Mickey Thompson to support Pro Modified Racing Association for 2009

Renowned tire maker to offer contingency at each PMRA event

01/27/09

Stow, OH - The Pro Modified Racing Association is pleased to welcome the involvement of Mickey Thompson Performance Tires and Wheels as a contingency sponsor for 2009.

“We’re excited to join the PMRA,” said Carl Robinson, Motorsports Manager and Wheel Products Manager of Mickey Thompson Performance Wheels and Tires. “We’ve been watching the series since its inception, and we’re happy to be associated with the PMRA.”

Now entering its fifth year of competition, the PMRA is dedicated in presenting some of the best in Pro Modified drag racing, and the support of Mickey Thompson reinforces this influence in the series, according to PMRA Director of Operations Bruce Mehlenbacher.

“Mickey Thompson is one of the biggest and most respected names in drag slicks,” said Mehlenbacher.

“We are very happy to have them as part of the PMRA, and we look forward to working with them.”

Mickey Thompson will provide a contingency award to the low qualifier and winner if they are running Mickey Thompson Tires at each event on the 2009 PMRA tour.

Robinson noted that the PMRA will be a good fit with his company’s plans to expand on tires associated with the popular and quick Pro Modifieds.

“We’re pleased to be able to work with big tire racers,” he noted. “This is an area where we want to grow.”

He added that there are two M/T slick applications for the high-horsepower Pro Modified racing, one for automatic cars, and one for manual gearbox cars. The company has recently developed a new line of wheels which will compliment its Pro Modified tires.

The recently-introduced Pro-5 Drag Wheel is fully-forged and CNC-machined offering great strength in a lightweight package. The new rims are also the first one-piece rear drag wheel with an integrated double-bead lock system in the sport.

Since 1963, Mickey Thompson has produced quality products for many racing and street applications with a strong racing heritage and a world-wide reputation as a leader in high-performance tires.

Website: http://www.mickeythompsontires.com

The PMRA will compete at several drag strips in 2009, including dates at Toronto Motorsports Park in Cayuga, Ontario, starting with the season opener on May 16 and 17, at St. Thomas Dragway on July 11 and 12, and a season-closer at the Southwestern Ontario track of the Grand Bend Motorplex on September 5 and 6.

Negotiations are underway way with several US race tracks based in Michigan, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania as well as Quebec with the plan of presenting a six or seven event PMRA drag racing series for 2009.

For more information, contact Bruce F. Mehlenbacher Bruce@PMRA.ca

About the Pro Modified Racing Association (PMRA):

The Pro Modified Racing Association, www.PMRA.ca, was organized late in 2004, started racing operations in 2005, and is entering its fifth year of operation in 2009. The PMRA is a self-governing organization with input from its teams, and adheres to the technical and safety rules as outlined by the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) and the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA). The series has event venues in Ontario, Quebec, and New York State.

Cars in the PMRA capture the true spirit of hot rodding, and the class is one of drag racing’s most exciting and colorful classes, offering a diverse group of race cars with different types of 2,500-horsepower supercharged, nitrous powered and turbocharged engines.

Combining classic body styles and modern equipment, constructors are permitted, within established rules and parameters, to modify and enhance the cars in both appearance and performance. The cars are fuelled by gasoline or methanol, propelling them down the quarter-mile in low six-second times at over 200 miles per hour. The PMRA provides drag race fans the opportunity to see, hear, and experience the popular Pro Modifieds, known as the world's fastest door slammers.

Photo Credit: Bill Mehlenbacher Photography - www.nxphoto.com

For more information, please contact:

Bruce F. Mehlenbacher
Director of Operations
Telephone: (905) 772-1800 Ext. #22
E-mail: Bruce@PMRA.ca

Tim Miller
Media Director
Telephone: (905) 870-1456
E-mail: Tim@PMRA.ca





For more info on Mickey Thompson Tires & Wheels visit:
www.mickeythompsontires.com

MICKEY THOMPSON PERFORMANCE TIRES & WHEELS
4600 Prosper Drive
Stow, OH 44224
or call (330) 928-9092


Company Description

Mickey Thompson Performance Tires & Wheels designs, develops, and markets racing and high-performance tires for drag-racing cars and motorcycles, modified street cars, off-road race vehicles, modified pick-up trucks, Jeeps, 4x4’s and sport utility vehicles. The company, founded in 1963 by racing legend Mickey Thompson, is headquartered in Stow, Ohio, USA, and offers a wide range of tires and wheels in unique sizes to enhance the look and performance of these specialty high-performance and racing vehicles. For more information, visit http://www.mickeythompsontires.com, or visit the new Mickey Thompson TV at http://www.mickeythompsontv.com.