Hankook Tire Race Team Dominates, Captures Titles

Hankook Tires/JIC USA Race Team Demolishes Competition in Redline Time Attack

Hankook-Sponsored Drift Team Sets New Personal Record, Bests Competition by Four Seconds for Class Victory and Captures Unlimited and Grand Champion Titles

WAYNE, NJ (December 5, 2006) - Hankook Tire America Corp., manufacturer of high-performance passenger car, sports car and racing tires, drifted its way into the winners circle as its Hankook Tires/JIC Magic USA race team dominated the final round of the highly competitive 2006 Redline Time Attack Series at Buttonwillow Raceway.

The Hankook Tires/JIC Magic USA Nissan S15 Silvia, driven by veteran drift racer and former PGT National Rally Champion Tanner Foust, set a new team lap record of 1:51.137-seconds in the unlimited category, and captured the Front engine/Rear-wheel-drive (FR) class with an amazing 4.0 second lead, in an event where the outcome is usually determined by tenths or even hundredths of a second.

Foust consistently wowed spectators through the two day event with a series of scorching lap times, eventually capturing the Grand Champion title at the zenith of the season-ending race. By winning the Grand Championship, the Hankook-sponsored JIC Magic USA car is the only team to earn two event championships this season.

"We could not be happier with the on-track achievements of JIC Magic USA this season," says Bill Bainbridge, Marketing Director for Hankook Tire America Corp. "Both Tanner Foust and his JIC teammate Tyler McQuarrie, who won the Super Street Time Attacks event last month, have turned in stellar performances. In fact, Tanner has won every time he's driven. We're all looking forward to more podiums in 2007."

Driver Background

Both Tanner Foust and Tyler McQuarrie will be back behind the wheel of the JIC Magic USA/Hankook Tires race cars next season. Tanner, who also hosts Import Racers on ESPN and Redline TV, the top-rated show in its segment on SPEED, served as a stunt driver in Universal Studio's Fast and the Furious - Tokyo Drift. He is the founder and lead instructor of the SAE Car Control Training for Engineers, and has served as a driving instructor for the U.S. Secret Service and United States Special Warfare Development Groups.

Tyler McQuarrie of Walnut Creek, California has eight years experience as a driving instructor at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California during which time he's coached a number of top NASCAR drivers in the art of road racing. Winner of the USAC/Formula Russell Championship and the USAC/Triple Crown Pro Series title, Tyler is only the third American to win the prestigious World Scholarship. Before joining JIC USA, he competed in USF2000, and the American LeMans Series.

About Hankook Tire America Corp.

Headquartered in Wayne, N.J., Hankook Tire America Corp. is a technology-focused, market-driven company that supports motorsports enthusiasts and racers at all levels. Hankook participates in the Sirius Satellite Radio Mazda MX-5 Cup series; IMSA Lites Series; Pacific 2F2000 and F2000 Championship Series for open wheel formula cars; professional rally events sanctioned by NASA Rally Sport and Rally America; the United States Touring Car Championship; regional/national club racing sanctioned by SCCA and NASA; SCCA Pro Solo and Solo National Tour, NASA Time Trials and drifting events including Formula Drift, US Drift and DGTrials.

About JIC USA /Ziel Motorsports

JIC USA was known in Japan as Ziel Motorsports, where it competed in high-profile racing series. In 1997, Ziel Motorsports made its way stateside, competing in prestigious events like the Daytona 24 Hours and the American LeMans Series. In 1999, Ziel Motorsports teamed with JIC Magic, a highly respected Japanese tuner. Currently headquartered in Downey, California, JIC USA /Ziel Motorsports fields a fleet of racing vehicles for all types of motorsports, from drag racing, to drifting and time attacks.