Yokohama Driver 1st Woman to Win 2 Off-Road Truck Championships

Yokohama Tire Corporation-sponsored Heidi Steele became the first woman driver to win a Best in the Desert (BITD) off-road racing truck championship when she placed third at the Fabtech Desert Classic in Henderson, Nevada on Saturday, December 6. Steele also became the first woman truck champion in SCORE (Class 7SX mid-size truck) after taking a second-place class finish in November’s Baja 1000 in Ensenada, Mexico.

Steele’s Ford Ranger, which ran every race mile of the 2008 SCORE season on off-the-shelf Yokohama Geolandar M/T+ tyres, survived more than 1,600 miles of mountain passes, boulders, sand washes, dry lake beds and cattle crossings. For completing every race mile in the SCORE series, Heidi received a 2008 Toyota True Grit Award – the first female recipient of this honour.

“Our year-long focus was on winning these championships,” said Steele. “I’d like to thank our volunteers and family of sponsors, especially Yokohama, whose Geolandars are what keep us grounded as we fly through the desert.

In 2008, Ms Steel raced in 10 SCORE and BITD events, which included three wins and two seconds. “We’re proud of Heidi’s accomplishments this season in the desert and, even more so, due to the fact her truck runs street-stock Geolandar M/T+ tires,” said Robert Dole, Yokohama product promotions manager. “There’s no doubt about the toughness of our tyres, and what we learn at extreme races like the Desert Classic and Baja 1000 has a direct benefit to our customers.”