BFGoodrich Tires Named Trans-Am Championship Tire Supplier
1 October 1997
BFGOODRICH TIRES NAMED TRANS-AM CHAMPIONSHIP TIRE SUPPLIER FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DETROIT, Mich. (September 30)--BFGoodrich Tires today announced its return to competition in professional road racing and was named the sole tire supplier of the Trans-Am Championship, North America's longest-running road racing series.. "BFGoodrich Tires is truly excited about its return to professional road racing and its partnership with the Trans-Am series," said Herb Johnson, Manager of Motorsports Operations, BFGoodrich Tires."We're excited about the Trans-Am Championship series, in part because of the positive changes that have taken place in the sanctioning, management and marketing of Trans-Am. "Perhaps the most significant indicator is the corporate partnerships that have formed around the series," continued Johnson. " In short, Trans-Am is reborn, and we expect it to grow into the preeminent form of road racing in North America." "BFGoodrich Tires has been at the forefront of radial tire technology since radials were introduced in the country, and it has a rich tradition in racing," said Les Richter, Chairman of the Trans-Am Council. "When BFGoodrich Tires takes on a new challenge, it does it right. The Trans-Am Championship is very fortunate to have such a dynamic corporate partner in its fold." "BFGoodrich Tires is a technological leader and its Trans-Am radials will offer a superb combination of performance and durability. The cars will be faster without sacrificing durability," noted Richter. "BFGoodrich Tire's Trans-Am spec tire will be a state-of-the-art 17-inch radial slick." BFGoodrich Tires, recognized as a pioneer in the U.S. performance tire market, made its racing debut in 1970, fitting radial street tires to SCCA Production cars. It wasn't long before BFGoodrich Tires entered the SCCA Trans-Am series and then the prestigious international endurance arena, tackling Le Mans and the 24 Hours of Daytona. In the heyday of IMSA's GTP prototype competition, BFGoodrich Tires fielded a pair of entries and enjoyed a great deal of success, including the Daytona-winning entry in 1989 (driven by Bob Wollek, Derek Bell and John Andretti). In 1991, BFGoodrich turned its attention to the Camel Lights division, where it won two consecutive Manufacturers' and Drivers' Championships with the Comptech Racing Acura NSX-powered Spice machine, piloted by Parker Johnstone. BFGoodrich Tires also won the IMSA GTO crown in 1992, with Irv Hoerr driving Paul Gentilozzi's Rocketsports Racing Oldsmobile to the crown. BFGoodrich Tires has also proven that its radial tires can survive the pounding and punishment of desert and off-road racing, winning both the Baja 500 and Baja 1000 in 1977, after only one year of competition. BFGoodrich Tires remains dominant in the off-road arena to this day, claiming 10 of 17 Championships in the SODA's short course off road series in early September. With one race remaining in the 1997 SCORE off road racing schedule, BFGoodrich Tires also leads 14 of 16 classes. In addition to its new Trans-Am program, BFGoodrich Tires will continue its support of its off road and the SCORE desert programs. All Trans-Am Championship cars will sport the new BFGoodrich Tires radials beginning with the 1998 season. Contact: John Clagett, SCCA Pro Racing, (303)-694-7223; Martin Peters, BFGoodrich Tires, (864)-458-6957
