KORE WINS GENERAL TIRE MINT 400 - AGAIN

29 March 2009

KORE WINS GENERAL TIRE MINT 400 - AGAIN

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – Four hundred miles of Nevada whoops, rocks, and silt. With 194 entrants and only 85 finishers, this year’s General Tire Mint 400 proved to be one of the toughest on record.

With nobody else in the class the team wasn’t under a lot of pressure. The plan was to cruise to a finish and a win. As the day unfolded it became clear that this race was destined to be the biggest nail-biter of the season. Who would have thought that the number one adversary was going to be the desert itself?

Kent Kroeker and Robin Stover drove the first lap. Vicious dust during the start reduced visibility to zero, causing a very slow speed average. Seeking clear air, Kroeker and Stover passed Trophy Lites, buggies and trucks until they could run a normal pace. Loose silt on rocky hills mandated the use of the truck’s four wheel drive system. Each time it was engaged, evil sounds emerged. Robin identified the noise as a planetary gear dying in the transfer case. The team swapped the transfer case in the pit, losing over an hour.

John “Zambo” Zambie and Frank Martinek took over driving duties. Within 30 miles they had destroyed the rear drive shaft and mangled the front differential, losing another hour to make repairs in the field. Zambo completed lap 2 in good style, keeping a solid pace and delivering a perfect vehicle to KORE’s main pit.

Rudy Iribe and Joe Salas took control of the Powerwagon for lap 3. By this time the course was even rougher due to other vehicles repeatedly racing over the same terrain. Everything was going well until a coupler in the steering system snapped in half, leaving the team stranded in the middle of nowhere. A spare part was not on the truck and the Mint sanctioning body does not allow support vehicles to access the course. Fortunately they were in radio contact with KORE Chase. Salas transmitted their coordinates and Chase discovered that, although not visible, they were only a couple of miles from the race truck. Navigating by terrain features, Kroeker and his dad then ran the part in on foot, doing about six miles round trip.

Chris “Mongo” Williams joined Rudy in the Powerwagon for lap 4. With five hours of down time, in order to finish under the limit, Rudy had to not only drive a perfect lap with zero mechanical problems, but he would also have to go as fast as humanly possible. The team was on edge chasing Rudy and Mongo thought the various checkpoints. At one point Zambo said, “We’re kind of like a squirrel that just got run over but isn’t killed all the way. If anything else goes wrong - a flat tire, a clogged filter, anything - it’s all over.”

The team assembled at the finish line and soon heard the roar of the Powerwagon’s Hemi motor hammering through the pits. The team cheered and with only 58 seconds to spare, Rudy and Mongo crossed the checkered flag for the win, proving that sometimes you don’t need anyone else in your class to run one of the closest races ever.


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For more information contact: KORE

P.O. Box 2628

Valley Center CA 92082

760-749-8687

www.koreperformance.com

MICKEY THOMPSON PERFORMANCE TIRES & WHEELS LAUNCHES MICKEYTHOMPSONTV.COM

STOW, OH – Mickey Thompson Performance Tires & Wheels is proud to announce the launch of a branded online video site called MickeyThompsonTV.com. This online video player, produced by PowerTV, is stocked with a variety of video content on Mickey Thompson strip, truck, motorcycle, off-road, and Bonneville racing that will include recent video as well as some vintage Mickey Thompson video footage. Video will also include product information, company news, event coverage and more.

Any video on MickeyThompsonTV.com can be viewed, selected, and then embedded into other web pages, forums or blogs so the video can be shared. Mickey Thompson enthusiasts and fans will also be able to upload their own video content. Members will have the ability to share comments, and participate in related forums, and will also be able to access Mickey Thompson product information, company news, apparel and much more.

“We are very excited to introduce a customized online video player to the friends and fans of Mickey Thompson,” said Ken Warner, Mickey Thompson Performance Tires & Wheels. “This new site has been designed and developed with the input we have received from the loyal Mickey Thompson fans and racers from around the country. We are very excited to provide a place where race fans, racers, vehicle builders, staff, dealers, installers, friends and family can connect online and develop a unique Mickey Thompson community. We are looking forward to bringing some really great stuff to our members that they won’t be able to find anywhere else. It will be a lot like having the Mickey Thompson version of YouTube!”

MickeyThompsonTV.com has been developed for use with Adobe Flash Player 8 or above, and has been optimized for multiple browser platforms making it accessible for the PC and Macintosh user. To get Adobe Flash Player, visit http://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/. To become part of the legend, visit http://www.mickeythompsontv.com. For more information about PowerTV, visit
http://www.powertvmedia.com.

About Mickey Thompson Performance Tires & Wheels
Mickey Thompson Performance Tires & Wheels designs, develops, and markets racing and high-performance tires for drag-racing cars and motorcycles, modified street cars, off-road race vehicles, modified pick-up trucks, Jeeps, 4x4’s and sport utility vehicles. The company, founded in 1963 by racing legend Mickey Thompson, is headquartered in Stow, Ohio, USA, and offers a wide range of tires and wheels in unique sizes to enhance the look and performance of these specialty high-performance and racing vehicles. For more information, visit http:/www.mickeythompsontires.com/