Las Vegas, Nev.(November 2, 2005) –Today at the SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) Show, Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC (BFNT) introduced the Bridgestone® brand Potenza™ RE-01R™ tire with UNI-T™ technology designed for high performance on the street and track and targeted to the enthusiast driver.

“For many years, the sport compact and performance communities in Japan have come to rely and depend on the technology of the Bridgestone Potenza RE-01R, the successor to the popular Potenza RE-01™,” said Phil Pacsi, executive director, North American Consumer Tire Brand Marketing, BFNT. “Based on an overwhelming interest by enthusiasts in the Japanese market and the tires’ success there, we are bringing that technology to North America. The Bridgestone Potenza RE-01R is a street tire for sports driving. Whether on the highway, on a straightaway, in an autocross corner or sliding through a drift course, we are confident this tire will exceed expectations.”

The Bridgestone Potenza RE-01R features a semi-slick shoulder block that provides lateral stiffness for advanced cornering force and grip on dry surfaces as well as a wide center rib for outstanding initial handling response. Cooling slits engineered in the tread help dissipate heat and make the tire more durable under high-speed, high-temperature conditions. Racing slits allocated to the shoulder block make the Bridgestone Potenza RE-01R flexible and enable the tire to distribute uniform pressure to the contact patch when cornering.

“The exceptional handling of the Bridgestone Potenza RE-01R allows drivers to enjoy a sense of unity with their vehicles,” added Pacsi.

The tread is also engineered with Bridgestone’s Hydro Evacuation Surface™ (H.E.S.) technology that consists of wide lateral groves on either side of the center rib and F1 Nose™ slots to enhance water evacuation and achieve outstanding wet performance.

The Bridgestone Potenza RE-01R carries a UTQG rating of 140 for treadwear, ‘A’ for traction and ‘A’ for temperature. The V- and W-speed rated tires will be available beginning April 2006 in 13 popular 16- to 19-inch, 30- to 55-series sizes, including:

The Bridgestone Potenza RE-01R tire can be seen on display at SEMA in the Seibon International, Inc. booth (#24757) on the Team Kingpin Performance/Gushi Auto Subaru WRX STi drift car.  BFNT-sponsored driver Tsukasa Gushi, founder and president of Team Gushi Auto, will compete with the vehicle in the upcoming 2006 Need for Speed™ Formula Drift Championship Series.

UNI-T is an acronym for Bridgestone’s Ultimate Network of Intelligent Tire Technology. It features three core elements: CO·CS®, a Computer Optimized Component System which allows design and manufacturing processes to work more cooperatively, leading to a more efficient tire that doesn't sacrifice one area of performance for improvements in another; O-Bead®, a more round structure that minimizes overlapped joints in the bead area for improved ride; and L.L. Carbon® (Long Link Carbon) which helps the rubber compound resist microscopic tread tearing related to wear.

The Bridgestone Potenza RE-01R tire can be seen on display at SEMA in the Seibon International, Inc. booth (#24757) on the Team Kingpin Performance/Gushi Auto Subaru WRX STi drift car.  BFNT-sponsored driver Tsukasa Gushi, founder and president of Team Gushi Auto, will compete with the vehicle in the upcoming 2006 Need for Speed™ Formula Drift Championship Series.

UNI-T is an acronym for Bridgestone’s Ultimate Network of Intelligent Tire Technology. It features three core elements: CO·CS®, a Computer Optimized Component System which allows design and manufacturing processes to work more cooperatively, leading to a more efficient tire that doesn't sacrifice one area of performance for improvements in another; O-Bead®, a more round structure that minimizes overlapped joints in the bead area for improved ride; and L.L. Carbon® (Long Link Carbon) which helps the rubber compound resist microscopic tread tearing related to wear.