GREENVILLE, S.C. (Jan. 20, 2009) – In an era when many motorsports sponsors are curtailing or even eliminating their racing programs, Michelin North America has substantially increased its commitment to pro and amateur-level motorcycle racing for 2009. Michelin will offer $3.2 million in contingency payouts for road racing, endurance, supermoto and drag racing, an increase of more than $1 million from 2008. “We realize that the current economic downturn has imposed hardships on a great many privateer racers and teams,” said Bernard Jarrousse, Michelin North America’s director for motorcycle road racing. “We want to help keep those racers on the track, racing on Michelin tires.” The 2009 Michelin North America contingency program involves 30 national and regional sanctioning bodies, covering virtually all regions of the Unites States. As in past years, the program will be administered by XTRM Sports Network (~http://www.xtrm.com/michelin~), through which racers will receive contingency awards on a VISA debit card, which can be used anywhere VISA is accepted. Enrolled competitors can check their card balance anytime by logging onto the XTRM website. Michelin will offer contingency payouts in the following series and sanctioning bodies: AFM, AMA Dragbike, ASMA, ASRA, CCS/TrackAddix, CMRA, CRA, Fastrax, MOM, MRA, OMRRA, SMRI, USGPRU, WERA Sportsman, WERA Michelin National Challenge, WERA Endurance, WSMC, WMRRA, AMA Supermoto, ASMRA, Oklahoma Superbikers Supermoto, ESMRA, Nasmoto Supermoto, Rocky Mountain Supermoto, Southern Nevada Supermoto, SuperTT, Superbikers 2, Supermotard USA, SupermotoUSA and USBA Moto. To enroll in the 2009 Michelin North America contingency program, racers can visit the XTRM website, or obtain an enrollment form from any of the Michelin trackside distributors listed on the Michelin Motorcycle website at www.MichelinMotorcycle.com. In addition to the $3.2 million in contingency prizes, Michelin is posting a purse of $87,500 at the first-ever Michelin U.S. Motorcycle Championship, set for Oct. 3-4, 2009 at Barber Motorsports Park near Birmingham, Ala., an exclusive, invitation-only event for sportsman-level road racers who compete on MICHELIN racing tires. Dedicated to the improvement of sustainable mobility, Michelin designs, manufactures and sells tires for every type of vehicle, including airplanes, automobiles, bicycles, earthmovers, farm equipment, heavy-duty trucks, motorcycles and the space shuttle. The company also publishes travel guides, hotel and restaurant guides, maps and road atlases. Headquartered in Greenville, S.C., Michelin North America (www.michelin-us.com) employs more than 22,300 and operates 19 major manufacturing plants in 17 locations.