Now here's an interesting rumor

[OldSchool+]

Have always been outside of "fads" with my own stuff, and rely on my own sense of design.

Probably the box it most neatly fits into is "resto-mod" but it could be anything--rat rod, low rider, NASCAR, 60s--anything might have an influence. Cars, bicyles, lawn mowers...nothing is safe!

In fact, just went to an art show this past weekend! --Although there is little there that I identify with per se, I believe it adds to my overall sense of design.

Further, don't build things for the attention, but they seem to be popular enough (which matters just a little more than the low-plains-drifters).

Gimme a field of angry modifieds and I am happy!

[Phil Jacques]

I don't know why I even bother sometimes. It's like talking to a wall.

What you are saying is the equivalent of the drifter guys saying "it's just a bunch of cars going in a circle"

What needs to happen is a way to bring them together needs to be found and get the younger crowd interested in our craft. Calling it irrelevant is hilarious to me. It's not very irrelevant to the pockets of the track owners and promoters.

In many cases, oval track is not paying the bills and keeping the place open, other events are.

[OldSchool+]

"I don't know why I even bother sometimes."--PJ

Clearly, it is because you are so fond of us!

Am not interested in the success of ball field owners, or hockey, or chess.

IMO, it is our sport we need to make work, and the ricers are close, very close, to being racers.

But hey, it's all good. You certainly are entitled to like them and the track owners that support them.

[Phil Jacques]

The "Old School" Mentality (pun intended) doesn't work anymore... It's not 1975. Owners and Promoters are doing their best to keep this sport alive and the slow upswing in the past bit of time has been a great thing to see, but in order to continue that, people like you need to accept and be open to the change. Look at the pictures Linda posted of the stands at Desoto this weekend. Tell me what the average age is... THAT'S A HUGE PROBLEM, If we don't start getting the younger kids involved and interested again, there will be many more dead tracks in the next 20 years. Use what the kids are currently interested in, to draw them in and then get them hooked on the action and excitement of the oval racing. These kids aren't just going to show up because you say they should. You have to do something to draw them in and give them a point of interest.

[scottgarrity07]

I don't know, I'm not seeing this enormous popularity of drifting anywhere I look. Sure it has a fanbase of younger people but let's not kid ourselves. Oval track racing in all of it's forms is way more popular and dwarfs drifting as a whole. Outside of Ozzy's occasional events at OSW, where else are drifting events held in the giant state of Florida? I haven't heard of any. Desoto had a packed grandstand last weekend both days. Are Ozzy's OSW drifting events drawing such a crowd? I don't think so. I rarely see drifting events on TV, however NASCAR just inked an 8 BILLION DOLLAR TV deal. Instead of trying to draw from the limited drifting base (which are unlikely converts) we need to just keep improving the local product. Desoto, New Smyrna, Showtime and Auburndale draw good crowds, the rest don't. Things are mostly on the upswing. I don't care about Ozzy. He just seems to be euthanizing oval racing where it's been on life support anyway. You can blame the people that came before him for that. If they were successful there would be nothing for him to buy.

[OldSchool+]

My kid was raised a racer, from his go cart to his current M/C that he races the ricers with.

Like myself, he finds drifting interesting, but it is not his bag.

That is my part.

That and friends, family, grandkids, all get exposed sooner or later. Most are not race fans. Their prerogative.

"...people like you (you people?!) need to accept and be open to the change."--Phil

Er, short of a marxist takeover, we don't need to do nuttin'. And the Marxists (or fill in the radical take-over group of your choosing) probably don't care much for drifting, either.

The good news is you don't need to do nuttin' either.

[OldSchool+]

"...where else are drifting events held in the giant state of Florida?"--Scott

Well, I have seen them at intermission at Showtime. Yoho (who knows how to, ya know...promote!) also had a grudge race with a drift car and something that looked like a outlaw late model from the '80s (a sportsman car, perhaps?), but the ricer broke.

[Phil Jacques]

Showtime, Desoto, Bronson, Auburndale, PBIR, 3 Palms, OSW all do drifting. You aren't looking for it because you aren't interested in it. Same with road course racing. There are events every week at many road courses in FL, but you probably don't notice or hear about them cause it's not your interest.

The same goes for drifters. They don't know as much about oval cause it's not their main interest. There are forums just like this dedicated to FL drifting.

The sport needs younger fans and the only way to get them is to draw them in with their interests. Do a little digging and you will see how popular drifting is.

I have no idea why it is as popular as it is, but it is. When Formula Drift comes to OSW this year, I challenge you to take a ride down there and just drive by and see how full the place is. You will understand.

[scottgarrity07]

"...where else are drifting events held in the giant state of Florida?"--Scott

Well, I have seen them at intermission at Showtime. Yoho (who knows how to, ya know...promote!) also had a grudge race with a drift car and something that looked like a outlaw late model from the '80s (a sportsman car, perhaps?), but the ricer broke.

Sounds like some event there, Old School. I think your right in that for the most part oval racing loyalty is passed down from father to son with a few NASCAR converts mixed in. Good promoting, a good economy, cheap gas, descent purses, tires that last and thusly good car counts will boost the sport more than anything else.

[Phil Jacques]

And just a little more... Last year's TV schedule... ON NBC Sports...

http://formulad.com/multimedia/tv.php

[OldSchool+]

"You aren't looking for [drifting] because you aren't interested in it."--PJ

dingdingdingding

This is the Florida Stock Car Racing Forum. Sez so at the top of the page.

In all semi-seriousness, you could take the sportsman car and turn it into a drifter. In fact, you may be able to make appearance money as the anti-drifter, especially if you hung a black dodge charger body on it...

[scottgarrity07]

"You aren't looking for [drifting] because you aren't interested in it."--PJ

dingdingdingding

This is the Florida Stock Car Racing Forum. Sez so at the top of the page.

In all semi-seriousness, you could take the sportsman car and turn it into a drifter. In fact, you may be able to make appearance money as the anti-drifter, especially if you hung a black dodge charger body on it...

I only "drift" when I drive it in too deep. Lol.

[OldSchool+]

yep, and then correct me iffin' I'm wrong, but then you watch a coupla non-drifters drive by on the low side!

[scottgarrity07]

yep, and then correct me iffin' I'm wrong, but then you watch a coupla non-drifters drive by on the low side!

Yup! And the ungrateful bastards don't even give me style points!

[OldSchool+]

Now, THAT'S funny!