Yokohama Tire Returns as Title Sponsor of NORRA Mexican 1000

Yokohama Tire is returning as the title sponsor of the Yokohama NORRA Mexican 1000 for the fifth consecutive year, the tiremaker announced and is bringing along a team of drivers that includes Justin Lofton and new Team Yokohama member Tanner Foust. The 54th running of the rally takes place on the Baja peninsula on April 25-29.

Foust, a multi-champion driver in Rallycross and Formula Drift, will take on NORRA for the first time. He will be driving the all-new 2021 Volkswagen ID.4, an electric SUV fitted with Yokohama’s GEOLANDAR A/T G015 tires, in the Evolution Electric Vehicles class.

“NORRA is going to be a whole lot of fun,” said Foust. “It will be my first outing with Team Yokohama, so it’s going to be special. Really can’t wait to hit the course in the new Volkswagen ID.4, which we will be running on the GEOLANDAR A/Ts. We will see what we can do in the dirt.”

Lofton, a top-ranked Trick Truck driver and three-time Mint 400 winner, will be competing in the Evolution Unlimited Truck class. His truck will have a retro throwback body and livery and is fitted with purpose-built GEOLANDAR M/T-Spec R race tires.

Joining Foust and Lofton are fellow Team Yokohama members Boyd Jaynes and Brian Godfrey, who race as Caballo Del Diablo. They won the 2019 NORRA championship in the Pioneer 4×4 class and will be once again running their 1968 Ford Bronco fitted with GEOLANDAR M/T G003 tires.

“We’ve really enjoyed partnering with the National Off Road Racing Association (NORRA) on the Mexican 1000, a truly unique, classic Baja off-road rally,” said Fardad Niknam, Yokohama Tire’s senior director of product planning and product marketing. “It’s a fun event for the competitors and has been an excellent venue to highlight our rugged GEOLANDAR tire line.”

By A.J. Hecht

A.J. Hecht is the managing editor of THE SHOP and host of the In Gear with THE SHOP podcast. Have an idea, a tip, or a question you’d like to see answered? Contact A.J. at ahecht@cahabamedia.com.