[NEWS] Hankook Tires Announces 2013 Motorsports Plans – Tyler McQuarrie joins Hankook Tires

Hankook Tire Announces 2013 Motorsports Plans

Efforts Include Increased Involvement In Formula Drift, Time Attack, 25 Hours of Thunderhill, Off-Road Racing and Open Wheel Racing

Wayne, NJ – March 13, 2013 – After an incredible 2012 Formula Drift season that included a first place win and six podiums finishes total and a victory in the ‘E0’ class at the 25 Hours of Thunderhill, Hankook tire today announced its motorsports plans for 2013.

For 2013, Hankook will continue its close association with Formula Drift by continuing its official sponsorship of the race series and by sponsoring five drivers and teams. Hankook’s 2013 Formula Drift team lineup will once again include Fredric Aasbo in the Papadakis Racing Speed Hunters Scion tC, Ken Gushi in the Greddy Performance Scion FR-S, Conrad Grunewald in the Conrad Grunewald Racing Chevrolet Camaro, Chris Forsberg in the Chris Forsberg Racing Nissan 370Z and new member of the Hankook Tire team roster Tyler McQuarrie in the Tyler McQuarrie Racing Go Pro Chevrolet Camaro.

All of Hankook’s Formula Drift drivers will compete on Hankook’s Ventus R-S3 Extreme Performance Summer tire, one of the premier tires in Formula Drift competition. The Ventus RS-3’s impressive handling and grip has been proven at Formula Drift races throughout the United States garnering Hankook multiple podium finishes during the 2012 season.

As part of Hankook’s Time Attack efforts, the company will sponsor four teams in the 2013 Redline Time Attack series: Tuner Playground, Ignition Project, Fingers Crossed and Berk Technology. Time Attack has significantly increased in popularity over the past number of years, bringing a new audience to tracks around the country and furthering Hankook’s motorsports related presence. The four teams being sponsored will compete exclusively on Hankook racing tires including the Ventus Z214, Ventus TD, and Ventus R-S3.

2013 will also see Hankook return to the 25 Hours of Thunderhill at Thunderhill Raceway Park in Willows, California with the Hankook Tire/El Diablo BMW M3 to bring home another win on Hankook’s Ventus Z214 race tires. This endurance race, the longest in the world, draws competitors and enthusiasts from around the country.

Hankook will continue its involvement in off-road racing for 2013 with driver Tracy Rossman and the Rossman Racing Group Ford Pickup. Rossman will compete throughout the season on Hankook’s Dynapro MT off-road tire. The Dynapro MT is a street legal extreme performance off-road tire available to consumers as part of Hankook’s Light Truck / SUV tire lineup, designed to provide impressive performance for extreme off-road conditions.

Rounding out Hankook’s 2013 racing efforts is its involvement as the exclusive tire supplier for multiple racing series throughout the United States. For 2013 the Panam GP Series, with races in the United States, Mexico, Costa Rica and Ecuador, will equip its Formula 3 type Formula Abarth cars with Hankook’s Ventus F200 race tire. Also using the Hankook Ventus F200 exclusively for 2013 will be the Pacific Formula 2000 series. Additionally the Intercontinental Trophy Cup series, now part of NASA (National Auto Sport Association), will equip its Porsche Cayman based field exclusively on Hankook’s Ventus Z214 race tire.

“We will continue to increase Hankook’s brand awareness and to showcase the impressive performance of our tires through highly competitive motorsport activities.” said Paul Jho, Hankook Tire America Corp. motorsports marketing manager. “Central to this plan is the development of high quality tires for racers and consumers alike that bring the latest in technological advances to meet the needs of drivers on the racetrack, off-road or the vehicles they drive every day.”

Hankook will also continue to support motorsports enthusiasts and racers at all levels. For 2013, Hankook will offer amateur and professional racing enthusiasts contingency program benefits and the chance to earn incentives in SCCA National Solo, ProSolo and Club Racing events, NASA regional and national races, Redline Time Attack, the Formula DRIFT Series and select off-road races.

About Hankook Tire America Corp.

Hankook Tire America Corp. is a growing leader in the U.S. tire market, leveraging investments in technology, manufacturing and marketing to deliver high quality, reliable products that are safer for consumers and the environment. Headquartered in Wayne, N.J., Hankook Tire markets and distributes a complete line of high performance and ultra-high performance passenger tires, light truck, SUV tires, as well as medium truck and bus tires in the United States.

Tags: formula drift, Hankook, Tyler McQuarrie
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