Kumho Celebrates Off-Road Racing Season
Key Highlights
- Kumho Tire's drivers secured multiple class wins, including a season championship and regional titles for off-road racing.
- The Road Venture MT71 tires are engineered with features like increased block stiffness and mud-stone ejector bars to handle tough terrains and prevent damage.
- Kumho's off-road success serves as a real-world test of its tires' capabilities and a commitment to innovation in light truck and SUV tires.
Kumho Tire U.S.A. is celebrating its 2026 off-road racing season with multiple class podium finishes.
The company's three sponsored drivers, Mark Duval (#4810), Stephen "Woody" Rose Jr. (#22) and Eric Wikle (#406), were equipped with Kumho Road Venture MT71 mud-terrain tires during the season's competitive off-road courses.
“We are extremely proud of the success of our drivers this season, which is a testament to the strength and performance of our Road Venture MT71 tires,” says Ed Cho, CEO of Kumho Tire U.S.A. “Key product insights gathered from these races will be integrated into the next generation of all-terrain tires to ensure that racing-grade innovations reach everyday drivers.”
Among the highlights from the season, Mark Duval (#4810) placed first in the 4800 Class of the Valley Off Road Racing Association (VORRA) Season Championship after winning every race in the four-event series. Additionally, Stephen “Woody” Rose Jr. (#22) became the Ultra4 Western Regional Series Champion in the 4800 Class, after one first-place finish and two fourth-place finishes across four demanding races.
Eric Wikle (#406) captured first place in the Rock800: Legends class at the 2026 Casey Folks Vegas to Reno race, navigating the rigorous 505-mile course in the Nevada desert, according to officials. For the first time in the event’s history, the course was run in reverse, with racers battling for the quickest time from Reno to Vegas.
Kumho's Road Venture MT71 tires are "engineered to tackle nature’s toughest obstacles that both performance racers and everyday adventurers may face," say Kumho officials.
Features of the tire includes increased block stiffness for enhanced on and off-road handling performance characteristics, a "high-void tread pattern" for "maximum off-road traction" and mud and stone ejector bars between the shoulder lugs to prevent damage from stone drills and aid self-cleaning features.
Officials say the company's off-road racing successes serve as "a real-world demonstration of Kumho Tire’s commitment to both high performance and long-lasting durability in its wide range of Road Venture light truck and SUV tires."