Here is a great historical piece sent to us from our friends at BFG:

The following report from BFGoodrich Tires was transcribed from a “Flash News Report” that was distributed shortly after the SCORE Baja 1000 on November 14, 1976.  It recaps the journey of one tire, two teams and a handful of people with a vision we are all thankful for.  35 years later, on Thursday, November 18, 2010, BFGoodrich Tires will attack Baja yet again with some of the world’s toughest tires.  Will the storied tire manufacturer celebrate its 70th overall victory in Baja with SCORE?  We will know when teams takes the checkered flag on Friday the 19th.
 

This day in BFGoodrich Tires history (November 14, 1976):

Flash News Report

The T/A Performance Tire Team is proud to announce the introduction of the new 12R15 LT Radial All-Terrain T/ A the first light truck radial specifically designed for off-road recreational vehicle use.  This new tire has an overall diameter of 32-1/2” and a tread width of 10”.  With this new tire you should be able to make real advances into the growing off-road vehicle enthusiast market in your area.

The off-road market is one of the fastest growing markets in the automotive industry.  Local, regional, and national off-road clubs and organizations are growing rapidly.  The off-roader is, by all means, a performance enthusiast.  He is extremely interested and demanding in the equipment he chooses to buy for his vehicle.  We are confident that the Radial All-Terrain T/A is a tire that will meet the demanding needs of the off-roader.

The new Radial All-Terrain T/A has already been put to the supreme test for this kind of tire, Baja.  We spent a week in Baja, Mexico, with an independent testing firm putting this tire through the ringer.  The results were fantastic.  Everything we asked the Radial All-Terrain to do, it did.  After Baja, we turned sets over to a group of off-road enthusiasts.  We told them to pull out all the stops.  To do anything they wanted to with our All Terrain T/A’s.  And they did.  From three feet of water to knee deep in mud.  From rock quarries to sand pits, you name it, they did it, and whatever the Radial All-Terrain was asked to do, it did.

We are very excited about BFG’s future in the off-road market, and will continue to supply you with more information about the off-road market.  Watch for the upcoming supplement to the certification program covering new developments in off-roading and how they affect the use of off-road all-terrain tires.

On November 14, the Radial All-Terrain T/A was used by two of the top drivers competing in the 1976 Baja 1000 (Frank “Scoop” Vessels and Charlie Haga in a Ford F-100 Class 8 along with Fritz Kroyer and BFGoodrich Tires’ Gary Pace in an Oldsmobile Starfire Class 6).  We will be sure to keep you informed as to the racing results and heritage which the Radial All-Terrain will continue to develop.

-The T/A Performance Tire Team

For those unable to witness the 43rd SCORE Baja 1000 firsthand, a number of websites will be available allowing fans to follow along throughout the entire race.  Beginning at 9 a.m.ET on Thursday, November 18, fans can log onto www.bfgoodrichtires.com  and connect to a portal that will host a plethora of SCORE Baja 1000 information. BFGoodrich Tires’ Facebook page www.facebook.com/bfgoodrichtires and its newly launched off-road racing Twitter account www.twitter.com/BFGintheDirt will also have plenty of photos, videos and race information throughout race week.