants]

yes, having 500 hp is going to make the car easier to drive than 300 hp.

Yeah, going into a corner with 200hp worth of speed faster is totally easier.

[Slapshotnerd]

I agree. We need a good feeder series in the US, much like D1's Street Legal series (I guess that's what it was called), or a Nationwide/Camping World type series (plus I wouldn't mind seeing a Drift Truck class ). This is something I think we all have been saying for a long while now, we need a series that caters to the guys that have just got their licenses but are not truely ready to take on Tanner, Millen, or JR. To step up from grassroots to Pro is just like going from your local short track to Sprint cup and still using your short track, 500HP car at Atlanta.

I know I keep brining up NASCAR, but even though they are the Left Turn, Candy Colored Circus, they have a great feeder series and are the example to go by in terms of bringing up a local guy to a professional series.

There is a good feeder series, it's called ProAm. It's produced the likes of Tommy Suell, Pat Mordaunt, Justin Pawlak, Gary Lang, Brian Wilkerson, John Wagner, Matt Waldin, Doug VanDenBrink, Joon Maeng, Carl Rydquist, Cody Parkhouse, Matt Powers, Quoc Ly, and John Ruskakoff.

[Bebop]

There is a good feeder series, it's called ProAm. It's produced the likes of Tommy Suell, Pat Mordaunt, Justin Pawlak, Gary Lang, Brian Wilkerson, John Wagner, Matt Waldin, Doug VanDenBrink, Joon Maeng, Carl Rydquist, Cody Parkhouse, Matt Powers, Quoc Ly, and John Ruskakoff.

Without going into detail yet....

Pro Am aint all that

[slideways2004]

Without going into detail yet....

Pro Am aint all that

+1. the only cool thing about it is the name. everything else needs a lot of work to be highly successful