STOW, Ohio — Goodyear's Mickey Thompson Tires & Wheels subsidiary has agreed to become the title sponsor of the Great American Crawl, an annual series of trail rides on a dozen popular off-road venues across the U.S.
Participating vehicles consist of everything from stock Jeeps, trucks and UTVs to purpose-built-off-road rigs capable of climbing the rock ledges that adorn many of the parks' expert trails, Mickey Thompson said in announcing its sponsorship of the event, now in its third year.
"Mickey Thompson listens to enthusiasts and engineers their products to provide them with the performance needed to off-road in these parks," Nic Ashby of Rockstar Performance Garage, organizer of the event — now dubbed the Mickey Thompson Great American Crawl — said.
"As a driver or observer, you can tell when a vehicle is on Mickey's." Ashby said, noting that Mickey Thompson has been a part of the event from year one.
"We're excited to support the Great American Crawl in creating events that cultivate and strengthen relationships within the off-road community all over the country," Heather Tausch, senior director, marketing, Mickey Thompson Tires & Wheels, said.
"The locations and production of these events give bucket-list level access to the best trails in the country for experienced enthusiasts and GAC trail leaders ensure even novice off-roaders can safely participate and grow their skills while forging relationships within the broader off-road community."
The company, part of Goodyear since the Akron-based tire maker's acquisition of Cooper Tire & Rubber in 2021, said the organizers of the GAC share Mickey Thompson's commitment to support off-roaders of all levels and abilities.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The 2023 GAC schedule kicks off Feb. 24-26 in Kingman, Ariz., and wraps up Dec. 8-10 in Hot Springs, Ark.
Other events on the calendar include: March 10-12, Katemcy Rocks, Texas; May 19-21, Good Evening Ranch, W.Va.; June 2-4, Hawk Pride Mountain Offroad, Ala.; June 23-25, Hollerwood Park, Ky.; July 14-16, Southern Missouri Off Road Ranch, Seymour, Mo.; July 28-30, Montrose, Colo.; Sept. 8-10, Disney, Okla.; Sept. 22-24, Anthracite Outdoor Adventure Area, Coal Township, Pa.; and Nov. 17-19, Windrock Park, Oliver Springs, Tenn.
The March 10-12 and Dec. 8-10 weekends will include Clash of the Club events produced by B & R Performance and sponsored by Mickey Thompson Tires & Wheels.
Costs to enter the parks and trails can vary, so participants are encouraged to join the GAC Facebook group for discounts from partner companies. Rockstar Performance Garage and its fleet of Ambassador Rigs will attend all the rides and capture photos and videos of each trip.
Registration is coming soon, and more information will be available at greatamericancrawl.com.
Announcement of the GAC sponsorship coincides with the start of the King of the Hammers week of off-road competitions in Johnson City, Calif., where Mickey Thompson this year ramped up its presence with more competitors and the launch of an incentive-based contingency program that will be active for the entire 2023 Ultra4 racing season.