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FOCUS PSB Tire & Wheel www.PowersportsBusiness.com Powersports Business • June 15, 2015 • 25 improve their RepTrak score by five points." In addition to its top 100 US ranking, Pirelli also came in at 38th place in the global list com- piled by Reputation Institute — the World's Most Reputable Companies in 2015. TOP SUPPLIER Ford has honored Pirelli as a top-performing global supplier during the 17th annual World Excellence Awards. Pirelli was presented with a Green Pillar Award. This Green Pillar award recognizes Pire- lli's leadership in sustainability and support of Ford's "Reinventing Green" brand pillar — that is thoughtful design or purposeful technology that provides convenience, entertainment and enhances the overall vehicle experience. "We are thrilled to receive this award from Ford, a partner whom we value tremendously. We look forward to continuing our long-stand- ing technical partnership and providing our high quality, technologically advanced tires. Our goal is to meet both Ford's unique driving needs of their vehicle portfolio and Ford's sus- tainability focus, which is an important driver for our company as well," said Pierluigi Dinelli, CEO and chairman, Pirelli Tire North America. Ford Motor Company recognized 52 top-per- forming suppliers for achieving excellence in key areas including quality, cost, performance and delivery. The World Excellence Awards were given in 10 categories, including five new categories: Quality Pillar, Green Pillar, Safe Pil- lar, Smart Pillar and Lincoln Luxury. "Ford's World Excellence Awards allow us to recognize and thank our partners who support us in all we do," said Hau Thai-Tang, group vice president, Global Purchasing. "In a year with a record number of global product introductions, Pirelli demonstrated a strong commitment to both quality and performance, and we're honored that they are a part of our ONE Ford team." The 10 award categories include: Quality, Green, Safe and Smart categories for suppliers who demonstrate leadership in Ford's Primary Brand Pillars Aligned Business Framework for suppli- ers who most exemplify the Aligned Business Framework Principles, with an emphasis on quality, value and innovation Lincoln Luxury, which recognizes a sup- plier that is helping Ford transform Lincoln to be the luxury vehicle of choice Diverse Supplier of the Year and Supplier Diversity Development Corporation of the Year to honor suppliers that excelled in integrating diversity into their organization and business process Gold and Silver for supplier manufactur- ing sites that have demonstrated superior qual- ity, delivery and cost performance throughout the year. PSB PIRELLI CONTINUED FROM PAGE 24 Once again Metzeler will contribute to the iconic Sturgis Motorcycle Rally this year, announcing the inclusion of the AMA Super- moto "Elephant Run" race event on the schedule. Named the "Elephant Run" in trib- ute to Metzeler's iconic brand logo of the blue elephant, the race will take place Aug. 1-2 in Downtown Sturgis City Park in Sturgis, S.D. "The City of Sturgis is excited to partner with Metzeler and AMA Supermoto to bring a Supermoto race to Sturgis during the 75th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Metzeler is a great ambassador for the City of Sturgis. They understand that Sturgis is harmonious with racing. It's our past, present and future. Every year we team up with Metzeler and AMA Supermoto for our September Supermoto race which is held on our legendary Main Street. It draws over 5,000 spectators for the weekend and is an enormous success. We are eager to see what they have planned for the rally," stated Daniel Ainslie, manager for the City of Sturgis. Sturgis has a strong racing heritage since its origins in the late 1930s when the rally was called the Black Hills Motor Classic, where in affiliation with the American Motorcyclist Association, it aimed to put on motorcycle races for "speed demons to thrill motor fans" (Aug. 3,1939, local newspaper headline). The City of Sturgis, AMA Supermoto and Metzeler are excited to host the first-ever Sturgis Rally Supermoto Race and bring this exhilarating form of racing to Sturgis. ITP RACERS NOTCH SEVEN WINS AT TOMAHAWK GNCC The ITP tires off-road racing team competed at the maiden Tomahawk Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) in Odessa, N.Y., compiling seven class wins, the afternoon session's Top Amateur Racer award and five additional podiums. "Seven wins and 11 podiums at an all-new GNCC track is great," said Pat McGuire, ITP public relations/race support. "You really never know what the conditions will be like on any given weekend, especially at a new course, but our riders did very well in the varying conditions. Downed trees, roots, rocky creeks and also thick dust didn't make it easy on anyone, so earning a podium was certainly impressive." PSB DIGEST Metzeler unveils Sturgis Supermoto set for Aug. 1-2