• Experience-based program designed to strengthen dealer confidence, accelerate sales readiness, and validate product performance
• New Tennessee Proving Grounds supports real-world conditions, U.S. manufacturing storytelling, and long-term dealer engagement

NASHVILLE, Tenn., May 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Leading global tiremaker Hankook Tire is expanding its Drive & Learn program for 2026 with four regional events and the introduction of the Tennessee Proving Grounds, a new off-road performance track at its U.S. manufacturing facility in Clarksville, Tenn.

The expanded program moves beyond traditional classroom training by offering dealers, industry media, and partners firsthand opportunities to validate product performance in real-world driving environments, while strengthening product knowledge, sales readiness, and brand confidence. The 2026 Drive & Learn series, running from May through October, will bring together dealer partners, industry media, and content creators in key U.S. markets, including Tennessee, Illinois, and Texas. The program will provide direct exposure to Hankook Tire’s key brands, including the SUV tire brand ‘Dynapro’, the associate brand ‘Laufenn’, the EV-exclusive tire brand ‘iON’, and the premium all-weather tire ‘Weatherflex’.

Hankook Tire recently launched the first event of the 2026 series at its Tennessee manufacturing facility in Clarksville, featuring the Dynapro AT2 Xtreme, Dynapro XT, Dynapro MT2, and the new Laufenn X Fit AT2. This event marked the official debut of the Tennessee Proving Grounds, a long-term asset developed to support dealer engagement, product education, and structured performance validation.

In addition to experiencing the Tennessee Proving Grounds’ off-road elements with mud, gravel, rock crawl, hill climb, sand, and water obstacles, dealers were able to get an up-close and personal look at Hankook Tire’s manufacturing process. Touring the Tennessee Plant, Hankook Tire’s first U.S. manufacturing facility, gave participants direct insight into the production of passenger car, light truck, and truck bus radial tires, creating a seamless connection between hands-on product trials and the innovation behind each tire.

Unlike traditional classroom-based dealer training, Hankook Tire’s Drive & Learn program puts participants behind the wheel in controlled, real-world environments designed to transform product knowledge into firsthand confidence at the point of sale.

Through the Drive & Learn program, dealers:

• Validate tire performance across on-road, off-road, seasonal, and EV-focused driving environments.
• Engage directly with Hankook Tire’s product experts and trainers to translate technical product knowledge into real-world selling confidence, while building stronger connections with company leadership and industry peers through immersive programming and networking.
• Experience Hankook Tire’s U.S. manufacturing operation firsthand, reinforcing product quality, innovative technology, U.S. investment, and supply chain strength.

“Today’s dealers need more than product specifications; they need firsthand proof,” said KC Jensen, Vice President of PC/LT Sales. “By putting our partners behind the wheel, inside our manufacturing facility, and onto our Tennessee Proving Grounds, we’re helping them experience our products the same way their customers do—with confidence. Through continued investment in product education, U.S. manufacturing, and real-world assessment, we’re building a stronger program to support dealer growth across our SUV and light truck portfolio.”

Looking ahead, Hankook Tire will continue the 2026 Drive & Learn program with upcoming events at the Autobahn Country Club in June, a return to the Tennessee Proving Grounds in September, and Eagles Canyon Raceway in October. These events will expand access to hands-on product training, immersive driving experiences, and performance verification for dealers, partners, and industry media in key U.S. markets.

Hankook Tire continues to strengthen its position as a top seven global leader by integrating industrial expertise with broad cultural impact. The company supplies OE tires for more than 300 models across 50 global automotive brands, with North American growth driven by key partnerships across premium and next-generation vehicle segments. Through premier U.S. sponsorships, including TGL presented by SoFi and signage in MLB stadiums, Hankook Tire continues to expand its brand presence while delivering advanced mobility solutions for today’s global drivers.

About Hankook Tire America Corp.
Hankook Tire America Corp. is a growing leader in the U.S. tire market, leveraging investments in technology, manufacturing, and marketing to deliver high-quality, reliable products that are safer for consumers and the environment. Headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., Hankook Tire America Corp. markets and distributes a complete line of high-performance and ultra-high-performance passenger tires, light truck and SUV tires as well as medium truck and bus tires in the United States. Hankook Tire America Corp. is a subsidiary of Hankook Tire & Technology Co., Ltd., a Forbes Global 2000 company headquartered in Seoul, Korea.

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SOURCE Hankook Tire America Corp.