AGT: Goodyear partners with new series

Goodyear official tire supplier for American GT Series

AKRON, Ohio (April 2, 2004) -- The Goodyear Tire & Rubber company announced today the partnering of Goodyear with the American GT Challenge series. Goodyear has agreed to supply racing tires and track side support to the AGT series.

"With the diverse field we have there was only one company that could supply the performance, size, type and range of compounds our competitors demand," said Woodson Duncan, President of the American GT Road Racing Association.

Goodyear's support goes beyond the series and extends to the competitors. Series competitors will receive 12 tires for the price of 10 when purchased at the track. A set of tires, identical to what the race winner competed on, will be awarded as a prize. In addition, Goodyear will provide a set of tires for random distribution via a drawing open to all teams entered in each AGT event. As competitors enter a race they will receive a certificate from the American GT Road Racing Association good for the purchase of the competitors 11th and 12th tire.

"As a series we are excited about running on tires supplied by the world's largest tire company," Duncan said. "Both in racing and consumer product, Goodyear's tires are an industry leader. Goodyear's support of our series is truly a milestone event."

Goodyear's racing heritage reaches back almost to the very first car race, to the raw, early days when pioneers like Henry Ford were just beginning to see the wide open possibilities of a sport called automobile racing. From then until now -- with one major interruption -- Goodyear's enthusiastic involvement with motorsports has grown as fast as the size of the crowds. The company produces several hundred thousand tires a year for racing of all kinds, all over the world.

Goodyear is the world's largest tire company. Headquartered in Akron, Ohio, the company manufactures tires, engineered rubber products and chemicals in more than 90 facilities in 28 countries. It has marketing operations in almost every country around the world. Goodyear employs about 88,000 people worldwide

The American GT Challenge will open its inaugural season at South Carolina Motorsports Park in Kershaw, South Carolina April 10 through 11th. The American GT Challenge uses purpose built tube frame chassis cars, powered by V-8 or V-6 engines, with composite bodies, replicating series-produced American touring or grand touring cars. For more information visit www.americangt.com.

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