Long Beach, Calif. – March 24, 2009 – Formula DRIFT has announced the 2009 Pro Am Schedule. Formula DRIFT will partner with the nation’s most experienced regional, grassroots, and amateur organizations to take this three year old program to new heights in search of the future stars of drifting.

The Pro Am program is multi-faceted with events taking place directly during Formula DRIFT weekends, events held within Hot Import Nights, and events that are in affiliation with Formula DRIFT such as Drift Mania Canadian Championship East and West and Just Drift. These affiliate events will be awarding their champions and top finishers will be granted automatic Formula DRIFT licenses. Additionally, affiliates also have the right to qualify their drivers for the Pro AM Nationals held later in the year.

Pro Am events held directly in alliance with Formula DRIFT will be qualifying events for the Pro AM nationals. Pro AM events held at Formula DRIFT events also come with a unique experience for amateur drifters as they will be pitted directly with the Formula DRIFT drivers and will experience a professional drifting atmosphere from beginning to end. The events held at Hot Import Nights will also be qualifying events for the Pro Am Nationals.

“Formula DRIFT has had the Pro Am system in place for the last 3 years and it has produced FD Pros like Justin Pawlak, Bill Sherman, John Russakoff, Joon Maeng and others. This new program will only push the search for the next Formula DRIFT stars forward,” said Jim Liaw, co-founder and president of Formula DRIFT. “We are proud to have partnered with the most experienced and respected organizations in the country and are excited to put together the largest Pro Am Nationals event later this year.”

Affiliate Programs Qualifying Competitions:

Hot Import Nights in association with US Drift
April 11 – Austin, TX
April 25 – Tampa, FL
May 15 – New York, NY
July 11 – Chicago, IL
Top 4 drivers from each competition will receive invitations to FD Pro Am Nationals

Formula DRIFT Round 2 in association with US Drift
May 8-9 – Braselton, GA
Top 4 drivers will receive invitations to FD Pro Am Nationals

Formula DRIFT Round 4 in association with Vegas Drift
July 10-11 – Las Vegas, NV
Top 4 drivers will receive invitations to FD Pro Am Nationals

Formula DRIFT Round 5
August 7-8 – Monroe, WA
Top 4 drivers will receive invitations to FD Pro Am Nationals

Formula DRIFT Round 7 in association with Drift Association
October 16 – Irwindale, CA
Top 4 drivers will receive invitations to FD Pro Am Nationals

Affiliate Series:

Just Drift’s Top Drift Series
Round 1 – March 1 – Willow Springs Raceway
Round 2 – April 26 – Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Round 3 – Sept 5 and 6 – Willow Springs Raceway, Streets of Willow
Round 4 – Oct 24 and 25 – Willow Springs Raceway, Horse Thief Mile Canyon Course
Series Champion, #2 and #3 will automatically receives FD Pro License
Series #4-8 receives invitations to FD Pro Am Nationals

DMCC East
Round 1 – June 13 and 14 – Autodrome Montmagny, Quebec
Round 2 – June 27 and 28 – Autodrome St-Eustache, Montreal
Round 3 – July 25 and 26 – St Croix, Quebec
Round 4 – August 15 and 16 – Downsview Park, Toronto
Round 5 – Sept 6 and 7 – Autodrome St-Eustache, Montreal
Series Champion automatically receives FD Pro License
#2,3,4 in Series receives invitations to FD Pro Am Nationals

DMCC West
Round 1- May 31 – Castrol Raceway, Edmonton
Round 2 – TBD
Round 3 – August 22 – Western Speedway, Vancouver Island
Round 4 – September 6 – Castrol Raceway, Edmonton
Series Champion automatically receives FD Pro License
#2,3,4 in Series receives invitations to FD Pro Am Nationals

Formula DRIFT Pro Am Nationals in association with Hot Import Nights:

Hot Import Nights in association with US Drift
December 5 – Firebird International Raceway – Phoenix, AZ
Drivers from Affiliate Qualifying Competitions and Qualifying Series as well as Formula DRIFT Pro drivers needing license renewals will be converging in Phoenix for the largest Pro Am competition ever held

*Terms and Schedules Subject to Change*