• Research
  • Tire Dealer of the Year
  • On the Rise
  • Multimedia
  • Podcasts
  • Digital Magazine
  • About US
    1. Industry News
    2. Retail

    BFGoodrich Tires revs up for The Off-Road Championship Series (TORC)

    April 2, 2009

    After serving as the tire of choice for several closed-course off-road champions, BFGoodrich Tires returns to short/closed-course racing as a series sponsor of The Off-Road Championship Series (TORC), a newly created off-road racing series that brings together the best of Midwest short course off-road racing with exciting new West coast venues. Over the length of its illustrious off-road, closed-course career, BFGoodrich Tires supported teams won more off-road closed-course races than all other tire manufacturers combined, and the popular off-road tire manufacturer is busily building a stable of off-road stalwarts and aggressive newcomers to lead the charge towards its first TORC championship.

    “The challenging race conditions of the TORC series are ideal for us to demonstrate the capability of our off-road tires,” said Roberts Kukainis, motorsports manager for BFGoodrich Tires. “We have enjoyed being unbeaten in closed-course off-road racing since its inception and we look forward to raising the bar during the TORC series in 2009.”

    Many of off-road racing’s most talented drivers will again receive support from BFGoodrich Tires and help continue its illustrious streak of off-road closed-course wins. A few key BFGoodrich Tires drivers to watch this year include veteran off-road stalwarts Johnny Greaves, Scott Taylor, Jeff Kincaid, Jerry Whelchel, and Rob MacCachren. Popular off-road competitors Shannon Campbell, Casey Currie, Rodrigo Ampudia Jr. and even TORC series owner Ricky Johnson will round out the formidable roster as they prepare for a new season of intense high-flying, door-slamming action while vying for more than $100,000 of contingency awards on behalf of BFGoodrich Tires.

    “With the rich racing history BFGoodrich Tires has had on- and off-road. All of us at TORC are stoked to have them involved with the series through on-site competitor and contingency support,” said Ricky Johnson, TORC series owner. “The TORC series is all about how drivers and companies can showcase their talents and products to see who is best on race day. We wish BFG and their drivers all the best and may the best man, and the best tire, win.”

    Taking the numerous course set-ups and TORC’s short/closed-course challenges into consideration, BFGoodrich Tires Pro 2 and Pro 4 class competitors will race on BFGoodrich Tires’ Mud-Terrain T/A KR tire, which was specifically designed for short/closed course off-road racing utilizing multiple compounds and custom grooving characteristics. Pro Lite, Buggy and Sportsman competitors will be able to choose from the BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain T/A KM2 or All-Terrain T/A KO tire. All BFGoodrich off-road tires have evolved from the legendary BFGoodrich tire which was the world’s first ultra-high performance off-road tire, designed specifically for off-road competition with TriGard Plus construction, containing three full nylon carcass plies plus an additional nylon sidewall ply for incredible protection against punctures.

    For those who may be unfamiliar, The TORC Series brings together the best of Midwest short course off-road racing with exciting new West coast venues. TORC has exclusive rights for premier events at legendary tracks such as Crandon International Off-Road Raceway in Crandon, Wisc., and Bark River International Raceway near Escanaba, Mich. Currently a total of eight points-race weekends plus two sportsman weekends are planned. The season kicks off May 15, 2009 at Texas Motor Speedway near Ft. Worth Texas.

     The 2009 TORC Racing schedule

    • May 15-16, Texas Motor Speedway, Ft. Worth, Texas
    • May 29-30, Perris Auto Speedway, Perris, Calif.
    • June 20-21, Crandon International Raceway, Crandon, Wisc.
    • July 11-12, Bark River Raceway, Bark River, Mich.
    • August 8-9, Bark River Raceway, Bark River, Mich.
    • September 5-6, Crandon International Raceway, Crandon, Wisc.
    • September 26-27 Southern California Location (TBD)
    • October 31-November 1, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas

    Using motorsports as a proving ground for more than 30 years, BFGoodrich Tires is involved in every type of racing, including oval, sports car, drifting, drag, desert, dirt, rally, and extreme rock crawling. BFGoodrich Tires combines technological expertise with vast motorsports experience, delivering a high-performance tire for every type of vehicle.