BFGoodrich-Logo-2-19-13GREENVILLE, S.C. – BFGoodrich Tires recognizes two major milestones for the brand and the off-road industry at the 2016 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas. The brand celebrates forty years since the introduction of its Radial All-Terrain T/A™ tire as well as its entry into SCORE Baja desert racing.

In 1975, BFGoodrich engineers traveled to Baja California, Mexico to test a new concept – a radial light truck tire for both off and on-road use. The company learned quickly that they could use the Baja peninsula as a real-life laboratory to develop tires. If they could withstand the grueling terrain of Baja, they had something.

A year later, BFGoodrich debuted its first radial all-terrain tire, the Radial All-Terrain T/A™. It was quickly decided that the best way to prove the durability of the new tire was to travel back to Baja and test it in the SCORE Baja 500 desert race. Mounted on an Oldsmobile Starfire, the experiment worked to strengthen the brand’s commitment to prove they could make it work.

MORE: 2016 SEMA Show Highlights

That moment not only launched a radial all-terrain tire that was technically revolutionary and was a catalyst for the growth of the light truck and four-wheel drive vehicle industry, but it also triggered the beginning of the desert racing history of the brand. This heritage of racing is now 40 years old and has witnessed incredible success in overall wins – 86 in SCORE Baja racing, more than all other tire manufacturers combined as well as technical advancement in off-road racing and consumer tires.

Forty years later, BFGoodrich Tires developed all-terrain tires that boast among the largest market share in the recreational light truck category.

BFGoodrich Tires will once again host the one-of-a-kind Pit Crew Challenge outside its booth at the SEMA Score Baja Experience in the Silver Lot outside of the South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center, running from Tuesday, Nov. 1, through Thursday, Nov. 3. Each two-member team will compete against the clock, and other teams, by conducting a controlled pit stop and testing their skills in changing BFGoodrich Baja T/A® KR2 race tires and simulating a fuel stop on a SCORE Baja Chenowth Pre-Runner buggy.

Each day the team with the fastest time will win a set of BFGoodrich Tires. One lucky team selected at random will be rewarded with a trip to the 2017 Baja 500 as guests of BFGoodrich Tires.

Kicking the week off, BFGoodrich Tires will be the presenting sponsor of the 2016 Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony held Monday, Oct. 31 at South Point Hotel &
Casino.

New this year at SEMA is a demonstration of the hottest trends in Virtual Reality (VR) video and Augmented Reality (AR) video. In addition to several automotive-themed experiential demonstrations throughout the show at the SEMA VR Experience, BFGoodrich Tires will host its
own VR experience throughout the show in the Silver Lot. Highlighted is unique opportunity to ride shotgun in a 850-horsepower Trophy Truck with Baja 1000 champion Rob MacCachren in the BFGoodrich Baja 1000 VR Experience.

In addition to this experience, the Baja 1000 VR Experience will be complemented by a second VR experience allowing for an immersive tire-test driving experience as part of the “Are You
Driver Enough VR Experience”. Both are located at SEMA Central in the Grand Lobby of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Other notable events at the BFGoodrich Tires display at SEMA include:

· Premiere of Driving Dirty: The Road to the Baja 1000 video featuring Red Bull Athlete and BFGoodrich Performance Team member and SCORE Baja champion Bryce Menzies (Tuesday Nov 1; 1 p.m.)

· Video teaser of the latest installment in the video series – BFGoodrich Tires The Racing Line – Presented by Tire Rack. Join Motor Trend personality and driver Randy Pobst and BFGoodrich Performance Team member and driving instructor John Williams at the video launch on Wednesday Nov 2; 11:30 a.m.

· Announcement of partnership between BFGoodrich Tires and Jeep Jamboree
(Wednesday Nov 2; 1 p.m.)

· BFGoodrich Tires Outstanding Trails presented by 4 Wheel Parts winner announcement (Thursday, Nov 3; 11 a.m.)

· Autographs sessions featuring SCORE Baja champions Rob MacCachren (Tues., Nov 1; beginning at 12 p.m.) and Bryce Menzies (Tues., Nov 1; beginning at 1 p.m.)

In the weeks leading up to SEMA, BFGoodrich will ignite its social media channels with authentic stories around the people, the places and the tires that have contributed to the 40 years of excellence in dirt that the brand has enjoyed. From desert racing legends to pit crew volunteers, this program called ’40 for 40’ will highlight the rich history by sharing 40 years’ worth of adventures and stories on our channels. Follow BFGoodrich Tires on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/BFGoodrichTires and Twitter at @BFGoodrichTires and Instagram at @BFGoodrichTires.

As part of its long-standing partnership with SCORE International and the world of desert racing, BFGoodrich Tires is sponsoring the SEMA Show SCORE Baja 1000 experience, which includes the qualifying for the 2016 SCORE Baja 1000, to take place Nov. 1 at a specially designed course at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Dozens of the world’s top desert racers, many on BFGoodrich Tires, will participate in the qualifying event as they prepare for the race in Mexico’s Baja peninsula beginning on Nov. 19.
The SEMA Show SCORE Baja 1000 Experience includes a 70,000-square-foot desert-racing exhibit outside of the Las Vegas Convention Center’s South Hall. On display will be dozens of SCORE Baja 1000 SCORE Trophy Truck and unlimited Class 1 race vehicles, with exhibits from leading off-road and desert-racing companies.

At the booth in the Silver Lot, BFGoodrich recognizes its proud racing history by displaying the following vehicles:

· 1972 Ford F100 vehicle which won the brands first races in Baja. In 1977, Frank Vessels
wheeled this vehicle to wins in the Baja 500 and Baja 1000.

· Rob MacCachren’s championship winning PRO 2 off road short course truck. This truck sports a Ford V-8 engine built by Kroyer Racing bringing 850-horsepower to work and is
outfit for the demands of Lucas Oil Off Road Racing. MacCachren has four PRO 2 championships including adding one this year in 2016.

· Rod Hall, legendary champion desert racer, will have his custom built 350-hp Ford Bronco on display wearing BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A® KO2 tires. Rod will run in his 50th 1000-mile desert race this November at the SCORE Baja 1000.

· BFGoodrich Performance Team member and off-road racer Casey Currie brings his custom built racing and rock crawling Jeep on 39 inch BFGoodrich T/A® Krawler tires.

The brand’s All-Terrain T/A® KO2 tire is one of the central products displayed on site. BFGoodrich Tires is the brand that revolutionized the radial all-terrain market in 1976 and has launched its most advanced light truck tire ever with the new All-Terrain T/A® KO2 tire in 2015 and has sold more than 5 million tires since.
Building on BFG’s long heritage as an innovative all-terrain tire maker, the KO2 incorporates technology developed and tested through the brand’s legendary off-road motorsports teams that have earned 86 off-road overall wins SCORE Baja desert racing.

Additionally, the companies most advanced Ultra High Performance Tire, the g-Force™ COMP-2™ A/S tire is highlighted in the booth space. Also launched in 2015, this tire has had a strong response from the market and is Best In Category on Tire Rack.com in their Ultra High Performance All Season ratings.

Both the All-Terrain T/A® KO2 and the g-Force™ COMP-2™ A/S tires were recognized at the 2015 SEMA New Products Awards.

For more information, visit BFGoodrich.com.