Firestone To Be Inducted Into Cruisin' Hall of Fame
Firestone To Be Inducted Into Cruisin' Hall of Fame 103-year-old brand to receive highest honor from Route 66 Rendezvous* San Bernardino, Calif. (Sept. 19, 2003) - In recognition for the many contributions it has made to the automobile industry during the last 100 years, the Firestone brand will be inducted tomorrow into the Cruisin' Hall of Fame at the 14th Annual Stater Bros. Route 66 Rendezvous*. "Firestone has been a powerful presence over the last 100 years," said Larry Magee, chairman, CEO and president of BFS Retail & Commercial Operations, LLC (BFRC), who is accepting the honor on behalf of Firestone. "Thank you for the distinct honor of Firestone being inducted into the Route 66 Cruisin' Hall of Fame. On behalf of the 45,000 employees in the United States who are part of the Firestone brand family, we are all very excited about our heritage, and we look forward to celebrating Firestone's next century." Firestone's storied history stems back to 1900 when Harvey S. Firestone founded The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company in Akron, Ohio. At a time when the world was moving from the horse and buggy to the automobile, Harvey Firestone truly was a visionary who helped mold the transportation industry and the country's history. Making tires for everything from shipping trucks to race cars, the former Firestone Tire & Rubber Company and its successor companies' 103-year-old involvement with the transportation and racing industries has been one of countless milestones and achievements. Harvey Firestone also broke ground in the nation's transportation movement, supporting the creation of the first coast-to-coast highway and advocating an interstate highway system which helped build famous highways like Route 66. In addition, he created the "Ship by Truck" campaign, encouraging manufacturers to move their products to markets by truck. In fact, the very first coast-to-coast truck shipment of goods traveled across the country on Firestone tires. On hand during tomorrow's induction ceremonies will be Andrew Firestone, the great grandson of founder Harvey S. Firestone. "I know my great grandfather would be very proud of his company's achievements," said Andrew Firestone, who is participating in several activities on behalf of Firestone throughout the Route 66 event. "I'm excited to take part in the Route 66 Rendezvous event, which is an ideal opportunity to honor the past and build toward the future." As a nod to the Firestone brand's successful racing history, Firestone is bringing four Indy Racing League drivers to tonight's Burnout and Flame Throwing Contest to sign autographs: Helio Castroneves, Gil de Ferran, Scott Dixon and Tomas Scheckter. This provides a perfect tie-in to Firestone's racing commitment, which stretches back to the first Indy 500 win on Firestone tires in 1911. This victory was one of a total of 54 wins, a record of wins greater than all other tire companies competing at Indy combined. The Cruisin' Hall of Fame was established in 1995 by the San Bernardino Convention & Visitors Bureau, in conjunction with the City of San Bernardino, to honor those who have made a significant contribution to the uniquely-American automotive cultural phenomenon of cruising. In addition to Firestone's induction, the Cruisin' Hall of Fame this year is also honoring Parnelli Jones, Route 66 Magazine and the Specialty Equipment Market Association. The 14th Annual Stater Bros. Route 66 Rendezvous* will feature more than 500,000 auto enthusiasts, who are expected to take part in the four-day, three-night cruisin' car show highlighting 2,500 classic cars, trucks and hot rods. It is held each year in downtown San Bernardino on the historic Route 66 highway and attracts people from all over the world. The event is free to the public and takes place Sept. 18-21. Firestone Tire & Service Centers have been a part of the Route 66 Rendezvous* for the past eight years, and this year the retail tire and automotive service chain is the presenting sponsor. Firestone Tire & Service Centers are owned and operated by BFRC, which operates the largest number of company owned automotive retail generalist stores in the world. MasterCare(r) technicians perform part repairs and replacements, routine scheduled maintenance services, and a variety of diagnostic services covering major systems within a vehicle. For more information on MasterCare(r) Car Service or Firestone Tire & Service Center locations visit www.MasterCareUSA.com.
