For immediate Release
April 2, 2009
DRIFT ALLIANCE ACES MOVING UP TO THE PROS WITH MAXXIS
Stepping up to the big leagues for the 2009 season are Drift Alliance Aces Brian Wilkerson and John Wagner, who both earned their professional Formula Drift licenses at the 2008 Formula Drift PRO/AM East Divisional Championship at Virginia International Raceway. Both drivers have joined the Maxxis Tire team, alongside their Drift Alliance brothers, Chris Forsberg and Ryan Tuerck.
Brian and John plan to compete in the East Coast leg of the Formula Drift tour – Round 2 in Atlanta, Georgia, and Round 3 in Englishtown, New Jersey. John plans to compete in the Chicago D1GP USA and both plan to compete in the Philadelphia D1GP USA. Brian and John will be participating in all US Drift, Clubloose, and East Coast Bash events. John also plans to attendthe Drift Mania competitions in Canada. Brian and John’s competition cars are currently at MA Motorsports in Baltimore, Maryland, where the team is pushing to get them ready for the new season.
John’s sponsors for 2009 are Maxxis Tires, MA Motorsports, Works Aero, Exedy Clutches, DC Shoes, and Drift Alliance. Some of the changes to John’s Nissan 240SX for the new season are MA Motorsports Awesometron 5000 knuckles, a MA Motorsports retune, an Exedy Clutch, and a Works Aero bodykit and overfenders.
Brian’s sponsors for 2009 include Maxxis Tires, MA Motorsports, Exedy Clutches, Griffin Thermal Products, Speedesign Custom Graphics, and Drift Alliance. Since the chassis of his MA-Motorsports SR20DET-powered Nissan 240SX worked well and was very reliable last year, Brian decided to mostly modify the engine for the 2009 season. He will be using a SR20VE cylinder head with custom intake and exhaust manifolds by MA-Motorsports.
John and Brian both prefer to use the Maxxis MA-Z1 Drift tires for their competition cars. “Maxxis MA-Z1 Drift Tires are by far the best tires I’ve ever drifted on,” says John.
Brian agrees: “They last so long and are super grippy.”
“I’m really excited to drift on a pro level this season,” says John. “I’ve put in a lot of time and hard work to get here. I want to say thanks to all my sponsors, my Drift Alliance brothers, my girlfriend, my friends, and of course, my family.”
“I look forward to finally competing with my friends in Formula D,” says Brian. “Since I won’t be able to make it to every round of FD, I am going to be sure to make the most out of the events I will be attending.”
Be sure to watch out for these two Drift Alliance Aces this year, as they will be sure to be making lots of noise – and Maxxis Tire smoke – in their first season as pros.