World Challenge, Toyo Tires announce three-year partnership

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (October 31, 2000) -- The Speedvision World Challenge and Toyo Tires have announced a three-year, exclusive, spec tire relationship beginning with the 2001 Speedvision GT and Touring Car seasons. Beginning with the March 2-4 season-opening round at Texas Motor Speedway, each Speedvision World Challenge car will compete on shaved Toyo Proxes T1-S™ high-performance tires. In addition to tire support, Toyo Tires will provide $1.08 million in promotional support to the Speedvision World Challenge throughout the contract. "We're excited to begin our relationship with the Speedvision World Challenge Championships and their partners," said Earl Knoper, Senior Vice President, Marketing for Toyo Tires. "The Speedvision World Challenge is the best production-based racing series in North America, and it is a perfect complement to our involvement with the National Import Racing Association (NIRA) Drag Series, NOPI Nationals and the Hot Import Nights." "Toyo Tires has long been an innovator in street performance tires, and their commitment to cutting edge product development and marketing is unmatched in the industry," said Mitch Wright Speedvision World Challenge General Manager. "We're thrilled to begin this new relationship with Toyo and open this new chapter in Speedvision World Challenge history." Toyo Tires is not new to professional road racing, having initially entered the North American scene in 1984 with the SCCA Pro Racing Playboy/Escort Endurance Series before becoming the official spec tire of the Professional Sports Car Racing Speedvision Cup in the mid-1990s. "One of the important elements to our decision to make a deal with Toyo Tires is their cross-promotion with all the events and series they are currently involved in," said Dave Delaney, Speedvision World Challenge Director of Sales. "There is a lot of synergy between our target markets and goals to reach those markets." The Speedvision World Challenge is comprised of two separate Championships -- the Speedvision GT Championship, including modified high-performance cars such as the Audi S4 Competition, BMW M3, Chevrolet Corvette C5, Dodge Viper GTS, Ferrari 355, Porsche 911 GT3 Cup and Saleen SR, and the Speedvision Touring Car Championship -- The Official Racing Series Of The Sports Compact Revolution. Toyo's broad product line includes a complete range of fitments for passenger, light truck, medium and heavy duty truck tires as well as giant off-road tires. In an independent survey of 500 tire dealers, Toyo was rated number one in product quality for three straight years. Toyo Tires replaces BFGoodrich Tires, which served as official spec tire of the Speedvision World Challenge from 1998-2000.

-SCCA/SCCA ProRacing-