LAKE VILLA, Ill.—Private brander Atturo Tire Corp. has agreed to become a series partner for The Off-Road Championship, a stadium-style off-road racing series.
Lake Villa-based Atturo becomes the fourth tire company sponsor of TORC for the 2015 season; the others are Cooper Tire & Rubber Co., Maxxis Tires and Omni United USA's Radar Tires brand.
TORC competitors will run on Atturo's Trail Blade M/T light truck tire, Atturo said.
“As a leader in providing consumers with pro-quality tires in the light truck and SUV/crossover markets, Atturo is proud to partner with TORC in this series,” Atturo Vice President Michael Mathis said.
“We're here to let consumers know the Atturo tires that perform in the harsh environment of the TORC series are the same tires they can get every day at dealers around the globe.”
At this point, Atturo is still finalizing details of which team or teams it will be supplying in the TORC series, Mathis said.
TORC's rules stipulate that tires used in the series must meet all U.S. Department of Transportation “guidelines and tests for street-legal and be stamped accordingly.” Tires must be “part of a full line of like tires available through retail dealers,” be offered in multple sizes, be ready available to the general public and at pricing competitive with other manufacturers of like tires.
Atturo descibes the Trail Blade M/T as a performance mud-terrain tire whose shoulder and sidewall tread blocks are based on the cutting edge blades of Mantis Knives.
“Lap after lap, a TORC track changes and becomes increasingly punishing to tires,” said TORC President B.J. Birtwell. “Add high speeds and the fact that these trucks fly 200 feet through the air and land on rough terrain means that tires are put to arguably the most intense test in all of racing.”
Atturo also intends to participate in the Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series (LOORS) for a second season, Mathis said, and will continue to support and supply Hunter Racing Team and driver Eric Hunter in that endeavor.
Mathis said being part of both off-road racing series fits Atturo's market goals.
TORC has nine race weekends scheduled, starting April 5-6 at Primm, Nev., and concluding Aug. 30-31 at Crandon, Wis.
LOORS also has a nine-race series lined up, starting March 20-21 at Lake Elsinore Motorsports Park in Lake Elsinore, Calif., and concluding Oct. 24-25 at the same venue.
Atturo designs its tires in-house and contracts their manufacture to Federal Corp. of Taiwan and Deestone Radial Tyre of Thailand.