FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SCCA PRO RACING®, TOYO TIRES ANNOUNCE MOVE TO PROXES RA-1™ RACE TIRE FOR SPEED GT IN 2003

LAS VEGAS , Nev. (November 12, 2002) – SCCA Pro Racing Ltd. and Toyo Tires announced at the Special Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas that the SPEED World Challenge GT Championship will compete exclusively on the Toyo Proxes RA-1™ race compound DOT-approved tire in 2003.

Since Toyo Tires and SCCA Pro Racing began its relationship with the SPEED World Challenge Championships in 2001, the SPEED GT and Touring Car divisions have raced on shaved Toyo Proxes T1-S™ street tires.

“Over the past two years, we’ve proven that the Toyo Proxes T1-S is, indeed, an ultra-high performance tire,” said Mitch Wright , SCCA Pro Racing Vice President and General Manager. “Toyo is ready to roll out some new sizes in its RA-1 racing tire, and premiering them in SPEED GT is the natural evolution of our relationship with Toyo.”

“We are very excited to provide the Proxes RA-1 for the GT category,” said Earl Knoper, Toyo Tires Senior Vice President of Marketing. “Demonstrating our commitment to the SPEED World Challenge, we have recently developed and tested a new 335/30ZR18 size specifically for the high-torque American cars in SPEED GT. With the horsepower and the high speeds attained by these cars, this new tire spec should provide even more exciting racing, and we look forward to setting new lap records”.

The Proxes RA-1 is a DOT-approved competition tire that comes in either “V” or “Z” ratings, and is available to fit rim diameters such as 13-, 14-, 15-, 16-, 17- and 18-inches. The RA-1 has a tread molded to 8/32” depth for superior wet traction, while it can be shaved to 3/32” to generate extreme dry cornering force. In addition, the Proxes RA-1 has a Tread Wear of 40, with A-ratings for both Traction and Temperature.

Testing has already been performed on both a 3R Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup and Chevrolet Corvette ZO6—two very different automobiles—and results were impressive.

“In testing at a short, tight circuit, both cars were over two seconds per lap faster on the race compound, and the drivers were extremely pleased with the tire’s ability to run consistent lap times in a variety of scenarios and over a long run,” said Wright.

Toyo Tires became the official spec tire of the SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge in 2001, signing a three-year contract worth just over $1 million. The SPEED Touring Car Championship Toyo Tire package for 2003 will be confirmed shortly.

SULLIVAN, Wis. (January 22, 2003) - King Motorsports announced today that the team will compete in the 2003 SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge Touring Car Championship, with Bob Endicott in the driver's seat of a Mugen-powered Acura RSX. King Motorsports is the sole authorized North American distributor for Mugen Co., Ltd. and will rely heavily on involvement from Mugen in their SPEED Touring Car campaign.

"The SPEED World Challenge format allows us to showcase that the Acura RSX is a worthy successor to the Acura Integra as the premier tuner car in the country," said Scott Zellner, owner of King Motorsports. "In addition, it allows us to showcase that Mugen and King Motorsports parts are the ideal aftermarket parts to use on the car. All the parts that we use on the race car will be available for people to buy."

With the first race of the season on March 14th at Sebring International Raceway, the team is rapidly building their new Acura RSX.

"The car is being methodically constructed from the ground up here at our facility," added Zellner. "The engines and transmissions will come directly from Japan. The motors are in Japan on Mugen's dyno right now. With Mugen, you never have to worry about one-lap wonder motors. The power and reliability is always there"

Bob Endicott, a two-time professional champion (1998 PSCR Speedvision Cup, 2001 Grand Am Cup STI), SCCA Valvoline Runoffs Champion and SCCA Tire Rack Solo 2 National Champion, will be at the wheel of the team's lead Acura RSX.

"While Endicott may not have much World Challenge experience, he knows how to win professional races," said Zellner. "He has sprint racing experience from his SCCA National racing, and we have full confidence in his abilities."

For King Motorsports, sprint racing is where they began racing. In 1986, King Motorsports helped introduce the Acura Integra to professional competition when they campaigned it in the IMSA International Sedan Series. Recently, King Motorsports has been busy winning championships in endurance racing and amateur levels of sprint racing.

"The whole shop is very excited about this project," said Zellner. "With help from Mugen Power, American Honda Motor Co., Moton Suspensions, H&R Springs, Red Line Oil, and Pagid Brakes, we are able to put this campaign together. We are currently in negotiations with additional partners to put a second car on the track mid-season. If that deal comes to reality, we will be able to put Kris Skavnes in a second car to support Bob.

"It will take awhile to learn about this series and these tires, but with Bob's developmental abilities and enough testing miles, I think we can overcome that pretty