Falken sponsors NOPI Nationals
RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif.-Falken Tire Corp. has become the official tire of the 2002 NOPI (Number One Parts Inc.) Nationals Motorsport Supershow, replacing Toyo Tire (U.SA.) Corp., which had sponsored the event the past few years.
The NOPI Nationals is a huge car show catering to performance cars and trucks. Held annually, it attracts more than 70,000 visitors and 5,000 show cars and trucks. This year's event will take place at Atlanta Motor Speedway Sept. 21-22.
``We feel that our slogan, `Performance Never Looked So Good,' ties in perfectly with NOPI and this event,'' said Jim Stobie, Falken's enthusiast marketing manager. ``This event is where you go to see the ultimate in style and performance, and that is Falken Tire.''
Hoosier tires get police use
LAKEVILLE, Ind.-The county of St. Joseph, Ind., has chosen Hoosier performance tires as a preferred provider of replacement tires for its police cruisers.
Hoosier Performance Tire, whose headquarters is located in the county, is supplying H-rated high performance passenger tires for the county's fleet of Chevrolet Impalas and P-metric light truck tires for the K-9 service units.
Fiedler endows chair at Kent State
KENT, Ohio-John Fiedler, chairman and CEO of Borg Warner Inc. and a former executive vice president of North American Tires for Goodyear, has endowed a chair in global business at his alma mater, Kent State University.
When fully funded, the endowment will total $2.5 million.
BFS Aiken plant gets safety award
GRANITEVILLE, S.C.-Bridgestone/Firestone's Aiken County, S.C., tire plant has received the Palmetto STAR award from the South Carolina Department of Labor Licensing and Regulation.
The award recognizes the plant for exceeding Occupational Safety and Health Administration comprehensive health and safety standards. The plant's selection was based on a self-assessment checklist for the Voluntary Protection Program reviewed by the South Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Administration and a rigorous on-site review.
The Aiken facility joins BFS's Warren County, Tenn., plant as one of only two tire factories in the U.S. to receive such a distinction, BFS said.
NHTSA reviewing wheel complaints
WASHINGTON-The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened a preliminary evaluation of whether aluminum alloy wheels on Mitsubishi Eclipses and Eclipse Spyders, model years 2000 and 2001, dent or fracture easily when encountering potholes, railroad crossings or other obstructions.
NHTSA said it has received 34 complaints involving 72 wheels-including five cases of blowouts, cut tires or debeading.