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Upshifting
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what's the big deal we track junkies would ask? "Drifting"? Hell, ask any
dirt tracker or rally driver and they'll roll in the dirt in fits of laughter
at the following.
As recently reported in The Wall Street Journal, "drifting" has drifted from Japan to Southern California in recent years. Drifting was originated (the sport, not the concept) by a Japanese race-car driver while experimenting on curvy mountain roads in hopes of learning how not to put four off on curves in races. When he began to win his races, other drivers began copying his drifting moves spawning a new business for Kelichi Tsuchiya who now earns on the high side of half a million dollars annually from drifting-related activities. While drifting in Japan now has its own professional DI Grand Prix, the US market is just catching on though a consortium of performance automotive parts manufacturers and retailers in CA are now offering sponsorships to a select few of up to $45,000 per annum. As might be expected, the new "sport" has created a new market for cheap, rear-wheel drive compacts so difficult to find today. Hence the popularity of 20 year old Nissan 200SXs and Toyota Corolla GTSs. Most interesting to me is the mode of determining the winners in drifting. Very much like figure skating in the Olympics, drifters take turns at executing various maneuvers before a panel of judges who evaluate the drivers on the basis of speed and grace. The "grace" aspect has to be ripe for problems once the money reaches a sufficient level. If the entire process is akin to figure skating the same judging scenarios that have been well documented in skating will surely drift into drifting competitions. For you DE drivers out there who've been unable to attend our four most recent events you've missed some of the best weather imaginable. The NER Track Committee is definitely on a roll that is expected to carry over to our final event at Mosport that will have taken place by the time you read this. At the end of July we had a great two days at Watkins Glen, followed by wonderful blue skies at Mt. Tremblant and BeaveRun in August. Then September found the track junkies at NHIS under clear skies and temperatures just right for the required long sleeve shirts. During this period we've welcomed some new NER instructors to our corps. Dave Kane, Frank Bruns, Dennis Cataldo, Greg Hill, Bob Cohen and David Husak are all to be congratulated on completing NER's instructor mentoring program. Many years ago, Cornelius Vanderbilt answered a reporter who asked how much it cost to maintain his sailboat by saying that he didn't really know. That if a sailor needed to know what his passion cost, he couldn't afford it. I think many of us inadvertently take that tack, I know that I certainly do. I don't want to know what this hobby costs me per annum as I'd probably get out if I saw how much of our retirement dollars were leaving the investment accounts. This comes to mind when I reflect on the latter part of my track season as I drove directly from our July Watkins Glen event to the Mosport Club race which was followed one week later by our trip to the NER Mt. Tremblant event. Ten days later I drove to our BeaveRun event and then on to WI for the Road America Club Race. Now, with a little down time for an engine and tranny repair, NER's Mosport DE is fast approaching followed by a season finale drive to the Club Race at CMP in South Carolina. It's no wonder the tow vehicle is in the shop waiting for a rear axle sleeve-bearing assembly to be flown in from Detroit. What can I say, when bitten by the bug, enjoy it. Although Paul Newman is still actively racing at the age of 78, he finished a very respectable 5th in a recent Grand Am race at Lime Rock; he's very unusual in that respect. As much as I'd love to still be Club Racing at that age, I doubt it and hope that I can at least still be driving at DE Events and enjoying the tracks and camaraderie. So, I try to get all the track driving I can while still able to. Speaking of Paul Newman, and in full disclosure, must admit that I've always held him in high regard. He's been the anti-Hollywood personality if you will, living his own "normal" family life in CT and realizing the amount of his finances, has chosen to put large sums of it to good public use. Anyway, Joyce and I had a good time at "The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp's" annual fund raising party in Northeast CT several weekends ago. Not surprisingly we met and chatted with NER's Dick Cullen. Talking during one of our LCMT DEs I'd learned that he is a volunteer counselor at The Camp. A tip of the hat to ya Dick, it's nice knowing someone who follows through on their good thoughts. The highlight of the day's activities included a stage review that this year had Whoopi Goldberg, Alec Baldwin, Tony Randall, Maureen McGovern, Paul Newman and many others; and both a silent and live auction. Well, let me tell you, it was eye opening to see the kind of free flowing money that the name Paul Newman brings out. One of the items in the live auction that I had my eye on was a racing "package" that included the carbon fiber wing from one of the Newman owned race winners signed by Mario Andretti, Newman and other racing notables along with some signed posters, books and memorabilia of racing. I was prepared to go several thousand dollars, don't pin me down to a hard number here please, but was quickly put in my place, and the package ultimately sold for $35,000. Now That I’m Older Here’s What I’ve Discovered
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