XTREME DRIFT CIRCUIT FORMED FOR 2010
-Nationwide drifting championship will showcase rising drift stars and feature lifestyle events across the country
November 9, 2008 (Tustin, Calif.) — With an eye on developing the future drifting stars of America, the Xtreme Drift Circuit has been formed and will kick off its first championship season in 2010.
As the professional drifting landscape has progressed, there has been a groundswell of drivers that have the potential to compete at the highest levels of the sport but haven’t had the chance to demonstrate their potential. The XDC will offer these drivers a chance to shine with a championship series that will be run to professional standards and will subsidize the costs of competition to the drivers – making the XDC a professional drifter’s first step to achieving their dreams.
The XDC will be an affiliate series of the Formula Drift Pro Championship, placing the winner of each event into the Pro-Am Nationals at the end of the season. The top three drivers in the season championship will also have a spot in the Pro-Am Nationals, providing an elevated avenue of competition for drivers who cannot yet make the jump from regional competition into a professional national series.
In the way that auto racing series have feeder series – such as the Nationwide Series in NASCAR, and Indy
Lights for IndyCar – XDC will become the proving grounds for drifting’s future stars.
“The goal of the XDC is not to compete with established professional drifting championships, such as Formula Drift,” said Michael Munar, president of the XDC. “Rather, our series will feature Pro-Am drivers who aim to someday become Formula Drift champions. Not only will they compete in a professionally run and managed championship, but they will receive other benefits including promotion, media training, car transport, and sponsorship assistance.”
The Xtreme Drift Circuit’s 2010 schedule will be announced in the coming weeks, and will feature venues across the United States that are hotbeds of drifting activity. Every XDC event will be a full scale festival featuring drifting, a car show, vendor row, stunt bike demos, a model search, and live stage entertainment produced by the team that led Hot Import Nights at its peak.
USDrift will be charged with staffing and managing the drift events, including course events, drivers meetings, rulebook, judging, technical inspections and course management.
“This format will essentially give competitors two destinies to strive for, the PRO/AM level and the Formula Drift level,” said Mike Schneider, head judge of USDrift. “Some drivers don’t particularly care to be a professional, but at least if they did dominate in the PRO/AM level, there’s always that opportunity for them to do so.”
The series will be unveiling its 2010 season schedule in the coming weeks.
I think this is a great idea but honestly what is the defining difference between this and Pro-Am? It would be great if FD can coax more sponsors into the sport.
Drifting in the US could definitely use more support for the grassroots movements…. Personally, the grassroots drifters take drifting to heart more than most FD drivers, it seems. (And I bet there are a lot of amazing drivers out there, who just can’t afford to compete. I’m glad there’s something now to try and help them out.)
If I get the chance to attend an event, I’m definitely there. 🙂
there is no difference between this and pro-am…this IS pro-am
Except now we have to attend more events = more money