FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: John Taylor, (615) 477-3099, media@us.giti.com
RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA (Oct. 30 2015) – GITI Tire (USA) Ltd. will sponsor Eric Latino in the National Hot Rod Association’s (NHRA) upcoming season to help introduce the Giti name to American auto enthusiasts.
The company is currently building its first manufacturing facility outside of Asia in Chester County, South Carolina. The plant will produce passenger and light truck tires for the replacement and original equipment markets and is expected to begin production in 2017.
“We have been providing tires to American families for years and people don’t know about it.,” said Armand Allaire, executive vice president of sales and marketing for GITI Tire (USA) Ltd. “We have many loyal dealers and retailers that sell GT Radial and other company brands, but the company itself is not yet well known with the general public. This sponsorship of Eric and our recently announced sponsorship of the Rose Parade are first steps in building awareness for Giti as a company.”
With 70,000 members and more than 40,000 licensed competitors, the NHRA is a thriving leader in the world of motorsports. Attendance at NHRA events averages 100,000 persons per weekend.
A native of Toronto, Latino has been a successful competitor in Canadian motorsports for many years, including winning the Championship Points Award in 2012 in the Pro Modified Racing Association. He won the biggest Pro Mod race in North America at Englishtown, New Jersey.
This will be his second year of competition in the NHRA, having qualified in seven NHRA races this year. He reached the finals at this year’s Charlotte event and will be competing this coming weekend in Las Vegas.
Latino drives a 1969 Camaro powered by a BAE hemi engine with a Kobelco supercharger and Leahy fuel system, both tweaked by Al Billes. A Cynergy Composites body sits atop of the G-Force Race Cars product. The car has recorded sub six-second runs down the quarter mile at speeds over 240 mph.
The Giti logo will be centered on the hood of Latino’s car. In addition, his team’s tractor trailer rig is running on GT Radial heavy duty truck tires. The Giti logo will also be featured on the back of the trailer.
“I’m excited about playing a role in promoting Giti to American drivers,” Latino said. “They are a global company that has made a real commitment to America by building the plant in South Carolina. NHRA drag racing is a great way to promote the Giti name in the heartland of America.”
Other sponsors for Latino’s team include Quality Plus Compressors, Global Emissions, Redline Automotive, Ellesmere Fabricators, Vibrant Performance, Don Butt Auto body, NGK Spark Plugs, Pro Racing Fuels, Resurrection Custom Painting, ARK Compressor Parts, Kooks Custom Header, and Kendall Motor Oil.
“Guru tuner Paolo D’Alimonte, who tuned for Tony Pontieri for 4 years and joined our team as crew chief, has done a spectacular job with tuning the car and now’s the time for a win, possibly in Vegas,” Latino added.
Last month, GITI Tire (USA) announced that it will be the Official Tire Sponsor of the 127th Rose Parade, presented by Honda and the Presenting Sponsor of Decorating Places – an event where visitors experience first-hand the final stages of float preparation. America’s New Year’s Celebration® is a festival of flowers, music and sports unequaled anywhere else in the world.
Giti Tire sells products in more than 130 countries. Its family of brands include GT Radial, Primewell and the Dextero brands carried by an extensive network of tire dealers and retailers across the U.S. and Canada.
About Giti Tire (pronounced “G-T” tire)
One of the largest tire companies in the world, Giti Tire Group (headquartered in Singapore) has been in the tire business since 1951. Giti Tire operates 8 manufacturing plants and produces a broad range of tire products, serving major original equipment vehicle manufacturers, auto-service outlets, tire dealers and consumers in more than 130 countries worldwide.
GITI Tire (USA) Ltd., based in Rancho Cucamonga, California, is the sales, marketing, and distribution company for North America. It markets and sells a family of brands: GT Radial, Primewell and Dextero tires for high performance vehicles, passenger, SUV, light truck, and medium trucks through national retailers, independent retailers and distributors across the United States and Canada. For more information, please visit www.giti.com.
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