Sport Compact is dead!?!… well, everyone keeps telling me that (all the corporate suits that I run into anyways). I am not so sure that I care to agree with them after attending the Formula D event in Long Beach, CA this past month.

Ten thousand plus enthusiastic fans lined up waiting for over an hour to get in, while standing in the blazing heat told me otherwise as well. The stands were absolutely packed, the crowds were buzzing with excitement, the vendor row was full with manufacturers and the cars were putting on a great show. It was an event that reminded me of days gone by at Battle of the Imports at Los Angeles County Raceway (LACR)…. R.I.P. 

Events that lived and breathed and evolved into their own life forms. Races where the drama and excitement rivaled any daytime Soap or Reality TV program on the digital air waves today. Events when a record could fall on each and every pass… somebody’s crew member hooked up with some girl from another crew… oh my did you hear about… no way and so and so did what…. Back when technology and racing advancements were progressing at each event and people were pushing the boundaries of their vehicles performance every time out. Back when I counted down the days til the next event in anticpiation rather than watch the calendar until I had to leave home again.

So actually, now that I think about it there is something significantly different going on at the drifting events of today compared to the drag events of old. As makers of high performance parts who exactly are we there to see? I saw more SUV’s, Camry’s, and lifted trucks in the parking lots than anything else. Sure there were the awesome standouts like always, cars like EVO’s and hard top S2000’s and GT-R’s with sick widebody kits and VIP’s with insane drops but they were the exceptions not the norm.

It seems like if you aren’t selling T-Shirts that say “My Boyfriend Does It Sideways”, JDM “Elderly Driver” suction cup signs, Zip-Ties, and S13/S14 bumpers, then just who is actually profiting from drifting events. Tire companies? Food vendors? Certainly the organizers and rightly so. Good on them… I am thrilled that Jim and the gang at Formula D have prevailed and taken the title because those that have lived it know what kind of damage multiple sanctioning bodies does to a sport. They deserve it anyways just from pure dedication to what they believe in. But how does a maker of go-fast-goodies actually sell something to a group of people that are only there seemingly to be entertained. Oh great Spirit of Sport Compact, where oh where are the die-hards?

Fast forward two weeks and I am standing in the Newark airport ready to roll down to E-Town to the newly combined NHRA/NDRA drag racing series and what is that sweet note in the air, the unmistakable tune of small dispacement compacts with phat exhaust cans, rocking down the Turnpike so hard they are sure to do kidney damage on their passengers. Sure enough the East side is still rolling strong and representing the lifestyle in good faith, as shown by the sheer number of hard core enthusiasts that I saw at E-Town on the weekend. Hmmm, Westside, what’s up with that!?

But seriously… will Sport Compact continue to act like a snake eating its own tail and prove history correct by not being able to support itself under it’s own weight of fickleness? From a guy that grew up running on the streets of San Fernando and San Gabriel, back in the day when a Bullfrog cam swap was CRAZY! I sure hope not… I guess we will have to wait and see.

If you want to hit me up, I am live all the time at blogs@turboneticsinc.com

Til’ next time, stay in boost.