RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA… Kumho Tire has agreed to provide tires for VICI Racing and its Porsche 911 GT3 RSR in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) in 2008. At the heart of the partnership will be an innovative tire development program designed specifically for the Porsche RSR and the ALMS GT2 class championship. VICI Racing will contest the season with a 2008-specification Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, starting at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, with a second car joining the line-up later on.
“We're delighted to announce this tire development program and to welcome Kumho Tire as a team partner,” said Ron C. Meixner, VICI Racing President. “Kumho Tire fits perfectly with our strategic values. It is a young, ambitious company that has already achieved much success in several motorsports arenas. I have been thoroughly impressed with the company's focus and energy and its overwhelming desire to win. This will be a very tough development project, undertaken right from the start through a full racing program, and will require total dedication and a will to succeed. With Kumho Tire I am completely satisfied we will achieve the project's goals.”
Kumho has been involved in the American Le Mans Series for the last three years, running with a variety of teams in the LMP1 and LMP2 classes. After earning an LMP2 class win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans last June, Kumho tested the GT2 waters at the Mid-Ohio ALMS race in July, supplying tires for a one-off effort for the Woodhouse Performance Dodge Viper. The car, team and tires all performed well, leaving Kumho motorsports manager Rudy Consolacion eager for a full-season effort in GT2.