Goodyear’s Very Own Iconic Dragster Revs Into Town

SHAH ALAM, 30 October 2009 – Hailing all the way from Thailand, the iconic Goodyear dragster has now made the company’s Malaysian headquarters its temporary home. The vehicle was brought in as part of Goodyear’s continuous commitment to promoting motorsports in Malaysia and the ASEAN region.

The dragster, full of torque and raw energy, has a maximum horsepower of 3,000 hp and has the ability to hit a quarter mile in 7.2 seconds. With a souped up 11.58 litre Chevy V8 engine, the dragster certainly makes its mark on the track with its 22 x 2.5 x 17” Goodyear Eagle Front Runners and 33.5 x 17 x 16” Goodyear Eagle Dragway Specials.

Apaspong Premanon or better known as Khun O, Goodyear Thailand’s official drag racer, will demonstrate the sheer power of the vehicle at the fourth round of the Sepang Drag Battle come 31 October at the Sepang International Circuit.

“Goodyear has always had a rich heritage in racing, starting from over a century ago. We’ve been involved in many different kinds of motorsports, ranging from NASCAR and the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) in the United States to drifting and drag in the ASEAN region,” said Richard Fleming, Goodyear ASEAN’s Managing Director. “While drag racing may not be as established here now as it is in Thailand, the potential is definitely there.”

Nasution Abdul Rahman, Goodyear Malaysia’s Managing Director, echoed Fleming’s sentiments. “The reason we brought in the dragster is because it’s an iconic machine that is synonymous with drag racing, and is something most Malaysians have never seen in action before. It is a good ambassador for the sport which we hope will also ignite even more interest for it here in Malaysia,” he said.

Drag racing has its roots in the United States, and involves a one-on-one battle between two mean vehicles competing against each other to be the first to cross the finish line. According to the NHRA, the distance between the starting and the end point is about a quarter of a mile long, equivalent to 1,320 feet. Races typically last between 3.9 to 17 seconds, while the speeds of the vehicles vary in accordance to the type of vehicle used – on average, they range from 80 miles per hour (129 km/h) to over 330 miles per hour (530 km/h).