Yokohama To Be Presenting Sponsor of 'Hooked on Driving' at Thunderhill

Contact: Michael F. Hollander, PCGCampbell, 310/224-4981 mhollander@pcgcampbell.com

FULLERTON, Calif. - ( Sept. 18, 2007) - Yokohama's ADVAN® Tire is already the Official Tire of Hooked On Driving; now it adds more as it becomes the Presenting Sponsor of the Hooked On Driving at Thunderhill Raceway on Wednesday, Sept. 19, in Willows, Calif.

Hooked on Driving is an advanced driving instructional program aimed at improving the technique of drivers who sit behind the wheel of high-performance cars. Each event allows the driver valuable time on the track, as well as access to driving coaches that give the participant opportunities to either hone their skills or gain new ones, according to David Ray, HOD Founder and CEO.

"HOD provides amateur high-performance sports car owners the opportunity to drive their cars at a higher level than they can on the street while remaining in a controlled environment," said Ray. "I've been driving on and racing Yokohama tires for more than 20 years and I'm thrilled to have them as a partner with Hooked on Driving."

A top tire expert from Yokohama will provide technical information to participants. Stephen Kings, ADVAN Sales for the Western Region, will give a "Tire Tech Talk" about the most important components of their cars - the ones that touch the road. Participants will also be entered in a drawing for a set of ADVAN® Tires from Yokohama.

"Hooked on Driving is a natural fit for ADVAN," said Jim Mayfield, director ADVAN brand. "They connect with sports car enthusiasts who appreciate ADVAN's race heritage and the iconic reputation that goes behind it as an ultra-high-performance brand."

ADVAN tires are rigorously tested in the competitive arena of motorsports and use Yokohama's most advanced technology. The ADVAN line includes ADVAN Sport®, ADVAN Neova®, ADVAN A048®, ADVAN S.4® and ADVAN S.T. ®.

Yokohama Tire Corporation is the North American manufacturing and marketing arm of Tokyo, Japan-based Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., a global producer and distributor of premium tires since 1917. Servicing a network of more than 4,500 points of sale in the U.S., Yokohama Tire Corporation offers a complete line of tires, including high-performance, light truck, passenger car, commercial truck and bus, as well as off-the-road mining and construction applications. For more information on Yokohama's extensive product line, visit www.yokohamatire.com.

Yokohama is a strong supporter of the tire care and safety guidelines established by the Rubber Manufacturers Association and the National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration. Details can be found at the "Taking Care of Your Tires" section at www.yokohamatire.com.