KUMHO SET FOR NEW SEASON OF V8 TOURING CAR RACING

Kumho Tyres has welcomed a new racing format for the upcoming season of Kumho V8 Touring Car racing following the announcement of the new schedule.

Changes to the Kumho V8 Touring Car regulations will mean more racing laps for the series and the time attack style qualifying session being scrapped for a traditional 20 minute session. Each round will now comprise two x 15 minute races and one x 25 minute race.

John Mills, the motor sport co-ordinator for Kumho Tyres Australia, believes having more racing laps will create a more exciting series with tyre conservation becoming a key consideration for the field.

"Longer races mean that drivers will have to conserve their tyres and not go too hard to early. The Kumho tyre has proven to be durable throughout the weekend but drivers who don't consider tyre life will notice a drop off in performance in the races," explained John Mills.

Teams are able to use up to six tyres over the weekend and are limited to buying four new tyres each event from round two - meaning that teams will have to maintain their tyre bank between events as well as conserve their tyres on the track.

"It will be a great series to see. The changes they have made for 2012 will make it more of a spectacle and better for the competitors," John Mills said.

The series is set to be more popular than ever in 2012 with the addition of a sixth round and the approval of the VZ Holden Commodore's eligibility.

Kumho's national marketing and training manager, David Basha, is elated with the growth the series has shown since the tyre company came on board.

"The Kumho V8 Touring Car series is a fantastic category and Kumho are thrilled to be involved again in 2012," David Basha said.

"Many of the cars have a rich history behind them and the series provides a place for the owners of these former V8 Supercars a place to race and V8 Supercar fans a place to see their favourite cars of yesteryear racing."

The series kicks off on 9 March at Eastern Creek before heading to Mallala Raceway in April and Winton Raceway in June. Round four will be held in August at Queensland Raceway, Phillip Island hosts round five in September and the series finale will take place at Sandown Raceway in November.

Since its inception in 1960, Kumho Tyres has been a model of steady growth amid dramatic changes of business landscape. Driven by innovation in management and technical development Kumho has become one of the top ten tyre companies in the world.

Over the past half-century Kumho Tyres has built the foundation for a sustainable company, which has thrived through a full range of business environments.

Kumho has succeeded in the development of superior tyres for all vehicles including high performance, passenger, sports utility and recreational vehicles, as well as light trucks, heavy truck and buses, industrial, agricultural, mining and construction vehicles as well as aircraft.

Kumho produces more than 68 million tyres annually with a massive research and development program which comprises more than 600 research personnel and 300 testing machines at proving grounds in South Korea, China, Europe and North America. Kumho leads the world with the latest in tyre technology, safety and performance.

In Australia Kumho markets an extensive range of tyres for cars, 4WDs, light commercials, trucks and buses with a network centered around five state locations with the ability to distribute tyres to retailers across all areas of Australia.