February 27, 2009 (Columbus, Ohio) - Kenda Tire announces their sponsorship relationship for the 2009 season with the National Guard Polaris Team. The team will be Polaris' Factory-backed team for 2009 and is managed by William Yokley, the 2008 GNCC UTV Champion. William will also once again contest the premier XC1 ATV class. Also riding for the team is Mark Notman, who finished 2008 in the XC2 runner up spot and will shoot for that title this year.
William Yokley is known as an icon in the ATV and UTV racing market, with a tremendous fan following. He has been featured in various industry media like ATV magazines, GNCC event broadcasts, as well as appearances on Moto World, The Outdoor Channel, Versus, ATV Television, ESPN2 and ABC. In addition to racing, Yokley has been very active in product development. He works with many of his sponsors as a performance tester for both racing and recreational use.
"I am really excited about this season and the Kenda relationship. The Kenda tires are absolutely amazing. I did quite a bit of testing with the new Kutter XC and could not believe the traction improvements they've come up with. The side bite was excellent and the amount of force required to maneuver the machine was cut in half. The tires track straight and have a nice lightweight feel. Working with the Kenda people has been a pleasure and we are looking forward to winning this year with their tires and support," commented Yokley.
The National Guard Polaris Team will compete in the ATV and UTV GNCC Series. The series will have its season opener starting this Saturday, February 28, 2009 in River Ranch, Florida. The GNCC Series is one of the most prestigious and challenging off-road racing series in the country. In addition to the GNCC Series, the team will also race in other select off-road events. "Kenda is proud to be working with another top off-road racing team. We've invested a tremendous amount of resources to build tires that are capable of winning championships. We're backing some of the best teams in the premier off-road series in the world to demonstrate what our products can do. Whether you're racing Off-road motorcycles, ATV's, or UTV's - our tires can deliver winning results," stated Gus Niewenhous, Sales and Marketing Manager for Kenda Powersports.
About Kenda Tire
Kenda Tire has been serving the powersports industry since 1962. The company continues to make great strides in product development, all while maintaining a price niche that works for today's economy. The U.S. Kenda research and design teams, based in Columbus, Ohio continuously studies market demands and engineering data to produce superior, high-quality products. Tires such as the legendary Millville and Washougal continue to impress; while the new Southwick II and Triple push the envelope even farther. ATV tires are also primary focus for Kenda. The new Kutter MX and GNCC tires are designed to revolutionize the Sport-ATV category. Yamaha's Factory GNCC Motorcycle effort, Polaris' Factory GNCC ATV effort and Foremost Insurance Jim Neese Racing all depend on Kenda tires.