Wheels Archives - Page 66 of 133

Turbo Technics MD Claims Speed Championship Titles

The managing director of Northampton-based turbocharger specialist Turbo Technics has taken the overall championship title in this year's BARC SBD Speed Championship, as well as the class honours in the Richard Egger Insurance Hillclimb and Sprint Association 2009 Speed Championship. Geoff Kershaw formed Turbo Technics in 1981, and claimed the titles at the wheel of his famous twin turbocharged Ford Sierra in his first year back in competition after a three-year break. Kershaw began sprinting and hillclimbing in 1967 and has been a regular competitor ever since. He cites as his inspiration a fellow driver who continued to race well into his 80s. Kershaw, who is 65, has no intention of giving up in the foreseeable future.

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15th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

YHI International Names New CEO

News

Singapore based alloy wheel manufacturer YHI International Limited has appointed a new CEO of its YHI Manufacturing Group. Taiwan national Thomas Lee commenced in the role on October 7, and brings to the job more than two decades’ experience: Between 1985 and 2007 Lee was employed by aluminium wheel and casting tooling producer Lioho Machine Works in the capacity of senior vice president and chief of China operations.

15th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

75 per cent of Tyre Referrals Come Through DriveRight Data

News

75 per cent of tyre referrals now come through the DriveRight system, according to the tyre and wheel data specialists. Company data shows DriveRight assists in facilitating over $4,500 worth of wheel and tyre business every second in the US alone. In the UK, 95 per cent of alloy wheels and 75 per cent of tyre referrals are said to be sourced using DriveRight data.

With consumers more commercially aware and web-savvy than ever, some tyre shoppers are wooed by user-friendly interfaces proving step-by-step guides to selecting a range of tyre options. Yet those inside the industry realise that while a GUI presentation is important, the integrity of the data at the back end is critical to business.

14th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Avon Tyres Dominate Goodwood Revival Top Ten

Motorsport

Avon Tyres were the dominant rubber at the recent Goodwood Revival. All top ten finishers rode on Avon tyres, while the top five were utilising a new race version of the 100/90-19 Roadrider on the rear, with an AM20 front. Top slot went to a Fred Walmsley machine, ridden by 1987 500cc GP champion Wayne Gardner. Walmsley remarked, “I know this is classic racing, but I’ve been using Avons and helping to develop them for the last 30 years. In all that time, I have to admit this recent development is truly impressive. In the past we’ve never had all the range of fitments we’ve required, but now we can get Avon’s latest in 18- and 19-inch sizes which are perfect for us – and they suit the bikes a treat! On classic machinery, no-one makes the original tyres anymore, so you’ve always got a trade-off when selecting rubber, but over the last 12 months Avon’s products have really come on.”

13th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Kei Racing Introduces Limited Edition Okoyama Wheel

News

Wheel manufacturer Kei Racing has apparently gone all ‘old school’ on us with its latest design, the Okoyama. Named after the famous circuit in Japan, this pseudo split rim serves up a dollop of authentic JDM style with a deep polished lip and eye-pleasing rivet detailing.

13th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

US’s Lucy’s Tire Expanding Product Mix to Performance Tyres, Wheels as Falcon Tire

News

Based in Florida, Lucy's Tire Inc began life in 1985, specialising in the sale of industrial and OTR tyres to Central and South America and the Caribbean, but has now expanded its range to include truck, agricultural and high performance tyres and wheels, the last of which it distributes through its Falcon Tire tyre centres throughout its home state.

12th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

König Wheels Boasts Video Game ‘Fitments’

Motorsport, Premium

With a raft of new motorsport video game releases comes the opportunity for top brands to score some novel recognition points within the market. König Wheels distributor, Varga Trading Company, contacted tyrepress.com to let us know that its wheels are currently optional fitments to the high performance machines featured in recent title, ‘Need for Speed: Shift’. The brand also features as part of the Audi models’ in-game livery. The ability to modify vehicles has become more prevalent in recent games, prompted by the pretty incredible choices offered by virtual racing simulator series, ‘Forza Motorsport’ (Xbox 360) and ‘Gran Turismo’ (Playstation 3). With the latest editions of both of these series due over the next few months, auto manufacturers seem to be realising the impact appearances in video games can have in brand conscious markets.

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12th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

World’s Fastest Land Rover Defender Uses Michelin Tyres

Motorsport

A Michelin Diamaris-shod diesel-powered Defender 90 has just won the World’s Fastest Land Rover Defender shootout. The event, which took place at Bruntingthorpe proving ground in Leicestershire on Tuesday 29 September, attracted 27 entries from tuners and private individuals who brought along their Defenders to see which would be fastest over a number of tests. These included straight-line acceleration and timed sprints around short circuits.

Commenting on the performance, the car’s owner Charlie Fawcett said: “We are obviously very pleased to have won this event as we were up against some much more powerful opposition, including supercharged V8-powered vehicles. In the end though, the (285/50 R18) Michelin tyres really made a difference as we were able use every one of our 239bhp to easily win both of the timed circuit sprints, and the overall title. At times we had so much grip that the car was cornering on two wheels and our driver said it reminded him of his Clio race car in the way it turned into corners.”

12th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Eibach Releases 370Z Suspension Upgrade

Product News

The handling qualities of the latest Nissan 370Z have received a tweak from suspension specialist Eibach. The company’s new Pro-Kit spring upgrade lowers the car by up to 40mm, giving it what Eibach calls a more “aggressive” stance and allowing the factory alloys to better fill the wheel arches. However the kit is not all show and no go, notes Eibach; the 370Z’s new, lower centre of gravity endows it with sharper steering responses and far less body roll.

12th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Cobra Releases Mini Cooper Suspension Kit

News

Cobra has released a full complement of suspension upgrade products for the new Mini Cooper and Cooper S intended to, as the company explains, remove the compromises of the standard suspension set-up and boost steering precision and driver feedback. The lowered springs, says Cobra, work in harmony with the factory damper units to lower the car by approximately 35mm at the front and 30mm at the rear. This improved centre of gravity reduces body roll and improves turn-in. Thanks to the spring’s unique properties, compliance is retained almost at factory levels. Appearances however are not, and Cobra notes the Mini takes on a far more aggressive stance and its wheels really fill the arches. The kit comes with a five-year warranty on fit and finish and prices start at £140 including VAT.

8th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Bush Tyres’ 15th Retail Outlet Now Operating in Lincolnshire

News

Family-owned tyre retail group, BA Bush & Son and its wholesale arm B.A.B. Distribution – a member of Grouptyre – has invested in a new, purpose-built retail centre in Spalding, South Lincolnshire. The fifteenth Bush Tyres retail outlet is located off the Peterborough to Boston road and is just a minute from Spalding town centre. The site is opposite the Springfields Shopping Outlet and Festival Gardens, which is one of Lincolnshire’s busiest shopping centres, incorporating over 60 stores selling famous fashion and homewares brands at discounted prices all year round and attracting in excess of 30,000 visitors a day. The store was opened on 21 September.

7th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Kirkby Tyres Sees “Mid-Range” Growth

News

With a five acre site close to Liverpool’s John Lennon Airport in the UK and two warehouse facilities in Ireland, Kirkby Tyres and Wheels’ business is still growing in the aftermarket. The company says that, “we are finding that more and more customers are using mid-range brands such as Double Coin, which we are seeing strong demand for.” Kirkby offers a wide range of brands within this segment, such as Alliance, Malhotra, Protector and Petlas. The growth in the market for these brands has been such that the company has been able to employ an additional two sales people to cover East Anglia and North of England. The wholesaler is ISO 9001 accredited and can, in most areas, deliver products the next day.

6th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodyear Enters World of Outlaws for Series Tyre Supply Deal

Motorsport

Goodyear will supply the tyres for the World Racing Group’s World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series in an agreement that will last more than one season, according to a press statement released by the Group. The agreement will begin at the 2010 Florida DIRTcar Nationals next February, with World of Outlaws competitors required – somewhat ironically by the Series’ rules – to fit Goodyear rubber to their rear wheels.

6th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

STL Achieves European Accreditation To Test Agricultural Tyres

News

Independent testing facility Standards Testing Laboratories (STL) has been approved to test pneumatic tyres for agricultural vehicles and trailers in accordance with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Regulation No. 106. ECE Reg. 106 covers new pneumatic tyres that serve primarily agricultural and forestry vehicles, agricultural machines and agricultural trailers, and that correspond to speeds below 65 km/h.

"Companies interested in exporting these types of tyres to Europe can enlist the services of STL to provide unbiased, qualified testing as our facility continues to expand its capabilities and serve as a 'one-stop source' for customers," said Cheryl Schnuth, vice president, marketing, Standards Testing Laboratories.

6th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Excellent Turnout for 80th NTDA Annual Dinner and 2009 TAFF Awards

Company News

Around 400 guests filled the Deansgate Suite at the landmark Manchester Hilton Hotel to celebrate the 80th NTDA annual dinner and the 2009 Tyre and Fast Fit (TAFF) awards ceremony. The event, held on the evening of 23 September, saw the industry’s brightest and best gather to celebrate the successes of an industry that is determined to tough out the recession. The turnout alone spoke volumes about the attitude of the business’ leaders, with NTDA chairman Peter Gaster’s speech highlighting the challenges and successes of the industry; and the TAFF awards themselves recognising the achievements of companies within the business. This year’s event was sponsored by ECI International (the organisers of Brityrex, Tyrexpo Asia, Tyrexpo Africa and now Tyrexpo India); well known logistics firm DHL and Tyres & Accessories (and website tyrepress.com), the industry’s leading tyre trade publications. The TAFF awards themselves were compered by Mark Harrison on behalf of ECI International and after dinner entertainment was provided by Ian Irving.

Following the publication of 20,000 voting slips by Tyres & Accessories and the NTDA, and after hours of dedicated vote-counting, the 2009 awards were presented to successful candidates with tyre industry equivalent of “the red carpet treatment.” The fifth NTDA TAFF Awards also differed from previous competitions as it was the first time online voting had been included. In addition to the awards decided by the normal one industry member one vote system, and the NTDA nominated chairman’s award, 2009 saw the introduction of an expert judging panel to decide this year’s innovation award. The panel was made up of the representatives from associations and trade publications including NTDA, TIF, GEA and Tyres & Accessories. And now the results…

1st October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

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