First points for Yokohama’s L’Estage/Richard in slippery Rally Perce Neige

MANIWAKI, Quebec (February 5, 2011) – Reigning Canadian rally champions Antoine L’Estage and co-driver Nathalie Richard kicked off the 2011 motorsport season from the top step of the podium as the Yokohama team thoroughly dominated the Rally Perce Neige, first round of the Canadian Rally Championship.

L’Estage, of St. Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, and Richard, of Halifax, triumphed over the icy conditions with a nearly perfect drive and a six minute advantage after 200 kilometres of slippery forestry roads. L’Estage relied on Yokohama Ice Guard IG20 winter tires to deliver his fourth Perce Neige victory in challenging conditions.

L’Estage, Richard and their Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X started the new season the way they wrapped up 2010. Last year, the pair collected the triple crown of rally motorsport: The Canadian Rally Championship, the Rally America Championship in the U.S. and the North American Rally Cup.

Second place went to the Subaru team of Bruno Carre and Yvan Joyal of Laval, Quebec, followed by the impressive new team of Ugo Desgreniers (Orford, QC) and Erik Kirby (Sherbrooke, QC), also in a Subaru.

“The conditions were very tricky – treacherous – with snow over an ice base,” explained co-driver Nathalie. “We were on IG20s all day. We drove smart, we made no mistakes, we had no flats – it was our day.”

Yokohama team mates Pat Richard, of Squamish, B.C., and new co-driver Leanne Junnila of Calgary, set the early pace in their Subaru Impreza STi until a road penalty and, later, a broken wheel dropped them to an eventual fourth place.

In addition to sponsoring both L’Estage and Pat Richard, Yokohama Tire (Canada) Inc. is a supporting sponsor of the Canadian Rally Championship for 2011.

“Year after year, the Canadian Rally Championship has proven to be more than just a great competition and a terrific television spectacle,” said Jonathon Karelse, Business Unit Director for consumer products for Yokohama Canada. “As this weekend shows, it’s also a real-world demonstration of our dedication to advancing tire technology. Particularly for winter tires, where our wining teams compete on the same tires you can buy for your car on the street, we can draw a direct line between success in competition and benefit for the consumer.”

The six-event Canadian championship has been televised nationally on TSN and RDS since 1993, and is made available on multiple media platforms, including TSN 2, as downloads from iTunes, on-line on Flat Over Crest (www.flatovercrest.com) and to 80 million homes in Europe on MotorsTV.

Yokohama Tire (Canada) Inc. markets and distributes a full line of tires for high performance, passenger car, light truck, and commercial truck applications, as well as off-the-road tires for mining, forestry and construction applications. It maintains distribution centers across Canada to serve more than 700 independent tire dealers and more than 2,000 retail locations.