Fresh off CIK-FIA homologation, Shinko Racing Kart Tires has found a partner and a home in the United States. Idaho-based Full Throttle Karting has signed an agreement to become the sole importer for the newest CIK-approved tire brand, and industry veteran Andy Seesemann is thrilled with the new opportunity and addition to his FTK program.

At the end of August, Seesemann traveled to the Shinko Tires factory in Korea along with FTK Promotions Media Director Sean Buur. During this excursion, they were able to see firsthand the tires being manufactured and meet with the key personnel of the company.

“I’m an ‘old school’ type of guy,” touts Seesemann, president of Full Throttle Karting Inc. “So even though we could have done a deal via Zoom or FaceTime, I wanted to meet Nick (Lee) and the rest of the Shinko team in person, shake hands, and have a face-to-face conversation. It was definitely worth the effort trekking to Korea to see the factory in person. Nick and I got to know each other and now have a sense of who the other person is; building a solid foundation for our new partnership.”

The beginning of Shinko Tire dates back to the early 1970s in Jinju, Korea with the production of bicycle tires and tubes. Eventually, the company expanded into the development of high-performance tires for motorcycles and off-road enthusiasts. This expansion helped to establish Shinko as a global brand, including entry into North America and Europe. The manufacturing process for the motorcycle, karting, and OEM tire industry focuses on quality, innovation and durability. For the 2024-2026 FIA Karting homologation period, Shinko Racing Kart Tires received its first homologation certificate for three models.

“It is a pleasure to be with an experienced and professional company like FTK,” said Dong Wook ‘Nick’ Lee of Shinko Racing Kart Tires Global, Korea. “FTK has the expertise in karting and specifically karting tires to be our trusted partner in the US. We will actively support FTK to help grow the US market for Shinko Racing Kart Tires.”

“We were contacted by several companies in the United States regarding Shinko Racing Kart Tires,” Mr. Lee continued. “Among them, FTK worked hard in a consistent way and kept small promises well. In late summer, Andy and his group came to Korea to meet with us and solidify our relationship. We spent three days together touring Korea, which was highlighted by our meetings at the tire production factory. We spoke about growing our business in the US and promised a meaningful partnership for many years. It is an honor to be a partner with FTK and we are looking forward to the future.”

Full Throttle Karting will stock four different compounds of the Shinko Racing Kart Tires. The Shinko SHP ‘Prime’ tire (Yellow) will be the tire for shifterkarts, TaG and 100cc divisions, which is CIK-FIA homologated. FTK will bring in two compounds dedicated to the US market. The Shinko SHS63 ‘Performance’ tire (Green) is the softer compound for Cadet divisions and 4-Cycle racing, providing a great balance of performance and durability. The other model is Shinko SHS72 ‘Endurance’ tire (Black), with its focus on longer life rather than outright speed. The fourth model is the Shinko Full Wet Rain Tire.

“Shinko has been in business for more than 50 years, but they recently made the step to homologate with the CIK-FIA,” adds Seesemann. “With only six other brands having gone through the effort and expense of this tedious process, it places them in rare air and in a very exclusive club. Shinko’s FIA approved SHP ‘Prime’ Yellow tire is as good as any tire that I’ve tested and will be a great addition to local and national series alike. The creation of the SHS63 Green ‘Performance’ tire has been a collaboration between the factory and FTK, creating a long lasting and high-quality tire for 4-Cycle and Cadet applications. The black labeled SHS72 ‘Endurance’ is the harder of our USA focused compounds, offering a longer life span with a little slower lap time. In addition, the Shinko Wet tire gives us a full slate of compounds to offer any track or series.”

“We have developed our tires by testing with our official Kart Race Tire partners in Japan, the Philippines, Italy, Portugal and now the US,” added Mr. Lee. “As the official tire of ROK Cup Philippines, we were recognized for our performance in this championship, which has earned us the honor of becoming the official tire brand for more competitions around the world. In the future, we will grow our partnership by offering driver exchanges between drivers in US Championships using Shinko tires and some of our Asian partnering series.”

Full Throttle Karting and FTK Promotions will welcome Shinko Racing Kart Tires to be utilized for Challenge of the Americas championship series in 2025 and beyond. The Shinko Prime and Shinko SHS63 ‘Performance’ compounds will be run the upcoming season, which kicks off on January 31-February 2 at the Musselman Honda Circuit in Tucson, Arizona.

“In my more than 20 years in the business of karting, I have always been a part of a ‘program’ created by someone else,” Andy continued. “The Challenge is certainly its own entity, but it was attached to something else. Last year, when COTA became a sovereign series, beholden to only myself, and it set me on the path to accomplish goals set long ago. I am excited to fulfill this promise to myself by becoming the exclusive US importer for Shinko Racing Kart Tires. The Challenge of the Americas is now unrestricted and fully independent. I look forward to 2025 COTA being the best it can be for me, my staff, and most of all our customers.”

Full Throttle Karting is expecting to receive the first shipment of tires in November, providing plenty of time for teams and competitors for testing the new Shinko Racing Kart Tires. FTK will be working to develop a new USA dealer network and official tracks/clubs for the Shinko brand.

Learn more about the Shinko Racing Kart Tires at the new website – shinkokartusa.com