HPI RACING Renews Partnership with Bryan Sellers
*Multi-Series and Factory Driver Continues PSA with RC Industry Leader *
LONG BEACH, Calif., April 18, 2013 – Following an extremely successful first season together, professional racecar driver Bryan Sellers and Hobby Products International (HPI) RACING have renewed their personal services agreement (PSA) for 2013. Eager to continue this mutually beneficial relationship, HPI RACING has re-signed the Braselton, Ga.-resident to represent the Foothill Ranch, Calif.-based manufacturer even before the current contract was up. The agreement extends the 2012 American Le Mans Series (ALMS) Most Popular Driver’s role as ambassador of the brand for the coming year. HPI RACING ( www.HPIRACING.com ) is an elite, United States-based manufacturer of highly detailed Radio Controlled (R/C) scale replicas of race, off-road and rally cars.
HPI RACING’s product line ranges from professional sports car racing models requiring paved courses to off-road vehicles designed to do battle on the battering hills and moguls of scale tracks. While intricately detailed to replicate the full-scale versions of the cars they represent, HPI RACING R/C cars are also amazingly durable with polycarbonate bodyshells and mechanically precise with suspensions and electric or gasoline-powered engines tuned and adjustable for performance. The various lines of HPI RACING R/C cars can reach top speeds ranging from 15 mph up to an astounding 100 mph! The highly modifiable and customable cars have prices ranging from $110 to $1400 for base kits.
Sellers is a multi-series and factory driver with a strong worldwide fan base. As such, the arrangement spreads across all of Sellers’ racing activities including his position as Falken Tire works driver in the No. 17 Team Falken Tire Porsche 911 GT3 RSR in the ALMS. Additionally, the three-time ALMS GT class race-winner is lead driver on the No. 46 Trim-Tex/Fall-Line BMW M3 in GRAND-AM’s Sports Car Challenge GS class. He will push HPI RACING brand awareness at each venue he competes at.
Through a separate partnership with Falken Tire, HPI RACING has begun producing a “Bryan Sellers Signature Series” scale replica of the Team Falken Tire Porsche that Sellers races in the ALMS. Unveiled at the 2012 International Toy Fair Nurnberg in Germany, the recreation features a pre-painted pre-decaled 1/10th scale polycarbonate bodyshell mounted on the Firebolt 15T electric motor-powered HPI Sprint 2 Sport chassis. The bodyshell features realistic aerodynamic details such as a highly detailed rear diffuser and a multi-position adjustable rear wing. The Sprint 2 Sport has a performance-proven four-wheel drive belt driven high-performance chassis with oil filled adjustable shocks mounted on multi position shock towers, adjustable front and rear camber links, adjustable height body mounts and a full set of ball bearings for maximum efficiency. The car uses replica Falken AZENIS RT Slick tires mounted on to replica BBS wheels. The Sprint 2 is equipped with waterproof electronics and a 2.4GHz HPI TF-40 radio system for consistent and precise control. The packaging of the HPI RACING Falken Tire Porsche carries the likeness of Sellers in his Team Falken Tire race wear and his endorsement.
Demonstrating his strength as a spokesperson and successful marketability, HPI RACING’s return complements Sellers’ agreement with Deltran Battery Tender®. Both brands extended contracts that began in 2012.
Quotes
Andrew Hilman , Marketing , HPI RACING: “From its inception, HPI RACING has always been about passionate, driven personalities pursuing and realizing their dreams of motorsports and competition. Albeit realizing it in a smaller scale, HPI is nonetheless driven by a love and admiration of the full-scale motorsports world. Partnering with a passionate, determined competitor such as Bryan Sellers is a natural for us. Bryan embodies the spirit that we share at HPI RACING. Bryan’s personal interest and passion for HPI RACING products further reinforces the connection between the smaller scale RC world and the full scale motorsports world.”
Bryan Sellers:
On the extension of HPI RACING partnership: “This is one of the most exciting partnerships I have been able to be involved with. HPI is a really cool company and I love representing them. They are at the top of innovation in the RC industry and I love seeing and hearing about all the new products. I believe the renewal shows that both sides of the partnership were successful and I am honored to be able to continue working with them.”
On the highlight of the first year of the partnership: “Very easily the highlight of the year for me was HPI’s scale recreation of the Falken Tire 911 GT3 RSR. It is amazing! It is one of the most impressive recreations I have ever seen and the performance of the car is remarkable. The time and energy that was put into that project blows my mind. The result was well worth every effort they put into it I think!”
On having his likeness grace the packaging of an HPI RACING’s product: “My first reaction when I saw the HPI RACING Team Falken Tire Porsche RC car was: ‘this can’t be true!’ My dad always said if the day came that I was ever on a toy because of my racing career then I had done something right. This is even beyond that because this is so much more than a toy. One of my proudest moments was seeing the smile on his face when he received his car!”
On the strength of motorsports marketing: “Motorsports appeals to a huge demographic that cannot be overlooked. The sport has a lot to offer in terms of marketing, branding and customer relation building. The cross-marketing of our racing and their racing works extremely well with HPI because we are in the same business. The only thing that is different is the HPI RACING cars are scaled down. We have the same demographics, the same fans, many of the same partners and the same passion for what we do. So a partnership like this makes great sense for both of us.”
For more on Bryan Sellers, please visit him on the web at "> www.BryanSellersRacing.com . Follow Bryan on Twitter ("> www.Twitter.com/BryanSellers ) and LIKE him on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/BryanSellersRacing . Tune-in to Bryan’s YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/BryanSellersRacing .
Visit www.FalkenTire.com for more on Team Falken Tire. Learn more about the American Le Mans Series at www.ALMS.com .
Learn more about Fall-Line Racing, visit www.Fall-LineMotorsports.com .
For more on the Grand-Am Sports Car Challenge go to www.GRAND-AM.com .
Go R/C racing with Bryan at www.HPIRACING.com .
Stayed charged with Batter Tender at www.BatteryTender.com .
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