Bill Goldberg to Be Honorary Starter for Atlantic race

Since joining the Cooper Tires Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda as presenting sponsor a year ago, Cooper Tire & Rubber Company’s display at every Atlantic race has been a hotbed of activity, with music and interactive displays in addition to autograph sessions featuring every driver in the Atlantic Championship.

As Cooper kicks off its second season with Atlantic at this weekend’s Imperial Capital Bank Atlantic Challenge of Long Beach, the spotlight will be even brighter as the company has joined forces with Black Magic to bring professional wrestling champion and automotive television host Bill Goldberg to Long Beach. Goldberg will serve as the honorary starter for the Atlantic Championship season-opener, and will also sign autographs at the Cooper Tire display from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. PT on Saturday, April 19.

Goldberg was a champion in both World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) before becoming host of the “Bullrun" reality show, which airs in the United States on Spike TV, and the “Automaniacs" series, which aired on the History Channel. Goldberg also has a successful movie career which includes roles in films such as The Longest Yard, which starred Adam Sandler.

Black Magic and Cooper Tire have partnered to promote the Black Magic Titanium line of premium wheel and tire products, for which Goldberg is a spokesman. Goldberg—a car enthusiast with a collection of 22 classic and muscle cars—is no stranger to the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, having competed in the Pro/Celebrity Race in 2002.

“I’m really looking forward to a great day of racing and I am honored to be associated with partners like Black Magic and Cooper Tire," Goldberg said. “Personally, I’m a fan of the Black Magic Titanium Matte Tire Finish. It gives you that fresh from the factory look for your tires, which is perfect for the muscle cars in my garage."

“As the leaders in the tire and wheel category, it just made sense for Black Magic to partner with Cooper, one of the best and most innovative tire brands in the industry," added Black Magic Brand Manager Bree Sandlin. “Whether you want your tires to have a high-gloss wet look or a rich, black, velvety matte look, Black Magic Titanium offers products to fit your style with the longest-lasting shine on the market."

The 35th Anniversary season of the Atlantic Championship gets underway in Long Beach with practice and qualifying scheduled for Friday and Saturday, April 18 and 19, followed by Round 1 of the 11-race championship on Sunday, April 20.