Former two-time champion Steele and co-driver Rene Brugger come from behind to take Class 6 title on off-the-shelf Geolandar M/T+® tires
FULLERTON, CA. – (March 14, 2011) – Yokohama Tire Corporation-sponsored Heidi Steele captured her first race of the season, winning the Class 6 title at the 25th MasterCraft Safety Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250 in Baja, California on March 12.
Driving her customary Ford Ranger, Steele, the former Class 6 (unlimited, production mini trucks) and Class 7 (open, production mini trucks) champion, and her co-driver and Desert Assassins teammate Rene Brugger, finished the demanding course on off-the-shelf Yokohama Geolandar M/T+® tires in 5:50:40. “This was the roughest course I have seen in the six years I have raced here,” said Steele. “My Yokohama tires performed well; we had one flat tire due to driver error. It’s awesome to add a San Felipe 250 win to our Baja racing history. It’s truly an accomplishment!”
According to Steele, the race was nip and tuck the whole way. “Rene started and I took it to the finish,” she said. “I felt a lot of pressure making the driver change because he was bringing it in first. And when Dave Caspino got by us at the pit, I was like, ‘Now I have to chase him down? Oh, man.’ We caught him at mile 190 or 200 and then somehow he got by us again and we didn’t see him. Then we got back by him at about mile 243 for the win.”
Yokohama Tire Corporation is the North American manufacturing and marketing arm of Tokyo, Japan-based The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., a global manufacturing and sales company of premium tires since 1917. Servicing a network of more than 4,500 points of sale in the U.S., Yokohama Tire Corporation is a leader in technology and innovation. The company’s complete product line includes the dB Super E-spec™ – the world’s first tire to use orange oil to reduce petroleum – as well as tires for high-performance, light truck, passenger car, commercial truck and bus, and 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 “Tire Safety” section at www.yokohamatire.com.