DETROIT, MI – America’s Greatest Hot Rod Show heated-up an otherwise cold and snowy Detroit over the weekend as over 1,000 of the world’s hottest custom cars were displayed at Cobo Center. The 58th Annual Murray’s – O’Reilly Auto Parts Autorama Presented by Meguiar’s drew large crowds during the three day event and featured the best of the best in hot rods, street machines and custom cars – many in contention for the coveted Ridler Award.

Since its inception in the 1960’s, the Ridler Award (named for Don Ridler) has been proven to be the ultimate expression of recognition for custom design excellence. The award is presented to the most outstanding custom car premiered at Autorama. Many of the world’s best customizers plan for years ahead to design and build what they believe will be the top Ridler contender, each unveiling his/her vehicle under the lights at Cobo for its first public showing.

Choosing the best vehicle from hundreds of entries is a daunting task, and every year Autorama judges narrow the field to the top eight vehicles based on a battery of qualifiers. Those eight vehicles, known as The Pirelli Great 8, provide the pool from which the coveted Ridler Award is chosen each year and are announced at a special brunch held on day two of the competition.

This year, Pirelli Tire North America awarded each of the Great Eight winners $1,000 in prize money as well as a custom jacket and award at a ceremony honoring the greats of the hot rodding world, as well as each of the builders and owners of the very special customs.

“To be included among the Pirelli Great Eight at Detroit Autorama is an honor that is sought by the top custom car designers, builders and owners in America,” said Bob Larivee, Jr., CEO of Championship Auto Shows, Inc. “We are delighted to have the respected name of Pirelli associated with the naming of the Great Eight and we are looking forward to a continued strong relationship with the company.”

2010 Pirelli Great 8 Finalists

Steve Frisbie
Portland, OR
1933 Dodge Pick-Up

Robert Walrich
South Lyon, MI
1944 Ford Victoria

John Roxas
Hinsdale, IL
1934 Packard Coupe

Richard & Paige Udell
Swan Lake, MT
1932 Ford Roadster

Bill Keck
Dubuque, IA
1937 Chevrolet

Tammy Ray
Dahlonega, GA
1933 Ford

Scott & Jan Burton
Draper, UT
1934 Ford Coupe

Jim Linton
Auburn, WA
1934 Ford Coupe

Rafael Navarro, III, PTNA’s Director of Motorsport and Media Relations was on hand to present the Pirelli awards to each of the Great 8 contenders. Included among this year’s winners was the 2010 Ridler Award winner, announced on day three of the competition – Tammy Ray of Dahlonega, Georgia. Ray’s car, a 1933 Ford Phaeton named Gold Digger, was built by Ted Thomas of Canton, Georgia and features Pirelli P Zero Nero rubber front and rear, as well as Foose wheels, PPG Paint, Dakota Digital gauges and a custom interior by M&M Interiors. Ray, who owns a gold mine in North Georgia, is no stranger to being selected to the Great 8 as she was the first female recipient of the award during the 2006 Autorama. That experience led her to plan and prepare to win it all at this year’s show.

“Pirelli is proud to partner with Autorama in rewarding and inspiring the passion and creativity builders and car owners have at all levels of customization,” said Navarro. “The Pirelli Great 8 represents the best customized vehicles in the world from folks that understand passion and performance and demonstrate that in radical vehicle design and customization. With over 130 years of heritage tire design excellence and over a century of motorsport victories, Pirelli is the first, last and best name in vehicle control and performance, and we are proud to be an active participant in the hot rod, street machine and custom car markets.

“The incredible cars on display at the Detroit Autorama are representative of the heart and soul of American hot rodding, and Pirelli is there with a superior line of tires for hot rodders and street rodders specially manufactured to take advantage of the big power and big wheels these new rides demand. We look forward to growing our presence in this community as well as giving our customers additional reasons to get excited about our brand.”

Pirelli Tire North America designs, develops, manufactures and markets tires for passenger vehicles in both the original equipment and replacement markets as well as markets and distributes tires for motorcycles and motorsports. Located in Rome, Georgia, Pirelli’s Modular Integrated Robotized System (MIRS) employs state-of-the-art technology to manufacture tires for both export and domestic markets. For more information please visit www.us.pirelli.com.

SALEM, MO – Pirelli Partner/Driver Ken Block and co-driver Alex Gelsomino drove the Monster World Rally Team Open Class Ford Fiesta to a fifth consecutive win at 100 Acre Wood this weekend. Block held-off a late charge by second-place finisher Antoine L’Estage in his Rockstar Mitsubishi Evo to win. Early Rally leader Travis Pastrana of the Subaru Rally Team USA suffered suspension problems, taking him out of contention for the top spot.

The 100 Acre Wood Rally is the second race of the Rally-America Championship Series. Named after the storybook home of Winnie the Pooh, the rally is picturesque, and features plenty of twists and turns to test any driver’s ability. Set in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains of Missouri, the rally is a favorite for drivers due to its pristine surroundings and fast, tight roads.

“This is the location of my first national rally win,” said Block ecstatically, “and now I’ve won this rally five years in a row! This was (also) our first event competing on gravel with Pirellis and they proved to not only be a very consistent tire, but extremely durable as well. We didn’t have a single puncture the entire rally, and when times are close like they were between Antoine L’Estage and me, a puncture can change everything. It is a pretty good feeling to get the Fiesta home in first!”

Ken Block officially made the switch to Pirelli Tire in a long-term deal signed earlier this season. Driving for Monster World Rally Team, Block campaigns Pirelli-fitted Fords (the new Rally version of the Fiesta and rally version of the Focus RS) in the Rally America Championship (RAC), X Games and the World Rally Championship (WRC).

Block and the rest of the Monster World Rally Team are now preparing for this week’s World Rally Championship event, the Corona Rally Mexico, on March 5-7th.

The next national event on the Rally America calendar is the Olympus Rally in Olympia, Washington this April 24-25.

Top teams in the series are also invited to compete in the Summer X Games, the leading action sports event broadcast live on ABC and ESPN.
All results are considered provisional pending official post-event race processes.

About Rally America

Based in Golden Valley, Minnesota, Rally America sanctions the Rally America National Championship Series. In 2010, Rally America will conduct six National Championship events at venues across the country, from Olympia, Washington to Bethel, Maine, and three European style rallycross events in New Jersey.

Rally America Championship Schedule for Remainder of 2010 Season

Olympus – April 24-25
Oregon Trail – May 14-16
STPR – June 4-5
New England Forest – July 16-17

Block’s World Rally Championship (WRC) Schedule

Mexico / Corona Rally Mexico / March 5-7
Turkey / Rally of Turkey / April 16-18
Portugal / Vodaphone Rally de Portugal / May 28-30
Germany / ADAC Rallye Duetschland / August 20-22
France / Rallye de France / September 30 – October 3
Spain / RACC Rallye de Espana / October 22-24
Great Britain / Wales Rally of Great Britain / November 11-14

X Games 16

Los Angeles / July 29-August 1

Pirelli Tire North America designs, develops, manufactures and markets tires for passenger vehicles in both the original equipment and replacement markets as well as markets and distributes tires for motorcycles and motorsports. Located in Rome, Georgia, Pirelli’s Modular Integrated Robotized System (MIRS) employs state-of-the-art technology to manufacture tires for both export and domestic markets. For more information please visit www.us.pirelli.com.

American driving sensation Ken Block has officially made the switch to Pirelli tires.  Driving for Monster World Rally Team, Block will campaign Pirelli-fitted Fords (the new Rally version of the Fiesta and rally version of the Focus RS) in the Rally America Championship (RAC), X Games and the World Rally Championship (WRC) for the 2010 season.  Block will also use Pirelli products in all of his automotive exploits for years to come.

Block’s move to Pirelli comes with his switch to an all-Ford stable of cars.  Both his new Ford Fiesta – built for the 2010 season’s RAC and X Games events – and his Ford Focus, prepared for Block’s WRC efforts this season – are outfitted exclusively with Pirelli Tires.

Pirelli participates in 20 rally championships world-wide. Block’s move to Pirelli, the WRC and the RAC for 2010 is sure to deliver more action and excitement than ever before – bringing an audience of extreme sports and driving enthusiasts into the fold, and introducing traditional rally fans to Block’s signature driving style.

Rally driving demands focus and attention to detail, and Pirelli is well-suited to support Block’s efforts as his exclusive tire supplier with several tire options that are specialized to meet the needs of the surface, weather and speed of each event.

“Rally is all about exploiting traction, making tire choice crucial,” says Ken Block. “And I am confident that the move to Pirelli is going to be a winning formula for us. Plus, I’ve always been a fan of Pirelli, not just the tires, but the brand. Everything from the iconic logo to the famous Pirelli Calendar really fits with the Monster World Rally Team look and feel.”

Beyond rallying, Block may is very well known for his popular Gymkhana series of driving videos – also viewable online – wherein he pilots his car with astonishing aplomb in, around, through, over and under just about any obstacle imaginable on a closed course.  Block’s new Monster World Rally Team cars and schedule are highlighted in an all-new Internet video released earlier this month on YouTube.com.

“We are very excited to be a part of the Ken Block experience,” said Rafael Navarro, III, Director of Motorsport and Media Relations for Pirelli Tire North America.  “Block and the Monster World Rally Team will synergize well with the Pirelli brand.  Combining Block’s talent with Pirelli’s heritage in Motorsport, car and motorcycle tires is a win, win, win for everyone involved.  We have seen what Ken can do with a car, and now we’ll be able to experience what he can do with Pirelli.”

Block and the 2010 Monster World Rally Team will be rallying this month at 100 Acre Wood, February 26^th and 27th, the second of six Rally America Championship events this season.  See schedules below for specific races:

Rally America Championship

Sno*Drift	January 29-30
100 Acre Wood	February 26-27
Olympus	April 24-25
Oregon Trail	May 14-16
STPR	June 4-5
New England Forest	July 16-17

World Rally Championship (WRC)

Mexico	Corona Rally Mexico	March 5-7
Turkey	Rally of Turkey	April 16-18
Portugal	Vodaphone Rally de Portugal	May 28-30
Germany	ADAC Rallye Duetschland	August 20-22
France	Rallye de France	September 30 – October 3
Spain	RACC Rallye de Espana	October 22-24
Great Britain	Wales Rally of Great Britain	November 11-14

X Games 16

Los Angeles

July 29-August 1