|
 Hankook Tire Corp., and Corsa Motorsports have reached an agreement for Hankook to be a sponsor and the exclusive tire supplier for Corsa Motorsports and will compete in the 2008 American Le Mans Series' GT2 class. The sponsorship within the Series will be a showcase for Hankook performance tire technology.
It is the logical next step in the marketing and brand-building efforts to position Hankook as a market-driven, technology-focused global brand.
"Hankook has been a wonderful partner in our IMSA Lites series, and not only will they continue in that role but we welcome them with open arms as they step up into the American Le Mans Series' ultra-competitive GT2 class," said Scott Atherton, Series President and CEO. "There is no more relevant motorsports test for manufacturers - and that certainly goes for tire manufacturers - than developing and proving the technology, quality and durability than in the GT2 class of the American Le Mans Series. I want to congratulate and thank Hankook for their great past investment and especially for this new initiative in our Series."
The No. 48 Corsa Motorsports Ferrari F430 LMGT will begin the 2008 campaign with Hankook Tires on March 15 at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring in Sebring, Fla.
"For Hankook, this is about showcasing our technology on the premier stage of road racing," said Bill Bainbridge, Director of Brand Communication for Hankook. "We are as devoted to winning on race day as Corsa Motorsports."
"Our agreement with Hankook puts us back in the game with a partner who is fully committed to putting the most competitive car out there," said Steve Pruitt, Team Principal, Corsa Motorsports. "We have some the most technologically advanced cars on the track; we want to transfer that technology to the asphalt to put us in the best position to make it to Le Mans."
In a survey done by Road & Track Magazine, 88 percent of respondents felt auto manufacturers that participate in the American Le Mans Series produce vehicles and products with engineering that is superior to that of non-participating auto manufacturers.
Hankook Tire America Corp.
Headquartered in Wayne, N.J., Hankook Tire America Corp., is a technology-focused, market-driven company that 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 to more than 400 independent dealers through 3,000-plus retail sales locations in the United States and Canada.
Corsa Motorsports
Corsa Motorsports was founded in 2005. The Utah-based professional sports car racing team maintains its headquarters at Miller Motorsports Park. It campaigns a Ferraro F430 LMGT in the American Le Mans Series.
The American Le Mans Series
The American Le Mans Series is the premium brand of motorsport in North America, featuring high-tech, relevant sports cars from the most prestigious automobile manufacturers in the world. Its unique four classes of competition showcase exotic, open-top prototypes and sophisticated production-based GT cars, all competing on the track at the same time. The American Le Mans Series competes at the premier road racing tracks across North America and at selected temporary street circuits in major urban markets. With a 2008 television package that includes network broadcasts on ABC and NBC Sports as well seven telecasts on SPEED, plus live broadcasts across Europe, the Series delivers a global marketing platform that is unmatched in motorsports. The Series, founded in 1999 by Georgia entrepreneur Don Panoz, represents a mirror image to the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans, the world's most famous and authentic automobile race. The American Le Mans Series features elite marques such as Acura, Audi, Porsche, Corvette, Ferrari, Maserati and Panoz, and premium brands such as Michelin, Yokohama, Kumho, Lowe's, EPIC, Shell, DHL, Hyatt Hotels and many others.
The American Le Mans Series is the only motorsports body in the world that features multiple street-legal alternative energy sources - clean diesel and E10. Through partnerships with diesel fuel supplier Shell and EPIC (Ethanol Promotion and Information Council), the American Le Mans Series has taken the leadership role in motorsports for the furthering of alternative fuel technology and use. It also illustrates deeper the Series' relevance to its list of prestigious manufacturers and affluent consumer base. |
