U.S. D1 Grand Prix cancelled for 2008
Photo: OriginLab.com
For those of you following the D1 Grand Prix here in the States, bad news came in the form of a press release from the drifting organization earlier this week. The D1 Grand Prix USA has been canceled for 2008 after challenges continued to rear their ugly heads from the series' organizers in Japan.
The 2007 schedule lacked any serious cohesion, but after hiring Mike Mucklin and the team that organized the GTLive tour back in 2004, we thought there might be a light at the end of the tunnel. Not so, and after Mucklin left the organization soon afterwards, it was clear that the D1 Grand Prix was in dire straights in '08.
Thankfully, Formula D, the series that's quickly becoming the definitive drifting organization in the U.S., has continually stepped up its game and is rivaling D1 in both excitement and organization. Fans can still get their sideways fix and check out Formula D's schedule here.
[Source: D1]
PRESS RELEASE
D1 GRAND PRIX ANNOUNCES THE CANCELATION OF 2008 POINTS SERIES
TORRANCE, CA (February 10, 2008) - D1 Grand Prix USA has announced the cancellation of 2008 point series events.
Due to issues and timing from the Japan series, the D1 Grand Prix USA series is being cancelled for the 2008 year. After a successful championship event last November at Irwindale Speedway, we vigorously attempted to launch the 2008 U.S. series but have been unable to due to Japan's delay on decisions and their focus on the Japan series. Our goal is to continue elevating and expanding the drift culture to the world. But at this time the official word from Japan is to focus on the Japan series for 2008.
It has been formally decided not to hold an event series in the U.S. but the "All Star World Championship" in November at Irwindale speedway is still scheduled to take place.
D1 Grand Prix apologizes for the series cancellation in the U.S. and plans to return the series next year.
Thank you D1 Fans.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Steve Fox 4:16PM (2/13/2008)
A nation weeps.
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John P. 4:28PM (2/13/2008)
Probably got tired of losing to a bunch of Gaijin in V8's. Grabbed their ball and went home.
Kiddin.
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Farris 4:50PM (2/13/2008)
Bwahahaha!!! Great FnF3 reference!
mike m. 4:40PM (2/13/2008)
I have no reason to live now!
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macdoc 4:40PM (2/13/2008)
...wouldn't walk across the street to watch this crap...
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why not the LS2/LS7? 8:55PM (2/13/2008)
Actually, I kind think he's referring to how non-Japanese in American cars (often V8s) tend to win drift competitions here. The Pontiac GTO won Formula D its first year out. It might still be winning if Pontiac kept campaigning it. Vipers won in 2004 and 2006.
PJ 4:52PM (2/13/2008)
Right, because D1 is totally less entertaining than, say, NASCAR.
:-/
Oh right, almost forgot, one's 'mmurican and the other came from them beady-eyed furriners. My mistake, clearly...
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Max 5:00PM (2/13/2008)
What, fads don't last forever?
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MemphisNET 5:00PM (2/13/2008)
I love all kinds of motorsports, so this does suck.... hopefully F.D. will have what it takes to really catch on.
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Tyo 5:06PM (2/13/2008)
Im not a huge drifting fan or follower so bear with me.
My question is this, do they consider drifiting "racing" to me it seems more like an extreme sport or competitive dance with cars.
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spdracerut 5:13PM (2/13/2008)
It's not racing, the judging is more like ballet. Whoever shows the most 'skill' wins. There's like 4 criteria the judge on: angle, speed, something and something.
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RoadSlinger 5:15PM (2/13/2008)
I ditto the question as to whether this can really be a race. The way I understand it it's style mixed with a time trial. More than anything it seems like an exhibition rather than a race. There's no style in racing. It's balls to the wall fastest wins. Not fastest w/ style.
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Hank 5:21PM (2/13/2008)
anything that involves 'judging' is not a real sport, the end.
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El_Tomacco 5:35PM (2/13/2008)
How do you figure?
vwboyaf1 5:32PM (2/13/2008)
This fad has already died in Japan. The problem is that in order to see real drifting skill, you need to have an actual time attack on a tight backwoods road. That series is wildly popular under the name, WRC.
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dje7878 5:35PM (2/13/2008)
does anybody remember the NASCAR Vs D1 event? hahaha.
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T. Munday 5:34PM (2/13/2008)
Which would be every sport...every sport has a human judging the results. Sure a touchdown is a touchdown, but a human judged where to place the ball in the first place. Baseball have umpires that judge, based on what they see and hear, if someone is "safe" or "out"; "ball" or "strike". Football and basketball and hockey and soccer all have humans that constantly make judgement calls that have an effect on the outcome of the game.
But, no, it isn't racing, as a race is to see who can get to the finish line first. It is a competition to see has more skill, just like any other sport. If a football team has more skill then another, they typically win the game.
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Zeus.:God 5:41PM (2/13/2008)
Because it doesn't involve direct competition. I can see where he's coming from.
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Hank 5:48PM (2/13/2008)
let me rephrase
i meant 'judging' as in figure skating/x-game skateboarding/cheerleading/D1/American Idol, where the human judge arbitrarily awards 'points' based on a contestant's performance, with very vaguely defined reasonings behind how they arrive at the score they gave to the contestant.
all the other types of judging you refer to (baseball/football etc) are meant to enforce the established rules, and they do not *directly* affect the 'scoring' of the competition.
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Hank 5:50PM (2/13/2008)
let me rephrase
i meant 'judging' as in figure skating/x-game skateboarding/cheerleading/D1/American Idol, where the human judge arbitrarily awards 'points' based on a contestant's performance, with very vaguely defined reasonings behind how they arrive at the score they gave to the contestant.
all the other types of judging you refer to (baseball/football etc) are meant to enforce the established rules, and they do not *directly* affect the 'scoring' of the competition.
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