Dunlop Tires Drivers Cup Competition
AKRON, Ohio, May 18, 2005 -- The driving equivalent of an "Ironman Triathlon" is coming to America.
Once reserved for the best European drivers, North American drivers will compete in this international competitive driving event, which will take place in the United States. The 2006 Dunlop Drivers Cup is scheduled for next April.
Janice Consolacion, brand planning manager for Dunlop in North America, said the competition will be "for bragging rights" among international driving enthusiasts. "Non-professional drivers from countries around the globe will compete in a wide range of driving exercises.
"Their sole bond is a passion for driving and the ultimate adrenaline rush that comes with challenges to their driving skills," Consolacion said.
The first two Cup finals were called the Dunlop Iron Drivers Cup; the Iron was dropped in 2000.
A unique competition, the Drivers Cup includes racetrack, autocross, off- road sport-utility, off-road all-terrain vehicle and motocross events to test the skills of hard-core driving enthusiasts.
Two-person Dunlop-sponsored teams from Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Romania, Netherlands, Belgium and the United States are expected to compete. Regional events will be held this spring and summer, she said, with up to 12 teams competing for each country's qualifier as they narrow the field and select teams to compete at the international level.
A two-day driving competition is set for early September to select three teams that will represent Dunlop USA.
The Dunlop USA team may include representatives from Dunlop retailers, BMW and Porsche driving clubs and consumers. Driving enthusiasts who want to compete will be able to register on-line ( http://www.dunloptires.com/ ). As an incentive, participants will be able to test their driving skills against several top automotive journalists, who will compete in a separate class.
In November, country teams will compete at a three-day off-road camp in Germany to select a single team from each country that will vie for the world Drivers Cup in a 10-day series of racing events in the United States.
"We're very excited to be part of this drivers' challenge. The Drivers Cup offers a unique reality-based competitive driving program that combines human interest and the enthusiast draw of a broad range of racing venues," Consolacion said.
In 1999, 30 Europeans took to the streets in the Patagonia region of Venezuela and Chile in the first Dunlop Iron Drivers Cup. Since then, the final competition has been held in the United States, South Africa, Australia, Malaysia and Mexico.
The 2005 World Drivers Cup took place in Italy, the first time the finals were held in Europe. The exciting event traveled across the country in 10 days and featured a segment on the famed Imola track.
Dunlop is a global tire brand with an excellent reputation among performance car enthusiasts. Well known for its prestigious original- equipment fitments and sports car racing heritage, Dunlop is also a key supplier to sport compact enthusiasts featuring "tuner" tire sizes and race series sponsorships.
P