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Hankook Tire Unveils 2014 Motorsport Plans
March 5, 2014Hankook Tire is building off of the momentum from its successful 2013 Formula Drift season, which included being named the “Formula Drift Tire Manufacturer Champion,” Hankook Tire announced its motorsports plans for 2014.
Hankook will continue its close association with Formula Drift through its official sponsorship of the race series and by sponsoring five drivers and teams. Hankook’s 2014 Formula Drift team lineup will include Chris Forsberg in the CFR Champion Nissan 370Z, Fredric Aasbo in the Papadakis Racing Speed Hunters Scion tC, Tyler McQuarrie in the Mobil1 GoPro Chevrolet Camaro, Ken Gushi in the Greddy Performance Scion FR-S, and Conrad Grunewald in the CGR Megan Racing Chevrolet Camaro.

All of Hankook’s Formula Drift drivers will compete on Hankook’s Ventus R-S3 Extreme Performance Summer tire, one of the premier tires in Formula Drift competition. The Ventus RS-3’s motorsports handling has been proven at Formula Drift races since 2009, garnering Hankook multiple podium finishes, and contributing to Chris Forsberg’s season end second place standing last year. Additionally, for 2014 Hankook will release a new updated compound for the successful Hankook Ventus R-S3.
Hankook will also support teams competing in the 25 Hours of Thunder Hill, off-road racing and Time Attack series. The company will also increase its support for the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, the second oldest race in America. Hankook will be the main sponsor of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, while also sponsoring drivers in off-road events, including Sean Geiser in the Torc Series with his Hankook Dynapro MT tires.

Hankook’s motorsports participation will span the continent as it continues to be the exclusive tire supplier for multiple racing series throughout the Americas. The 2014 Panam GP Series, with races in the United States and South America, will equip its Formula 3 type Formula Abarth cars with Hankook’s Ventus F200 race tire. Also using the Hankook Ventus F200 exclusively for 2014 will be the Florida Winter Series supported by the Ferrari Driver Academy, training ground for future Formula One drivers. Additionally the Intercontinental Trophy Cup series, a part of NASA (National Auto Sport Association), will sport its Porsche Cayman with Hankook’s Ventus Z214 race tires.
“Our 2014 motorsports events provide an ideal platform from which to showcase the cutting-edge technology, innovation and performance of Hankook tires,” said Paul Jho, Hankook Tire America Corp. Motorsports Marketing Manager. “We are proud of the impressive track record our teams and drivers have amassed over the years and look forward to another very competitive season.”
Hankook will continue to support motorsports enthusiasts and racers at all levels. For 2014, Hankook will offer amateur and professional racing enthusiasts contingency program benefits and the chance to earn incentives in SCCA National Solo, ProSolo and Club Racing events, NASA regional and national races, Time Attack races, the Formula DRIFT Series and Torc off-road race

 

All that reading and no ETA of next shipment of RS3's to the states??? Just looking for a front 225/45/17 so I can finally head out to the track.

 

You got that right brotha! I was hoping for a release date as well.

Hopefully Hankook makes something even better than the previous RS3 version. They are working with Lanxess to make a synthetic rubber tire. They operate like no other tire supplier, not filling orders and seemingly not to care about their customer base.

 

Version 2 is available to order on Tire Rack. Shipping dates skattered through April.

 

So after reading through all that self-promotional PR material, I gather they are making a compound change, but what specifically is going to be better?

 

Talked with tire rack today about exactly that.
They didn't have any info except that the sidewall not getting stiffened. He had the nerve to say that once the tire is out and reviews start trickling in, then we'll all know what the changes are.

 

Cold weather and wet weather grip.

 

They have the nerve to say that b/c they are probably even more frustrated to talk about it than you are. Not easy selling a product you know nothing about b/c the supplier is stuck in the 50s with paperwork processes. At one point they didn't even know some of the tires coming in on this order were going to be different. They had orders in for xXXXXX amount of RS3s, not ver3 RS3, but are now going to get some of both.. . pretty stupid.

I'm looking forward to the new compound. I don't think I want ZIIs, RE11as or Rivals. AD08Rs are a bit much so that leaves the RS3 for my next track tire I'm thinking. Now to decide if I'm rolling my fenders a little, or a lot! lol.

 

probably a lot of slipping and sliding


They have the nerve to say that b/c they are probably even more frustrated to talk about it than you are. Not easy selling a product you know nothing about b/c the supplier is stuck in the 50s with paperwork processes. At one point they didn't even know some of the tires coming in on this order were going to be different. They had orders in for xXXXXX amount of RS3s, not ver3 RS3, but are now going to get some of both.. . pretty stupid.

I'm looking forward to the new compound. I don't think I want ZIIs, RE11as or Rivals. AD08Rs are a bit much so that leaves the RS3 for my next track tire I'm thinking. Now to decide if I'm rolling my fenders a little, or a lot! lol.
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totally get the level of fustration that tire rack, online tires, discount, and smaller local distributors have with hankook. apparently, they are near impossible to work with.
I know what its like keep costs competitive. maybe hankook doesnt want to pay salesmen and support staff. if they did, prices would surely be higher.

 

yeah, as far as I'm concerned when I'm burning through a set of tires a year, I'll take the cheaper prices and they can skip the big sales parties and promotions and track days for salesmen. The RS3 has already made a name for itselft and it will continue to sell itself unless they F'd it up.

Bridgestone muddied the water coming in near Hankook and Dunlop prices. I'm pretty sure the Hankook RS3 caused the competitors to price their 17s with some common sense... . The 245/40/17s have a good price war going on. Strangely enough the 255/40/17 BFG Rival is overpriced at $200 compared to the RS3, ZII and RE11A. Must have some special sauce in that model lol!