Japfest Aftertaughts

**DaveZigen** · 10-09-12, 19:32

What an unbelievable weekend!

What can I say about Saturday! Every driver competing in ama/semi-pro should take a bow for creating a world-class series from nothing! The aggression, speed, commitment and talent made me proud to be involved and although I didn't qualify I had one of the best days of my life calling it! 2 years ago there were 40/50 people sulking in the stands and this weekend the atmosphere was crazy with the level of driving justifying the huge attendance. Every driver's family and friends did them proud by showing so much support and we have a lot to look forward to next year. Dai Yoshihara and Larry Chen watched with their mouths open in the tower beside me, you guys have put yourselves on the map internationally this year! Awesome!

As far as Sunday goes the level just went up a notch from last year and bar-none that is the best drifting you will see in Europe, hands down! It was everything I wanted to see! A mix of seasoned pro's (Lenihan, Deane, Mulvey etc.) old school hero's ( Kearney, McNamara etc.) the Formula D best ( Dai, Aasbo) and the new kids ( Brian, P McCarthy, Duane etc.) It had everything! Shock exits, crashes, off-tracks and underdog stories! A new Campion! Formula D champ against Prpdrift Champ in the final! So much to keep everybody talking until next season and showed how unpredictable and exciting Prodrift has become. Congrats to all trophy winners all weekend, it was a hard year to get them!!!

As far as the commentary and judging are concerned, they are thankless jobs that only leave yourself open for criticism. This will probably be my last time doing it. I don't think people will ever understand what it's like. I had to commentate this weekend after driving all Friday and Saturday morning, I fucked up my qualifying and was very pissed off, couldn't be, showtime. I talked for 9 hours this weekend, unscripted, mostly to myself, nervously, to thousands of people, about 110 drivers and cars, with not one note in front of me! Then if I say the wrong thing people jump down my throat? I have to act like I don't know my own brother and friends to avoid being biased. There wasn't even a commentator on Saturday before me so I'm the first to have to do 2 full days of shouting which is pretty tiring. I'm under pressure all weekend with everybody relying on me to carry the show so tell me when I can relax and enjoy any part of it? Myself and the judges, who clearly only did it for a love of the sport (as there isn't one other reason) are human and will and do make mistakes but we are only doing our best. This favoritism bullshit is insulting and uneducated. Everybody is entitled to their opinion and I don't need anybody to defend me or even like my style. I just thought I'd give people fuel for thought.

I've had the best 3 years commentating but I'm gonna really try to give the driving thing a go properly next year and cheer on that lunatic brother of mine!

Phew.... lol

**dR Dan** · 10-09-12, 19:46

Dave you shouldnt have to come on here an explain youself. And intellectual ProDrift fan/ driver/ employee knows your value to the sport in Ireland over the last 3 years. You'v been nothing short of immense.

Im very dissapointed your moving on but i understand the want to compete properly and want to be a proper fan as i done something similar a few years back.

I wish you the very best next year with what ever role you take on be it fan or driver and look forward to partyin da shizz outta it with ya!

Also a big shout out to Mr. Kenny for finding you.

Major props to both you guys.

**Chuck_g** · 10-09-12, 19:46

Originally Posted by leeK9

and lastly what was up with the crowd....never seen a bunch of dry owl sh1tes watching a drifting contest....these lads are putting their blood sweat and tears into this sport that reaps very little monetary rewards yet people wont even take their hands out of their pockets or as much as clear their throat for irish and international drifting stars in 600+hp cars giving it socks....i felt sorry for dave doing the commentary as he was trying his best to get the crowd going but he was fighting a losing battle unfortunately but i thought he was brilliant regardless...

This was said also last year.....were you in the stands? Cause we were and it was awesome....

**nikkisixx69** · 10-09-12, 19:46

Originally Posted by DaveZigen

As far as the commentary and judging are concerned, they are thankless jobs that only leave yourself open for criticism. This will probably be my last time doing it. I don't think people will ever understand what it's like. I had to commentate this weekend after driving all Friday and Saturday morning, I fucked up my qualifying and was very pissed off, couldn't be, showtime. I talked for 9 hours this weekend, unscripted, mostly to myself, nervously, to thousands of people, about 110 drivers and cars, with not one note in front of me! Then if I say the wrong thing people jump down my throat? I have to act like I don't know my own brother and friends to avoid being biased. There wasn't even a commentator on Saturday before me so I'm the first to have to do 2 full days of shouting which is pretty tiring. I'm under pressure all weekend with everybody relying on me to carry the show so tell me when I can relax and enjoy any part of it? Myself and the judges, who clearly only did it for a love of the sport (as there isn't one other reason) are human and will and do make mistakes but we are only doing our best. This favoritism bullshit is insulting and uneducated. Everybody is entitled to their opinion and I don't need anybody to defend me or even like my style. I just thought I'd give people fuel for thought.

I've had the best 3 years commentating but I'm gonna really try to give the driving thing a go properly next year and cheer on that lunatic brother of mine!

Phew.... lol

to be honest i cant imagine anyone else commentating! your a natural at it !

but if your not doing it in 2013.... drunk andrew joyce doing the commentating

**Chuck_g** · 10-09-12, 19:50

Dave dont you fucking dare give it up! Your the voice of Prodrift and beyond and if you give up il give up!

Anyone else see the lad off his head on some sorta drugs in the kit car doing the barrel sprint?? She wont go any faster laaaaaaaaaaaaaaad!!!

**Damien** · 10-09-12, 19:56

Was my first time at Japfest and I must say I loved every second of it, had my car on the SXOC stand and the cars were fairly squashed in throughout the display area.
Didn't expect to see all the Vag yokes filling up the paddock. If they weren't there then there would have been enough space to park and admire the quality jap stuff on display, though it was rare.

As for the track action, the time attack looked like great craic, and the barrell roll wasn't great but the kit car doing it looked class.
The Drifting was just world class, some great battles which really were only seperated by the tiniest of margins.
As for the criticism of the commentating, what would you rather he be saying or talking about. The crowd were just dead and the few cheers dave got out of them were hard got. Look at any other commentator in another drift series, and see what job they do, he's as good as any of them and gets more criticism than praise. If there was no commentary or just music it would be shit. I'm sure Dave could hear himself repeating a few lines, but listen to any commentator and they will fall back on the same things when the action is quiet.
They'll have a job replacing you next year Dave.

I've also developed a serious need for a track car, I'm not getting enough fun out of my road s14, and the track looked like so much fun yesterday.

Roll on round1 of next year.

**Damien** · 10-09-12, 19:59

Originally Posted by Chuck_g

Anyone else see the lad off his head on some sorta drugs in the kit car doing the barrel sprint?? She wont go any faster laaaaaaaaaaaaaaad!!!

And he moving himself forward and back in the car trying to speed it up.

**chrisb** · 10-09-12, 20:19

Originally Posted by danmoorhead

it saddens me to see people complain about the commentating!!! because dave is the best that we have ever had!!! he wrecks your head because hes trying to get the crowd goin!!??? that just means ur one of the dry pricks that comes to an event and leaves with an opinion on everyting and i find it sad as its the people that say that he annoys them that sit at an event saying it boring!!!! he brings life to an event and does a get job!! and you will not find a DRIVER in pd i belive that will tell you that dave did not give them a great up on the mic!!!

couldnt have said it better myself.

dav is a legend

mind blowing how he remembers and knows so much about everyone.

keep up the good work dav

**ciaranshankey** · 10-09-12, 20:23

4th year ive been at this. by far the best action yet! no harm having a few euro yokes, but the near standard ones destroyed it imo. the commentator was savage fair play to him, except for when he called munellys escort a corolla lol!

**nicky h** · 10-09-12, 20:36

Dave is a serious loss to drifting ,
you will not get a better commentator ,FACT
Of course he gets excited hes trying to get the croud going and it's a hard job when there so many sad bastards around ,
make some noise at the event don't wait till you go home to the computer !

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