BY Jennifer Karpus, Tire Business staff
LAS VEGAS (Nov. 5, 2013) -- Mickey Thompson Performance Tires & Wheels unveiled the Deegan 38, a light truck, mud-terrain tire designed in partnership with off-road racing champion Brian Deegan, during the SEMA Show at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas.
The tire features a beveled tread edge, special wide lateral and offset grooves channel, large center tread elements, Mickey Thompson's "SideBiters" and shoulder scallops along the shoulder and has a depiction of a Deegan 38 Shield on the sidewall and raised white block lettering.
The tire will be available in the second quarter of 2014 in 13 sizes.
Mr. Deegan, a five-time Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series (LOORRS) champion and 16-time X Games medalist, told Tire Business "the heritage of the name and it being one of the originators of off-road racing" was what attracted him to Mickey Thompson for this endeavor.
"You think of the beginning, and you think of Mickey Thompson."
Mr. Deegan said that he has felt like he's "been a pioneer of a lot of stuff in action sports and coming in to cars and trucks" he thought "this was the best place to build (his) career and build cool products."
He added that the partnership has been a "good place to legitimize" his place in four wheels.
Mr. Deegan said he was "heavily involved" in the process because he "wanted it to be right."
He added that he wanted the tire to be one that people would use and one that would work well.
Mickey Thompson said the Deegan 38 will be manufactured in the U.S. Mr. Deegan said he does plan on racing on the tires when they are available.
No pricing information was given.
For more information, visit http://www.deegan38tires.com.
Mickey Thompson Tires is a unit of Cooper Tire & Rubber Co.