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‘The Great American Off-Road Race’ celebrates its 50th anniversary with a new title sponsor
GREENVILLE, S.C., Jan. 24, 2018 – BFGoodrich® Tires will be the title sponsor of the 2018 MINT 400, known as the Great American Off-Road Race. This is the first time BFGoodrich has been the title sponsor of the storied race, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.
To mark the anniversary and the title sponsorship, BFGoodrich is offering a contingency prize of $10,000 to the overall winning team if that team races exclusively on BFGoodrich® Tires.
“MINT 400 drivers are well acquainted with BFGoodrich® Tires because they have performed so well on this course in the past. We’ve taken 28 overall wins since starting to compete in the race,” said Chris Baker, director of motorsports for BFGoodrich and Michelin North America. “Desert racing is the brand’s heritage, so to go from presenting sponsor for the past two years to the title sponsor of this race on its 50th anniversary is a natural evolution.”
When the race begins March 10 in Primm, Nev., the celebration will mark more than the milestone anniversary. This year’s race brings several significant events for BFGoodrich, competitors and fans. A two-day contingency in the heart of downtown Las Vegas on Freemont Street runs from Thursday, March 8 through Friday, March 9. The contingency gives fans an up-close look at the racing vehicles and off-roading parts and accessories displayed throughout the street festival.
BFGoodrich will have a large presence at the contingency event on Freemont Street, including fan giveaways and an interactive exhibit.
Rob MacCachren – the Las Vegas native and BFGoodrich Performance Team member who has won nearly every race and championship imaginable in his 30-year career – won the MINT 400 for the first time last year. No stranger to back-to-back wins, MacCachren won three consecutive Baja 1000 races between 2014 and 2016. He will attempt another win streak as he races in this year’s MINT 400 on 40-inch BFGoodrich Baja T/A® KR3 tires.
The MINT 400 has a reputation for being one of off-road racing’s toughest courses. This bodes well for BFGoodrich, which has used desert racing as a real-world laboratory for the past 40 years. Each year the race gives BFGoodrich engineers an opportunity to study how their tires perform on the extreme terrain.
Overall, at least half of the MINT 400 competitors are expected to run the race on BFGoodrich-brand tires, ranging from the Baja T/A® KR2 and Baja T/A® KR3 race tires developed for multiple classes (Trick Truck, Class 1000, Class 1500, Class 6100 and the UTV class) to consumer tires like the Mud-Terrain T/A® KM2 and All-Terrain T/A® KO2 in lower-tier Sportsman vehicle classes.
About BFGoodrich® Tires
With more than 100 years of heritage, BFGoodrich® Tires is dedicated to providing high performance tires for those who have a passion for driving in virtually any environment. Combining technical expertise with 45 years of motorsports experience, BFGoodrich delivers tires for a full range of driving experiences from ultra-high performance street to off-road terrain with one common theme – extreme performance. Come upgrade your performance with BFGoodrich and see where our tires can take you at www.BFGoodrichTires.com, www.BFGoodrichRacing.com, on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/BFGoodrichTires or on Twitter or Instagram at @BFGoodrichTires.
Media contact:
Phil Watson
phil.watson@michelin.com
Office: 864-458-4996
About BFGoodrich
BFGoodrich Tires is dedicated to providing high performance tires for those who have a passion for driving in virtually any environment. Combining technical expertise with 50 years of motorsports experience, BFGoodrich delivers tires for a full range of driving experiences from ultra-high performance street to off-road terrain with one common theme – extreme performance. Come upgrade your performance with BFGoodrich and see where our tires can take you at BFGoodrichTires.com, BFGoodrichRacing.com, as well as on Facebook and Instagram at @BFGoodrichTires and TikTok at @BFGoodrich.