BMW COMPACT CUP RENEWS NANKANG TYRE DEAL FOR 2019
The BMW Compact Cup has reinforced its existing partnership with long term tyre suppliers and title sponsors Nankang Tyres, after agreeing to continue their arrangement into the 2019 season and beyond.
Since 2015, all cars competing in the Compact Cup have run on Nankang’s NS-2R control tyre, marking this as the fifth year in succession that the championship has run with support from the Taiwanese tyre company. This year will mark Nankang’s 60th anniversary since it was first founded in 1959. Since then, it has become one of the largest tyre producers and suppliers in the world, exporting to over 100 countries and supplying more than 300 distributors around the globe.
The Nankang Tyres BMW Compact Cup is known across the UK for close, intense and cost-effective touring car style racing, with all competitors racing the BMW E36 Compact 318Ti and the majority of the field running in cars built themselves. Such is the low cost to compete in the championship, donor cars can regularly be found for builds for as little as £500, with a race ready car costing little more than approximately £5,000 – £6,000 on average to complete. Qualifying and racing are all conducted on one day, further reducing logistical costs.
The championship received great interest at the recent Autosport International Racing Car Show at the NEC in Birmingham, where several enquiries were made by potential new drivers. It is expected that grid numbers will be healthy throughout 2019 as more and more competitors discover what the Compact Cup offers.
In addition to the extension of the partnership and in tandem with their 60th-anniversary celebrations, Nankang are expected to be putting on a barbecue for Compact Cup competitors at the Snetterton rounds of this year’s championship.
Ben Lawson, Marketing, Media and Motorsport Manager at Nankang Tyres UK spoke of the deal, saying: “We are very proud to support the Compact Cup for the fifth consecutive year using the NS-2R road legal track tyre. For us, the Compact Cup follows the NS-2R’s philosophy to provide cost-effective, close and consistent racing, a fine-tuned formula which has proven to work well for both the championship and the Nankang brand. We are honoured to be working with such a successful championship as we head into our 60th anniversary year and very much look forward to seeing staff and drivers on the track again.”
Greg Graham, championship co-ordinator for the BMW Compact Cup, added: “We are very pleased to renew the deal with Nankang. We have worked very well together over the last four seasons and they have played a significant role in the continuing success of the Compact Cup.”
The opening rounds of the 2019 Nankang Tyres BMW Compact Cup will take place on the Brands Hatch Indy circuit on March 24th. More information on the event can be found here – https://brscc.co.uk/events/mar-23-24-fun-cup-and-mazda-race-weekend/
