Toyo Tires® Open Country M/T™ D.O.T. Tire Places Third
In Its First SCORE Trophy Truck Outing

CYPRESS, CA (26 January 2005) -- Toyo Tires® celebrates a podium finish during the inaugural outing of the Open Country M/T™ during a SCORE Trophy Truck off-road race. Scott Steinberger of PCI Racing piloted his 750-horsepower Fabtech/Toyo Tires #7 Ford to a Third Place finish at the 2005 season-opening SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge.

This podium finish is remarkable as Steinberger’s race truck uses off-the-shelf, 37X15.50R17 D.O.T.-approved Open Country M/T™ tires, which are readily available at Toyo Tires® dealers. Toyo’s Open Country M/T™ is a state-of-the-art DSOCII™ computer design that features high traction both on-and-off the road thanks in part to its hook-shaped “attack” tread. A silhouette of the tread continues onto the sidewall for extra grip in deep sand and gravel while providing extra puncture resistance from sharp objects. A bruise and abrasion resistant sidewall compound helps to protect both tires and rims from damage in extreme conditions and helps to avoid cuts.

A multi-cavity molding process results in a consistent tire requiring minimal balancing weights. In addition, this advanced construction aids in the stability of tall vehicles such as pickups and SUVs. The Open Country M/T’s cap-ply construction enhances belt endurance, especially during high-speed operation or in extreme conditions such as off-road racing. According to Travis Roffler, Senior Director of Marketing, Toyo Tire (U.S.A.) Corporation, “We are very pleased with the podium finish during the Open Country M/T’s first outing. This confirms the engineering excellence of the product, both in terms of its off-road traction capabilities as well as the durability of its construction.”

To learn more about Toyo’s Open Country M/T™ and to view a list of available sizes, log onto toyo.com or visit teamtoyo.com for enthusiast and lifestyle information. Toyo manufactures and distributes a complete line of high performance and original equipment replacement tires for passenger car, light truck, commercial truck, bus, off-road and construction applications.