D1GP is fucked up. No joke.

[mav1178]

Okay, so D1 was a waste of time. How so?

This is what my car still looks like, more than 3 weeks after my wreck:

http://www.worldwidechang.com/Crash/DSC02238.JPG

For the most part it's still the same, except the rear windshield, trunk lid, and rear muffler has been taken off so that it does not fly off on the track.

When I signed up for D1GP I got a confirmation email on Thursday for my entry. I replied back and asked about my car. The person who responded said it was okay to run my car.

Saturday, I get to the event. After prepping the car and teching it, Moto from Drift Association came by and expressed his concern that D1 Productions might not let me run the car on the track. He suggested that I show the car to Hideo @ D1 for a "final assessment" I drove the car down to the infield, and showed the car to the Japanese guys.

At first, they were kind of laughing at the car. It looks really stupid, but other than the visual blemishes it drives straight and perfectly fine. At first they said that as long as it meets the tech requirements it should be fine... and a few of them mumbled "okay okay" but no one said yes or no. Then one of the Japanese guys (not sure who it was) looked under the car, started complaining about something in Japanese, and walked away mumbling "no, no" in Japanese.

Next thing you know, the consensus of the group went from "we'll leave it up to tech" to "no you cannot run the car".

What was the bullshit reasons given?

- The exhaust is routed "improperly" and may cause a backfire.
- The exhaust outlet is too close to the fuel tank and may start a fire.
- "Unsafe in a crash, blah blah"

Okay, it seems like valid excuses.... right? Um, for those mechanically-challenged, they sound great. For those that know my car, you know it is a crock of shit.

First off, backfires/flames out of the exhaust are relatively common.... on badly tuned turbocharged cars. My car, although running slightly rich, does NOT backfire to the point where it could be a fire hazard. It's not even turbo!!! They did not bother to look under the hood and assumed that I had a turbocharged engine.

Secondly, the outlet of the exhaust I was using at the time (5Zigen Border III) was pointed towards the left side of the car, AWAY from the fuel tank.

Third, my roll cage (welded) was intact, and I was wearing a FIA approved Sparco Tech III racing suit, 3 layer Nomex that would be 100 times safer than any other person out there practicing with cotton clothing on. Same with practically everything I wore that day except for my cotton shirt and underwear. And I have a fire extinguisher as well, mounted on my cage, that is to be used to put out chemical fires (like fuel/oil spill, etc).

So that's what they told me. Then my friend Benson talked to them and they fed him the same BS.

You must wonder.... if it was BS, then what was the real story? It's because they want to sell videos and make money.

To D1, driving a busted car at an event is unacceptable because it looks bad, but driving a nice car and busting it while driving it at that event is perfectly fine as long as it is on camera.

Personally I don't mind if I drive or not in the event.... but for them to tell me that it was okay to drive the car, and change their mind on Saturday and feed me some stupid excuse made me mad. At least treat me like a man and tell me that my car is visually disgusting and wouldn't look good on camera, and I can at least leave in peace. Instead, they decided to treat me like a child and tell me the worst possible excuse to my face thinking I was stupid enough to buy it.

I didn't yell at anyone in their face, because it was pointless. No pointing in beating a dead horse. No point in yelling and potentially getting kicked out and/or not getting my money back.

So yeah, fuck D1 and their politics. At least this makes 1 part of my problem for 2005 a lot easier to solve.

-alex

[revat619]

dang that totally sucks.

I agree with you man, you have every right to be pissed. It really is sad how the whole "scene" has gotten so political. I'm sick of the bs myself.

Best of luck to you though. :bow:

[SlideStar]

At least treat me like a man and tell me that my car is visually disgusting and wouldn't look good on camera, and I can at least leave in peace.

To bad that you couldn't compete. I understand what you ment about them wanting it too look good on camera. The excuses they gave you about the exhaust where pretty weeksause.... ...but so was your attempt at fixing your ride. You could have pulled/hammered that fender or cut and welded the muffler or something to make it look a little better. I hope you make it to the next event, and goodluck with the repairs! :coolugh:

[mav1178]

To bad that you couldn't compete. I understand what you ment about them wanting it too look good on camera. The excuses they gave you about the exhaust where pretty weeksause.... ...but so was your attempt at fixing your ride. You could have pulled/hammered that fender or cut and welded the muffler or something to make it look a little better. I hope you make it to the next event, and goodluck with the repairs! :coolugh:


Weaksauce?

The only "repairs" I will make to the car is to dismantle it of all the parts and see how many little pieces I can cut it into with a Sawzall.

-alex

[EH9]

Comment removed.

[Andrew Bohan]

at least your car made it to the event. the car we were sending blew its motor and we rebuilt it twice in 4 days and still didn't make it in time.

[Brian]

did they refund you, Alex?

[HyperTek]

that sucks.. i think they coulda filmed it and just make comments like "ehh look at this busted s13!"

[Inland180]

yeah it would of been funny watching your car dift like it looks!!

[sLiDewAys]

dude your car looks like CRAP. wtf happened yo? DONT EVEN TELL ME. i dont wanna know. im shure the reason i have in my head is much more exiting!

[S14DB]

You really expected to run that in that condition? I'm suprised that they even thought about it. The roll cage is one part of the safety frame. I've had friends fail tech for minor things they didn't know about and loose their fees. But to expect that to compete is ridiculous.

[sykikchimp]

yeah.. I would never had expected to have been able to compete in anything with a car like that. I know of no road racing club in america that would allow that.

They are being hypocritical about the whole thing though. If they knew the condition, and still told you you could compete, and then later denied you, that is fucked up.

[1 88 U]

I'm sorry to sound insenitive but tough shit. No scca auto x would let you run your car in that condition why should D1.

[projectRDM]

I'm sorry to sound insenitive but tough shit. No scca auto x would let you run your car in that condition why should D1.

Actually, I disagree. A friend and I were parting an S14 several months ago, and before it was fully gutted, we ran it at an autocross (SCCA Atlanta, Turner Field). The entire back of the car past the rear window was cut off completely, and the front end had no body panels or lights at all. He ran all four sessions with no problems.
Some of the more 'hardcore' participants were angry and had a lot to say about it, but no one working the course told him to leave. And he did pretty well too. When politics start to take over an event like that, it's time to blow it off and move on.

[mr_240sx]

tough luck man, just get it all repaired and go back next year and stick it in their face when you win!

[sykikchimp]

Politics are teh stupid...


and he's not going to fix it.. he's gonna TRASH IT!! w00t.. tearing cars apart is always the fun part.

[the head]

are you planning on doing another s13 or going with a different car as a replacement?

[thx247]

I probably would have done the same as you did Alex, ask someone and then assume that their response was the official response on the issue. Its unfortunate you were dealt a crappy hand.

[ex-RotaryKun]

I think it is wrong that they changed their mind like that. But I think in order to keep a nice and professional image it is not in their, and all those involved, interest to allow something like that to run.

Not against you Alex, I know the car is fine and you would've did well at the event! Just my opinion...

David

[mav1178]

Well, Drift Association inspected the car and it passes tech.

You guys fail to see my point........ D1 Productions contracted DA to take care of course work and tech inspections. It passes the minimum requirements, but because of other politics they did not let me run the car. To even bring SCCA into this is pointless, this is not Formula D, SCCA does not handle the tech inspections.

Obviously I am not stupid enough to drive the car everyday (I drove it to/from the track with two escorts behind me going no more than 30MPH), but that's not the point here.

I guess no one (except maybe a couple of guys) sees the BS. Let me recap:

- alex, you can run
- alex, you can run if tech is okay
- alex, you cant run b/c the KA nonturbo backfires
- alex, its a fire hazard even though 90% of the qualifiers dont even wear a fireproof suit

That's my point. Maybe I should have left out the story and shortened it ....

-alex

[mooboy]

I wouldn't get butt hurt about their bullshit excuses. They remind me of reasons your parents give you not to do stuff and you know they are full of crap but you have to take it anyways cause they are the parents.

[pruto]

its a money making venture, its fun to watch, is it fair? no, but its entertainment.

I don't agree with a lot of their policy, especially their emphasis on saftey and then going out of their way to make the track as dangerous as possible to create crashes. I don't agree with their allowing of Japanese drivers in a US driver search. But whatever, i can deal with that.

I just wish they'd follow their word, i thought in Japan what you said and promise carries a lot of weight. Like at the D1 driver search round 2, they were like, top 10 drivers, advertised and all. Keiichi even said he'll pick 10 right before the actual competition started. What did we get? 5. Awesome.

I go out of my way to purchase a 4 point 3" camlock harness a week before as deemed neccessary by their rules and regulations. Go to the competition, found out 80% of the drivers don't have it, and they don't really care.

to me that is very unprofessional. to make up rules on the spot, ignore rules, change the format, etc. because they screwed up or just felt like it.

[Doriftomodachi]

Sorry to hear that. The bottom line is that it's politics. If they like you they'll pull a few strings. If they don't like you they'll add a few strings. If you want to play their game, get them to like you. Such is life.

[Sil Beer S13]

Man that really sucks alex.

[KiDyNomiTe]

I would have said no the minute I looked at it, and never said yes until I gave it a thorough look.

I would be mad still for the fact that they wasted your time.

[HyperTek]

come on,, shoulda saw it coming, when you allow audience to command "one more time" says alot when a winner could have been clearly choosen. The endings @ US D1 events is like Gladiator now, til the last man is literally standing (in this case, the last car to survive).

[91CRXsiR]

i made it a point never to go to drift events for fear the gheyness might be contagious

but that car does look really f**ked up, not suprised they didn't let it run. but i am suprised they didnt straightout say hell no at 1st

[meatish]

You should have been like,
"Dont mess with Texas."
That wouldve taken care of things.

[wootwoot]

The car may be cosmetically f'ed, but it runs great...If it was a bling ass rx7 with the same damage i bet you a dollar it would have been running out there with the others all about to meet the wall

[sLiDewAys]

yeah man that sucks,s orry for the insensitivity, i get your point. forget d1 lets all rent out buttonwillow in feb and drift. homie unite. haha we can make a drift video and act corny like all the j's in japan with some gay ass drift name like BLUE SKY or mountain rush! LOL

[mr_240sx]

can i be "Bone Crusha"? LOL jj :rant2:

[luisgonz]

I CAN BE "RUNNING FREE" OR "NOT RUNNING" HAHAHAHAHA
:bowrofl: :mrmeph: :bowrofl: :tweak:

[RSP13-Sideways]

That sucks Alex, but it's media...

You don't turn on the playboy channel and see a beat down ass hag...

You don't turn on the D1GP and see a beat up ass car....

I'm sure it ran fine, but they won't allow that on the track in a million years....even if you got past tech, they probably would of yanked your card....NEXT YEAR!

[SlideStar]

Well I agree that changing the rules for both the event and your personal situation is wrong. Picking 5 drives when they said they'd pick 10. Letting Japanese drivers compete in US drivers sereach. Going the third round in the finals, when the winner should have been picked in 2. Whatever example, just keep in mind that they are trying something new with bringing D1 to the US. I don't expect that they'll have all the kinks worked out in the first event or even the first 5 events. With drifting expanding the way it is, there is and has been a lot of changes made. You think the politics are bad now, just wait until they start with the D2 class (step up class) and D1 Judging licences. I'd say be prepared for a lot more changes next year.

[ex-RotaryKun]

actually.....about the Japanese drivers driving in the driver's search. It was not clearly stated but Keiichi did say that Japanese drivers who qualify in the drivers search is not allowed in the championship round.

David

[HyperTek]

That sucks Alex, but it's media...

You don't turn on the playboy channel and see a beat down ass hag...

You don't turn on the D1GP and see a beat up ass car....

I'm sure it ran fine, but they won't allow that on the track in a million years....even if you got past tech, they probably would of yanked your card....NEXT YEAR!

but first year of d1, 2001, they had street cars, and some old fart cars in there too.. one of the Freedom guys rocked a beat ass chaser or Mark with mis matched body panals....

[ruthlesstyper]

I liked your car Alex. SOrry to hear this.

[Var]

D1 is unique in this way. They can always change their minds cause they're running the game. When they made those 2 guys run again after everyone chanted "one more time" did you guys notice something? Out of respect neither of them bitched @ Tsuchiya. The man says one more time, you run one more time and you crash your 100 thousand dollar car tough shit. You wanna play in this game, you play by their rules.

[zeek]

What da hell did you hit? From what I can tell looks like your ass brushed a concrete barrier? And what the hell made you think you could get that to pass D1?

[Advan]

Never knew there was a D2, class. But it does suck about what they told you.

[RSP13-Sideways]

but first year of d1, 2001, they had street cars, and some old fart cars in there too.. one of the Freedom guys rocked a beat ass chaser or Mark with mis matched body panals....

That's true........but none of them had crushed ass rear ends like Alex's haha. There's always next year, a lot of my buddies didn't make it this year because of car problems.

[kazuo]

but first year of d1, 2001, they had street cars, and some old fart cars in there too.. one of the Freedom guys rocked a beat ass chaser or Mark with mis matched body panals....

Are you sure you're not confusing qualifying/driver search with the actual competition?

I don't recall a beat-ass Chaser or Mark with mismatch panels...

[old_s13]

alex, i wont necessarily take sides.. because its hard to say its acceptable or not acceptable without really looking at the car.

BUT, from looking at the images you posted and that i've seen of your cars accident, i would think that its not right that the car be driven. if i was in your shoes, i would have done a ghetto-job of straightening things a bit.. just clean-up the chassis and make it look more "safe" and not such a fucking disaster man. i mean yeah, lets say everything is okay.. and safe.. how can anyone judge?

you really have to clean things up a bit, it looks like you didnt even care to try to straighten things up a bit.. and that makes me wonder whether or not it really IS safe.

i think it sucks that you were pulled back and fourth, and that they yanked your chain.. but then again, such is life when you have to deal with "the illuminati." whether its dmv, government, immigration, or D1 administration -- its all politics and bullshit. startup your own drift events, i'll attend... hehe