Bridgestone Americas (Bridgestone) is celebrating its iconic Potenza tyre line’s 45th anniversary by competing in the 40th running of the Tire Rack One Lap of America event 4-11 May, 2024. 

The company says Team Potenza Race and Team Potenza RE-71RS will participate in the eight-day, 3,500-mile (5,673km) event, which is considered one of the most difficult endurance challenges in the United States. The cross-country event spans 15 states and includes time attack trials at some of America’s most famous racetracks. 

Teams will spend nearly 24 hours a day making the gruelling journey and pushing the tyres’ performance and durability to the limit across multiple courses and thousands of miles.

This year also marks the 45th anniversary of Bridgestone’s Potenza tyre line, which it says was engineered to bring thrill, passion and performance of the racetrack to everyday drivers. 

The name Potenza translates to ‘power’ in Italian, connecting the company’s passion for performance with a culture known for its contribution to global motorsports. Bridgestone says its participation in One Lap of America offers the opportunity to highlight high-performance products that are designed to deliver wins both on and around the track that empower everyone to perform at their best.

Cara Krstolic, Executive Director, Race Tire Engineering and Production, Bridgestone Americas said, “Motorsports have been fundamental to Bridgestone’s identity for more than 60 years, and racing is a true passion for us as a company to enhance the joy of the sport. One Lap of America offers a thrilling platform to celebrate and showcase our high-performance Potenza lineup’s enduring legacy of performance and reliability. We will continue to use racing as a proving ground for our R&D efforts. What really matters is that the new solutions we deliver on track today will transform premium mobility on the road tomorrow.”

Team Potenza Race and Team Potenza RE-71RS will be advised by professional racecar driver Katherine Legge, who has won multiple races in the International Motorsports Association (IMSA) WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and boasts one of the most diverse resumes in modern motorsports. 

In addition to IMSA, Legge has experience in NASCAR, INDYCAR, ChampCar, DTM, A1GP, Formula E, Formula 3, Formula Atlantic, Formula Renault, Jaguar I-Pace eTrophy series and a Formula One test with Minardi.

The Team Potenza Race will consist of Krstolic and professional racecar driver Christina Nielsen. Krstolic has more than 15 years of racing experience and oversees all design, development, manufacturing and track-side support of INDYCAR race tyres in North America. Nielsen brings over 15 years of global professional racing experience and is a champion of the IMSA Endurance Championship and a two-time champion of the IMSA Weathertech series. 

Krstolic and Nielsen will comete in a 2024 Acura Integra Type S equipped with Bridgestone Potenza Race tyres. As team number 93, Krstolic and Nielsen celebrate the number of years Bridgestone has been in business. Team Potenza Race will be competing in the sports/GT cars over $50,000 and engine displacement under 3.5L class.

Introduced in May 2023, the Bridgestone Potenza Race is engineered for track-driving enthusiasts based on their expectations for an ultra-high performance tyre. The semi-slick Potenza Race tyre is claimed to deliver the fastest lap time and the shortest braking on dry pavement among key competitors. This pairs well with outstanding track longevity to help driving enthusiasts perform and push their limits on the track. The Bridgestone Potenza Race tyre is available in the U.S. and Canadian markets in 13 sizes from 17-inch to 20-inch rim diameters. Popular fitments include sports cars and supercars most commonly used on streets and tracks, including Maserati, Ferrari, Porsche, McLaren, Lamborghini, BMW M, Audi RS, Mercedes-AMG and more.

On the other hand, the Team Potenza RE-71RS will consist of drivers Todd Chapman, Senior Product Manager at Bridgestone Americas, partnered with automotive influencer Dustin Williams. Chapman has nearly 20 years of grassroots racing experience and has completed over 90 races to date. Williams has competed in various racing events around the world including Global Time Attack, GridLife and the Maximum Attack Challenge in Japan. Chapman and Williams will be competing in a 2024 Honda Civic Type R equipped with Bridgestone Potenza RE-71RS tyres. As team number 45, Chapman and Williams give a nod to the Potenza line’s 45th anniversary. Team Potenza RE-71RS will be competing in the sports/GT cars under $50,000 and engine displacement under 3.5L class.

Launched in April 2022, the Bridgestone Potenza RE-71RS is engineered for grassroots racing, designed with track day, autocross and endurance racing drivers in mind. The flagship Potenza product, the Potenza RE-71RS, is a dedicated track tyre designed for precision performance and blistering lap times, delivering enhanced steering and grip and extended wear life. The Bridgestone Potenza RE-71RS tire is available in the U.S. and Canadian markets in 38 sizes from 15-inch to 20-inch rim diameters. Popular fitments include Mazda Miata/MX-5, Subaru BRZ, Ford Mustang, Porsche Cayman and BMW 3-Series.

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Zeon has confirmed its role as an official sponsor of RubberCon 2026, scheduled for 28 and 29 April in Paris. The conference is organised by AFICEP under the aegis of IRCO. The event will centre on the theme ‘Ecodesign and Rubber Innovation’, serving as a gathering for global experts spanning academia, research, manufacturing and technology sectors. This focus reflects the industry’s growing emphasis on sustainable material development and circular economy principles.

Through its sponsorship, the company underscores its commitment to sustainable solutions, innovation and international knowledge exchange. Zeon anticipates engaging with industry professionals to explore new approaches and contribute to meaningful sector progress.

“By sponsoring RubberCon 2026, we reaffirm our commitment to driving forward sustainable solutions, fostering innovation and supporting the international exchange of knowledge and best practices. We look forward to engaging with industry professionals, discovering new approaches and contributing to meaningful progress within our sector,” read the company statement.

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Maxxis Rubber India has been presented with an Appreciation Award from the Ahmedabad Rural Police in recognition of its support during VIP movements. The accolade was conferred by Superintendent of Police Om Prakash Jat, acknowledged for his role in fostering community safety and collaboration through his leadership.

Guided by its core principles of respect, care and appreciation, the company emphasises its commitment to quality, service and trust alongside cooperation with authorities. Expressing gratitude to the police department for acknowledging its efforts, Maxxis stated that the honour reinforces its dedication to integrity and public safety partnerships, motivating the organisation to continue contributing with the same unwavering commitment and a focus on building stronger, more resilient communities every single day forward together.

“At Maxxis, our core values – respect, care and appreciation – drive us beyond business. Whether ensuring 100 percent quality, service, trust in our products or standing alongside authorities for public safety, we believe strong partnerships build stronger communities. We sincerely thank the Police Department-Ahmedabad Rural Police for acknowledging our ‘unwavering support’ and ‘invaluable cooperation’. This honour motivates us to continue contributing with the same commitment and integrity,” the company acknowledged in a social media post.

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The organisers of the International Rubber Conference 2026 have opened exhibitor applications for the accompanying Rubber & Elastomer Technical Exhibition, with discounted early-bird rates available until 30 April 2026.

The conference will take place from 2 to 6 November at the Aichi International Exhibition Center (Aichi Sky Expo), bringing together global scientists, engineers and industry stakeholders working across rubber and elastomer technologies.

Exhibitors submitting applications by the April deadline will benefit from reduced participation fees. The final deadline for regular applications is 15 July 2026.

Held alongside the conference from 3 to 6 November, the exhibition is expected to attract more than 4,500 visitors and is regarded as one of the leading international platforms for showcasing advances in rubber science, materials engineering and industrial applications.

IRC 2026 marks the sixth edition hosted in Japan, following previous conferences in Tokyo, Kyoto, Kobe, Yokohama and Kitakyushu. Under the theme “Future Rubber Technology toward Sustainability”, the event aims to address evolving industry demands, particularly as Asia accounts for a growing share of global rubber production and consumption.

Organisers said the event will provide a platform not only for established players but also for emerging engineers and researchers to engage with international experts, fostering collaboration and technological advancement across the sector.

Applications and further details are available via the official conference website.

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Tegeta Green Planet, in partnership with the Wasteless specific waste management association, hosted the Georgia Rubberized Asphalt Summit (GRAS) 2026 in Tbilisi. This international conference was designed as a platform for exchanging global knowledge on sustainable road infrastructure and rubber-modified asphalt technologies, bringing together industry leaders and international experts to examine both the challenges and opportunities within the sector. A dedicated panel discussion formed a central part of the event, fostering in-depth dialogue among participants.

Despite being widely adopted in United States, Portugal, Spain and across Europe for over six decades, rubber-modified asphalt remains unused in Georgia. This technology offers significant advantages over conventional pavement, including a service life of 8 to 10 years, superior resistance to water damage, reduced noise pollution and a substantial decrease in environmental harm caused by automotive waste. The summit’s organisers aim to address this gap by promoting responsible waste management and raising public awareness about the dangers of unprocessed refuse.

More than a forum for knowledge exchange, the summit served as a call to action, underscoring Georgia’s potential to become a regional frontrunner in sustainable infrastructure. Tegeta Green Planet, a subsidiary of Tegeta Holding established in 2022, was among the first companies in the country authorised by the Ministry of Environment and Agriculture to recycle used tyres, oils and batteries under extended producer responsibility principles. The organisation operates by collecting specified waste types, managing their transport and recycling and ultimately processing these materials in line with circular economy models, thereby supporting the nation’s shift towards innovative green initiatives.

Ekaterina Kavtaradze, CEO, Tegeta Holding, said, “For Tegeta Holding, sustainable development is one of the most important principles of our operations, which is reflected in concrete solutions. I am delighted that Georgia has had the opportunity to host such a large-scale event. GRAS 2026 demonstrates that the circular economy can become a real economic priority in Georgia as well, bringing significant benefits to the country, as waste is transformed into a resource, creating economic advantages and reducing the negative impact on the environment.”

Shalva Akhvlediani, Director, Tegeta Green Planet, said, “Georgia is at a stage where infrastructure decisions can shape the economic and environmental outcomes of the next generation. This summit provides us with a unique opportunity to learn from the world’s leading countries and implement these lessons at the local level. Overall, the circular economy is the way forward: it allows us to transform waste, such as used tyres, into a useful resource, ensuring economic stability, environmental protection and sustainable development.”

Giorgi Guliashvili, Chairman, Wasteless, “Our goal is to implement a fully circular model in Georgia – from waste collection to recycling and the effective use of recycled materials. Starting this autumn, Georgia will launch its first high-tech tyre recycling plant, which will process used tyres collected throughout the country. Using recycled rubber in asphalt is a clear answer to the question of how the resulting raw materials are utilised. As a result of the plant’s launch, we estimate that we will produce up to 12–15 thousand tonnes of rubber crumb per year, which will allow us to use this material locally to build more durable and environmentally friendly roads. This will bring significant benefits to both the environment and the economy.”

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