Cooper Tires to replace Yokohama in Atlantics

[Fogelhund]

http://www.champcaratlantic.com/News...le.asp?ID=2213

Champ Car Atlantic Championship officials announced today that the series will enter into an exclusive partnership with the Cooper Tire & Rubber Company in 2007. Under the terms of the three-year agreement, Cooper Tire will become the Official Tire of the Champ Car Atlantic Championship beginning next season and the company will also serve as the presenting sponsor of North America's premier open-wheel development series.

http://www.champcaratlantic.com/News...le.asp?ID=2211

The Yokohama Tire Corporation and the Champ Car Atlantic Championship have mutually agreed to end their partnership after the completion of the 2006 Atlantic season.

[racinthestreets]

Becoming one of the best open wheel series. This can only continue the re-emergence of CCWS. Keep the forward momentum of the foundation and the top series Champ Car will continue to re-emerge/re-evolve/re-invent. I want to see the Atlantics this year more than at any time in the past. It is exciting and competetive.

[Snrub]

I see this is a lateral move, it's neither positive or negative.

[RaceFreak]

This isn't surprising. Cooper 'tested-the-waters' last season, supplying the A1GP series tires. The cars aren't so far apart so it should be an easy do for them. My guess is they're working their way up the motorsports ladder: Yoko is either getting out've motorsports (unlikely) or moving elsewhere. Maybe with Toyota in NASCAR ??? (total speculation...)

[strider]

Actually, Cooper Tires is the parent company of Avon tyres, which have been used in the UK for many years, notably in International F3000, British F3 and, this season, British GT.

So they have loads of experience and should provide a good tyre.

[ghinzani]

Have they any relationship with the Cooper racing services from that area that used to run the race school at Combe and who bought Swift FF?