Traverse City, Mich., – Dec. 9, 2013 – In 2013, Radar Tires entered the world of off-road racing with the goal of being competitive and enhancing brand recognition. At the end of the three-race SCORE International season, the tire manufacturer accomplished both by being frequent podium visitors and being in contention for the Class 10 championship.

Radar Tires’ inaugural off-road racing effort featured special non-DOT size 33X10.50R15 Radar Renegade R5 race tires aboard the No. 1031 Radar Tires Buggy. Driver and owner of Bronson Motorsports, Mike Johnson, was at the helm and helped make the debut season a success.

“We chose long course off-road racing to showcase the performance, durability, and longevity of Radar Tires through some of the most brutal conditions known to man,” said Scott Rhodes, Vice President of Sales, Omni United USA. “Mike Johnson and the Bronson Motorsports team exceeded our expectations in our debut season. We know we’re on the right track. We have made our mark in SCORE competition and we’re eager to see what the future holds for Radar Tires in motorsports.”

The year started out with an unexpected overall win during the Mojave Off-Road Racing Enthusiasts (M.O.R.E.) New Years 200 race in Barstow, Calif., on Jan 26. The team entered this race primarily as a testing opportunity run to ensure the buggy was running to the team’s expectations in preparation for the SCORE International races.

Co-drivers Mike Majesky and guest driver Matt McBride drove during the 203-mile race. The Radar Tires machine was running second on the final lap when the Class 1 and overall leader experienced problems and stopped on course. McBride then drove the Alumicraft chassis true Class 10 car to Radar Tires’ first professional win by nearly four minutes. Following the M.O.R.E. win, Majesky and Johnson were satisfied with the racing buggy and even more confident in the Radar tires.

In March, the pairing was poised to tackle the desert in Radar Tires’ SCORE International debut in the San Felipe 250. The team started from the ninth position in Class 10 Unlimited as a result of the random starting position draw conducted by SCORE officials.

The Radar Tires entry finished with an unofficial elapsed time of 5:17:43.267, a mere 64 seconds behind Class 10 winner Brad Wilson and ahead of the other 16 class starters. The team was charged with a penalty and ultimately awarded a third-place finish. Despite that, Bronson Motorsports and Radar Tires were satisfied with the podium finish, considering it was the first of three endurance events of the season.

With his attention now focused on the SCORE International Baja 500, Johnson was determined to make a statement on behalf of Radar Tires. Nicknamed ‘Ironman’ for the weekend, Johnson was the lone driver of the No.1031 Radar Tires Buggy.

Johnson made a statement alright – a dominating win with a 43-minute margin of victory over the closest Class 10 competitor. The class win marked the first victory for Radar Tires in SCORE International off road competition. Following the Baja 500 win, Johnson was leading the Class 10 Unlimited points standings with one race remaining.

Looking to conquer the grueling Baja 1000, Johnson and Radar Tires were fighting for another race win and an unprecedented rookie championship by an upstart tire company in their first year of SCORE International desert competition.

Johnson fought the competition and the rugged terrain for the first stint of the race. From the fourth position in the 20-entrant field, Johnson hit a rock at race mile 50 and suffered a flat left front tire. As a result he fell to eighth in class but battled back to second place before the scheduled driver change at race mile 350.

After getting into the buggy to begin his stint, Majesky assumed the Class 10 lead at race mile 430. A short 15 miles later, Majesky began experiencing issues with the engine. While leading Class 10 and with just over half of the race distance complete (race mile 445 of 883), the Radar Tires buggy’s engine failed. With it went expectations of another SCORE International win and the Class 10 Unlimited championship title hopes.

In the end, Johnson and Majesky were ranked 13th in Class 10 in the 46th Annual Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, and seventh in the SCORE International Class 10 championship standings. “We had a breakout rookie year in the long course off-road racing events,” continued Rhodes. “We were optimistic about entering the SCORE races following the unexpected win at the M.O.R.E event in January. That win set the pace for the entire season. We knew that the Radar Renegade R5 race tires mounted on the buggy were competitive- Mike and the team proved it all season. We were leading the points heading into the final event and in typical racing fashion, the unexpected happened. Regardless of where we finished in the points, Radar Tires considers this season a brilliant success.”

Radar Tires chose off-road motorsports to showcase the Renegade R5 M/T tire, which features open blocks for mud dispersion, deep tread blocks and reinforced shoulders. This tread pattern and rigorous construction is ideal for the surfaces encountered on short course tracks such as Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino, Calif., and Firebird Raceway in Chandler, Ariz. as well as the open desert of Baja California in the legendary SCORE Baja 1000, the most iconic of all off-road races.

About Omni United

Omni United (S) Pte. Ltd is a tire designer, manufacturer and distributor. The company offers a complete range of consumer and commercial tires marketed under the brand names: Radar Tires, Patriot Tires, American Tourer, Tecnica, Agora, Corsa and RoadLux. Singapore headquartered Omni United was founded in 2003 by entrepreneur G.S. Sareen. As a reliable business partner with innovative products, unparalleled customer service and logistics solutions, Omni United has a global footprint and is selling products in more than 50 countries. Omni United’s flagship brand Radar Tires has been manufactured Carbon Neutral since 2013. Further information on Omni United is available by calling 1-855-906-6646, by emailing info@omni-united.com and online at www.omni-united.com.

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