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Goodyear Sponsors Extreme Rock Crawling Championship

24 August 1999

Goodyear Sponsors Extreme Rock Crawling Championship

    AKRON, Ohio, Aug. 24 -- Goodyear announced today that it will
sponsor the Goodyear Extreme Rock Crawling Championship Series in Farmington,
N.M., Sept. 23-26.
    More than 60 highly modified vehicles are entered to compete in the four-
wheeling event sanctioned by the American Rock Crawlers Association (ARCA).
    ARCA president Ranch Pratt said the championship series "has attracted the
biggest names in the sport of extreme rock crawling.  They want to compete
with each other and the terrain to see who can really claim the title of 'Big
Dog.'
    "The excitement level will be high, and the spectators will love it as
much as the participants," Pratt said.
    Goodyear announced its title sponsorship in conjunction with the
introduction of a new off-road tire, the Wrangler MT/R, which features a
reinforced tire sidewall that resists punctures from rocks found on off-road
trails.  Leaky tires are a common problem for off-road enthusiasts.
    Ron Wells, marketing manager for Goodyear light-truck tires, said the
tiremaker recognizes the growth in extreme sports, such as rock crawling.
Goodyear market research indicates more vehicles -- up to 20 percent -- are
leaving the roadway -- intentionally.
    "The off-road enthusiast is important to us," Wells said. "We are
convinced that we need to intensify our efforts in this market.  As in racing,
the participants are very loyal to the products that work. They are committed
to their sport."
    In 1996, industry retail sales for off-road products were nearly
$557 million.
    ARCA's Pratt said five sanctioned rock crawling events will be held
through July 2000.