ARLINGTON, Neb.—The organizer of the Pirelli World Challenge Championship production car-based racing series has extended partnership contracts with Pirelli Tire North America Inc. and Centric Parts' StopTech brake brand for five more years.
The deal by WC Vision with Pirelli covers the series' title contract and race tire partnership, while the extension with Centric Parts makes StopTech the official friction and brake system partner of the Pirelli World Challenge Championship. Both deals are through 2018. Financial terms were not disclosed.
“The five-year extension communicates the strong bond between our two brands,” said Scott Bove, president and CEO of WC Vision, the Arlington-based series organizer.
Pirelli took over as the series' tire supplier in October 2010 and added the title sponsorship role in March 2011.
“At the heart of that bond is the P Zero slick and rain tire,” Mr. Bove said. Our teams and drivers are unanimous in their love for the P Zero as it gives them the foundation to run full out at 100 percent each and every race.”
The extension through the 2018 season continues an integrated sponsorship program that includes in-market activation, and multi-platform, cross-promotional efforts, WC Vision said.
“Our partnership with World Challenge is a natural fit because that absolute passion is shared by WC Vision and the manufacturers, teams and drivers that compete in the series,” said Rafael Navarro, vice president, communications, media relations and motorsports for Pirelli.
The deal with Centric Parts includes provisions to place the StopTech logo on competitor number boards and on windshield banners. Teams competing in the Touring Car classes will be able to upgrade their cars with StopTech high-performance brake systems, including StopTech friction pads.
StopTech said it has been the series' “official brake upgrade” partner for the past four years.
Additionally, StopTech will be a sponsor of touring class race highlights as part of the series broadcasts on NBC Sports Network, WC Vision said.
“We have had a great partnership with StopTech,” Mr. Bove said. “As a world leader in high-performance brake systems, they are an ideal partner of the Pirelli World Challenge Series.
“With their technical expertise and hands-on engineering experience on site at every race, we were very pleased when the opportunity came for them to become our official friction supply partner as well.”
Steve Ruiz, director of engineering at StopTech, said the firm's “relationship with World Challenge has given our company the opportunity to showcase our big brake kits, as well as our whole range of street and race brake components.”
StopTech is the performance and racing brand from Industy, Calif.-based Centric Parts, which also markets the Centric, PosiQuiet and C-Tek brands.
The Pirelli World Challenge features five classes of competition for a variety of production-based sports cars and sports sedans. WC Vision anticipates entries from more than 15 manufacturers' brands this year, including: Acura, Aston Martin, Audi, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Ferrari, Fiat, Ford, Honda, Kia, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mini, Lamborghini, Nissan, Porsche and Volkswagen.
The 16-race 2014 season kicks off March 28-30 on the street circuit in St. Petersburg, Fla., and runs through Sept. 12-13 at Miller Motorsports Park near Salt Lake City.
WC Vision also disclosed that it has renewed its TV broadcast partnership with NBC Sports Network for the 2014 season.