Bridgestone refocuses Road Racing efforts

Bridgestone Refocuses Road Racing Efforts

Nashville, Tenn. (August 19, 2005)EBridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC (BFNT) has announced that its motorcycle division will refocus its road racing efforts beginning in 2006. The company plans to redirect its resources toward amateur competition, stepping up its involvement with Championship Cup Series, Formula USA, WERA and other similar organizations.

"Our products work very well in amateur road racing," said Bob Graham, motorcycle and kart product manager for BFNT. "This year we have seen an incredible demand for our products at the amateur level. As a result of this demand, supply was adversely affected. Therefore, we must refocus, and correct supply and inventory levels for 2006. In 2006 additionally, Bridgestone will discontinue service operations at the AMA Nationals, focusing on the amateur level programs. Bridgestone will maintain the current motorcycle race tire distribution system, which works extremely well. The off-road motorcycle racing programs will remain unchanged."

The 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, motorcycle and other tires to its customers in North America.

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