KUMHO TIRE U.S.A. ANNOUNCES 2025 DRIVER LINEUP FOR FORMULA DRIFT PRO CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

In its second year as an Official Tire of Formula DRIFT,
Kumho Tire U.S.A. extends partnerships with Jeff Jones and Andy Hateley

ATLANTA, Nov. 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Kumho Tire U.S.A., one of the world's leading tire manufacturers, announced today it will continue to sponsor drivers Jeff Jones and Andy Hateley in the upcoming 2025 Formula DRIFT PRO Championship Series. Next year will mark Kumho Tire's second season as an Official Tire of Formula DRIFT and sponsor of the Formula DRIFT PRO Championship.  The announcement was made at this year's SEMA 2024, Nov. 5-8 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Jeff Jones, who competes in a Nissan 370Z, is a drifting pioneer as well as a mentor dedicated to developing future stars of the sport. In his first year racing on Ecsta V730 tires from Kumho Tire, Jones improved from 29^th in 2023 to just outside the top 10 (12^th) in the 2024 Formula DRIFT PRO Championship Series. Andy Hateley, better known as the "Drift Wizard," and who has been drifting for more than two decades, closed out his rookie season of the Formula DRIFT PRO Championship Series in 28^th place overall.

"Our first year with Formula DRIFT has played an important role in our efforts to broaden brand awareness, particularly among motorsports fans," said Shawn Denlein, president of sales and marketing, Kumho Tire U.S.A. "Andy and Jeff served as great ambassadors for Kumho Tire brand, and we look forward to continue our partnership with them in 2025."

"Kumho Tire has been a tremendous addition to the Formula DRIFT family and we're excited to see the company renew its partnership with Jeff and Andy. Both drivers are fan favorites for good reason – Jeff had a particularly notable year, reaching the Final 4 in Seattle and the Great 8 in both Utah and Irwindale. " said Ryan Sage, President of Formula DRIFT.

Both drivers will be making appearances to meet fans and sign autographs during SEMA week in Las Vegas, at the Kumho Tire booth (#81398) outside the Las Vegas Convention Center in the Silver Lot.  Jones is scheduled to appear on Wednesday, Nov. 6 from 2-3p PT and Hateley on Thursday, Nov. 7 from 1-2p PT.

More information about Jones can be found at www.jeffjonesracing,com. More information about Hateley can be found at www.hateleymotorsports.com.

For additional information on Kumho Tire and Formula DRIFT, fans can follow along via social media @kumhotireUSA.

For more information on the full product lineup of Kumho Tire U.S.A., visit kumhotireusa.com.

About KUMHO TIRE Co. Inc.
Kumho Tire, one of the world's largest tire manufacturers, has more than 60 years of history of pioneering innovative approaches to developing tires and is dedicated to providing exceptional driving experiences to consumers around the world. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Kumho Tire U.S.A. is the US sales, marketing, and distribution arm of Kumho Tire Co. Inc.

For more information on Kumho Tire U.S.A., Inc., and its products, please visit www.KumhoTireUSA.com. Follow Kumho Tire on Facebook Facebook.com/KumhoTire, Instagram instagram.com/kumhotireusa/ and on X @KumhoTireUSA.

About Formula DRIFT
Formula DRIFT is recognized as the leading international drifting championship. Established on the streets of Japan, drifting has evolved into a worldwide competitive sport that challenges the driver's skill while demanding a great deal from their vehicle in terms of power and strength. Formula DRIFT provides a series for the best professional drifters from around the globe to compete for the coveted title of Formula DRIFT Champion. As the first official drifting series in North America, Formula DRIFT has taken competitive motorsports to the extreme, attracting drift fans and car enthusiasts from all walks of life, and established itself as the global leader for the sport. For a competition schedule, ticket information, special content and livestream, please visit formulad.com

SOURCE Kumho Tire USA