Kenda Tire USA is expanding its motorsports program by becoming an official tire supplier to the Formula Drift Pro Championship. The company, which joins four other tiremakers in the championship, signed a two-year agreement to supply its latest ultra-high performance (UHP) Vezda UHP Max tire to selected Formula Drift Pro drivers for all eight rounds of the 2023 season, the company said.
The Kenda Vezda UHP Max tire is a new 200 treadwear, max-performance tire which debuted at the 2022 SEMA Show. The tire features a new tread compound with reinforced sidewalls and enhanced tread stiffness, which is designed to offer maximum high-speed cornering grip.
“We’re very excited to partner with Formula DRIFT. We want to demonstrate how Kenda’s off-the-shelf Vezda UHP MAX tires can perform in the world’s most competitive drift series,” said Brandon Stotsenburg, vice president of automotive for Kenda Tire USA. “Our motorsports mantra is about demonstrating how Kenda Tire can compete, and win, off-the-shelf, from Podium2Pavement. This is the perfect reason to partner with an iconic series like Formula DRIFT to vividly demonstrate the quality, performance, and technical expertise of our tires.”
“Kenda has worked hard to develop a tire that builds on our strong reputation in the grassroots racing community. The Vezda UHP MAX will showcase our capability at the highest level of drift, demonstrating our commitment to providing a capable tire to all driving enthusiasts,” said Edward Koczan, UHP Motorsports program manager.
The company said it is in discussions with a number of Formula Drift Pro drivers and teams. Once complete, it will reveal the names of the drivers who will compete with Kenda Tire in 2023, starting at the opening round on the streets of Long Beach from April 7-8.
