Kazama Earns First D1 Victory

 

Nashville, Tenn. (March 05, 2004) - Kei Office driver Yasuyuki Kazama
picked up his first D1 Grand Prix victory on February 28 during Round 1
of the 2004 season, held in Irwindale, Calif.  Sponsored at the event by
Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire, LLC (BFNT), Kazama won the
2004 D1 Grand Prix U.S.A. professional drift event in a 414-horsepower
Nissan Silvia equipped with Bridgestone-brand Potenza(r) RE750 tires.  

This marks the second season that BFNT has sponsored Kazama for the
Irwindale event.  It is the only D1 event currently staged in the United
States, with all other 2004 events taking place in Japan.  The
partnership with Kei Office will continue throughout the 2004 season
through a sponsorship agreement between the team and Bridgestone
Corporation in Japan.  

Drifting is a highly skilled motorsport in which drivers control a car
using precise acceleration, steering and braking while it slides from
side to side at high speeds on a closed, marked course.  Participants
are judged not only on the speed through which they navigate the course,
but also on execution and style. Already a well-established motorsport
in Japan, it took the U.S. sport compact world by storm at its debut at
Irwindale Speedway in 2003.  This year's event attracted an estimated
10,000 spectators.  Round 2 of the 2004 season will take place at Sugo
Circuit in Japan on May 4-5.

The Bridgestone Potenza RE750, with UNI-T(r) technology, is an
ultra-high performance tire that has been engineered to complement the
style and complex systems of today's finest performance cars. The
Potenza RE750, with its unidirectional tread pattern, delivers rapid
response, traction and outstanding wet and dry handling, taking
performance straight to the top.

The Ultimate Network of Intelligent Tire Technology (UNI-T(r))
introduced by Bridgestone/Firestone in 1996 and known in Japan as
DONUTS, represents a breakthrough in technologies, and has been used in
the Bridgestone, Firestone, Dayton and associate brands. UNI-T is a
combination of technologies in materials, design and construction that
works together to create very advanced tires. The technologies include
an optimized tire contour, a new bead for more accurate mounting on the
wheel, and improved tread compounds.  

Nashville-based Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire, LLC is a
subsidiary of Bridgestone Americas Holding, Inc., whose parent company,
Bridgestone Corporation, is the world's largest tire and rubber company.
BFNT develops, manufactures, and markets Bridgestone, Firestone, Dayton
and associate and private brand tires.  The company is focused on
wholesale and original equipment markets, supplying passenger, light
truck, commercial vehicle, off-road, agricultural and other tires to its
customers in North America.