NEXEN TIRE MOTORSPORTS KICKS OFF 2019 FORMULA DRIFT IN LONG BEACH

-- Nexen Tire Motorsports Driver and 2016 Formula DRIFT Champion Chris Forsberg Relies on Nexen N’Fera SUR4G Street-Legal Tires to Earn a Podium Finish in Season Opener --

DIAMOND BAR, Calif. (April 12, 2019):  Nexen Tire America, Inc., a worldwide leader in high-performance, passenger, SUV/light truck and winter tire technology, has officially kicked off the 2019 Formula DRIFT season with a full complement of champion-caliber drivers to represent this year’s Nexen Tire Motorsports Formula DRIFT team. Nexen Tire Motorsports introduced its team at the season kick-off event – Formula DRIFT Round 1: Streets of Long Beach – April 5,6 with all drivers running amazing laps on Nexen Tire N’Fera SUR4G street legal tires. When the smoke cleared, Championship Formula DRIFT driver Chris Forsberg piloted his NOS Energy Drink / Nexen Tire Nissan 370Z to a 3^rd-place podium finish.

Nexen Tire Motorsports teammate Fredric Aasbo, driver of the Nexen Tire / Rockstar Energy Drink Toyota Corolla hatchback, trailed closely, but ended up in fourth place after a blown engine during the semifinals. The performance of all drivers helped Nexen Tire finish the event in second place in points for this year’s coveted Tire Cup Championship.

This performance is a continuation of Nexen Tire Motorsports’ immense success throughout the 2018 Formula DRIFT Season where its drivers earned several wins and podium finishes, including four drivers finishing in the top ten in points. The 2018 season concluded with nine podiums total, Fredric Aasbo with two victories and six podiums total and Chris Forsberg with one victory and a 3^rd place podium. Aasbo’s 2^nd place finish in the final race helped secure 2^nd place in overall driver standings for the year. Nexen Tire also came extremely close to winning the 2018 Tire Cup Championship but had to settle for second place, just a few points out of the lead.

During a busy off-season, Nexen Tire Motorsports continued attracting some of the most talented drivers in the sport, which includes the addition of Federico Sceriffo who pilots a Formula DRIFT prepped Ferrari 599. It features the same Nexen Tire N’Fera SUR4G tires that other teammates rely on to win. Nexen Tire Motorsports also added drivers Austin Meeks and Jeff Jones.

The complete 2019 Nexen Tire Motorsports team includes: 

• Fredric Aasbo (Rockstar Energy / Nexen Tire Toyota Corolla hatchback)
• Chris Forsberg (NOS Energy Drink / Nexen Tire Nissan 370Z)
• Alec Hohnadell (Nexen Tire Nissan S14)
• Jhonnattan Castro (Gerdau Metaldom / Nexen Tire Toyota 86)
• Dan Burkett (RAD Industries / Nexen Tire Toyota Supra)
• Federico Sceriffo (FFF Drifting Department / Nexen Tire Ferrari 599)
• Kyle Mohan (Kyle Mohan Racing / Nexen Tire Mazda RX8)
• Ryan Litteral (Koruworks / Nexen Tire Nissan 350Z)
• Austin Meeks (Verocious Motorsports / Nexen Tire Cadillac ATS/V)
• Jeff Jones (Drink Doc / Nexen Tire Nissan 370z)

Nexen Tire’s extreme ultra high performance N’Fera SUR4G tire is the ultimate tire solution for Nexen Tire Motorsports and Formula DRIFT. The N'Fera SUR4G tire is engineered with patented 'extreme ultra high performance' technology. This advanced, proprietary design enables superior grip and unmatched handling during any weather condition. The N'Fera SUR4G is trusted by the Nexen Tire Motorsports drivers to maximize the vehicle's potential in Formula DRIFT competition year after year with success.

“We’re extremely excited to add several new drivers to the Nexen Tire Motorsports team this year,” said Paul Jho, motorsports senior manager at Nexen Tire America Inc. “As we continue to grow and add more talented drivers like Sceriffo, Meeks and Jones to our team, our chances of winning the championship increase exponentially. Not only did we earn a podium finish at the first race of the year; all the Nexen Tire drivers qualified, which also means they eliminate each other during the bracket. The competition is fiercer than ever and we look forward to seeing the N’Fera SUR4G help these drivers win events and enjoy podium finishes.”

For more information, please contact Media@NexenTireUSA.com or call 909.923.4011.

About Nexen Tire: Inspired by Nexen’s global family of drivers to engineer superior performing tires – from championship-winning Formula DRIFT drivers, rock-climbing off-road enthusiasts to everyday commuters – Nexen Tire utilizes proprietary technology and the highest quality standards in the industry to guarantee world-class products backed by unrivaled customer support for the life of each tire. As a worldwide leader in high-performance, passenger, SUV / light truck and winter offerings, the company is second-to-none in research, development and state-of-the-art manufacturing. And as part of a select group of tire manufacturers worldwide that are specified as standard fitment on original equipment vehicles, Nexen delivers premium products at a sensible price.