“I’m so excited to be working with the X Factory crew,” said Brian Kinwald.
“This is where the real innovation is in 1/10 electric off-road, and that’s where
I’ve got to be.”
X Factory is majorly proud to add 2-time World Champion Brian Kinwald to the Team. Brian is the
most innovative driver in R/C, spending hours at his home shop making all sorts of new parts and
trying many ingenious combinations of old parts. He’s run the transmission from one brand
of car in another brand – at the Worlds! “Whatever it takes to win,” says
Kinwald.
We will soon launch a new line of R/C parts and accessories, tentatively to be called Dirtin8or
Race Stuff from X Factory. Brian will design, test, and develop new parts for many existing cars,
not just ours, and of course will help design and develop X Factory cars. Kinwald says,
“I’ve come up with lots of new concepts over the years for all sorts of things, but
for various reasons most of them have not been marketed by the larger companies I’ve been
with. This is my chance to have those ideas produced, and I can’t wait.”
Many note that Brian has not attended a major race in about a year. Brian was stricken with a
rare intestinal disease as a teen. Doctors are not sure how it is contracted, and there is no
cure at present. Brian’s diet is restricted, and as a result of the disease and the
necessary diet, he suffers periods of very low energy.
Changes in his medications over the last six months have led to Brian feeling better now, though
not yet up to the rigors of the typical US 6-day marathon of 14 – 16 hours days at a major
race.
“I would not have signed this contract if I did not expect to race again at the highest
level. I’m feeling better and stronger almost every day, and hope to attend every major race
in ’07. I want to win the Championship again in Japan, and driving the most advanced cars,
cars that are different, gives any driver the best chance to do that. X Factory is the perfect fit
for me. I feel better just thinking about it!”
“Working with Dirt will be so challenging,” says Paul Sinclair, “because he
brings out the best in everyone around him. We’ve got so many new ideas. I’ve spoken
and E-mailed with Dirt several times already, and the creative energy is incredible.”
Here’s the sort of thing for which Kinwald is legendary: At a race in the late 90s, Brian
was not happy with his rear tires. He tried every available tire from Losi and Pro-Line without
the results he wanted. So Brian cut a pair of Losi tires carefully along the line where the tread
meets the sidewall, removed the tread, turned it inside-out, and glued the tire back together.
Presto! The BK Bar was born, and Losi makes them to this day. They’re the tire of choice at
the Hot Rod Shoot-Out.
All of us at X Factory can’t wait. This will be exciting!
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