Hankook Tire is expanding its Drive & Learn program for 2026 with four regional events and the introduction of the Tennessee Proving Grounds, a new off-road performance track at its U.S. manufacturing facility in Clarksville, Tennessee, company officials stated in a press release.
The expanded Drive & Learn program moves beyond traditional classroom training by offering dealers, industry media and partners firsthand opportunities to validate product performance in real-world driving environments, while strengthening product knowledge, sales readiness and brand confidence, the company said. The 2026 series runs from May through October in Tennessee, Illinois and Texas and will provide direct exposure to Hankook Tire’s key brands.
Tennessee Proving Grounds Debut
Hankook Tire recently launched the first event of the 2026 series at its Tennessee manufacturing facility in Clarksville. This event marked the official debut of the Tennessee Proving Grounds, a long-term asset developed to support dealer engagement, product education and structured performance validation, noted the release.
In addition to experiencing the Tennessee Proving Grounds’ off-road elements with mud, gravel, rock crawl, hill climb, sand and water obstacles, dealers were able to get an up-close look at Hankook Tire’s manufacturing process. Touring the Tennessee Plant, Hankook Tire’s first U.S. manufacturing facility, gave participants direct insight into the production of passenger car, light truck and truck bus radial tires.
Hankook Tire’s Drive & Learn program puts participants behind the wheel in controlled, real-world environments designed to transform product knowledge into firsthand confidence at the point of sale, the company said.
What Dealers Experience in the Program
- Validate tire performance across on-road, off-road, seasonal and EV-focused driving environments.
- Engage directly with Hankook Tire’s product experts and trainers to translate technical product knowledge into real-world selling confidence, while building stronger connections with company leadership and industry peers through immersive programming and networking.
- Experience Hankook Tire’s U.S. manufacturing operation firsthand, reinforcing product quality, innovative technology, U.S. investment and supply chain strength.
“Today’s dealers need more than product specifications; they need firsthand proof,” said KC Jensen, vice president of PC/LT sales. “By putting our partners behind the wheel, inside our manufacturing facility, and onto our Tennessee Proving Grounds, we’re helping them experience our products the same way their customers do—with confidence. Through continued investment in product education, U.S. manufacturing and real-world assessment, we’re building a stronger program to support dealer growth across our SUV and light truck portfolio.”
Upcoming 2026 Drive & Learn Events
Looking ahead, Hankook Tire will continue the 2026 Drive & Learn program with upcoming events at the Autobahn Country Club in June, a return to the Tennessee Proving Grounds in September, and Eagles Canyon Raceway in October. Hankook says these events will expand access to hands-on product training, immersive driving experiences, and performance verification for dealers, partners and industry media in key U.S. markets.