Was "drifting" really worth it?

[V8VENOM]

You have a pretty hardcore group of racers that aren't too happy about being displaced at Infineon because of a drifting event. I understand it is bringing some TV coverage, but do you really feel drifting has any long term future with big $$$ involved?

 

In fact, I'd go as far to say they aren't happy at all that they put so much into NASA over the years and they have been moved aside to accomodate what many think is a short term fad with no real future.

 

Wouldn't it make more sense to combine AutoX with Drifting as both are low speed events?

 

I understand drifting can help one learn a certain type of skill, but again at 60-70 mph or less. However, that skill certainly doesn't translate well to road racing -- if at all (not to mention car setup). Most racers don't setup a car to have excessive oversteer.

 

Rob.

[Brian L.]

Are any of those camera's being pointed in our direction?

[Voodoo]

You and others may consider drifting a short lived fad, but it is very big overseas with a lot of big $$$ involved by major companies, not the small mom and pop shops you normally see associated with NASA.

 

Drifting like any other form of auto competition involves car control. It may not involve the exact same type of control, but that is like saying autox doesn't have any skills that translate into road racing.

 

That being said, I would like to state for the record that I prefer road racing over drifting, but to each his/her own.

 

You have a pretty hardcore group of racers that aren't too happy about being displaced at Infineon because of a drifting event. I understand it is bringing some TV coverage, but do you really feel drifting has any long term future with big $$$ involved?

 

In fact, I'd go as far to say they aren't happy at all that they put so much into NASA over the years and they have been moved aside to accomodate what many think is a short term fad with no real future.

 

Wouldn't it make more sense to combine AutoX with Drifting as both are low speed events?

 

I understand drifting can help one learn a certain type of skill, but again at 60-70 mph or less. However, that skill certainly doesn't translate well to road racing -- if at all (not to mention car setup). Most racers don't setup a car to have excessive oversteer.

 

Rob.

[slammed_93_hatch]

when REALLY good people drift its not as slow speeds. but hopefully soon enough they will have enough people to get there own track time and not take away from the road racers. i can't imagine the drifters being to happy about that last course that was set up. plane and simple that shit just sucked.

 

the one back in May were they had the cones and such setup, now i thoguht that was much better. but ehhh whatever. it was my first time driving at sears point, and i thought the short7 was interesting, maybe not as fun as the regular 7 but interesting non the least

[Silkworm]

I'm a hard core racer, didn't bother me none.. It was kinda fun to get the ass end out at the short seven turn

 

PaulC

[mikeski38]

why don't we give them a run group just like our race groups, 3-4 20 min sessions, on the whole track. That way we can all watch and some of their publicity can splurge on us.

 

short 7 made the esses suck. I don't have the hp to get going fast in such a short amount of time.

[slammed_93_hatch]

ooo i can just see it now, by the end of the there runn group would be down to almost nothing. can you imagine some one who is trying to learn how to drift, coming into turn 11 at infenion, or even the esses.

 

 

IMO a drift needs to start out with cones and and such.

 

 

im just glad they don't do it at T hill, i like it better then sears, and could only imagine how much i would like T hill if they took out a junk of it.

 

i never ran at sears befor with regular 7 so it wasn't to bad, but if i had i have a feeling i would feel the same as mike and some others. every one kept telling me how fun the esses are with the regular 7

[BrianZ]

short 7 made the esses suck. I don't have the hp to get going fast in such a short amount of time.

 

I kinda liked the short 7. It made the track a very technical track. The cars with more HP did not have a huge advantage. Not to mention it did give a different track to run. For me it changed the track from turn 6 all the way to turn 9.

 

I'm not saying lets run it all the time, but It was ok with me.

[Nichepi]

Drifting has been picking up speed in the racing market because of the age segment of the people whom are most interested in it. This being 16-25 your old demographics. Easier and more lucrative to market drifting, import vehicles and race tires.

I remember talking with a new product manger at the BFG dinner at last years sema whom was talking about slashing traditional sponsorship packages to nasa/scca/ and drag racers and spending large amounts of monies getting drifting big in the US.