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Team members for the first Cooper winter ride-'n'-drive included, left to right, Curt Selhorst, Jeff Schroeder, Ganesh Latta, Matt Bockrath, Bill Dunwoodie, Paula Luzader, Chuck Yurkovich, Don Brassil and Doug Andrus. Team members not pictured were Steve Sawyer, Dave Craig and Jonathan Thomas. At right, BMWX3s outfitted with the new Cooper Weather-Master WSCs and competitor products get set for a hill-climbing test.

Inaugural Winter Ride-'n'-Drive Showcases
Weather-Master Performance

Customers from as far away as Sarah Palin’s hometown of Wasilla, Alaska, raved about the sure grip and confidence-inspiring performance of new Cooper winter tires, during a customer and media ride-'n'-drive event Feb. 21-24 in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.

In all, representatives from 12 customers and six media outlets braved the Upper Peninsula's winter climate to participate in the event featuring garage talks by Global Technical Vice President Chuck Yurkovich, materials development chemist Ganesh Latta and engineer Matt Bockrath; a hill climb and handling course; and slalom, autocross and hard braking tests.

The event organized by Jonathan Thomas was North America’s first ever winter ride-'n'-drive. Six BMWX3s were utilized to compare the performance of the new Cooper Weather-Master WSCs and competitor products.

Brand and Product Management Director Steve Sawyer said customers including the Wasilla-based Diversified Tire, Dufferin Tire of Ontario, Canada, and Tire Guys of Billings, Mont., had high praise for the performance of the Cooper product.

"In every test, our Cooper products out-performed the competition," Steve said. "Customers and media representatives could see and feel for themselves how much our Weather-Master WSCs improved their vehicle's ride, braking and handling ability. 'An awesome experience and a first-class event' is some of the specific feedback we had from our customers. This is a fitting tribute to the cross-functional efforts of our marketing, technical, operations and communications teams, which delivered an event that should make us all truly proud. "

A BMWX3 throws off a cloud of snow during a hard braking test on the new Cooper Weather-Master WSCs.