Clinkinbeard Motorsports Adventures, LLC Signs with Hooked on Driving as Pacific Northwest Region Owners

DANVILLE, Calif., March 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Hooked on Driving (HOD), the nation's leading performance driving group, has signed a franchise agreement with Clinkinbeard Motorsports Adventures (CMA), LLC of Beaverton, Oregon to provide road course driving instruction in its Pacific Northwest region – Washington and Oregon.  The new partnership is the second major addition to the HOD stable of franchises in the past 60 days, and is now the sixth major region covered by HOD including: Florida, the Great Lakes, Northern California, the Northeast, the Southern States and now the Pacific Northwest region. HOD's unprecedented growth is a testament to the group's popularity among enthusiast drivers looking to improve their skills behind the wheel through custom one-on-one coaching.

HOD's Pacific Northwest Region owners Don Clinkinbeard, Owner/Operator and Group Leader of Clinkinbeard Motorsports Adventures, LLC and Debbie Clinkinbeard, CMA's Registrar and Operations Team Leader will operate HOD's newest region.  Portland International Raceway is HOD Pacific Northwest region's home track, and they will also bring their customizable programs to regional tracks in Washington and Oregon including Oregon Raceway Park and Pacific Raceways in Seattle.      

Don began his love affair with driving on the track in 1994. A Senior Engineering Manager for a major semiconductor manufacturer, Clinkinbeard has been a driving instructor since 2000 and has taught at numerous west coast tracks for the Porsche Club of America (PCA), BMW, Alfa Romeo, Corvette, and the Sports Car Club of America among other programs. He served as Chief Driving Instructor before becoming the High Performance Driver Education (HPDE) chair for the Oregon Region of PCA (ORPCA) about 6 years ago, growing the program from 3 casual event days annually to 12 with a top notch operations staff and an excellent coaching team in 2010.

Registrar and Operations Team leader for HOD's Pacific Northwest region, Debbie Clinkinbeard has over 10 years of HPDE experience as a driver and as Chief of Track Operations for ORPCA.  She served as a pace car driver for PCA Club races in Portland and has run the Tower at Portland International Raceway nearly 10 years with ORPCA and more recently at Oregon Raceway Park (ORP).  She was a key player in establishing the first club events at ORP and will now expand Clinkinbeard Motorsport Adventure's operations to Washington State.  

"The most rewarding part of teaching in this hobby is when you get your driver to connect with the concept or skill you are trying to build in them," said Don Clinkinbeard, Owner of Hooked on Driving's Pacific Northwest region. "It is the greatest feeling in the world when you can help someone achieve a sense of accomplishment and even mastery of a skill.  We specialize in creating customized driving programs for our clients, and the HOD program aligns very well with what we have been working towards building in the Pacific Northwest region.  I feel the time is right for us to take this hobby to a new level and provide a great development program for our customers and friends that is consistent across the region and the US."

HOD offers enthusiasts one-on-one in-car coaching and the opportunity to learn fundamentals of road course driving, refine skills and explore the performance potential of their own vehicles without the pressure to race.   The Clinkinbeards will provide expert coaches for tracks in Washington State and Oregon through the Hooked on Driving program and customized programs to suit each customer's needs.

"We are very excited that Clinkinbeard Motorsports Adventures, LLC partnered with Hooked on Driving in the Pacific Northwest region," said David Ray, Founder of HOD.  "Don and Debbie Clinkinbeard have joined a group of leading professionals to expand our US service area in Washington State and Oregon.  We expect big things from the Clinkinbeards as they are very capable partners.  The Northwest is a key region for us, and with Portland International Raceway, Oregon Raceway Park, and Pacific Raceways in Seattle, Washington, our newest franchise region is hitting the ground running with custom driving instruction and motorsports expertise through HOD."

HOD recommends Pirelli Tires – please visit www.us.pirelli.com.  For information about Hooked on Driving and its programs please visit www.hookedondriving.com or contact David Ray at HOD National HQ at 925-552-8112 – or - [email protected].  

Clinkinbeard Motorsports Adventures, LLC, Don or Debbie Clinkinbeard can be reached by phone: (503) 356-1764 or e-mail: [email protected] for Don, or: [email protected] for Debbie.

SOURCE Hooked on Driving