Falken supporting grass roots motorsport in northwest England

Sumitomo Rubber Industries high performance tyre brand Falken is to supply its ZIEX ZE912 tyre to two grass roots motorsport series in the northwest of England, after agreeing to a new sponsorship and support scheme. Drivers in the Association of North Western Car Clubs (ANWCC) K11 Micra Challenge and the Under 17 Motor AutoSOLO Championship for Standard Cars will have access to free and subsidised tyres to qualifying competitors and others involved with the championship respectively.

Seeking to strike a balance between durability and affordability, Falken says the progressive nature of the ZIEX ZE912 makes it an ideal choice for novices and those learning car control at the limit for the first time. “The ZIEX ZE912 is a predictable and durable tyre,” says UK director of Falken Tyres, Matt Smith. “It is a long lasting and therefore cost-effective cover that also performs when pushed to the limit.”

Founded by multiple rally and autotest champion Steve Johnson, the North West K11 Micra Challenge was created to bypass the escalating costs that are normally associated with stage rallying. By creating a championship that was open to just one class of car, an affordable one litre Nissan K11 Micra, Johnson envisioned a regional championship that offers an affordable way for people to enjoy motorsport. Specifying control tyres such as the ZIEX ZE912 from Falken also helps keep entry requirement costs to a bare minimum. Johnson and his team launched the championship this year at the Autosport Show in January at Birmingham’s NEC.

In addition to the K11 Micra Challenge, Falken is also supporting the Under 17 Motor Club which provides opportunities for 14 to 17 year olds to gain experience in vehicle handling in a controlled environment away from the public highway. The Under 17 AutoSOLO championship in partnership with Falken aims to discover and nurture the future stars of UK motorsport.

“We chose Falken Tyres due to the fact they have lasted up to six rallies per set of tyres which is great value for money,” says Johnson. “The Falken tyres have a proven to be good in a wide range of grip conditions and have a great resistance to punctures. They allow all drivers to find the grip limits of the car and tyre allowing the drivers to develop their driving skills.”

Falken is also to support a Nissan Micra in the Under 17 series later in the year to offer journalists the opportunity to pit their skills against the young drivers in the championship.