Who doesn't like an underdog in a race? That's exactly the role we saw Kia Motors America take during its first two racing seasons . . . That is, until they won two championships in the 2011 Continental Tire Sports Challenge. Kia has announced in early November 2011 at the Los Angeles Auto Show they will be creating two new turbocharged Kia Optima vehicles. These two Kia vehicles will be competing in the 2012 World Sports Challenge in the Grand Touring Sport (GTS) class with some of the more famous branded race cars, Mustang and Camaro.

This 50 minute race features some of the fastest, race-ready production vehicles from major automakers across the world, and are driven by world-class drivers. Rather than the traditional rolling start, this race requires all vehicles to use the standing start method, which definitely creates more suspense for the crowd!. These two Kia Optimas will be the first Korean vehicles to participate in the GTS class.

With high hopes on continuing its new winning tradition, Kia has partnered with Kinetic Motorsports. This company will build, mature, and campaign the two Optima World Challenge cars. Kinetic will also be responsible for:

• Forte Koup efforts in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge
• The new Kia Rio in the B-Spec showroom stock series
  

We also have news that the Kia Optima Hybrid has been chosen as the United States Touring Car Championship's official safety car for 2012.

Here at Stockton Kia, we always have fantastic deals on new 2012 Kia models. Visit us at 3077 E Hammer Lane, Stockton CA, 95212 or contact us for more information.