PRIMEDIA Launches Hard Drive -the Ultimate Automotive Experience; PRIM

PRIMEDIA Launches Hard Drive -the Ultimate Automotive Experience; PRIMEDIA Leverages Automotive Expertise Across Titles to Create Premiere Automotive Lifestyle Event Series

    Business Editors/Automotive Writers

    NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 20, 2005--

10-City Tour to Feature The World Drift Championships, Auto Cross/Time Attack, Drag Racing, Car Show, Audio Challenge, Dyno Challenge, Gran
    Turismo(TM) 4 Challenge and More

    PRIMEDIA Inc. (NYSE:PRM), the leading targeted media company, today announced the launch of a new automotive lifestyle event series, Hard Drive. Poised to be the premier car culture event in 2005, Hard Drive (www.harddrivelive.com) combines the most popular motor sport trends from around the world with key car culture/lifestyle elements in a fast-pace, engaging environment. Hard Drive leverages the formidable automotive expertise of PRIMEDIA. With more than 50 brands serving the automotive market, including Super Street, Import Tuner, Sport Compact Car, Hot Rod, Motor Trend, and European Car, PRIMEDIA has the broadest reach to automotive enthusiasts of any media company.
    "Hard Drive represents the next evolution of dynamic driving events," said Howard Lim, senior vice president, group publisher, PRIMEDIA International Automotive Group. "We are combining the hottest automotive trends with the expertise of PRIMEDIA's titles to create an experience that will change the standard for automotive events."
    The Hard Drive event series is home to the fastest growing motor sport in the world with the launch of the World Drift Championships (WDC), where the sport's top professional drifters compete for the championship title.
    Hard Drive is a multi-dimensional, interactive driving and lifestyle event that also features officially sanctioned racing and show car competitions, a gaming pavilion, live music, DJs, model contests, a vendor midway and more. A main attraction of Hard Drive will be performance car test drives. These "ride 'n drives" will give attendees the chance to put new and future models of manufacturers' vehicles to the test on autocross tracks, including models such as the Dodge SRT 4, VW GTI and Jetta A5, among others.
    To add to the excitement, Sony PlayStation(R) will crown the ultimate tuner in a national competition at Hard Drive. Challengers compete in the five Hard Drive automotive events plus, Gran Turismo(TM) 4, the real driving simulator competition, to win "Top Dog" honors.
    "Hard Drive goes far beyond cool cars and pretty girls - we put people in the driver's seat. By letting guys race their own cars in professionally run competitions, test drive the newest vehicles and then watch the world's best drifters, Hard Drive appeals to the passion of performance driving." said Lou Mohn, President of PRIMEDIA's Consumer Automotive Group.
    Main featured attractions slated for each Hard Drive event include:

--	World Drift Championships Series - features the top international and American professional drifters in the only true drifting championship in the U.S.;
--	Performance Test Drives - attendees can try out the latest stock and tuned vehicles;
--	Auto-Cross/Time Attack - SCCA (Sports Car Club of America) sanctioned. Open to all, timed auto-cross events pit driver against driver on two identical tracks with multiple classes, multiple runs, top prize money and a national championship at stake;
--	Drag Racing - SCCA sanctioned. 1/8 mile drag racing open to all comers with multiple classes, multiple runs, top prize money and a national championship at stake;
--	Car Show - NCCA (National Custom Car Association) sanctioned. Displays of the best built, modified and prepared vehicles in multiple classes with top prize money for winners;
--	Dyno Challenge - Dyno Dynamics sanctioned. Contestants let the cars do the talking, as the latest in Dyno technology shows what car has the top running specs;
--	Audio Challenge - IASCA (International Auto Sound Challenge Association) sanctioned. Entrants put their audio system to the test;
--	Gran Turismo 4 Gaming Pavilion and Gran Turismo 4 Challenge for "Top Dog" Honors - contestants compete in five automotive events and in GT 4 real driving simulator competition to be named the ultimate tuner;
--	Model Competition - bikini competition to search for and crown the Hard Drive Diva;
--	Exhibitor and Vendor Midway - for attendees to see and buy the latest performance products designed to make their ride go fast and look and sound great;
--	Live Music.

    All competitions will award prize money with the National Championship Finals scheduled for Los Angeles on October 7-8, 2005.
    These Hard Drive events will be supported by: Car Audio and Electronics, European Car, eurotuner, Honda Tuning, Import Tuner, Sports Compact Car, Super Street and Turbo High Tech Performance.
    The Hard Drive event series is a joint partnership between leading automotive lifestyle publisher PRIMEDIA, Inc. and automotive event specialists Event Solutions International Inc (ESI). Hard Drive joins PRIMEDIA's new Tuner After Dark and Tuner Bash Spring Break events in expanding the company's portfolio of industry-leading events.
    Hard Drive will be promoted nationally in print and online throughout 2005 in PRIMEDIA's automotive and action sports titles: Automobile Magazine, Car Audio and Electronics, European Car, eurotuner, Honda Tuning, Import Tuner, Motor Trend, Skateboarder, Sports Compact Car, Super Street, Surfing, Turbo High Tech Performance. In addition, Hard Drive has retained NXTagency, the premier youth culture marketing firm, for promoting to young automotive enthusiasts.

2005 Hard Drive Event Schedule

Los Angeles California Speedway March 11-12 Phoenix Cricket Pavilion April 15-16 San Francisco Alameda Point May 13-14 Dallas Texas Motor Speedway May 27-28 Atlanta Atlanta Motor Speedway June 10-11 Boston Gillette Stadium July 8-9 New Jersey Englishtown Raceway July 22-23 Chicago To Be Announced August 5-6 Miami Homestead Miami Speedway August 19-20 Los Angeles California Speedway October 7-8

    About PRIMEDIA

    PRIMEDIA is the leading targeted media company in the United States. With 2003 revenues of $1.3 billion, our properties comprise more than 200 brands that connect buyers and sellers in more markets than any other media company through our print publications, Web sites, events, newsletters and video programs in four market segments:

--	Enthusiast Media includes more than 120 consumer magazines, their Web sites and About.com, and is the #1 special interest magazine publisher in the U.S. with well-known brands such as Motor Trend, Automobile, Creating Keepsakes, In-Fisherman, Power & Motoryacht, Hot Rod, Snowboarder, Stereophile and Surfer.
--	Consumer Guides is the #1 publisher of free consumer guides in the U.S. with Apartment Guide, Auto Guide and New Home Guide and is the #1 distributor of free consumer publications through its proprietary distribution network in more than 16,000 locations.
--	Business Information is a leading information provider in more than 20 business market sectors with more than 60 magazines, 108 Web sites, 23 events, and 53 directories and data products.
--	Education includes Channel One, a proprietary network to secondary schools; Films Media Group, a leading source of educational videos; and Interactive Medical Network, a continuing medical education business.

    About ESI

    Event Solutions International, Inc. is one of the largest event management companies producing 2,000 consumer, mobile marketing, motor sports, press and training events a year. ESI is client oriented and results driven with extensive experience and expertise in event concept development, logistics and on site implementation. Some of ESI's discerning clients include: Audi/VW, BMW, Dodge, Ford, GM, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Bosch, Goodyear, Hankook, Michelin, AOL, BBDO, Crispen Porter, JWT and Octagon.

    About NXTagency

    With extensive experience in youth culture marketing and understanding of the various lifestyles that support it, NXTagency has a unique perspective in achieving effective consumer marketing, public relations and creative initiatives. With proven experience successfully marketing products to youth culture, NXTagency has developed crucial relationships that can be used to further their clients' brands within the Gen-Y/X demographics in unique, authentic and creative ways.
    For more information about Hard Drive and its producers please visit http://www.harddrivelive.com, http://www.primedia.com, http://www.eventsolutions.net, http://www.nxtagency.com

--30--NR/ny*

CONTACT: For Hard Drive event inquires: NXTagency Brian Hershey, 310-428-5618 bhershey@nxtagency.com or For PRIMEDIA: Jocelyn Johnson, 212-446-1867 jjohnson@sloanepr.com

KEYWORD: ILLINOIS GEORGIA FLORIDA CALIFORNIA ARIZONA TEXAS NEW YORK NEW JERSEY MASSACHUSETTS INDUSTRY KEYWORD: PUBLISHING ADVERTISING/MARKETING AUTOMOTIVE PRODUCT SOURCE: PRIMEDIA Inc.

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