RRDC/FIA Young Drivers Symposium news 2010-03-05

ROAD RACING DRIVERS CLUB TO PRESENT SECOND RRDC/FIA YOUNG DRIVERS SYMPOSIUM IN LONG BEACH

HILLIARD, Ohio (March 5, 2010) - Following the success of its first seminar held at the Performance Racing Industry Trade Show in December, the Road Racing Drivers Club (RRDC) will present its second RRDC/FIA Young Drivers Symposium, during the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, on Saturday, April 17.

The event will take place at the Hilton Hotel, 701 West Ocean Blvd., in Long Beach, Calif., from 8:30 a.m.-12;30 p.m. The workshop is open to drivers from all motorsports disciplines and there is no cost to attend. However, registration is required and space is limited. Participants are asked to register early at www.rrdc.org. All workshop materials, including a comprehensive workbook, will be provided.

Once again, Bobby Rahal, Indy 500 winner and president of the RRDC, will lead the "Safe is Fast" workshop - with S.A.F.E. an acronym for Skilled, Assured, Fit, Empowered - which will feature a number of racing champions who are RRDC members, plus renowned industry experts. The panel of experts will be announced in the coming weeks.

The goal of this series of free RRDC/FIA workshops, supported by a grant from the FIA Motor Sport Safety Development Fund, is to help young drivers raise their awareness of safety by teaching them to effectively manage their racing vehicles and themselves in all aspects of their careers. Topics to be covered include safety, physical fitness, setup and driving skills, sponsorship/branding, mental preparation, career management and more.

"The first RRDC/FIA symposium at the PRI show in December was a huge success," said Rahal, "with more than 150 participants in attendance. We were all impressed by the young drivers' focus on the program and the fact that they did not leave their seats for the entire four hours of the workshop."

Drivers from a wide variety of motorsports arenas, including karting, Skip Barber, Jim Russell, Star Mazda, drag racing, SCCA club racing, Legends racing, Late Models and professional sports-car racing, participated in the inaugural workshop.

"Many of the students showed their appreciation and indicated they had learned a great deal from the experts on the panel," added Rahal. "We hope to be able to provide an even more comprehensive program at the second of this series of RRDC/FIA symposiums."

A third symposium is planned in Indianapolis.

About the RRDC:
The Road Racing Drivers Club was formed in 1952 as a way to give champion drivers a say in their sport, particularly in the areas of safety, and has evolved to serve the future of road racing by mentoring new drivers on both amateur and professional levels. The Club now has more than 150 active members, including leading industry professionals, race officials and motorsports journalists, in addition to prominent racing names.

President Bobby Rahal is the 1986 Indy 500 winner and is co-owner, with David Letterman, of the 2004 Indianapolis 500 winning Rahal Letterman Racing team. Six-time SCCA National champion John Fergus is the Club's Vice President/Treasurer, and five-time SCCA National champion Tom Davey is the Secretary.

In addition to RRDC members lending their expertise to up-and-coming drivers, the Club presents three annual awards: the Phil Hill Award for rendering outstanding service to road racing; the Mark Donohue Award for personal spirit and performance at the SCCA National Championship Runoffs; and the Bob Akin Award for speed with style, passion, sportsmanship and contribution to motorsports.

The RRDC also supports the Team USA Scholarship, which has been assisting young Americans in the early stages of their careers since 1990.

Membership in the RRDC is by invitation only. Additional information on the organization may be found at www.rrdc.org .

-source: rrdc