XDC Judges and Irwindale Event Enhancements Announced
March 2, 2010 (Tustin, Calif.) - With three weeks to go before the first XDC event on March 20 in Irwindale, the series is happy to formally announce its 2010 list of judges. Raising the bar of Pro-Am judging, XDC is pleased to announce the judging trio of Chris Forsberg, Matt Petty, and Michael Schneider for the 2010 season.
Forsberg is no stranger to any fan of drifting. The 2009 Formula Drift champion became the first series champion whose driving career originated from grassroots drifting, and is uniquely placed to advise and guide the next wave of professional drifters coming up through the XDC. Petty, organizer of the grassroots drifting organization Club Loose, organized the first drifting event at Raceway Park in Englishtown, NJ in 2003 which he runs to this day. Under his guidance, more Club Loose competition drivers have reached podium status than any other organization's drivers in the United States. Schneider has served as the head judge of USDrift for the past seven years, and has also judged several PRO/AM regional and national events alongside Formula Drift's judges in addition to assisting other regional organizations as a guest judge.
"The XDC series is a great opportunity for up-and-coming drivers to compete on a national level, building the bridge between PRO/AM and the Formula Drift Pro Championship Series," said Forsberg. "I am very excited to have been chosen as a judge for their inaugural year, and look forward to seeing the best grassroots talent America has to offer."
The XDC Supershow
The XDC will not only provide a platform for the country's semi-pro drifters to compete on a national level at professional tracks, but XDC Events will provide entertainment above and beyond that of a typical drifting event with ancillary attractions planned in conjunction with industry organizations and promoters at each event. In addition to the series' association with Formula Drift as a Formula Drift affiliate series, and the REMIX Award Tour which will be at every event, the circuit will also collaborate with Primedia's Super Lap Battle, Hyperfest, Hot Import Nights, and Adams Motorsports Park at events throughout the 2010 season. This is just the start - there are several more industry partnerships to be announced. Select events will also see lifestyle collaborations with the World of Dance Tour and the leader in nightlife, ClubDistrict.com.
Product Support for drivers of XDC
Several companies have joined the XDC to provide parts and discounts for the drivers of the series in an effort to support and grow the industry by means of giving back to the grassroots community. In addition to contingency support from Genius Tools, ACT, and Belle-1 Communications, varying levels of product support will come from Cooper Tires, Enkei, Rays, Volk, Gram Lights, Seibon, and Killer Glass.
"We are really excited to see these companies dedicated resources to the grassroots community, which is the backbone of the automotive aftermarket," said Michael Munar, President of XDC Events. "This is a similar trend we saw when producing HIN in the late 90's where companies who supported the enthusiasts needs early on, became industry leaders for years to come. Timing is everything, and hence our mission to aid in the growth of the industry now, rather than later."