1.) What are you most proud of in your 2 hour presentation and/or your senior project? Why?
In my experience this entire year I feel the thing I am most proud of is my ability to actually drift. Spending an entire school year studying the techniques and actually watching them live has helped me really gain a wholesome drifting experience where I can now go to events and understand them inside and out. If I were myself to try and drift I would definitely have the confidence and the skills necessary to pull it off. I also understand the competitive aspect of it as well which gives me a leg up on the competition because I have spent my time learning the ins and outs of the leagues as well as how to build and maneuver the vehicle which will mean less time and money spent because I will not be wasting resources trying to learn as I go.
2.) What assessment would you give yourself
AE
What assessment would you give yourself overall
P
3.) What worked for you in your senior project?
Completing ample research checks. I did a lot to gather enough research to make the final binder and presentation very whole.
4.) What didn't work?
Leaving certain assignments for last minute definitely did not help. I would try my best to do everything with enough time.
5.) How has your project helped you in your future endeavors?
I aspire to drift one day and with this project I have found the forum at Adams Motorsports Park to do so. I have also made many connections with people like Spike Chen and Eric Cantore who can help mentor me in the future.
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Hoonigan
So in the world of drifting and other motor sports such as rally cross one company (started by Ken Block a rally x driver) has branded aggressive and skilled drivers as hoonigans. This term has taken over the world of motor sports and continues to grow in popularity with illegal street drifters calling themselves Hoonigans. From the street to the track Hooning (the verb form of Hoonigan) is alive and well. So here's the definition of a Hoonigan straight from the horse's mouth. Check out the Hoonigan website for cool Hoonigan gear and other information on their race teams!
Hoon Here!
Hoon Here!
Saturday, May 18, 2013
Blog 25: Mentorship
Literal
Mentorship Hour Log Here!
Contact Information:
Daniel Rascon
(626)-419-8232
Interpretive
By working all of these hours, I have gained countless connections who ultimately are huge resources for me when I begin to venture into drifting myself. Many of the drivers here are very willing to help others but you just have to ask and with this project I gained the confidence to go for it and ask questions. The most important connection and resource I have now is Spike Chen, a pro amateur drifter who is literally living out my essential question. With the knowledge he has given me I can now enter drifting in a much more effective way as well a have him as a resource if anything comes up.
Applied
From working extensive hours at Adam's Motorsports Park I have gained the ability to critically analyze drifts and understand the judging criteria much better. This will help me when I am on trrack in my own car because I will know what points on the course are more critical than others as well as understand fully, what the judges wis to see. This puts me in a great advantageous position against any competitors who may be riding the fence about these things. This leads back to my essential question which ultimately means I can secure a win much more effectively.
Mentorship Hour Log Here!
Contact Information:
Daniel Rascon
(626)-419-8232
Interpretive
By working all of these hours, I have gained countless connections who ultimately are huge resources for me when I begin to venture into drifting myself. Many of the drivers here are very willing to help others but you just have to ask and with this project I gained the confidence to go for it and ask questions. The most important connection and resource I have now is Spike Chen, a pro amateur drifter who is literally living out my essential question. With the knowledge he has given me I can now enter drifting in a much more effective way as well a have him as a resource if anything comes up.
Applied
From working extensive hours at Adam's Motorsports Park I have gained the ability to critically analyze drifts and understand the judging criteria much better. This will help me when I am on trrack in my own car because I will know what points on the course are more critical than others as well as understand fully, what the judges wis to see. This puts me in a great advantageous position against any competitors who may be riding the fence about these things. This leads back to my essential question which ultimately means I can secure a win much more effectively.
Friday, May 10, 2013
A Little Word on Spike Chen
So it is not hard to tell that I am completely taken by storm by Mr. Spike Chen! He is a normal guy just like the rest of us who is a celebrity of sorts. Just to show you how well he is living my essential question here is an article from AMDRIFT a website dedicated to Pro Am drift competitions. In this article he is featured because he actually took first place in VegasDrift's second round of competition. So for your reading pleasure click the link below!
Spike Chen Wins First!
Spike Chen Wins First!
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Blog 24: Exit Interview
1.) What is your essential question? What is the best answer to your question and why?
My essential question is What is the key factor to consider in order to win a pro amateur drift competition? The best answer is the driving technique because this is the basis of entering, competing, and ultimately winning the competition. You are judged on your ability to drift well so learning all of the techniques both for drifting and racing will help you impress the judges much more.
2.) What process did you take at arrive to this answer?
I began researching car parts because I felt I had to understand all of the mechanics of the sport before even considering learning anything else. After that I that I decided to dive right into drifting itself and as it turns out, there are a lot of techniques to initiate and maintain a good drift. I spent the bulk of my time committing these techniques to memory using Keiichi Tsuchiya's Drift Bible and Calvin Wan's Drifting Performance Handbook as my main tools. What solidified this answer was an interview with Eric Cantore who stated straight out that knowing the technique was much better than having a really well built car. Technique he said could overcome the lack of power in the vehicle.
3.) What problems did you face? How did you resolve them?
The first challenge was finding service learning. Drifting has only been around for 15 or 20 years and is very hard to come by legally. Most drifters are doing these things at night in empty lots or in desolate mountain passes so my first challenge was finding a venue to be a part of this activity legally. I spent hours on the internet searching for places that hosted drifting and it was hard to find. I found Formula Drift who would allow me to do my summer hours with them but due to their schedule I could not do my service learning through the year with them. So I went back to the lab and found another place in Riverside called Adams Motorsports Park. After talking with them I was good to go for the following week's drift night and since then was able to secure my hours.
Another issue came with finding actual concrete research. Most of what people know of the sport is personal and almost secretive. People tend to keep these things to themselves. Most online sources are just blogs about current events like competitions and opens drift days so there is a lack of academic information. So to over come this I began looking up components of drifting that could be related but not necessarily drifting itself like car parts, racing techniques, and other skills necessary to be a race car driver. This helped me extend my research and helped me understand the sport in much more depth.
4.) What are your two most significant sources you used to answer your essential question and why?
Calvin Wan's Drifting Performance Handbook was my best source because it was an actual book that provided thorough information on everything from car choice and car build to technique. The thing that made the source even better was the fact that Calvin Wan the book's author is a drifter himself who has competed in Formula Drift.
My other most important source was Eric Cantore who helped me solidify my third answer. In an interview with him I learned about how drivers prepare for races and mentally work while driving. He also helped me understand that my second answer drift technique was the best answer by explaining how in competition their car has over come higher horsepower cars due to shear technique and experience.
5.) What is your product and why?
My product is the skill sets I have acquired with this project. If I were to have my own car I could hit the track and know what to do whereas someone else might be going in blind. I would have knowledge of the techniques used and be able to pull off some sort of drift. The project has also made me a better driver in general because in one instance, I almost had an accident and I avoided a collision by applying the knowledge I have learned from my senior project.
My essential question is What is the key factor to consider in order to win a pro amateur drift competition? The best answer is the driving technique because this is the basis of entering, competing, and ultimately winning the competition. You are judged on your ability to drift well so learning all of the techniques both for drifting and racing will help you impress the judges much more.
2.) What process did you take at arrive to this answer?
I began researching car parts because I felt I had to understand all of the mechanics of the sport before even considering learning anything else. After that I that I decided to dive right into drifting itself and as it turns out, there are a lot of techniques to initiate and maintain a good drift. I spent the bulk of my time committing these techniques to memory using Keiichi Tsuchiya's Drift Bible and Calvin Wan's Drifting Performance Handbook as my main tools. What solidified this answer was an interview with Eric Cantore who stated straight out that knowing the technique was much better than having a really well built car. Technique he said could overcome the lack of power in the vehicle.
3.) What problems did you face? How did you resolve them?
The first challenge was finding service learning. Drifting has only been around for 15 or 20 years and is very hard to come by legally. Most drifters are doing these things at night in empty lots or in desolate mountain passes so my first challenge was finding a venue to be a part of this activity legally. I spent hours on the internet searching for places that hosted drifting and it was hard to find. I found Formula Drift who would allow me to do my summer hours with them but due to their schedule I could not do my service learning through the year with them. So I went back to the lab and found another place in Riverside called Adams Motorsports Park. After talking with them I was good to go for the following week's drift night and since then was able to secure my hours.
Another issue came with finding actual concrete research. Most of what people know of the sport is personal and almost secretive. People tend to keep these things to themselves. Most online sources are just blogs about current events like competitions and opens drift days so there is a lack of academic information. So to over come this I began looking up components of drifting that could be related but not necessarily drifting itself like car parts, racing techniques, and other skills necessary to be a race car driver. This helped me extend my research and helped me understand the sport in much more depth.
4.) What are your two most significant sources you used to answer your essential question and why?
Calvin Wan's Drifting Performance Handbook was my best source because it was an actual book that provided thorough information on everything from car choice and car build to technique. The thing that made the source even better was the fact that Calvin Wan the book's author is a drifter himself who has competed in Formula Drift.
My other most important source was Eric Cantore who helped me solidify my third answer. In an interview with him I learned about how drivers prepare for races and mentally work while driving. He also helped me understand that my second answer drift technique was the best answer by explaining how in competition their car has over come higher horsepower cars due to shear technique and experience.
5.) What is your product and why?
My product is the skill sets I have acquired with this project. If I were to have my own car I could hit the track and know what to do whereas someone else might be going in blind. I would have knowledge of the techniques used and be able to pull off some sort of drift. The project has also made me a better driver in general because in one instance, I almost had an accident and I avoided a collision by applying the knowledge I have learned from my senior project.
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
The Man, the Myth, the Legend, Spike Chen
So earlier I posted that I was in contact with Mr. Spike Chen, Adams Motorsports Park own crown jewel and a personal drifting hero of mine. Tonight I was fortunate enough to take about an hour out of his busy schedule and get to know him one on one. Needless to say he is an incredible inspiration and gives the best answers I have ever heard to some really mind bending questions. So for your reading pleasure here is part one of my interview with Spike! ENJOY!
RM: What is the most important factor to consider in order to win a Pro Amateur Drift competition?
I think I have been trying to figure it out for the last 2 years. As you grow in the sport it changes because theres so many disappointments with not winning and if you become too focused on winning that becomes the reason you do not win. And being in the sport two years I wanted something to show for the input I gave and I wanted to bring something home because its so hard. You just want to win and win and win and with that pressure you end up not winning. Your mind takes over your body and if that happens its troubling. When a basketball player is shooting they do not think about it. They let the ball go and it is all muscle memory. Which is why mentally you can clog yourself. The more focused you are on winning the harder it is. You have to have fun. Drive it like you drive everyday. Drive like you would in every stage of the competition. Remember what it like to just drive for pure fun.
RM: What is it like being a pro am driver?
I am fortunate enough to have my own business so I get free time to work on my car but it is still time consuming. I will probably put in 10 hours of work for every 1 hour of competition time. It is expensive too. Things break and you burn up tires every time you go out there. On a normal race we go through 8-10 tires if you are conservative. Its costly. My experience is you have to have a day job where you can make decent money and be smart and resourceful about how you build your car. A lot of people will buy used tires for $10. I went through over 100 tires in 2011 and I did not pay a dollar. You can go to tire shops and use their discarded tires for free just to get used to the car. Ultimately it is your lifestyle. If you wanna make it stressful and expensive then it will be. But if you want to get into the sport you can do it in a smart matter. It is more legwork but you need a half decent paying job and time to work on the car. Everything I have done on my car I have learned on my car. All the fabrication I did myself. Suspension tuning and alignment I learned on my car. Have stupid determination and stubbornness to go for it. You need to make sure your “stuff” is together. You cannot come to a race with a car that is not prepared. Test your car at Adams beat the “stuff” out of it. I don’t have the money or support to have people do things for me so I learned.
RM: As a pro am driver how do you secure sponsorships?
It is really hard because at this level because we ain’t “stuff”. We are nothing in pro am. There are thousands of people doing this. At this level its impossible to come by and even when there are sponsorships it doesn’t mean too much. Sponsorships give you discounts on merchandise. With Battle Version (one of Spike’s sponsors) the guy is a friend and he has watched me drive for two years and he thought I was worthy of association with his name. At the same time I get flack because my car looks like “crap.” They want presentable. It is just because there are so many drifters. At the FD levels even in your first year you get discounts, no free tires. Only maybe people who consistently get top 32 and 16 get free tires.
RM: How did you learn to drift?
I was doing time attack stuff at Adams and it got boring for me. It was the same track and line and it was repetitive. I could not progress without spending 1000 bucks on tires. That is just the way it works. I was unwilling to spend that money on tires. I went towards drifting but I did not have the “guts” because it is intimidating. Everyone comes off really snobby. So it is intimidating. The drivers seem unapproachable. and the announcers are always talking “crap.” People talk mad “stuff” so its intimidating. You are scared to hit “stuff” and people talk smack and it sucks. So I kind of hit the road running I watched some competitions and thought I could never do this that is “freaking” insane. It blew my mind how a car is capable of doing that. You just have to get behind the wheel and drive. Its all about seat time. If you don't have seat time and muscle memory you are not going to ever get good.
RM: So how does your technique differ from course to course?
I think theres a maturity issue with that. I thought I was the shit after my first year at adams and after my first competition I was humbled by the ability of other drivers. Their cars were not as powerful as mine all they had was seat time. Adams is very good tool though. It teaches you a lot about everything. However your body is not used to speed. It is a huge difference in speed. In a big track theres more room, you can take different lines, and your body will get used to the speed of a bigger track. Setting up a car suspension wise for Adams or a big track is hugely different. You want the transitions to be slower in big tracks. At adams because its so tight you want a snappy car and wants to correct quickly. Every time I go to a big track it feels like I am climbing a ladder. When you hit the big track then come back to Adams it feels like you climb a rung. I come back to adams and I am more confident. It removes the fear of speed. Pro Am stuff gives me the confidence.
RM: What are the appropriate steps to take in order to join a pro-am league and rise up in the ranks?
The first step is do not worry about the license. It will come when you are ready. You will know when you are ready. The first step is never forget that this is supposed to be for fun. Instead of doing coke and meth you are doing drifting. Its an alternative outlet to your life. The moment the fun stops you have to look for something else. You are in it for the fun. If you are in it for the license you are never going to have fun. Get some seat time. Drive Drive Drive. If you go to Adams enough they will comp you. I went twice three times a week to go drive. I would hit every course day. Once you get comped and get the seat time you are good. You can get 200 hours a year and that will put you above the other drivers. Then get a 240 with a bit of power. Make do with what you have in terms of power. More horsepower makes the learning curve easier. It is like when you are being bullied in school It is nice to have a big brother who is buff to take care of that for you. Weld the diff in a stock 240. Get some coilovers that are stiff that let your break the car loose. If you get discouraged by money you will never have fun. When I started I was spoiled because it already had an LS1 already when I got it. The car will grow with you. Its better to grow with the your car than spend 6 years saving up and then never driving or getting messed up because you did not grow with it.
RM: What would you recommend for a power plant?
Whats better a 2jz or an Sr or a V8? The answer is where are you going with it? Where are you taking it? If its recreational fun and to get your feet wet then there is no point to spend money on an LS swap. If its somebody who is die hard who wants to do pro am then you say you are gonna pillage and rape and it will destroy your life. It can. If you talk to pro or pro am or anyone whose washed out they say “it ruined my life.” I could of posted a down payment on the house with the money I have spent on the sport. The LS swap is popular because its so freaking easy. Its the nastiest steroid coked up big brother you can have. You just say I have a big brother do not mess with me. It makes up for a lack of skill because whenever you are in trouble mash on the gas. That is all you need to do. Maybe someone who drives a stock 240 has to learn to clutch kick because they cant just mash on the gas. They have to learn different skills that make them a better driver. They have 7 tools like clutch kick and e brake whereas somebody who started with the LS1 says I am going to mash on the gas. You can learn all those skills still though. People who are not so driven by perfection of their driving they are not devoted to the art of drifting. They do not take the time to learn all these things and they get the LS1. If you want to compete in pro Am you have to go with the V8 because that is what everyone out there is competing with.
RM: What actual skills are required though as far as driving the vehicle and being at an actual event?
It is TENACITY. STUBBORNNESS. Be like okay this is what I am going to. It takes that stubbornness where no one can convince them that this is what they wanna do. It takes so much labor, mentality, money, and time. If you do not put in the work you are gonna suck. If you do not have the money to get off the ground you are gonna suck. If you get discouraged easy then it is not for you. Being a good street driver it does not mean anything. If you think you can go carve a mountain like GMR and that is good enough it is not. You cannot drive GMR and expect to be good all of a sudden at the track.
RM: How would someone starting out build a competitive drift car?
There are two simple answers to that. Pay somebody 60 grand to build it. Somebody in top drift did that. They paid Michale Essa and his crew to do it for him. Second is just have fun. Do not worry about it. You do not know what the heck you are doing. You need to buy a crappy car and grow up with it Buy it as you need it. If I asked you today I want to go to the moon build me a rocket ship. You would be like what the fuck?!? Where would you start? Take your time and learn the process or you can pay a huge chunk of cash to do it for you. Even if I told you there iss still other stuff that will be hard to learn. You have to learn suspension tuning and how to set it up. It is a list of components. It is a bunch of parts that I threw up on a car. The suspension on my car is the same from last year. But the car right now feels completely different. Alignment and suspension tuning make a huge difference. How its set up to work with each other is that experience. Get a 240, ask people, and read the forums. Read and talk to people who know. Ask people who know what they are doing.
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| My shout out to Spike after our interview! |
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