S2000 Driver

The year was 1963. Automobile racing was enormously popular in Europe and the Americas, but it was still a fledgling sport in Japan -- something of a novelty viewed with skepticism.

Several people with great vision saw the potential of motorsports in the country, and had gathered at the new Suzuka track in Mie Prefecture for the Nippon Grand Prix. Among those present was a contingent of Bridgestone engineers and company executives, eager to see how the first racing tires made in Japan would perform.

They were disappointed. On a beautiful May afternoon, they watched as a non-Japanense driver, in a foreign car, using tires made outside Japan, won that inaugural contest. The loss fueled a passion to win, and set in motion a program that 40 years later would excel in the top forms of racing.

The Bridgestone story begins in 1929. Shojiro Ishibashi was a respected businessman heading a successful company called Nihon Tabi K.K., producing rubber-soled shoes. He saw the potential of a Japanese-based tire manufacturing business, and imported the necessary equipment from the Standard Mold Company in Akron, Ohio. Within a year, 300 tires were being made daily. In searching for a product name, he reversed his last name, which in Japanese is "Stone Bridge," and in 1931 Bridgestone Tire Company, Ltd. was officially founded.

Ishibashi and his heirs loved everything automotive. After the 1963 Grand Prix at Suzuka, a concerted effort was made to develop superior race tires. The first ones had been basic street tires with an enhanced compound to resist the higher temperatures prevalent during competition. With much research and testing, Bridgestone developed a winning tire -- and its first major victory was in 1965 at the All Japan Race at the Funabashi Circuit in Chiba Prefecture. Two years later, a Bridgestone-equipped Porsche Carrera 6 won the Japanese Grand Prix.



In 1971, Bridgestone engineers began work on dry-weather slick tires. That season the company claimed 60 percent of the principal touring car victories in Japan. Five years later, in the first Japanese Grand Prix for F1 cars, Bridgestone supplied tires to the Tyrell entry driven by Kazuyoshi Hoshino. His car worked very well when the track was at its worst in rainy conditions. And although he didn't win, the performance of the Bridgestone tires captured the attention of the global motorsports community.

From 1981 through 1984, Bridgestone-equipped drivers collected numerous poles and wins in European F2 competition. When F2 racing ended, Formula 3000 began, giving Bridgestone engineers a new series to conquer. In 1985, they did just that, winning 10 of 12 races to earn the season championship.

In 1988, Bridgestone Corporation purchased the Firestone Tire & Rubber Company. Two years later, Bridgestone and Firestone operations in the United States were consolidated as Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc. The new operating team mixed the best of both worlds -- literally and figuratively -- with success most evident on the racetrack.

From 1991 through 1995, Bridgestone earned three of four constructor's crowns in the German Touring Car Championship. In the early 1990s, the Bridgestone Supercar Championship in the United States provided American audiences a glimpse of what Bridgestone could do out on the racetrack.

In 1997, Bridgestone Potenza tires were supplied to Formula One Teams. The following year, Bridgestone would claim the first of five consecutive F1 championships between 1998 and 2002. The 2002 season also saw the initial entry of Bridgestone tires into Championship Auto Racing Teams competition. As the standard tire for every CART racecar at all events, the Bridgestone Potenzas performed admirably on every type of course, rain or dry, in hot or mild temperatures.



While much attention has been paid to the recent open-wheel racing success, the Bridgestone brand has also produced results in a number of other series. From the Paris-Dakar Rally to the 24 Hours of LeMans, from dirt trials to gymkhanas, machines with fenders have fared well on Bridgestone tires.

In the realm of two-wheel competition, Bridgestone has dominated U.S.-based supercross and motocross competition for most of the last five years. The brand also made its initial appearance in the prestigious MotoGP series in 2002, earning new respect from motorcycle riders and fans around the world. Since 1977, when special Bridgestone tires for kart racing were developed, the brand has been a perennial favorite, winning numerous national and international titles -- and giving drivers such as 2002 world champion Michael Schumacher and 2002 CART champion Cristiano da Matta a foundation for their careers.

In 2003, on tracks and courses around the world, millions of fans will see Bridgestone tires perform in a wide array of competitions. That performance continues a legacy of Bridgestone engineers working to develop great tires for great drivers. For winning drivers, the distinction is Bridgestone.



There are thousands of sizes and types of Bridgestone tires in service around the world, each providing unique performance characteristics. The tires range in size from the largest in the world -- a radial that stands 13 feet tall, designed for dump trucks carrying 400 short tons -- to some less than one foot tall, including tires used in professional go-kart racing.Some Bridgestone tires spend their entire life in off-road applications, providing traction and durability needed in mining, earth-moving, forestry or other similar industries. Some perform in both off-road and on-highway service, including all-terrain tires found on many recreational and professional vehicles. And some roll exclusively on streets and highways, in either commercial or private use.

In the commercial market where tire service is extremely important to a company's bottom line, Bridgestone tires have gained a winning reputation. Since the American Retreaders Association (now known as the International Tire & Rubber Association) first started surveying its members in 1986 on the best commercial truck tire for retreadability, no other brand comes close to Bridgestone in taking that top honor.Satisfying the needs and expectations of the "18-wheeler market" requires constant research and evaluation of new designs, new materials and new construction techniques. For large trucks such as Peterbilt and Kenworth that demand the best in steer axle and traction axle tires, Bridgestone is found as original equipment. You'll also find the Bridgestone brand on millions of trailers now in service, hauling everything from asphalt to zoo animals.

Smaller commercial operations, including delivery service and short hauling applications, have also benefited from Bridgestone innovations. Tires that resist curb damage, cuts from highway objects and have long-lasting treads contribute to reduced downtime and increased profitability.The Bridgestone family of tires for consumer use allows drivers to find the right tire for their specific needs - whether that's maneuvering on snow and ice in the family sedan or taking an occasional jaunt off-road in a four-wheel-drive machine.

More than a decade ago, the Bridgestone Blizzak was introduced, a revolutionary snow and ice tire that provided impressive traction without studs. With studded tires now banned or restricted in many areas, the Blizzak took hold and has now grown to include sizes to fit most passenger vehicles, and in different versions to fit different driving conditions. Millions of the Blizzak tires have been produced and sold, making it one of the most popular and successful snow and ice tires lines ever offered.The Bridgestone Dueler line for light truck and sport utility vehicle use allows drivers to pick a version that's right for them - full-time highway motoring, some off-road excursions, or serious time off the highways in the dirt and mud. Each bears its own special tread and has a construction to provide the qualities needed for the type of driving to be encountered.

[COLOR=Red]For those who live to drive and demand the utmost in handling and road-gripping traction, the Bridgestone performance line includes a variety of options. Two of the more popular products in this area are the Bridgestone Potenza S-03 Pole Position and the Bridgestone Potenza RE950. Both are patterned after rain tires used in Formula One competition, and both feature the UNI-T AQII