SANTA ANA, Calif. — Yokohama Tire Corp. will again be the official tire supplier of Nitrocross, a stadium-style rallycross racing series.
The tire maker will be the exclusive spec tire for all race classes, including Group E, where Yokohama will debut purpose-built Advan A054 race tires on the FC1-X, the world's fastest electric race car.
Nitocross "features notoriously mammoth jumps with vast, banked turns on a variety of track surfaces all in a single lap," Yokohama said.
Team Yokohama includes racers:
- Tanner Foust, the first American to win a round of the European Rallycross Championship, in Group E. He will drive the Optima Battery/Yokohama-backed FC1-X with team OMSE on the new A054 tire.
- Travis Pastrana, Nitrocross founder, in SxS. He'll headline the Can-Am Maverick R drivers competing on Geolandar H/T G056 tires.
- Brothers Nick and Chris Isenhouer in Baja Bug. They'll drive race-modified 1960s-era VW Beetles to compete on new Golandar A/T4 tires and sporting A/T4 livery.
"We're excited to return as the official tire of Nitrocross," Patricia Wall, Yokohama motorsports senior manager, said, referring to Yokohama's status as the tire supplier for the series under its previous iteration, Nitro Rallycross.
"We love seeing our brand perform on a wide variety of vehicles, especially in a punishing environment like Nitrocross. It really drives tire development forward across all our platforms from consumer products to motorsports."
Wall said the A054 was designed to handle the torque generated by the FC1-X.
"When the FC1-X was introduced its acceleration was impressive, to say the least. But just like an electric car you see on the streets, the FC1-X is heavy and is a little more challenging on a tire than a lighter weight internal combustion race car," she said.
Yokohama engineers developed the A054 tire around a beadlock wheel for the FC1-X and Group E class, she said.
"The new wheel and tire combination will improve the racing significantly," she said.
"The A054 tread is the right pattern for grip on dirt and tarmac; the construction has been improved so there will still be great tire performance at the end of races. The introduction of the beadlock wheel will allow drivers to push the limits even more which is going to make for some great racing."
The Nitocross Series schedule is:
- Sept. 7-8, Richmond, Va.;
- Oct. 5-6, Salt Lake City;
- Nov. 15-16, Phoenix;
- Jan. 11-12, 2025, Miami;
- March 1-2, 2025 Las Vegas.
Yokohama's 2024 motorsport sponsorships also include Porsche Sprint Challenge North America by Yokohama; Porsche Sprint Challenge USA West by Yokohama; Porsche Carrera Cup North America; Porsche Endurance Challenge; Pikes Peak GT4 Trophy by Yokohama; King of the Hammers; Championship Off-Road Series; Ultra4 USA; and the TrophyLite Series.
