Continental New Grand-Am Tyre Supplier, Title Sponsor

Continental Tire North America has become tyre supplier for the US based Grand-Am Road Sports Car Challenge Racing series. In a five-year agreement that begins on January 1, Continental takes on the championship’s exclusive tyre supply and title sponsorship. The series will henceforth be known as the “Grand-Am Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge” and will utilise Conti’s newly released ExtremeContact tyre range.

“This entitlement sponsorship adds an entirely new dimension to our marketing strategy to promote the Continental brand. The exclusive and official tyre status will help to emphasise the performance capabilities of the ExtremeContact tire lines,” said Bill Caldwell, vice president of sales and marketing, Continental Tire. “Grand-Am Road Racing is one of the highest-calibre racing series in the world and we are proud and excited to be a part of it. We’re looking forward to the start of the 2010 season.”

Continental says that months of “tactical discussions and planning” preceded the deal with Grand-Am. At the core of the agreement, the tyre maker adds, was the “mutual desire to select a competition platform to showcase the performance and durability of Continental Tires within the punishing environment of motorsports.”

“Grand-Am is excited Continental Tire has recognised the Sports Car Challenge as one of the fastest growing motorsports series and has made a choice to partner with us,” said Kevin Hindson, vice president of Marketing, Grand-Am Road Racing. “Continental Tire brings with them a great history of product quality and performance. Their commitment to motorsports tyre technology and advanced performance solutions can only add to the already amazing competition and continued growth of what will now be known as the Grand-Am Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge.”

The series, which features stock high performance sports coupes and saloons, kicks off on January 8 to 10 with Test Days at Daytona International Raceway, with race days beginning January 29th and continuing through to mid-September.

Pirelli Tire North America has also announced its intention to withdraw as tyre supplier for the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series after the 2010 season. The company intends to reprioritise its North American motorsport activities in order to access “a greater breadth of the race tyre market.”