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Canadian auto-photo-guru Gary Grant reminds his colleagues that
Every now and then, mainstream media types who aren’t used to being around race cars show up to get video of the action as part of the daily local news. If organizers aren’t careful, these folks sometimes put themselves in dangerous places because they just don’t know what dangers exist for them.
Clearly, nobody told this guy that you can’t stand on the edge of the pavement during a drift event. TTAC’s upcoming Genesis R-Spec v. FR-S v. Mazda MX-5 video will, however, have plenty of footage shot by guys who were brave enough to lie down at the apex of Toronto Motorsports Park’s fast corners and let me buzz ’em. The difference? They were facing the action!
19 Comments on “Drifting: It’s Not Just Dangerous For The Drivers...”
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When can we expect the Genesis vs Miata vs FR-S comparo?
Soon, I hope! We finished it two-plus weeks ago.
Would it be unreasonable to dream about a kickin’ soundtrack, JB?
If I may, I suggest no musical accompaniment to the video, so we can focus on hearing the sound of the engines, tires, commentary, etc. For those who prefer a soundtrack you can provide your own at home.
I totally agree with mistercopacetic. Music should only be considered if the original recorded audio sucks.
No soundtrack unless it’s a Stig like reach for the audio buttons before dubbing in something hilarious.
Yes, let’s put it up here already and stop telling us about it. Can’t wait to see what you’re wearing in this one.
Next he’s gonna cover mid-west demolition derbies. And stand in the middle of the action.
Drifting needs to die a quick death.
It’s a fundamentally worse automotive equivalent to the foul activity that was known as break dancing that worsened the 80s and 90s.
I have suggested replacing drifting with ‘sledding,’ which I invented, and involves piloting large, 70s era Detroit Iron down narrow, dumpster congested back alleys, that have been pre-greased or lubricated, at high speed.
did you happen to watch Gymkhana5? Drifting looks like one of the last ways to get the kiddies to pay attention to cars. Perhaps rightly so, given the thrills and spills of commuting.
The less “kiddies” on the road the better, keeps everyone else safe!
Danger? Harumph. Whatever it takes to get those ratings, to price the commercials high, and run those tampon ads.
Wow. That was pretty brutal. He got hit pretty hard. Let’s hope others learn the lesson.
I’m regularly surprised by some adult’s lack of awareness of danger. But hey, survival of the fittest.
At the recent Detroit Grand Prix I attended a photographers’ meeting in the hope of getting a trackside photog’s vest. Apparently TTAC wasn’t important enough to IndyCar but I did learn a few things. The most important one is to always look uptrack for coming traffic.
FWIW, this rally photographer has got to have incredible cool.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7o5v3_rally-photographer-close-call_auto
Has Indycar reduced the number of photographers? In my care free youth, you could get in the Indy 500 for free if you were a film runner for one of the photographers. Yeah, “film” and “waiting list” for the Indy 500 shows my age.
“The difference? They were facing the action!”
So they can see death coming if something unexpected happens? Doesn’t seem like much of a benefit to me.
After D-Day, when allied troops were firmly established but hadn’t yet broken out of their beachhead, a plume of smoke panicked the troops who thought the Germans were using chemical warfare, and put on their gas masks. General Patton was standing right outside the tent housing reporters, and when an aide asked “what about the press?” Andy Rooney specifically heard Patton say, “Fu*k ’em. Let ’em die.” What would Patton say about racing photographers?
BTW, I slightly modified the Patton quote after I noticed the dreaded “awaiting moderation” message. I understand the vigilance, but it’s a shame that such a colorful man, with such a colorful vocabulary, as General George S. Patton can never be quoted verbatim in TTAC.