Yokohama Signs 2-Year Sponsorship Pact with IMSA
Agreement makes Yokohama’s eco-friendly orange-oil-infused ADVAN® ENV-R2™ race slicks the “official tire” of the GT3 Challenge through the 2012 season
MotoIQ Staff Report
FULLERTON, CA (March 18, 2010) – Chalk up another victory for Yokohama Tire Corporation’s environmentally-sensitive orange oil-infused race tires.
Thanks to a new two-year sponsorship extension between Yokohama and the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) that was announced today in Sebring, Florida, Yokohama’s ADVAN® ENV-R2™ race slicks will continue to be the official tire of the Patrón GT3 Challenge by Yokohama.
The agreement, which runs through the 2012 season, means all Porsche 911 GT3 cars in the popular series will be competing on the revolutionary tire that uses orange oil and natural rubber to reduce the amount of petroleum in the tire.
“IMSA is a great partner, especially when it comes to eco-racing,” said Mark Chung, Yokohama director, corporate strategy and planning. “Like Yokohama, they’ve been championing the cause of ‘green’ racing for years. Last season we introduced our first environmentally-sensitive racing slick, the ADVAN® ENV-R1™ here at Sebring, and IMSA and Porsche embraced it. Now we have the ENV-R2, which has even more orange oil and natural rubber, plus a two-year agreement with IMSA and we couldn’t be happier.”
“We at IMSA applaud Yokohama as an innovative company with a true environmental commitment, especially toward motorsports,” said Scott Atherton, CEO of IMSA and the American Le Mans Series. “Its environmental impact within the automotive and tire industry has not gone unnoticed. Both companies align perfectly with respect to green initiatives. We are eager to work with Yokohama the next several years to further develop its eco-strategies.”
Celebrating its 40th anniversary in the United States, Yokohama Tire Corporation is the North American manufacturing and marketing arm of Tokyo, Japan-based The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., a global manufacturing and sales company of premium tires since 1917. Servicing a network of more than 4,500 points of sale in the U.S., Yokohama Tire Corporation is a leader in technology and innovation. The company’s complete product line includes the dB Super E-spec™ – the world’s first tire to use orange oil to reduce petroleum – as well as tires for high-performance, light truck, passenger car, commercial truck and bus, and off-the-road mining and construction applications. For more information on Yokohama’s extensive product line, visit www.yokohamatire.com.
Yokohama is a strong supporter of the tire care and safety guidelines established by the Rubber Manufacturers Association and the National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration. Details can be found at the “Tire Safety” section at www.yokohamatire.com.
