October 7, 2006
UROC and BFGoodrich^® Tires Team Up for New Rock Crawling Race Series to Debut in 2007
RockCross to Feature Head-to-Head Racing Format and $10,000 Triple Crown Bonus
POMONA, Calif.

A new sport is about to hit the desert, merging the lightning speed of off-road racing with the rugged determination of rock crawling. This describes the BFGoodrich^® Triple Crown of RockCross, a fast-paced, rock-conquering 2007 race series announced by the United Rock Crawling and Off-Road Challenge (UROC) and BFGoodrich Tires during an exhibition at the Off-Road Expo in Pomona, Calif.

RockCross is a combination of rock crawling and racing that pits two rigs head-to-head around a course of dirt and rocks in a tournament-style competition format. Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) vehicles will be emphasized, with stock, modified and super modified classes competing on BFGoodrich Krawler^TMT/A^®KX tires.

"We're excited for the new RockCross series because it brings together the technical elements of rock crawling with the excitement of motorsports in a fan-friendly race format," said Ranch Pratt, president and CEO of UROC. "With all the factors involved, RockCross combines to become one fantastic motorsport with an added vertical element."

The Triple Crown will pay out $10,000 to the teams riding on BFGoodrich tires that win all three events of the series. A $5,000 prize will be awarded to any team that wins two out of three races on BFGoodrich tires.

"The BFGoodrich Triple Crown is a great incentive of the RockCross series because it demands full intensity at each competition," said Todd Steen, BFGoodrich Tires Motorsports Manager. "The team that can outlast its competition over the course of three grueling races will truly earn the $10,000 bonus prize."

BFGoodrich, a leader in off-road motorsports, has signed on as the title sponsor of the race series that will visit three cities beginning in August 2007.

"RockCross wanted to be involved with innovative companies that can help the sport grow and prosper," said Pratt. "We agreed with BFGoodrich as our title sponsor because of its heritage on and off the off-road, not to mention the world-class tires that are proven winners."

During each competition, lap counts change based on the length of the course and number of teams. Vehicles can change positions on the course and the leading team takes the best line. Obstacles during races have two or more lines, and vehicles can touch, with proper sportsmanship required.

In RockCross, the obstacles are designed to be very manageable, as speed is the main focus. Therefore, teams can compete on a lower budget due to the minimal height and configuration of the obstacles.

"Since speed is the primary goal of these races, vehicles will take very little modification to compete, so we expect to see teams from UROC Pro drivers to local off-road enthusiasts," said Pratt.

The BFGoodrich Triple Crown of RockCross will visit Salt Lake City (August 18), Las Vegas (October 20) and Phoenix (December 1).

For more info, visit www.uroc.com.

UROC, started in 1999, is the innovator and leader in professional rockcrawling sanctioning and promoting with sanctioned events in the United States (www.uroc.com) Mexico (www.uroc.com.mx) and Japan (www.jrca.com).