SANTA ANA, Calif. — Drivers in the new Mustang Cup series will race on Yokohama tires when they hit the track this spring.
Yokohama Tire Corp. (YTC) disclosed Feb. 12 that Yokohama will be the official tire of the United States Auto Club (USAC)-sanctioned six-race series. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Drivers in the Mustang Cup will compete in Ford Performance-engineered Mustang Dark Horse R race cars, capable of producing 500-plus horsepower and equipped with Yokohama's ADVAN A005 slicks or A006 wet racing tires, size 280/680R18.
"Yokohama is proud to be the exclusive spec tire and supplier for the inaugural Mustang Cup season," Andrew Briggs, Yokohama Tire's VP of marketing and product management, said.
"This new partnership with Ford Performance highlights our shared commitment to motorsports excellence. It's exciting to see how our ADVAN A005s enhance the performance and handling of the extraordinary Mustang Dark Horse R."
Kevin Groot, Ford Performance Motorsports sports car programs manager, said Yokohama engineers had been working at the track to create the products needed for the series.
"We are super excited to partner with them," Groot said.
Patricia Wall, Yokohama's motorsports senior manager, noted how the A005 is "a max-grip tire that's purpose-built for racing, delivering impressively fast lap times and predictable handling built upon the foundation of a decades-long legacy in motorsports."
The Mustang Cup begins April 11-13 at NOLA Motorsports Park in Avondale, La.
Each race in a doubleheader with two 15-minute qualifying sessions and two 40-minute races. One qualifying session and race count toward the Miles Cup, while the others count toward the Parnelli Cup. Two-driver teams can race for separate championships, or one driver can compete for both.
USAC President and CEO Kevin Miller said the race-sanctioning body was excited to continue its long-standing partnership with Yokohama.
"Yokohama has consistently delivered exceptional performance, reliability, and innovation, which are critical to the competitive edge and safety of our drivers," Miller said.
"Their commitment to excellence aligns perfectly with the spirit of the Mustang Cup, and we look forward to building on this collaboration as we embark on this exciting new chapter."
The 2025 Mustang Cup schedule includes:
- April 11-13, NOLA Motorsports Park, Avondale, La.;
- May 16-18, Circuit of The Americas, Austin, Texas;
- July 4-6, Ozarks International Raceway, Gravois Mills, Mo.;
- Aug. 8-10, Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wis.;
- Oct. 17-18, Lime Rock Park, Lakeville, Conn., and;
- Nov. 7-9, Virginia International Raceway, Alton, Va.
Yokohama Tire Corp. is the North American manufacturing and marketing arm of Tokyo-based The Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd.
