CTB Cooper Tire and Rubber Co

FINDLAY, Ohio, May 31 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- COOPER TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY (NYSE:CTB) -- Champ Car Atlantic Championship officials announced today that the series will enter into an exclusive partnership with Cooper Tire & Rubber Company in 2007. Under the terms of the three-year agreement, Cooper Tire will become the Official Tire of the Champ Car Atlantic Championship beginning next season and the company will also serve as the presenting sponsor of North America's premier open-wheel development series. (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060531/CLW045) (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20010404/COOPERLOGO) Well-established as one of the world's leading tire manufacturers, as well as a top marketing and promotional partner across many levels of motorsports, Cooper Tire will help bolster a dynamic competition package for the Atlantic Championship in '07. Working closely with exclusive series chassis manufacturer Swift Engineering and engine partners Mazda North America and Cosworth, Inc., Cooper Tire will produce and supply the exclusive high- performance racing slicks and rain tires that will equip all Champ Car Atlantic Championship cars beginning next season. "We're very excited to welcome Cooper Tire to both the Atlantic and Champ Car family," said Vicki O'Connor, Managing Director of the Champ Car Atlantic Championship. "We're certainly proud of the legacy and the high level of competition that has become a staple of Atlantic racing over the last 33 years and the Atlantic Championship is looking forward to beginning a new partnership with Cooper Tire in 2007. With Cooper's experience and knowledge in motorsports, we know that the racing will be as exciting as ever and we're looking forward to growing the series even further next season with Cooper Tire as a series sponsor and a proactive marketing partner." Based in Findlay, Ohio, Cooper Tire will support the Champ Car Atlantic Championship both on and off the track through its new partnership with the series, in addition to supplying all series teams with racing rubber designed specifically for Atlantic competition. More details on the Cooper Tires/Atlantic partnership will be unveiled in the coming months. "The Champ Car Atlantic Championship series is well known throughout the world," said Tom Dattilo, Cooper Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. "This new strategic partnership positions Cooper squarely at the forefront of the motorsport world. It provides an excellent platform to showcase our ultra-high performance racing products and technological capabilities to enthusiasts around the world. "We are thrilled at the prospects this relationship provides for Cooper and are obviously pleased about joining forces with one of the premier organizations in motorsport racing. Together with Cooper's rich racing heritage, this partnership will create an all-new competition portfolio that will allow drivers to compete at even higher levels of racing." "Cooper Tire has demonstrated a tireless commitment to racing over the years and Champ Car is happy to team up with such a well-established industry leader for the future," said Steve Johnson, Champ Car President. "We look forward to developing this partnership as both companies continue to grow and move forward." Testing for the 2007 Cooper Atlantic tires will begin this week. The Team Australia Atlantic squad will be putting the new rubber through its paces during a private test session at Sebring International Raceway in Sebring, Florida on Thursday (see attached Team Australia photo). Several more series tire tests are also planned over the next few months. About Cooper Tire & Rubber Company Cooper Tire & Rubber Company is a global company that specializes in the design, manufacture, marketing and sales of passenger car, light truck, medium truck tires and subsidiaries that specialize in motorcycle and racing tires, as well as tread rubber and related equipment for the retread industry. With headquarters in Findlay, Ohio, Cooper Tire has 60 manufacturing, sales, distribution, technical and design facilities within its family of companies located around the world. For more information, visit Cooper Tire's web site at http://www.coopertireandrubber.com/. About the Champ Car Atlantic Championship The Champ Car Atlantic Championship continues to be the premier open-wheel development series in North America. In its 33rd season in 2006, the championship is noted for its long history of graduating its stars into Champ Car competition and has helped produce past Champ Car champions Paul Tracy, Jimmy Vasser, Bobby Rahal, Danny Sullivan, Michael Andretti and Jacques Villeneuve. 2006 Champ Car competitors Alex Tagliani, Andrew Ranger, Katherine Legge, Tonis Kasemets and 2005 Atlantic champion Charles Zwolsman are established Atlantic graduates along with 2004 Champ Car Rookie of the Year and 2003 Atlantic champ A.J. Allmendinger. In 2006, competitors will fight for the 12-race championship and the unique $2 million Champ Car series champion's bonus. Beginning in 2007, all Atlantic teams will compete in Swift 016.a chassis powered by a 2.3-liter Mazda-Cosworth engine while riding on Cooper Atlantic racing tires. For more information on the series and to view this season's races on demand, please visit http://www.champcaratlantic.com/. http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060531/CLW045 http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20010404/COOPERLOGO http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: Cooper Tire & Rubber Company CONTACT: Merrill Cain, Communications Director of Champ Car Atlantic, +1-586-630-1474; or Dave Craig, Director, North American Advertising of Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, +1-419-429-4459 Web site: http://www.coopertireandrubber.com/ http://www.champcaratlantic.com/

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