Falken-backed pilot flies into world championships

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. — Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd.'s Falken brand will soar April 15-16 when Falken-sponsored pilot Yoshihide Muroya flies in the Red Bull Air Race World Championships.

The competition, hosted in San Diego, features some of the world's best pilots and is designed to test their speed, precision and skill as they navigate a low-level slalom track marked by 25-meter-high, air-filled pylons.

For the competition, Mr. Muroya will fly a new race plane that is designed to reflect the "Wings of a Falcon Soaring through the Sky" motif that Falken has long used in its motorsports activities.

"With its green representing a youthful mindset and its blue representing high technological capability, this motif was designed as an expression of Falken's passion and sincerity," SRI said in a news release.

Mr. Muroya enters the competion as the 13th-ranked pilot and, according to Falken, is the only pilot from Asia to compete in the Master Class.

Although he has participated in the global competition since 2009, he secured his first victory during the third race of last year's world championship. He went on to finish sixth overall at the event, which was held in Chiba, Japan.

"Yoshihide Muroya is an outstanding pilot whose hard-won flying skills have earned him widespread recognition on the global stage," SRI said.

"Through our ongoing support of Mr. Muroya as he takes to the skies decked in traditional Falken colors, we will continue to enhance the value of the Falken brand by continually promoting and highlighting its image as a youthful and energetic brand."