DMCC Meeting Minutes Feb28

This Meeting took place in Alberta somewhere all in regards to DMCC west





DMCC West Driver Meeting February 28, 2010



Meeting called to order at 10:13 A.M. by Eric Belec



1) Opening Statement from Eric Belec, President of DMCC



Let me introduce myself. As a successful business owner, Onderground-design, is the main distributor of body kits in Canada, has been associated with DMCC since day 1. I’ve been the first main sponsor of DMCC back in 2005, and fully supported all drivers at that time, building the sport, making the car looks good… at that time all cars were almost stock and none of them looked like race cars. Building the fans database and awareness of the sport for the general public needed to be done at some points.



It was not an easy task. We had 1000 spectators per events showing in the grand stands



Then in 2006, I’ve decide to manage our own drift team. With 2 drivers and sponsorship strategy in mind, we were able to bring around 10 thousand dollars in cash and get tires sponsorship. At some points we were pretty satisfied and this is more than we could ask for to make the season happen. I’ve managed my own team for 2 years, taking care of every single responsibility.. this would give the drivers the possibility to focus on the driving and not in booking hotel, ordering tires, managing expenses and so on so forth.



In 2007, at the same time, I’ve founded DriftThing Night. We quickly became the reference in Sunday night practices event at autodrome st-eustache near montreal. Theses event are still happening with around 15-20 practices each summer, receiving around a thousand spectators every week. .



Since 2007, we have been able to train over 450 drivers from quebec, Ontario and many from the states. Many of them were doing door to door tandem, side by side action, trying to get closer and closer and to finally realize that their next level would need some sort of competition. So the same year at the end of the season, we did our first amateur competition. Very successful event and no one could tell at that point what was slowly building our next generation of drivers.



2008 we did our first amateur championship, once again perfect turnout with 3 successful events… but something was missing. The path to the professional series was too much of a big step…



So 2009 I’ve decided to purchase DMCC. In 2 months we have been able to implant a Pro Am championship with some of the top amateurs guys from the year before, mixed with some new comers. Between 6 to 10 guys showed up and they competed on the Saturday of every DMCC events. Some were so skilled, they have been invited to the Pro on the next day… and guess what.. they are still part of the pro championship and in the top 5 of the pro series right now.



The pro am division was confusing for many of the drivers… they didn’t know what to expect as driving skills.. but after one successful year, I can proudly say that we should have around 18 to 22 drivers in the pro am championship… and that the top 4 made the jump and joined the pro championship.



Event by event, stone by stone, we have been able to successfully bring on a awesome show, door to door tandem, beautifull cars, bring some massive sponsors investments… and to finally be sold out to almost every venues.



Formula D as been a wonderfull support. With their skills and event management, they have been able to overview every single situation and make sure we are growing in the right direction, years after years. We will, in 2010, make sure the western division of the DMCC championship goes forward. We plan to invest massively in advertising, marketing, media coverage, sponsorship, awereness of the sport of drifing but mostly important,… in the drivers. We want you to become the top drifters in this country, we will make sure that you are trained the right way, that you become professionals and that DMCC would do whatever they can to support you and bring you to the highest skill level possible and maybe someday, you will be able to drift against the top drifters in the world.



Again, I welcome everyone here to this meeting. We will make sure that all of you get full support from all our DMCC staff, organization and experience.



I will let Seth Patterson, chief steward in our east division, to present the rest of our team.



2) Introductions and bios for the DMCC staff (Seth Patterson)



Seth Patterson, Chief Steward East
Dave Duquette, Chief Steward West
Colin Reeves, Amateur Series Director of Operations
Conroy Ganson, 2010 Judge
Rob Parsons, 2010 Judge
Gary Fletcher, Director of Western Division



3) Presentation of 2010 year events and series (Seth Patterson)

· Main focus is to build the drifting scene across Canada

· Aiming in 2011 for an East vs. West battle event as high point to integrate drifting across Canada

· DMCC current standing previously covered in introduction by Eric

· Two day event where Saturday events become more of a full weekend schedule involving families, media, sponsorship, etc

· DMCC West received less attention than deserved last year due to new acquisition by Eric; will be developed to be equal to the East

· Spec-D / Amateur Saturday event to be a venue to develop driver skills and confidence

· Focus on professionalism: cash purses

· Formula Drift: FD judging for every event so judging criteria uniform across Canada; FD in East for the last 3 years; judge training so judging will be the same as FD



4) Event exhibition / experience

· Experiences for drivers and fans: show and shine, vendor alley, half-time show, autograph sessions

· Aimed at drawing fans back repeatedly

· Want to make drifting the most favourite thing to do for the fans

· Develop fan idols and requests for merchandise

· Develop driver merchandise for fans promoting driver face, car, and star quality development for drivers

· Recognition as professional athletes

· Develop relationship with a good, knowledgeable MC who will promote driver exposure and fan support during races

· Consistency with East events



5) Driver recognition

· Experienced problems getting driver / car profiles in 2009

· Starts with drivers supplying needed information and photos

· Get drivers and sponsors names out for fans to see

· The more information from the drivers the better

· Website will be continuously updated with driver (team), supplied press releases, videos, etc

· Posted to facebook as well

· The more press releases in regards to driver experiences, sponsor names / logos the better

· On a needs-basis aid the drivers with problems

· Official media representation at each event

· Photographers will be hired to provide consistent photos of all cars / drivers and posted to DMCC

· Any information can be emailed to website and will be included

· Websites are under development to improve them

· Marketing promotion

· Required professionalism for cars / drivers

· Cars need to be publicly presentable at all time

· Cars / drivers will be rounded up to show off at other events eg. Monster truck events, and given a budget for tires

· Top 16 announcements to be showy

· Podium ceremony as finale not fizzle

· Cash purses $1000, $750, and $500

o Smaller prizes for amateur series

o $ amount will go up over years

· Contingency program: top (?) will get a discount from sponsors (tireshops, etc)



6) Driver protocol

· Must be zipped up with DMCC patch on suits

· Clean, presentable cars

· Professional appearance is imperative

· Communication from DMCC will be in form of email

· DriftWest is for unofficial driver-to-driver communications

· Posts should be presentable (potential to lose sponsors through bad posts)

· Judges scores are not able to be protested; judges will be professionally trained

· Judges will be available after the event to handle questions for improvement

· FormulaDrift rules used for technical requirements

· All courses will be laid out by Tony Angelo with only minor adjustments early in practice



7) Registrations

· Can register from website

· Prices to be finalized



8 ) Sponsorship

· Website has downloadable tools / links to send to potential sponsors

· Try to get a salesman / mentor for yourself (or friend) to work at finding sponsors

· No demographics at present, but will be provided by next year (for market demographics)

o Example: East sponsors are Castrol Edge, BF Goodrich, and Go Fast

· Drivers need to “kick it up” a notch to attract sponsors by providing a good show (not mediocre)



Break for lunch at: 12:05 P.M.

Reconvene: 12:45 P.M.



9) Driver communications

· Official information will go direct to driver emails

· Communicate with each other through DriftWest, etc

· Keep in mind that all posts are public and can reflect on your desirability to sponsors


10) Events dates for 2010

RD 1: Race City May 15-16

RD 2: Stratotech June 26-27

RD 3: Castrol July 17-18

RD 4: Victoria Aug TBA

RD 5: Castrol Sept 18-19



Question and answer period / Discussion



· Try to strive for the level already attained by DMCC East

· Try to create an “event” atmosphere

· Build the “drift scene” not just the drifters

· Vendors: in order to set up at races, vendors should give driver’s contingency as minimum donation or cash to winners, for this year; next year may have set fee to participate

· Examine relationship with sponsors: cars / drivers carrying product logos are worth money; current relationship may be informal but need to be formalized and provide additional value; working for their marketing budget

o Recommended reading: “Drive to Win” by Carol Smith

· We’re all here because of the love of drifting

· Promote that love of drifting

· Market yourself: “team” tents, logos, hats, and shirts

· Swag: hats, t-shirts, hero cards, key lanyards, etc



What did not work last year:

· Numbers were sideways on the cars

· Program guides were not distributed well (this year will be a program poster)

· Downtime between cars caused by slow driver cooperation at start line; need 3 starters to prestage, stage, and start

· Driver protocol – need to act as professionals

· Tow vehicle (flat bed)

· Speed gun

· Tire guy

· Radios for staff; drivers can listen in (DMCC trying to promote spotters for team; team managers – not drivers)

· Sound system (improved speakers for this year)

· Will be a DJ with music

· Any pauses will be filled with models walking around and throwing t-shirts, etc

· Demos: ride-of-a-lifetime, coloured tires for burnouts, flip-a-ride

· Video consistency for all 5 events: short, professional, good music, exciting

· The aim is that if someone goes to DMCC at Mosport Raceway and at Castrol Raceway, the experience should be the same

· Street promo: 4 people, 20 hours a week, 20,000 flyers to distribute in venue locations prior to the event

· By 2011, the safety rules for the West should be brought up to the standards of the East

· Bring the drivers up in skills and then raise the rules so that we get on par with the East

Adjourned at: 2:29 P.M. by Dave Duquette

cliffnotes?

lol.

Pretty much they are taking the appropriate steps to make DMCC West as good as DMCC east. As DMCC east is clearly held in higher regard. There is apart in there about Bodykits and making cars more presentable. Collin is no longer in charge of DMCC West but will continue to run the Spec D events.

Driftwest was also mentioned
And during breaks, 'models' will be walking around throwing out t-shirts

bahrx7 wrote:

Driftwest was also mentioned
And during breaks, 'models' will be walking around throwing out t-shirts

Male Models probably. They never specified

It didnt seem like they payed much attention to the amateur side of things. Looks more like they are worried about making the professional series huge, and let the amateur stuff take care of itself.

dmcc doesn't do am

i know, but isnt there some sort of affiliation between the two?

I think Spec D will serve as a feeder to DMCC Pro Am. But in the same token pretty much anyhting could serve as a feeder to Pro Am... in theory. As long as the rules are the same.. and Tandem is incorporated.

Hot Import Nights Canada?

CHILD PLEAZ wrote:

Hot Import Nights Canada?

Maybe NOPI Tuner Vision if your lucky!

Actually, I have no idea what you are talking about.

1eightySX wrote:

CHILD PLEAZ wrote:

Hot Import Nights Canada?

Maybe NOPI Tuner Vision if your lucky!

Actually, I have no idea what you are talking about.

i unno either i heard models and cars

this is excites me that there trying to step it up and give more recognition to the drivers and making it more professional. Its about time the west got some attention!

bahrx7 wrote:

i know, but isnt there some sort of affiliation between the two?

It used to be Colin. Him Running AM, Pro-AM, and Pro. Now he's been outed of Pro and is only running Pro-Am through DMCC as the man responsible for getting drivers ready for Pro. :S

Jhall wrote:

this is excites me that there trying to step it up and give more recognition to the drivers and making it more professional. Its about time the west got some attention!

The west always had attention. Like the physco path in the room you keep your eye on but don't dare make a move towards. Now that Eric has the east up and running he's coming in like a physc warden! Coming to drug up, and re-establish the west to make them presentable to the rest of the Motorsports family.

The West never seemed to live up to its full potential. I am pretty sure the talent is there but it will be interesting to see what happwns now that they have a business man at the helm. I think overall the change will be awesome but I could see some sour stubborn faces along the way.