SSI & Mares Partner with Formula Drift Racer Kasey Kohl & Aquanauts Grenada to Bridge the Gap from Race to Reef

Scuba Schools International (SSI) and Mares are taking a bold step beyond the traditional boundaries of the dive industry to reach new audiences by teaming up with Formula Drift driver Kasey Kohl and his innovative Race to Reef initiative.

Race to Reef introduces new audiences to scuba diving by connecting the excitement of drifting with underwater exploration. Led by Kasey Kohl’s Mspek Performance in partnership with SSI Training Center Aquanauts Grenada and its Hydrosoul NGO, the Race to Reef initiative creates a seamless pathway from racetrack engagement to real-world dive experiences. This initiative marks a strategic shift for SSI and Mares, as they actively engage consumers beyond the traditional dive audience and introduce them to the HEAD Watersports ecosystem.

“Race to Reef is about creating a connection point. Whether you’re initiating a drift at over 70 miles per hour or descending 70 feet below the surface, there’s a shared sense of focus, adrenaline, and individuality. Both are environments where you’re fully immersed, where performance and exploration become one. I’m so excited to partner with SSI and Mares to bring diving to drifting fans around the country,” states Kasey Kohl, Driver and Team Owner, Mspek Performance.

A New Pipeline for Dive Centers

At each Race to Reef activation throughout the 2026 Formula Drift season, fans engage directly with the campaign through immersive, on-site experiences—including a fully branded dive display featuring Mares equipment, interactive content, and live QR code activations. They can also register to win a Dive and Drift trip giveaway sponsored by Aquanauts in Grenada, True Blue Bay Resort, and Pure Grenada from November 1–8, 2026, where one lucky fan will dive alongside Kasey and experience firsthand the ecosystems at play—and at risk—in our planet’s oceans, paired with a ride of a lifetime.

“At HEAD Watersports, we are focused on helping our Training Centers and retailers grow by reaching new audiences in new ways,” said Rachael Steidley, Marketing Manager for SSI North America. “The motorsports community is already drawn to high-adrenaline, high-focus experiences, and that translates naturally into scuba diving. Race to Reef gives us the opportunity to meet this audience where they are and introduce them to a completely new world beneath the surface.”

Through integrated QR technology, attendees are instantly connected to SSI’s Try Scuba pathway—where they can explore diving and find local SSI Training Centers offering real in-water experiences. This direct connection between live event engagement and local dive businesses creates a powerful new pipeline for customer acquisition—linking national exposure to measurable, local impact.

Early results from the season’s launch at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Super Drift Challenge exhibition show strong engagement, reinforcing the effectiveness of this cross-industry approach.

The Power of HEAD Watersports: Expanding Opportunities Beyond the Dive Industry

As part of the HEAD Watersports portfolio, SSI Training Centers and Mares dealers are well positioned to benefit from initiatives like Race to Reef, which combine global brand strength with market expansion.

Through initiatives like Race to Reef, SSI and Mares are creating new opportunities for Training Centers and retailers to tap into entirely different lifestyle communities—bringing diving into conversations and environments it has never reached before.

Race to Reef events will continue throughout the 2026 Formula Drift ProSpec season, including:

• June 18–20 — Stafford Speedway (Stafford Springs, CT)
• July 31–August 2 — Indianapolis Raceway Park (Indianapolis, IN)
• September 24–26 — Las Vegas Motor Speedway (Las Vegas, NV)

In addition to trackside activations, SSI Training Centers have the opportunity to host exclusive Race to Reef meet-and-greet events featuring Kasey Kohl and the Race to Reef car—bringing new customers directly to their doorstep and generating real leads.

If you’re not yet part of the SSI or Mares family, you’re missing access to initiatives like this driven by the power of HEAD Watersports.

There is still time to make the switch and benefit from this year-long campaign. Now is the time to discover new customer pipelines and position your business to benefit from partnerships designed to grow the industry—not just operate within it.

To learn more about joining SSI, click here.  For more information on becoming a Mares retailer, email sales@us.head.com.