TBC strengthens NHRA partnership

Oct. 6, 2011

The TBC Retail Group has entered into a multi-year relationship with the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA). TBC and its Big O brand will serve as title sponsor of the fall event at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

The Big O Tires NHRA Nationals will be held Oct. 27-30. It will serve as the "penultimate race in the NHRA Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship," according to TBC.

“As a franchise organization, the title rights sponsorship provides our franchisees great local and national exposure to a very loyal fan base,” says Kevin Kormondy, executive vice president and COO of Big O Tires LLC.

The TBC Retail Group also is the title rights sponsor of the Tire Kingdom NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville (Fla.) Raceway, and has a strong presence along NHRA’s Nitro Alley at NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series events. In addition, TBC serves as the primary team sponsor for the the following teams:

1. Service Central Dodge Charger Funny Car driven by Johnny Gray,

2. Service Central Top Fuel Dragster driven by Dom Lagana, and

3. Service Central Pontiac GXP Pro Stock car driven by Shane Gray.

“We are excited to see TBC Retail Group expand its involvement in NHRA,” says Tony Driscoll, vice president of sales and business development, NHRA. “TBC’s title rights sponsorships, coupled with its onsite activation, provides a solid footprint at our NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series events to reach our passionate fan base.”

TBC Retail Group Inc., a subsidiary of TBC Corp., operates more than 825 tire and automotive service centers under the Tire Kingdom, NTB and Merchant’s Tire and Auto Centers names, along with nearly 500 franchised Big O Tires locations. For more information, visit www.servicecentralauto.com.

For additional information, click on "TBC gives Jeff Burton's race car to high school."