Yokohama Tire Revs up for New Nitrocross Season

Cross to Bear

Yokohama Tire is back as the Official Tire Supplier of Nitrocross (formerly Nitro Rallycross). Purpose-built ADVAN® race tires will once again be the exclusive spec tires for the premier Group E Nitrocross class.

The six-city, 10-round, adrenaline-filled series is headlined by the Group E class, which features the world’s fastest electric race car, the FC1-X. Nitrocross events integrate enormous jumps with massive, banked turns on a variety of track surfaces all in a single lap. These innovative tracks test the skill and bravery of some of the world’s best drivers like Yokohama-sponsored athlete Travis Pastrana. The 2023-2024 Nitrocross season got underway June 16-17 as part of the Visions Off-Road event at MidAmerica Outdoors in Jay, Oklahoma.

“For the 2023-2024 season, the Group E class will run a specially developed ADVAN® A005 slick tire,” said Patricia Wall, Yokohama’s motorsports manager. “It was designed to withstand the huge amount of torque applied by the 1055 horsepower, all-wheel-drive FC1-X. The tires will feature blue tire stickers signifying the tire is E+, part of our line intended for electric vehicle use.”

Wall added that the ADVAN A054® will be used in the NEXT class, while the GEOLANDAR® A/T G015 tire will be campaigned in the SXS class. Besides Team Yokohama member Pastrana, who headlines Group E, fellow Team Yokohama member and six-time X Games gold medalist Leticia Bufoni returns for her second season in SxS.

Brett Clarke, president of Nitrocross, said: “Nitrocross is a punishing environment. Through multiple seasons, Yokohama has embraced that challenge, collaborating with drivers, teams and track crew to innovate and create new designs, like the A005 slick, that not only handle these conditions, but truly let cars fly and tracks thrill.”

Clarke added: “Yokohama are the perfect partner for Nitrocross and have been for over six years. From the day the concept was founded to the evolution of our new FC1-X vehicles, they’ve been the greatest supporters every step of the way. Beyond their technical support, their commitment to supporting drivers in the series from our star athletes to the young and upcoming drivers, content development and fan activation is second to none.”

Along with Nitrocross, Yokohama’s extensive list of 2023 North American-based motorsports activities – both on- and off-road – includes the Porsche Sprint Challenge North America by Yokohama, Porsche Pikes Peak Trophy by Yokohama, Global Time Attack and Super Lap Battle USA, NASA, SCORE, King of the Hammers, Yokohama NORRA Mexican 1000, Crandon International Raceway sponsorship, 24 Hours of Lemons, Ultra4 National Series, Brenthel Industries partnership, Yokohama Tire Jeepspeed Race Series, TrophyLite Series and the Championship Off-Road Series partnership.