Largest Rally in Asia Sponsored by Yokohama

Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., is to support the largest FIA-certified cross country rally in Asia – the “Asia Cross Country Rally 2008.” The event started yesterday and is scheduled to held until 16 August where it will end in Thailand. The company has sponsored the rally for eight consecutive years, beginning in 2001.

The Asia Cross Country Rally began in 1997 to promote international goodwill and friendship among Asian nations. In contrast to the Dakar Rally, formerly known as the Paris-Dakar Rally, as well as a popular rally in Baja California Peninsula, Mexico, in which driving is primarily across deserts, in the Asia Cross Country Rally vehicles compete over a challenging course of about 2,500 kilometers, including dirt, mud, sand, jungle, mountain roads and river crossings. This year’s course starts in Bangkok and finishes at Phuket, Thailand. Every year more than 30 vehicles are expected to participate in the rally from Asia and Europe.

Yokohama is specifically supporting Takuma Aoki, who will race in the T1-D class (for modified commercial diesel vehicles), supplying him with Geolandar M/T+ SUV off-road tyres. Last year, his first in the competition, Mr. Aoki took seventh place overall and is expected to finish higher this time.