Question

[raemi]

Want kind of experience do you have John? and what kind of car do you have? Thanks!

[John]

I suppose I should give my credentials on why Francis created this board and made me moderator.

Background:
I started out my motorsports 'career' much like many of the people on this board: Drag Racing. I first got into the import scene in 1995 when I got my 1989 Nissan Maxima after wrecking my 1986 Nissan 200SX (my first car). It was a comfortable car and I drove it for years running nitrous oxide until I sold it for a 1991 300ZX TT. I drag raced it a couple of times before a friend of mine introduced me to solo2 (autocrossing). I became an SCCA member and starting going to events in 1999, slowly learning about what it takes to become a better driver.

This was the car that I also learned how to work on cars. Before I got the 300ZX the hardest job I had done on cars were oil changes and brake pads. However, when my Z's turbos blew I couldn't afford to pay someone else to do the job which included an engine pull so I decided to do it myself. Of course I had help from some experienced wrenchers but for the most part I did most of the work and came out ahead with some very valuable skills. I continued to modify this car more and more and at the same time I was doing more and more motorsports events. I started going to as many solo 2 events as I could because I wanted to become better. At the same time I would also attend high speed driver education classes at various tracks. I've done several events at Texas World Speedway, a couple at Motorsport Ranch in Dallas and even went to Hallett, OK for a track event with the Z club of Texas.

Early in 2003 I decided that I wanted a different track car. Sure, the Z was fun but I wanted something different. I had been using the power of the Z as a crutch and not really maximizing my learning potential so I set off looking for a car that would help me become a better driver. The main credentials were that it had to be light, cheap (both the car and parts), RWD, relatively easy to work on and have a good aftermarket support. I narrowed my decision down to several japanese cars including 240SXs, 2nd generation RX7s, Miatas but the car that I ended up with was a 1985 Corolla GT-S. I bought in July of 2003 with the intent of making it a fully prepped solo 2 car. I got my first taste of drifting in late 2003 at one of the Daily Drifter events. I took my Z out there and did some runs. It was okay but I really wasn't very good at it. I thought that I probably wasn't going to do any more events and decided to concentrate on autocrossing. I finished the 2003 season with the car in a stock class to learn how the car behaved when stock then started to modify the car to street prepared class to run in 2004.

It wasn't until Feb of 2004 that I thought about drifting again. I went to a Texas Drift event for the hell of it since the Corolla was supposed to be a good drift car. With 1000lb difference between the Z and the Corolla, I found that the GT-S was much more fun to toss around. Of course I still wasn't any good but I started to understand why people said the Corolla was a good platform to learn how to drift. I started playing around with the car in parking lots to try and learn some techniques (We interrupt for a Pubic Service Announcement: I don't do this anymore, people. There are plenty of places to learn how to drift legally now as opposed to when I started). In April of this year the Falken Drift Showoff show came and I decided to enter to see if I could learn a thing or two. I apparently did fairly well for myself and made it to the top 8 before getting eliminated out of some 40 competitors. The next day the Falken group ran a clinic and it was this day that I learned a LOT. The Corolla drivers there were my instructors and they gave me pointers on car setup and technique that I practiced every chance that I could get. I entered the Formula Drift event in June to see how I would do against the Big Boys. Needless to say, I had no hope. The way the course was designed gave me a lot of trouble with the lack of power that I had. I do know that I didn't qualify last tho. ;)

I continued to practice at the old Thursday night drift meets, Daily Drifter events and Texas Drift events until one day out at Houston Motorsports park I was doing a bit of showing off which resulted in a mistake which resulted in me crashing my Corolla. A body shop would have told me that it could be repaired but I did not feel like dumping $2000 into a $1500 car. I decided to take a break from drifting for a while until I heard about that Humble car show that the IAC group was holding which would have prize money for the top drifters. Well, needless to say I borrowed a car (thanks Alex!) and drove it to the top 4 before the event got rained out. It was here that a generous buddy offered to give me a Corolla shell that I could swap all my parts to which is what I am in the process of doing now along with some extra things. I am planning to campaign it next season at the Formula D events around the country.

Cliff Notes:
Credentials: 5 years autocross/road course, 6 months drifting, top 8 @ Drift Showoff, not last in Formula D, top 4 @ IAC show (rained out).
Drift Car: 1985 Corolla GT-S (crashed), 1986 Corolla SR5 converted to GT-S plus extra (under construction)

[raemi]

Are you sure you didn't come in last at Formula drift? LOL

[Matt_Mo_Money]

did you have those panda rims?

[John]

Are you sure you didn't come in last at Formula drift? LOL

That's what I was told, anyway. It doesnt matter to me, actually. I had fun and it was a great experience to be there with the best of the US.


http://www.twinturboz.net/drift/media/johnfd.jpg
Yes, I am the panda wheel guy.

[raemi]

LOOOOK at that ego growing..let me ask you..how many copies of that magazine do you have?

[Matt_Mo_Money]

kool I saw you at Formula D. It just wasnt your day lol :kekegay:

[silverline]

YEAH JOHN what up and good luck with this board

[240oz.]

LOOOOK at that ego growing..let me ask you..how many copies of that magazine do you have?


are you being an ass or what? What credentials do you have?

I think this forum rocks!

[azinwood]

LOOOOK at that ego growing..let me ask you..how many copies of that magazine do you have?

do you have unresolved issues with john? LOL

[John]

LOL, no worries, guys. I just found out who it is and he'e just giving me a hard time. :)

[raemi]

I have better credentials than you silly kid!!!!!
What you gonna say when you don't pass inspection?
and you didn't answer my question, how many copies of the magazine do you have?

[John]

Hehehe, don't make me flex my ego and ban you!

BTW, 2. :)

[raemi]

Hehehe, don't make me flex my ego and ban you!

BTW, 2. :)

ban me? If you ban me, i'll ban you from scca bitch!

[John]

I love you.

[raemi]

I love you.

I bet you do? you want to touch "it"?

[EET FUK]

ban me? If you ban me, i'll ban you from scca bitch!

checkmate.