Unlimited day of Drifting in Mineral Wells 6/19/2004

[POS Racing]

[Copy & Paste : On]

***EVENT IS ON RAIN OR SHINE***
Call with any questions
Deanna Lewis 817-243-2286 or 817-488-2310

An Unlimited day of Drifting hosted by
Texas Drift on June 19, 2004 in
Mineral Wells

Unlimited day of Drifting & Drift Clinic $50.00
(Drift Clinic is open to all participants @ no extra charge)
Spectators $5.00 / Children under 12 Free

Registration 8:00 AM
Driver's meeting 8:30 AM
Drift session & Drift Clinic begin 9:00 AM

http://www.texasdrift.com/

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[joe.MIATA]

Spectators $5.00

[POS Racing]

Spectators $5.00

That's exactly what I thought!

[sammm]

Spectators $5.00

That's got to give the sport a big boost! <insert cricket chirping here>

[Treibenschnell]

Spectators: $5

Being the nasty cheap bastard I am I'll tell them to go "F" themselves.

[texasdrift]

Hello,

First off, let me say thank you for the original post on this site.

Texas Drift is in the process of helping to build the sport of Drifting. We are the sanctioning body that hosts the venue and have instructors on site, all of this cost time and money. These venues were set up for the Drifter, not for Texas Drift to get rich off of. We need the support from everyone interested in Drifting to keep these events going.

Our goal is to host a venue where Driting enthusiasts can come out, spend the day drifting and hopefully some of them will move up to the professional level.

Thank you to all of those who support Drifting in Texas and want to see it grow.

Sincerely,
Deanna

[onething]

I think I'd rather pay $5 to watch a bunch of kids burn their tires up than watch a bunch of old kids run over cones - even if it is for free. If they can get anybody to come out and watch, they're ahead of what we do fee or no fee!

$5 is nothing - gas will cost that much to drive out there. Not to mention what you guys will spend and McD's on the way :P

[sammm]

I think I'd rather pay $5 to watch a bunch of kids burn their tires up than watch a bunch of old kids run over cones

Be sure to take plenty of pictures to share with the rest of us!

[Majik]

I emailed the guy to let him know what we thought of getting charged to watch a grassroots motorsport event. Apparently we get a form letter in response.

[onething]

I think I'd rather pay $5 to watch a bunch of kids burn their tires up than watch a bunch of old kids run over cones

Be sure to take plenty of pictures to share with the rest of us!

Unfortunately, my Dad will be here to celebrate Fathers' Day early so I can go run over some cones on the real Fathers' Day At least the drifters didn't schedule an event on a National Holiday Sunday.

Have any of you seen the July 04 issue of Sports Car Magazine? ( p.48 ) When was the last time a 5 page article promoting Solo II appeared in that SCCA magazine? This is a brand new sport, and SCCA finally realized they'd better embrace it or be run over by it.

I'm sure that the small number of participants in this new sport makes it tough to pay for the facility, and as I've already pointed out, it looks like a lot more fun to watch. As far as paying to watch grass roots racing - $5 won't get you past the parking lot at any local drag strip or dirt track, and their stands are full every weekend.

I may try a little drifting Sunday, just to liven things up a bit :P and if I do, it will all be planned (see below). Just remember, Joey Chitwood is my hero

[Treibenschnell]

Texas Drift is in the process of helping to build the sport of Drifting.

So why the cover charge? Why not just charge the participants $5 dollars more?

I think I'd rather pay $5 to watch a bunch of kids burn their tires up than watch a bunch of old kids run over cones

I attempt (badly at that) autoX not to entertain the crowd but to challenge myself and improve my driving skills. I guess that's where I find the difference between drifting and what we do. I could care less if there is a crowd out there to watch me nail cone after cone. (Perhaps it's just me being a nitwit or narrow minded but so be it.)

If someone cares to come watch us, enjoys it, and then participates then hooray! But would those same casual viewers come in if they were nailed at the door by a $5 a head cover charge? If I was mildly interested in the sport of drifting then perhaps I would pay it... but unless I'm rallying on ice and snow and gravel then my goal is the quickest way around the corner (which still eludes me!)

I guess my point is this: if they really want the general public to take notice versus just specific drift enthusiasts, drop the $5 spot.

[Majik]

As far as paying to watch grass roots racing - $5 won't get you past the parking lot at any local drag strip or dirt track, and their stands are full every weekend.

I know you have been to mineral well before. Last time I was there, there wasnt much to sit on. Ofcourse I come un prepared and dont bring a lawn chair. I suppose you are right, it is probably more interesting to watch than autoX, but until it gets to be a little more legitemate I wont be paying to see it.

[POS Racing]

Did anybody go?

[altiain]

Kevin Muncie (the young kid with the old 4-door Civic who comes out to most of the S2000 events) went. He posted his impressions here.

[Kestrel]

Hello,

First off, let me say thank you for the original post on this site.

Texas Drift is in the process of helping to build the sport of Drifting. We are the sanctioning body that hosts the venue and have instructors on site, all of this cost time and money. These venues were set up for the Drifter, not for Texas Drift to get rich off of. We need the support from everyone interested in Drifting to keep these events going.

Our goal is to host a venue where Driting enthusiasts can come out, spend the day drifting and hopefully some of them will move up to the professional level.

Thank you to all of those who support Drifting in Texas and want to see it grow.

Sincerely,
Deanna

texasdrift, welcome to our forum.

I think you'll find that while we "rag" on you drifters a little , we actually support the sport, and realize that it is another form of grassroots motorsports... and that's a good thing! Most of us are very involved in grassroots motorsports -- primarily autocross and track/ open lapping days -- and we are always happy to help folks new to our sport, as I'm sure you are happy to help out folks new to your sport.

Nobody gets rich from any form of grassroots motorsports, and I am well aware of the expenses involved -- both for the participant and for the "promoter/host/organizer". But at a time when you want/need to be encouraging people to come see what drifting is all about, I feel that charging spectators any amount of money is counterproductive for your organization. Yep, letting folks watch for free is going to "cost" your group a few bucks at first. But right now you need to get everyone possible to come out to an event and see for themselves how much fun it is, and how well run the events are.

It is important for you -- and by association, for Solo racing as well -- to prove to people (participants, spectators, town officials, police, etc) that drifting is a legitimate form of motorsports. The more people that are encouraged to spectate, the better. Nothing "gets the word out" like word-of-mouth advertising.

I'm also hoping that you and your organization are looking for honest, direct feedback on your events. I was unable to come out to Mineral Wells this past weekend to spectate, but someone from another local club did... and he posted his impressions on a forum that altiain linked to in the post above. I'd encourage you to read these comments, and accept them in the spirit that they are given. We are critical of our own events (you should read some of the things we write/post about SCCA and ER events and how they are run sometimes ), but that only helps us improve things in the long run.

I hope you and your group are successful, and I'm glad to see another form of grassroots motorsports become available. And I will come out to spectate sometime soon... even if it does cost me $5.00 for the privilege.