Nashville, Tennessee, November 5th, 2026, NewsDirect
- Secures its first title sponsorship of a round with an agreement signed at the 2026 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, USA
- Hankook Rally US was recently confirmed as a new event on the FIA World Rally Championship calendar, marking a return to the US for the first time in 4 decades.
- Hankook brand to feature in the official name of Rally US in August 2027, expanding brand visibility
Leading global tire company Hankook Tire & Technology (Hankook) has signed a title sponsorship agreement for Rally US, round 11 of the 2027 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), one of the world’s premier motorsport competitions sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA).
Hankook officially announced the title sponsorship agreement at a signing ceremony held during the 2026 SEMA Show at the Las Vegas Convention Center on November 3 (local time). The ceremony was attended by representatives from Hankook, the WRC Promoter and the Rally US Organizing Committee.
Under the agreement, Hankook has secured the naming rights to Rally US, which will officially be held under the name ‘Hankook Rally US,’ featuring the company’s unified global brand. This marks Hankook’s first title sponsorship of a WRC round.
Hankook Rally US will mark the return of the WRC to the United States for the first time in 39 years, since the Olympus Rally held in Washington State in 1988. Scheduled for August 25–29, 2027, the rally will take place on gravel stages across Tennessee and Kentucky, with Knoxville, Tennessee, serving as the rally headquarters and the ceremonial start taking place in Nashville. Notably, Nashville is also home to Hankook’s U.S. headquarters.
“The WRC’s historic return to the U.S. marks a milestone for Hankook as our first title sponsorship of a WRC round,” said Rob Williams, Senior Vice President of Hankook Tire North America Headquarters. “This partnership will showcase our tire technology, elevate our premium brand presence, and strengthen ties with customers and partners across North America.”
Through its title sponsorship of the WRC’s return to the United States after nearly 40 years, Hankook aims to strengthen its brand awareness across North America, with a particular focus on the U.S. market, one of the world’s largest automotive markets. The company also plans to leverage its brand exposure across rally stages, the WRC Arena, fan zones and podium backdrops to deepen engagement with local motorsport fans and strengthen communication and collaboration with key customers and partners.
“We’re proud to represent America’s return to the World Rally Championship, and especially proud to do it alongside Hankook,” said Matt Crews, President and CEO of Rally US. “Tennessee is my home state, and Hankook is a leader in our automotive industry, with its U.S. headquarters in Nashville and its plant in Clarksville. Hankook Rally US gives them a great platform to showcase their brand to fans here at home and to the WRC’s audience around the world.”
“Hankook has been a great employer and partner for the Tennessee economy since they decided to move operations to our state more than a decade ago,” said Senator Bill Hagerty. “Seeing them serve as title partner for the FIA World Rally Championship’s return to America, right here in Tennessee, will put our state in front of a global audience, and I couldn’t be more pleased of how far that relationship has come.”
Meanwhile, Hankook has been the exclusive rally tire supplier for all WRC classes since the 2025 season and continues to support more than 70 motorsport competitions worldwide through exclusive tire supply agreements and team sponsorships. By actively leveraging driving data collected from these events in its research and development (R&D) efforts, Hankook continues to advance high-performance tire technology while further strengthening its competitiveness as a global top-tier brand.
About Hankook Tire America Corp.
Hankook Tire America Corp. is a growing leader in the U.S. tire market, leveraging investments in technology, manufacturing, and marketing to deliver high-quality, reliable products that are safer for consumers and the environment. Headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., Hankook Tire America Corp. markets and distributes a complete line of high-performance and ultra-high-performance passenger tires, light truck and SUV tires, as well as medium truck and bus tires in the United States. Hankook Tire America Corp. is a subsidiary of Hankook Tire & Technology Co., Ltd., a Forbes Global 2000 company headquartered in Seoul, Korea.
About Hankook Rally US
Rally US is the United States round of the FIA World Rally Championship, August 25–29, 2027, and the WRC’s first visit to the U.S. since 1988. Rally US is organized by Podium Event Partners, LLC, with offices in the Sunsphere in Knoxville, Tennessee. The event is sanctioned by the Automobile Competition Committee for the United States (‘ACCUS’), he official ASN (National Sporting Authority) recognized by the Fédération International de l’Automobile (‘FIA’). Follow @wrcrallyus for updates or contact: [email protected]
Contact
Brodeur Partners for Hankook TireTaylor Vincent
[email protected]
