Motorsports Brands - Yokohama Tire Corporation's 2011 Grassroots Program Rolls On

FULLERTON, July 19, 2011: Yokohama Tire Corporation has expanded its nationwide grassroots consumer programs in 2011 by participating in 18 car shows and car club events, including the upcoming Z1 Nationals, Porsche Parade, Goodguys Chicago Nationals, Corvette Funfest and BMW Oktoberfest.

“Grassroots car events are excellent venues to interact with enthusiasts about our tires,” said Chet Plewacki, Yokohama consumer product manager. “They are excited to find out about the latest in performance and technology, and that’s what Yokohama is all about. They can learn firsthand about all our products, including our ultra high-performance ADVAN NeovaŽ AD08 and AVID ENVigorŽ, which has been dubbed the ‘grand performance’ tire.”

Among the remaining 2011 grassroots events on Yokohama’s calendar are:

• The Porsche Club of America’s (http://parade2011.pca.org/) 56th annual Porsche Parade in Savannah, Georgia, July 31-August 6, features a Concours, a TSD rally and an autocross, among other events. Yokohama’s orange oil race slick, the ADVANŽ ENV-R2™ – the official tire of the IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge race series – will be on display.

• Goodguys 5th Peak Chicagoland Nationals (http://www.chicagolandnats.com/) will be held August 12-14 at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois. The event features hot rods, customs, classics, street machines, muscle cars and trucks, with an autocross, cruises and manufacturer exhibits.

• The Corvette Funfest (http://corvettefunfest.com/), September 16-18 at Mid America Motorworks in Effingham, Illinois, celebrating enthusiasts’ passion for Corvettes. Events and activities include a Thursday evening fun run road tour and downtown party, technical seminars, plus Saturday evening entertainment.

• The Z Nationals (http://www.znationals.com/), September 23-25, at the Z1 Motorsports Facility in Carrollton, Georgia is a huge gathering of 350Z-370Z, G35/37, 240Z, 260Z, 280Z and 300ZX vehicles with a track day, “shine and show” and dyno competition.

• The weeklong BMW Oktoberfest (http://www.bmwccaofest.org/) is at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama, October 10-16. Plewacki said BMW car club enthusiasts are some of Yokohama’s biggest supporters, and Oktoberfest is the BMW Car Club Association’s largest national gathering.

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.

Connect with Yokohama Tire Corporation: www.facebook.com/yokohamatirecorp www.twitter.com/yokohamatc www.youtube.com/user/yokohamamotorsports

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.