by Kent Jennings Brockwell
Staff Writer
Alltel Stadium’s parking lots are best known for smoking barbecue grills but today they will be home to plenty of burning rubber.
As part of a national sales tour and exhibition, Yokohama Tire Corporation has set up a road course in one of Alltel’s parking lots to give selected local tire sales people a chance to test out a variety of its tires.
Twice a day, different groups of about 20 have been testing out various Yokohama tires, which are attached to four of five 2005 Ford Mustangs. One of the cars is equipped with the original factory installed tires so the testers can feel the difference.
The sales people race against each other and the clock as they take several timed laps around an approximate half-mile road course that mimics everyday driving situations such as accident avoidance and quick lane changes. The tire company leased the large parking lot outside the Southwest corner of the stadium and the action is visible from the street.
The tire testing probably looks and sounds like a bunch of rambunctious teenagers doing their best to destroy their first cars but Jeff Miller, assistant manager of performance marketing for Yokohama, said it is a great way for the sales people to get to know their products.
“Most people don’t know about tires so they feel that the sales person is the expert,” he said. “All we are trying to do is make them a better expert so they know exactly what they are talking about. Being that they have driven on the product, they then have that knowledge and trust that they need to sell it.”
Miller said giving the sales people first-hand experience with the product is important because most consumers, between 70 and 80 percent, will buy whatever the tire salesman suggests.
Before the tire testing begins, the sales people receive a short product training session and driving tips taught by instructors from ESPN Russell Racing Schools. They also get to watch a few track demonstrations from professional race car drivers. Then it is off to the test vehicles.
Besides product instruction, Miller said having fun is a major part of the promotional tour. Having the sales people try out the different tires while competing against each other adds to the excitement of the event, he said.
“They are going to talk about this for months and months after today,” said Miller. “These are sales guys and they are all very competitive people anyway so this just naturally goes hand in hand.”
Rick Wagner, a district sales representative for Yokohama, said the exhibition tour also gives the sales people a chance to “tear up a few cars.”
And a few tires, judging by the frequent tire squeals and puffs of blue smoke . Miller said the tires have to be replaced every few tour stops depending on the testing surface.
Miller said the five Mustangs are leased from a dealer in Hollywood, Calif. Though they are driven hard over the six-month tour, Miller said the dealer knows what they are being used for. After being turned back in they will become rental cars for movie productions.
Jacksonville was the fifth stop on the 13-stop Yokohama tour, which started in Orange County, Calif. in March After packing
up tonight, the tour heads
to Norfolk.