KIA RACING’S GRASSROOT EFFORTS CONTINUE TO OUTPERFORM COMPETITION WITH TWO CLUB RACING VICTORIES AT PORTLAND INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY
Defending Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) B-Spec National Champion, Kyle Keenan, Scores Back-to-Back Wins in his No. 44 Kia Rio
- Kyle Keenan’s Kia Rio bested two Mazda2s at the SCCA Western Conference Majors Tour at Portland International Raceway (PIR)
- Kia continues to prove its durability and reliability on the race track after every Kia model that competed in 2014 won a National Championship in its respective class
IRVINE, Calif., July 10, 2015 – Defending Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) B-Spec National Champion, Kyle Keenan of Vancouver, Washington, continued his dominance last weekend as he piloted his No. 44 Kia Rio 5-door to a pair of wins at the SCCA Western Conference Majors at Portland International Raceway (PIR). Standing atop the podium has become an increasingly common result for both Keenan and Kia, and builds on the momentum gained in 2014 when every Kia model that raced in 2014 won a National Championship in its respective series and class: Rio 5-door in the SCCA Runoffs; Forte Koup in the Pirelli World Challenge (PWC) Touring Car A (TCA) class; and the factory-backed Optimas in the PWC Grand Touring Sport (GTS) class.
“From grassroots efforts like Kyle Keenan in his Rio, to our factory-backed Optima program in the Pirelli World Challenge, the rapid progression of the Kia Racing program is an important element in the historic growth in both stature and sales our brand has achieved in the U.S. market,” said Tim Chaney, vice president, marketing communications, Kia Motors America (KMA). “Each Kia model is not only competing, but winning against well-established and well-known manufacturers who have been racing much longer, and racers and consumers alike have definitely taken notice.”
Keenan’s success behind the wheel of his No. 44 Rio 5-door in 2014 earned him RACER Magazine’s prestigious “Club RACER of the Year” award following his SCCA Runoffs National Championship. Looking ahead, Keenan will defend his B-Spec title at the 2015 SCCA Runoffs later this year at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. Race fans can keep up-to-date with the Kia Racing team via the Kia Motors America Facebook and Instagram pages, and on Twitter @Kia.
About Kia Motors America
Kia Motors America (KMA) is the marketing and distribution arm of Kia Motors Corporation based in Seoul, South Korea. KMA proudly serves as the "Official Automotive Partner" of the NBA and LPGA and set an all-time annual sales record in 2014, surpassing the 500,000 unit mark for the third consecutive year. KMA offers a complete line of vehicles, including the rear-drive K900** flagship sedan, Cadenza premium sedan, Sorento CUV, Soul urban passenger vehicle, Soul Electric Vehicle***, Sportage compact CUV, Optima midsize sedan, Optima Hybrid, the Forte compact sedan, Forte5 and Forte Koup, Rio and Rio 5-door subcompacts and the Sedona minivan, through a network of more than 765 dealers across the United States. Kia’s U.S. manufacturing plant in West Point, Georgia, builds the Optima* and Sorento* and is responsible for the creation of more than 15,000 plant and supplier jobs.
Information about KMA and its full vehicle line-up is available at www.kia.com. For media information, including photography, visit www.kiamedia.com. To receive custom email notifications for press releases the moment they are published, subscribe at www.kiamedia.com/us/en/newsalert.
* The Sorento and Optima GDI (EX, SX & Limited and certain LX Trims only) are assembled in the United States from U.S. and globally sourced parts