** one KEY POINT to make is that drifting budget is VASTLY different here and japan. The biggest issue most teams and proam drivers face is travel budget. Japan is SO SMALL and you can travel across it in much less time, gas, food stops. This means more for racing, less time off work = more earned, and less strain on the travel rig. That money saved can go into fixing or replacing panels and paint. I cant goto TX for LoneStar Bash, have trip cost me $700~ and then break aero and ruin paint (lets say $500 on the low side to fix again, hoping no REAL damage was caused)... then expect to afford another $600 trip to the next pro-am style event.
that, and the fact that Japan allows hot lapping, track days, at really good drifting setup venues, all the time... I have some of the most tandem experience in Florida, and I bet in 3-4 events there, a fresh fish would have as much tandem as I've had over the years.
Other problem with pro-am, is there are so many non pro-am, pro-am drivers that show up, I dont trust them enought to get that close haha, shit.
and I'm a huge vag.