Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas earned the GRAND-AM Rolex Series Daytona Prototype Championship lead with their first victory this season in the No. 01 TELMEX/Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates BMW Riley – taking top honors for the second time in three years at the race. GT-class honors went to the No. 69 FXDD/SpeedSource Mazda RX-8 GT of Emil Assentato and Jeff Segal. This year, more than half of the Daytona Prototypes entered in the race eclipsed 2009’s track record in qualifying, and teams and drivers in both classes were able to depend on optimum performance from their Pirelli P Zeros throughout the twilight race.

The green flag dropped at 5 p.m. Saturday with sunny skies and temperatures just below 70 degrees Fahrenheit. The race ended two hours and forty-five minutes later in complete darkness and nearly 10 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than at the start. Despite the change in conditions and Homestead-Miami’s notoriously tough surface for tires and suspension configuration, the P Zeros have never performed better on the South Florida track.

“This is the toughest track as far as tire wear is concerned,” said Rojas, who drove the winning No. 01 BMW Riley at the race start. “I think this Pirelli was an upgrade over last year’s tire. We were able to run a fast pace without hesitating throughout our full stint.”

Rojas and Pruett battled with the No. 59 Brumos Porsche Riley of pole-winning driver Darren Law and his teammate David Donohue for most of the race. Law won the pole in the No. 59 car in Friday’s qualifying session and was the first of nine Daytona Prototypes that obliterated a track record that was set just five months ago in the 2009 season-ending race at Homestead-Miami.

Eight GT competitors also broke the existing class track record in qualifying using the 2010 specification P Zeros. The group included the No. 69 Mazda with Assentato impressively posting the fourth-fastest time. He started the race while Segal took over for the final stint and took the race lead and the GT victory.

“We had a really good day,” Segal said. “We took a really big gamble on a more aggressive setup that would probably wear the tires quicker but use more of the Pirelli’s potential. The balance of the car was great going from day into night, and the car and the Pirellis were phenomenal the whole time.”

Next up for Pirelli and the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series is the Porsche 250 at Barber Motorsports Park, April 8 – 10. The race can be seen live on SPEED on Sunday, April 10, at 1:30 p.m. ET.

Pirelli Tire North America designs, develops, manufactures and markets tires for passenger vehicles in both the original equipment and replacement markets as well as markets and distributes tires for motorcycles and motorsports. Located in Rome, Georgia, Pirelli’s Modular Integrated Robotized System (MIRS) employs state-of-the-art technology to manufacture tires for both export and domestic markets. For more information please visit www.us.pirelli.com.

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Pirelli confirmed its technology partnership with Italian supercar manufacturer Lamborghini today at the world premiere of the new P Zero Corsa System at the International Motor Show in Geneva. Designed for the new Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera that is built in Sant’Agata Bolognese, P Zero Corsa System is for use on the highest-performing next generation of vehicles. Pirelli’s Research and Development division reinforced the characteristics of the newest member of the Lamborghini family by developing the new P Zero Corsa System in 235/35ZR19 and 295/30ZR19 sizes specifically for the Gallardo Superleggera. The new tires reduce environmental impact by utilizing compounds and solutions that decrease rolling resistance. In addition, R&D developed performance characteristics that give drivers maximum safety and handling for their new Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera.

The P Zero Corsa System combines front directional tread design with an asymmetric rear design that decreases susceptibility to hydroplaning. The front P Zero Corsa directional maintains the previous tread design; however, innovative materials and technology choices have been introduced to help balance the increased sportiness of the new asymmetric rear tires. The new P Zero Corsa Asymmetric includes robust blocks and a full shoulder to maximize the performance on dry surfaces, even under the most extreme driving conditions. The inclusion of longitudinal channels also allows for the expulsion of water and decreases susceptibility to hydroplaning, despite the reduced tread depth. The new combination of designs and the use of innovative materials derived from Pirelli Motorsports, allows the new P Zero Corsa System to achieve higher levels of performance both on dry and wet surfaces.

P Zero Corsa System road tires are the ultimate in ultra-high-performance products developed by Pirelli for the most prestigious and high-performance cars in the world. P Zero represents a revolution in the tire industry, and offers drivers performance without precedence in every aspect, including handling, comfort, and safety. As part of the P Zero Collection, the Pirelli P Zero Corsa System is the leader in the high end bracket and uses many innovative solutions developed by Pirelli and protected by five patents which cover the tread design, compounds, and the tire structure. The racing heart of P Zero is guaranteed by the tread compounds and by special nano-composites that ensure comfortable driving combined with extreme sports performance. Additionally, the tread design of Pirelli’s new tire also delivers maximum grip on wet roads and reduces noise. The asymmetric profile DA.Co (Dynamic Asymmetric Contour) gives even wear and tire and ground contact remains the same at all speeds. Moreover, P Zero is produced with compounds which contain no highly-aromatic oils.

The well-established collaboration between Pirelli and Lamborghini is not limited to the development of road tires, but extends to racing and the main events organised by the car maker. Pirelli is the sole supplier to Lamborghini in these regards.

Pirelli Tire North America designs, develops, manufactures and markets tires for passenger vehicles in both the original equipment and replacement markets as well as markets and distributes tires for motorcycles and motorsports. Located in Rome, Georgia, Pirelli’s Modular Integrated Robotized System (MIRS) employs state-of-the-art technology to manufacture tires for both export and domestic markets. For more information please visit www.us.pirelli.com.

Geneva, Switzerland, March 2, 2010 – The Pirelli Cinturato line of tires dominated annual tests run by ADAC, the reputable German automobile club, together with Switzerland’s Touring Club (TCS) and the Austrian automobile club (OEAMTC). The tests, run on a total of 36 tires by different manufacturers, crowned the Cinturato P7 and P6 best summer tires in their categories for the balance they offer between ecological aspects and performance, in terms of safety and driving pleasure.

The Cinturato P7, the first eco-friendly tire developed for mid to high range cars, had the best overall rating among 17 different tire models considered in the tests. The new “green” tire by Pirelli distinguished itself in all the areas tested (dry, wet, comfort and noise, fuel consumption, wear and handling), particularly for overall performance, braking on wet surfaces, low fuel consumption and low noise level. Cinturato P7 was “highly recommended” by ADAC, which said “very well-balanced summer tire; good on wet and dry; low fuel consumption; the tire with the lowest noise level”.

The Cinturato P6 was also high in the ADAC rankings. Out of 19 tires considered, it proved the best in its category with high marks in all tests. According to the German technicians, the Pirelli tire was “highly recommended” especially for its performance on wet surfaces, in particular while braking, and for low wear.

The Cinturato line also starred in independent tests run by German automotive media. The Cinturato P7 was “highly recommended” in tests run by the prestigious magazine “Auto Zeitung”, where Pirelli’s “green” tire showed excellence in rolling resistance and therefore low fuel consumption, ensuring at the same time “good braking on wet surfaces, and sport driving performance”.

With similar motivation, the Cinturato P7 was “good” and recommended also by VW/Audi
Magazine Gute Fahrt, which tested 10 different tires.

For “Gute Fahrt”, the Cinturato P7 presented a balance between good rolling resistance, on the one hand, and good grip and handling on the other, as well as excellent safety features such as good braking on wet surfaces and low noise. The P7, predecessor of the Cinturato P7, had already won the German magazine’s tests three times in recent years.
The German tests fully confirm the winning characteristics of the Cinturato line: environment friendliness, energy savings and safety. The Cinturato line is a historic Pirelli brand, which returned to the market in 2008 with new content oriented towards green performance. In January 2008 the line debuted with its Cinturato P4 and P6, aimed at cars with small- to mid-sized engines, which were warmly received by the market and specialists alike. In 2009 the Cinturato P7 was launched, the first ecological tire for cars with mid- to large-sized engines, which began this year by winning the first summer tests done by the international media. 2010 will be the year of the Scorpion Verde, developed for SUVs, and completing Pirelli’s green product range.

Pirelli Cinturato tires are designed and developed in the company’s laboratories to meet new market demands and to contribute to sustainable mobility. Thanks to innovative compounds, structures and tread design, the Cinturato guarantees reductions in fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions, while guaranteeing better mileage and enhanced safety.

Pirelli Tire North America designs, develops, manufactures and markets tires for passenger vehicles in both the original equipment and replacement markets as well as markets and distributes tires for motorcycles and motorsports. Located in Rome, Georgia, Pirelli’s Modular Integrated Robotized System (MIRS) employs state-of-the-art technology to manufacture tires for both export and domestic markets. For more information please visit www.us.pirelli.com.

Choosing the best vehicle from hundreds of entries is a daunting task, and every year Autorama judges narrow the field to the top eight vehicles based on a battery of qualifiers. Those eight vehicles, known as The Pirelli Great 8, provide the pool from which the coveted Ridler Award is chosen each year and are announced at a special brunch held on day two of the competition.

This year, Pirelli Tire North America awarded each of the Great Eight winners $1,000 in prize money as well as a custom jacket and award at a ceremony honoring the greats of the hot rodding world, as well as each of the builders and owners of the very special customs.

“To be included among the Pirelli Great Eight at Detroit Autorama is an honor that is sought by the top custom car designers, builders and owners in America,” said Bob Larivee, Jr., CEO of Championship Auto Shows, Inc. “We are delighted to have the respected name of Pirelli associated with the naming of the Great Eight and we are looking forward to a continued strong relationship with the company.”

“Pirelli is proud to partner with Autorama in rewarding and inspiring the passion and creativity builders and car owners have at all levels of customization,” said Navarro. “The Pirelli Great 8 represents the best customized vehicles in the world from folks that understand passion and performance and demonstrate that in radical vehicle design and customization. With over 130 years of heritage tire design excellence and over a century of motorsport victories, Pirelli is the first, last and best name in vehicle control and performance, and we are proud to be an active participant in the hot rod, street machine and custom car markets.

“The incredible cars on display at the Detroit Autorama are representative of the heart and soul of American hot rodding, and Pirelli is there with a superior line of tires for hot rodders and street rodders specially manufactured to take advantage of the big power and big wheels these new rides demand. We look forward to growing our presence in this community as well as giving our customers additional reasons to get excited about our brand.”

Pirelli Tire North America designs, develops, manufactures and markets tires for passenger vehicles in both the original equipment and replacement markets as well as markets and distributes tires for motorcycles and motorsports. Located in Rome, Georgia, Pirelli’s Modular Integrated Robotized System (MIRS) employs state-of-the-art technology to manufacture tires for both export and domestic markets. For more information please visit www.us.pirelli.com.

Block’s move to Pirelli comes with his switch to an all-Ford stable of cars.  Both his new Ford Fiesta – built for the 2010 season’s RAC and X Games events – and his Ford Focus, prepared for Block’s WRC efforts this season – are outfitted exclusively with Pirelli Tires.

Pirelli participates in 20 rally championships world-wide. Block’s move to Pirelli, the WRC and the RAC for 2010 is sure to deliver more action and excitement than ever before – bringing an audience of extreme sports and driving enthusiasts into the fold, and introducing traditional rally fans to Block’s signature driving style.

Rally driving demands focus and attention to detail, and Pirelli is well-suited to support Block’s efforts as his exclusive tire supplier with several tire options that are specialized to meet the needs of the surface, weather and speed of each event.

“Rally is all about exploiting traction, making tire choice crucial,” says Ken Block. “And I am confident that the move to Pirelli is going to be a winning formula for us. Plus, I’ve always been a fan of Pirelli, not just the tires, but the brand. Everything from the iconic logo to the famous Pirelli Calendar really fits with the Monster World Rally Team look and feel.”

Beyond rallying, Block may is very well known for his popular Gymkhana series of driving videos – also viewable online – wherein he pilots his car with astonishing aplomb in, around, through, over and under just about any obstacle imaginable on a closed course.  Block’s new Monster World Rally Team cars and schedule are highlighted in an all-new Internet video released earlier this month on YouTube.com.

“We are very excited to be a part of the Ken Block experience,” said Rafael Navarro, III, Director of Motorsport and Media Relations for Pirelli Tire North America.  “Block and the Monster World Rally Team will synergize well with the Pirelli brand.  Combining Block’s talent with Pirelli’s heritage in Motorsport, car and motorcycle tires is a win, win, win for everyone involved.  We have seen what Ken can do with a car, and now we’ll be able to experience what he can do with Pirelli.”

Block and the 2010 Monster World Rally Team will be rallying this month at 100 Acre Wood, February 26^th and 27th, the second of six Rally America Championship events this season.  See schedules below for specific races:

Rally America Championship

World Rally Championship (WRC)

X Games 16

“These policy committees are focused on issues critical to our state’s economic health,” said George M. Israel, President and CEO of the Georgia Chamber. “These are the people who do the research and ask the right questions so that we can develop and advocate positions that will ultimately help Georgia business.”

Policy committees are a building block of the Georgia Chamber’s legislative agenda, and through the development of yearly policy positions, the committees help the organization defend and support legislation that will ensure Georgia remains a place where business can grow and thrive.
Committees such as Georgia Business and Industry Development, Tourism, International Relations, Transportation,  Law and Judiciary, Healthcare, Environment and Energy, Education and Workforce, and Tax – the committee which Gravalos serves – all work together to create work-able solution to today’s challenging problems.

Joining Gravalos and Pirelli on the 2010 Georgia Chamber Tax Committee are fellow committee members such as: Coca Cola, Georgia Power, CSX Transportation, Turner Broadcasting, and many more of the states finest businesses.

“The Georgia Chamber of Commerce has a unified voice in the business community,” said Gravalos.  “We aggressively advocate the business viewpoint in the shaping of public policy, encouraging ethical business practices and ensuring the state’s future as economically prosperous, educationally competitive and environmentally responsible.  I am honored that I can represent Pirelli Tire North America within such an influential organization, and look forward to the policies we will develop in 2010.”

Pirelli Tire North America designs, develops, manufactures and markets tires for passenger vehicles in both the original equipment and replacement markets as well as markets and distributes tires for motorcycles and motorsports. Located in Rome, Georgia, Pirelli’s Modular Integrated Robotized System (MIRS) employs state-of-the-art technology to manufacture tires for both export and domestic markets.  For more information please visit www.us.pirelli.com

To be eligible for the new program, teams must currently be members of the Pirelli P Zero Club, which is comprised of returning race teams that finished inside the top 10 in final 2009 GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series Daytona Prototype and GT points standings. When a member team of this year’s P Zero Club earns its first victory (in either the DP or GT classes) of the 2010 season it will also earn a $5,000 Pirelli P Zero Bonus.

Any repeat wins by either team in a race during the remainder of the 2010 season will see that race’s $5,000 bonus “rollover” and continue to build at each race until other P Zero Club members score their first 2010 victories. For the 2010 GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series season finale at Miller Motorsports Park on September 11th, all members of the P Zero Club will again be eligible for the bonus, regardless of whether or not they have won earlier in the season.

The No. 9 Porsche Riley team earned the $5,000 Daytona Prototype bonus at this year’s Rolex 24 At Daytona for a near-flawless run to victory in the hands of Jaoa Barbosa, Terry Borcheller, Ryan Dalziel and Mike Rockenfeller. In addition, the No. 70 Mazda RX-8 team won the $5,000 GT class P Zero bonus after David Haskell, Nick Ham and Jonathan Bomarito joined team owner and co-driver Sylvain Tremblay in a comeback run to victory.

“The 2010 Pirelli P Zero Club will have cash bonuses on the line at each and every GRAND-AM Rolex Series race; and that should make great competition even better,” said Rafael Navarro III, Pirelli Tire North America’s Director of Motorsports and Media Relations. “Action Express and SpeedSource were the first teams to hit the jackpot at Daytona, and they will get another chance to cash-in during the 2010 season-ending wild card event at Miller Motorsports Park in September, a race that has a potentially rich payout for both the Daytona Prototype and GT winners.”

Action Express and SpeedSource were quick to thank Pirelli Tire North America for joining GRAND-AM in introducing the lucrative new P Zero Club Bonus program; each of the winning team’s drivers also credited the series-standard Pirelli P Zero Racing Slicks for their major role in each team’s winning efforts. The 2010 Rolex 24 At Daytona endurance race was run in a variety of temperatures and challenging conditions. Both the Pirelli P Zero Racing Rain tire and the P Zero Racing Slicks never missed a beat.

“I drove in variety of conditions on both the wet and dry weather Pirellis and I was thoroughly impressed,” said Borcheller, who was also part of the team that took the overall title at the 2004’s Rolex 24 At Daytona and was 2003’s GRAND-Am Rolex Series Daytona Prototype Champion. “I was in the car in the wet, when it went from wet to dry, and then on slicks running in the damp and trying to stay on the dry line. That is always difficult, but the Pirellis stayed consistent and came in fairly well despite the damp and cold conditions and a pretty green track after the rain.”

Borcheller double-stinted until 3:00 a.m. while at the wheel of the No. 9 Porsche early Sunday morning at the beginning of the coldest and longest green-flag period of the race. During that time, the Rolex 24 ran caution free from just past 1 a.m. until 6:15 a.m. for a total of 175 laps.

“What impressed me the most was the durability of the Pirellis and how well they responded,” continued Borcheller. “I have always thought that one of my biggest strengths is how I manage a tire. I’ve always had the right amount of tire left at the end of a run; but in the case of the new Pirellis I over-conserved. The new tires have more life than I expected. It was great to do my fastest laps at the end of the stint. That tells you Pirelli is going in the right direction.”

Borcheller’s teammate Dalziel scored his second career Daytona Prototype win to go along with his first at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in 2008.

“The Pirellis were excellent for us,” Dalziel said. “We could manage the tires pretty nicely and we could double-stint on the tires whenever we wanted to.”

The GT-winning No. 70 team had fallen six laps behind after a contact incident forced the team to the garage for overnight repairs; but the resilient Mazda squad came back to win by nearly four laps when the checkered flag flew at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday. The Pirelli P Zeros held up to the demands of the No. 70 team’s charge to the front.

“It was a real testament to the Pirelli brand, their engineering and also their overall support,” said Tremblay, who led the No. 70 team to its second Rolex 24 GT win in the last three years. “This weekend the durability was awesome and the current Pirelli is by far the most consistent tire I have had the opportunity to race on. The weather was definitely dicey but one thing that wasn’t was our Pirelli tires.”

Next up for Pirelli and the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series is the Grand Prix of Miami at Homestead-Miami Speedway, March 5th – 6th. The race can be seen live on SPEED at 5 p.m. ET on Saturday, March 6, and $5,000 P Zero Club bonuses will be among the awards on the line for any first time 2010 Daytona Prototype and GT race winning teams.

Pirelli Tire North America designs, develops, manufactures and markets tires for passenger vehicles in both the original equipment and replacement markets as well as markets and distributes tires for motorcycles and motorsports. Located in Rome, Georgia, Pirelli’s Modular Integrated Robotized System (MIRS) employs state-of-the-art technology to manufacture tires for both export and domestic markets. For more information please visit www.us.pirelli.com

Shadows of a winter storm embraced the “World Center of Racing”, bringing myriad conditions for teams and drivers to contend with during the 24 hour race.  The cold, wind and rain of a passing winter storm that brought sleet, snow and freezing rain to much of the southeastern US spared Daytona from the worst of the frozen precipitation, but enveloped the area in an oddball mix of first rainy, then blustery weather that presented race teams with some of the most challenging track conditions to date.

The first, and arguably the most important race of the 2010 GRAND-AM racing season started Saturday under caution, and overall, 16 yellow flags flew throughout the event, slowing the action for an amazing 74 laps.

The challenges at this year’s Rolex 24 At Daytona provided the perfect showcase for the abilities of the 2010 specification P Zero Racing Slick as it made its debut in series racing.  P Zero was developed by Pirelli Motorsport Research and Development and is manufactured in Pirelli’s state-of-the-art motorsport facility. The variety of wet and dry track conditions, cold and hot temperatures and day and night driving that teams contended with helped make the 48^th annual running of America’s premier endurance race one of most memorable to date.

“We are incredibly proud of our organization and the products we design, develop and manufacture which bear our name,” said Tom Gravalos, Vice President of Marketing, Motorsports and Original Equipment Sales. “Our capability to support and supply at the highest level was made very clear today. We are equally proud of the partnership we have with GRAND-AM, which is part of the NASCAR family of companies, and the relationship we have with all of the great competitors in the Rolex Sports Car Series.  We began the Rolex 24 At Daytona race week with several announcements about some exciting promotions and competition bonus programs with GRAND-AM that will benefit the competitors and fans alike, and we look forward to a great season.

“Pirelli is so much more than a brand name – it is a family of technicians that take pride in their work, and care enough about their product to travel from all points on the globe to be here in Daytona when our new P Zero tire hit the ground in competition for the first time.  That kind of support is important – and it is what differentiates Pirelli.  Many tire brands that purport to be in the motorsport business cannot manufacture their own racing tires because of the expertise required. However, Pirelli has proven over the past 102 years of Motorsport victories that racing heritage is earned, not bought,” Gravalos added.

The overall and Daytona Prototype Rolex 24 victory was won by the all-new No. 9 Action Express Porsche Riley of Jaoa Barbosa, Terry Borcheller, Ryan Dalziel and Mike Rockenfeller.

The #9 Action Express Racing Porsche Riley featured a Porsche Cayenne-based V8 engine by Lozano Brothers Porting mounted in a Riley chassis. The combination of the Cayenne V8 and Riley chassis was under development in 2009, but debuted this weekend, and the set-up may prove popular – especially after such a commanding race win in which Joao Barbosa held off Scott Pruett to win, and the car propelled the team to a race-winning 755 laps, averaging 111.930 mph, and a best lap time of 1:42.722 seconds.  The winners and their competitors raced an incredible 22,500 combined laps and covered 80,100 in total mile count.

“These tires are the best we have had from Pirelli yet,” said top American sports car star Scott Pruett, who finished a close second to the winners in the overall Daytona Prototype battle with teammates Memo Rojas, Max Papis and Justin Wilson in the No. 01 TELMEX/Target Chip Ganassi Racing BMW Riley. “The tires are consistent and fast and we were frequently turning our fastest laps at the end of a run, not the beginning.  I was incredibly impressed with how much they have improved and the consistency, durability and speed was just great.”

Pruett and rest of the competition started the race in a heavy downpour and he also drove in some of the coldest conditions overnight and early Sunday morning.

“The only challenge we all faced was at the beginning and getting going.  It was cold and I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a little ice out there.  It felt like it!  I started the race in the wet in fifth place and went straight to the front and just took off.”

The GT class win went to the No. 70 Castrol/SpeedSource Mazda RX-8 of Sylvain Tremblay, David Haskell, Nick Ham and Jonathan Bomarito.  This was the second Rolex 24 win for the No. 70 team in three years.  Bomarito crossed the finish line at the checkered flag and won the race in 707 laps, with a margin of victory equal to 4 laps over the next closest competitor.

Pirelli officials were impressed by the incredible talents and abilities of the competitors in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series.

“The relationships we have built with the great teams, drivers and manufacturers of the GRAND-AM Rolex Series have really helped us meet and exceed expectations,” said Rafael Navarro III, Pirelli Tire North America’s Director of Motorsports and Media Relations.  “The Rolex 24 in particular allows our talented and skilled competitors to push our products to the limit in what is really the ultimate proving ground for today’s top high performance Pirelli products. Pirelli’s new environmentally responsible 2010 specification P Zero’s are HAOF (highly aromatic oil free) and developed by Pirelli Motorsport Research & Development.  They are built at Pirelli’s Motorsport’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility and were fast, consistent and durable this weekend.”

Pirelli also fielded a “pit crew” of its own, so to speak, and their collective performance was matchless.

“More than 60 tire technicians and 12 engineers from Pirelli never missed a beat throughout the grueling weekend,” said Gianluca Grioni, Pirelli Tire North America’s Motorsport Manager “Our crew gave 100% throughout race week, and especially during the rainy and cold nights we experienced before, during and after the race.”

Next up for Pirelli and the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series is the Grand Prix of Miami at Homestead-Miami Speedway, March 5 – 6.  The race can be seen live on SPEED at 5 p.m. ET on Saturday, March 6.

Pirelli Tire North America designs, develops, manufactures and markets tires for passenger vehicles in both the original equipment and replacement markets as well as markets and distributes tires for motorcycles and motorsports. Located in Rome, Georgia, Pirelli’s Modular Integrated Robotized System (MIRS) employs state-of-the-art technology to manufacture tires for both export and domestic markets.  For more information please visit www.us.pirelli.com

Pirelli’s P Zero racing slick has played an essential role in the success of Grand-Am’s Rolex Sports Car Series, and was part of the closest 24-hour endurance race finish in motorsports history last year. In testing for this year’s Rolex 24 earlier this month, P Zero capably handled record cold temperatures that nearly closed the course, and gave teams the confidence to drive hard in the inclement winter weather. Pirelli and its talented team of engineers and technicians are confident that the third-generation P Zeros for Grand-Am are the best yet, and will have the opportunity to prove themselves right during this weekend’s race. More than 45 teams will take up the challenge of the 48th annual running of America’s premier endurance race – each race car fitted with the latest Pirelli P Zero racing tires.

“The season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona represents the single biggest weekend of operation for Pirelli Tire North America’s Motorsport team and we are more than up to the challenge,” said Rafael Navarro III, PTNA’s Director of Motorsports and Media Relations. “As all of the top drivers and teams in the Grand-Am Rolex Series will tell you, every 24-hour races gives drivers nearly a full season of racing experience. Everything we have learned in the last two Rolex 24 events, as well as during testing sessions at Daytona in the harshest of conditions has been put into our 2010 Pirelli P Zeros. We look forward to being part of another great Rolex 24 At Daytona.”

To support the all-day and all-night effort, Pirelli brings more than just its legendary P-Zeros to Daytona International Speedway. A team of 12 Pirelli Tire engineers and 60 tire fitters from all around the world will converge on Daytona, as well as Pirelli’s famous spokesmodels. The various personnel will work in two shifts throughout the race weekend. Calling on only the best from around the world, Pirelli personnel assigned to the Rolex 24 come from the United States, Canada, Italy, and as far away as Australia.

Pirelli also has a fleet of a dozen support trailers in place at Daytona, including a pair of fully equipped technical support units. They will form the platform from which Pirelli technicians will be ready to fit tires from a pool of 10,000 P-Zero racing tires (including 3,000 racing rain tires) on hand in Daytona.

It all begins Thursday January 28th, with practice and qualifying and the team’s only chance to test that night. Friday’s schedule includes a final practice before the 48th annual Rolex 24 on Saturday and Sunday Live coverage of the 2010 Rolex 24 on SPEED begins on Saturday, January 30, at 3 p.m. ET, prior to the 3:30 p.m. ET green flag, and lasts until 10 p.m. ET. Coverage resumes at 7 a.m. ET on Sunday and will run through and into post-race coverage at 4 p.m. ET.

Pirelli Tire North America designs, develops, manufactures and markets tires for passenger vehicles in both the original equipment and replacement markets as well as markets and distributes tires for motorcycles and motorsports. Located in Rome, Georgia, Pirelli’s Modular Integrated Robotized System (MIRS) employs state-of-the-art technology to manufacture tires for both export and domestic markets. For more information please visit www.us.pirelli.com.

MONTE CARLO, MONACO – Pirelli returned to the renowned Monte Carlo Rally this weekend and ultimately celebrated a first place finish with partner Ford and driver Mikko Hirvonen following a successful debut of the fast Ford Fiesta Super 2000. Hirvonen piloted the only car officially fitted by Pirelli in the event. Leading from the start, the Finnish rally star easily overcame the challenges of changing road conditions in his Ford Fiesta Super 2000 thanks to Pirelli’s Winter Sottozero and P Zero tires which, with their versatility and reliability, adapted to all the different conditions, from the ice in the mountain passes to the dry coastal asphalt.

The winning Hirvonen-Ford-Pirelli trio relied on its considerable expertise in rallying to win the event. Experience doubtlessly earned from its World Rally Championship (WRC) experience, where Milan-based Pirelli has been sole supplier of tires since 2008.

Finnish-born Hirvonen – the 2009 World WRC Vice-Champion – completed the rally with an overall time of 4h32′58″5, outpacing the Skoda Fabias of his compatriot Juho Hanninen and Frenchman Nicolas Vouilloz, respectively 1’51’’4 and 3’19’’1 behind.

“It was a special return for Pirelli to Monte Carlo”, said Paul Hembery, Pirelli’s Motorsport Director. “We had only one official entry for the event, but that proved sufficient as it was the winning combination of the debuting Ford Fiesta S2000 together with Ford official works driver Mikko Hirvonen. Our P Zero and Sottozero tires performed perfectly in the cold, snow and ice conditions of this classic Monte Carlo event. Of course we were also competing against rival tire manufacturers, but our product technology proved superior with Mikko barely troubled, in the lead from start to finish. We now turn our attention to the first WRC event of the season, in Sweden, where as the official supplier, we will again demonstrate the superior Arctic performance of the Pirelli Sottozero”.

Pirelli Tire North America designs, develops, manufactures and markets tires for passenger vehicles in both the original equipment and replacement markets as well as markets and distributes tires for motorcycles and motorsports. Located in Rome, Georgia, Pirelli’s Modular Integrated Robotized System (MIRS) employs state-of-the-art technology to manufacture tires for both export and domestic markets. For more information please visit www.us.pirelli.com.