LEXINGTON, Ohio (Aug. 11, 2003) — Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. has signed a five-year agreement with Formula Motorsports Inc. to create the Cooper Tire Championship Series, the centerpiece of which will be the Formula Ford 2000 Zetec racing program.
The Findlay, Ohio-based tire maker announced the agreement, which takes effect in 2004, at a press conference Aug. 9 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington. The Cooper tire program replaces the Avon racing tires the Formula Ford series has used the past few years. The Zeon racing slicks will be made at the Cooper-Avon Tyres plant in Melksham, England.
The Zetec championship cars are single-seat, open-wheel racers powered by 2-liter Ford Zetec engines.
The company will supply Cooper Zeon racing radials for the new series, which also includes separate Pro Championships in the Formula SCCA (Sports Car Club of America) and SCCA Sports racer categories for cars using Van Diemen-manufactured chassis powered by 2.3-liter Mazda Duratec engines.
“We think that this sponsorship demonstrates our commitment to the precision and performance in developing replacement tires for sports and performance cars, as well as SUVs, light trucks and 4x4s,” said Cooper Chairman, President and CEO Tom Dattilo.