I am not sure a lot of people even know what drifting is, much less have been to an event. They actually do not call it a race because it is not. It is s demonstration of extreme skill driving. They invited some NASCAR top drivers to try it a few years back out at Infineon Raceway, only 1 driver even managed to get all the way around the track and several cars were trashed, including the RMR GTO owned by Rhys Millen. It is not as easy as one might think. It does not transpose well to TV at all you loose so much of the excitement, think of the best 3 minutes of a NASCAR race over and over all afternoon.
OK now to my point, the attitude of the drivers and the staff of Formula D. It is certainly unlike anything I have ever experienced in any sport much less auto racing. First off by rule the pits are wide open to every ticket holder, you can walk up and see any car up close and personal, if you ask you can most likely sit in them. You can meet all the drivers, individually in there pits and there is always an autograph session. Tickets have been kept very reasonable at around $20-$30 and usually there are car shows and even an occasional Hot Import Nights going on at the same place.
The drivers, these guys live for there fans, unless they are dealing with a problem they will always take a minute to talk or pose for a picture. I have become friends with several of the drivers just from going to the events, and get emails and chat with them through out the year, I am not special they do this with a lot of people. I have had dinner with Rhys Millen a couple of times and he is a great guy, he is hard to catch up with he is so busy doing stunt work for movies, I get email from Vaughn Gitten Jr. frequently he is an Annapolis boy and I even see him at some local events. Ryan Tuerck who is the lone carrier of the Solstice banner now always answers my emails with questions about the car and is even on my Facebook page, Patrick Mordant who can you believe this graduates high school this year has become a good friend as well. These are some great guys. If you get a chance to get to an event this year try an do it, you will enjoy it I'm sure it's just a lot of fun. By the way when was the last time you got to walk up and talk to a driver at a NASCAR race, or sit in his car.
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