Pirelli introduced its 2010 specification P Zero Racing Slick at Daytona International Speedway this week during December tire tests in preparation for January’s Rolex 24 – one of auto racing’s most iconic and legendary events. The two-day test, run December 8-9, gave teams and drivers the opportunity to test the new HAOF (highly aromatic oil-free) racing slicks – Grand-Am’s first foray into Green Performance, and the results were impressive.

Twenty-four cars tested the new tires on the storied 3.56-mile Daytona road circuit, and reaction to the new tires was encouraging. Although official lap times were not released by Grand-Am, unofficially, Max Angelelli was the quickest driver in the Daytona Prototype category in the No. 10 SunTrust Racing Ford Dallara – nearly besting the track record.

“I’m very happy,” said Angelelli. “The new tires for 2010 seem to work really well. They can take so many laps that it’s almost unbelievable.”

Scott Pruett, eight-time American sports car champion, two-time Rolex Series Daytona Prototype Champion and three-time Rolex 24 at Daytona winner was also impressed by the new 2010 specification P Zeros. Pruett tested a BMW-powered No. 01 Riley for TELMEX Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates.

“What we’re seeing is phenomenal life,” said Pruett. “This is the biggest jump that I have seen in this sport since I’ve been in it. Consistency looks to be just terrific. We ran almost as fast at the end of the run as we did at the start – that’s what you’re looking for. It looks like what they’ve come up with has been a huge jump forward. We’re not (just) looking at pure speed, but endurance of the tire.”

Michael Shank Racing teammates Oswaldo Negri Jr. and Mark Patterson were also delighted with the performance of the Pirellis on their Ford Rileys. Negri was a consistent front-runner throughout the two days at Daytona sun in the No. 60 MSR machine.

“I’m extremely happy,” said Negri of his Pirelli tires. “The tires are lasting and performing much longer than last year. This tire suits my driving style. I can roll a lot more speed into the corner and have the front end working well. Yesterday my fastest lap time was with tires that had 150 miles on them. Today, my fastest time was with tires that had 170 miles. We are really, really happy.”

Drivers in the GT class echoed their Daytona Prototype counterparts in their praise for the environmentally-friendly Pirelli P Zeros. Robin Liddell unofficially turned in the fastest GT time in the No. 97 Stevenson Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro GT.R, and was quick to credit the new Pirellis.

“As usual, it went very, very well,” Liddell said. “We’re going through a shakedown process with our new Camaro and we’ve had no problems. We’ve come to expect good performance and consistency (from Pirelli) and this test is no different. We’re very confident in the product.”

Spencer Pumpelly, driver of the No. 67 TRG Porsche and last year’s GT runner-up in the 24 hour race has confidence in the new P Zero Racing Slicks as well. Pumpelly tested the No. 67 TRG Porsche alongside co-drivers Bobby Labonte, Andy Lally and Tim George Jr.

“The (P Zeros) are much more consistent,” Pumpelly said. “Pirelli has done an excellent job of addressing our needs. Based on what we know so far, it’s great. I can’t wait to get out there and be able to really lean on them.”

Pirelli Motorsport’s return to Daytona for testing this week highlights the intense preparation and development of the new 2010 specification P Zero. The run-up to the manufacturer’s third season as the Official Tire Supplier to Grand-Am’s Rolex Sports Car Series is also the introduction of Green Performance to the racing capital of the world.

“It’s great to be back at Daytona,” said Tom Gravalos, VP of Motorsport, Marketing and O.E. Sales for Pirelli Tire North America. “Our new 2010 spec P Zero Racing Slick has proven to be consistent, durable and very fast this week, and we’ve been able to put many miles on the new eco-friendly tire. As Pirelli increases the percentage of environmentally sustainable products in its line-up from 20% to 40% by 2011, our Motorsport products are leading the way with highly aromatic oil-free (HAOF) compounds – proving that Green Performance is the fastest way ahead. The teams have been very happy with the P Zero’s consistency, durability and speed. We are definitely looking forward to the start of the 2010 Grand-Am season at the Rolex 24 in January. It’s going to be fast!”

The drivers and teams in both Rolex Series classes will get another pre-season opportunity to run their 2010 Pirelli P Zeros at Daytona International Speedway on the weekend of January 8-10 for the annual “Roar Before the Rolex 24” three-day test. The 2010 Rolex Series season kicks off with the 48th Rolex 24 At Daytona on January 30-31. The green flag drops at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, January 30 followed by the checkered flag 24 hours later.

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.

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Media Contacts:
Rafael Navarro, Director Communications & Motorsports
951-533-0305 rafael.navarro@pirelli.com

Joe Severns, Public Relations Manager
706-506-2195 joe.severns@pirelli.com

Pirelli returns to Daytona this weekend for a second time this season, ready to set all-new records at the storied Florida raceway in the Brumos Porsche 250.  The Saturday, July 4th race is scheduled for 70 laps/250 miles on the 3.56-mile Daytona International Speedway road course and can be seen live on SPEED at 2 p.m. ET (11 a.m. PT).

While January’s Rolex 24 and the Brumos Porsche 250 are run on the same track, the similarities end there.  This Saturday’s race will be run in the heat of a typical Florida summer afternoon, a challenging environment that takes its toll on the drivers, race cars and the track itself.  The dire conditions also bring out the best in the Pirelli P Zeros.

“It is going to be nasty, hot, slippery and tough,” said Jon Fogarty, who co-drove to victory in the 2007 Brumos Porsche 250 with GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing and teammate Alex Gurney in the team’s No. 99 Pontiac Riley Daytona Prototype.  “The heat will sap energy out of the drivers and the motors, and the tires are going to have there work cut out for them.  I am sure the Pirellis are up to the task, but I am certain that it will be a more difficult track to drive than what we have in January.”

Burt Frisselle co-drives the No. 61 AIM Autosport Ford Riley Daytona Prototype with Mark Wilkins.  He also expects the Pirelli P Zeros to be ready for the grueling Florida conditions this Fourth of July.

“Daytona is a tough track for tires because it requires great traction for the tight hairpins and at the same time requires longevity and stability when running the high banking at over 190 mph,” Frisselle said.  “For 2009, the P Zero is even better for the drivers as it allows us to get the occasional lock up going into Turn 1 and the Bus Stop chicane without the penalty of a big flat spot.  Pirelli’s hard work has shown in the lap times.”

The warm weather conditions could also be a challenge for the teams and drivers in the Grand-Am Rolex Series GT category.  Andy Lally was part of January’s class winning Rolex 24 team in the No. 67 TRG Porsche GT3 and looks for an equally challenging race this weekend.

“The main thing that we will deal with at Daytona this weekend as opposed to the 24 hour race in January is the heat,” Lally said. “We will be focusing mainly on tire life, especially this year because for the first time Grand-Am will run this race in the day time. The infield section will be very tough to put the power down and we will be pushing the Pirellis for all there worth.  We had no real tire issues in the Rolex 24 win and I don’t anticipate any this weekend either.  This allows us to focus on driving.”"

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.

P Zeros Set Record Times at 47th Annual Rolex 24 At Daytona

DAYTONA, FL – After what amounted to a 24-hour sprint race, Pirelli P Zero Racing Slick tires met their ultimate challenge at the Rolex 24 At Daytona this weekend with flying colors.  The most exciting Rolex 24 in recent memory, the overall qualifying record was broken by David Donohue in the #58 Brumos Porsche, and four Daytona Prototype racers fought head-to-head for overall victory up to the closing minutes of the race with only seconds separating each.

Winning their first Rolex 24 since 1978 (when Brumos won the race in their #99 Porsche 935), the #58 Brumos Racing Porsche driven by Donohue and co-drivers Darren Law, Buddy Rice and Antonio Garcia defeated the #01 Chip Ganassi Racing Lexus Riley driven by Juan Pablo Montoya and his co-drivers Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas by just 0.167 seconds. Donohue battled Montoya in the final laps of the race, overcoming late charges and light contact to edge out the Ganassi car.  Brumos’ victory is also the first overall Porsche win as a manufacturer in the Rolex 24 since 2003 when the #66 The Racer’s Group (TRG) Porsche GT3 RS won the race’s GT Class competition.

“Performance-wise, the tires are performing well,” said Garcia, co-driver of the #58 Brumos Racing Porsche Daytona Prototype car.  “We don’t have problems anywhere, it’s just total grip.”

“They (the tires) have just been incredible,” said J.C. France, driver on the #59 Brumos Porsche that finished 3rd overall. “I can’t say enough about the Pirellis.  The speed has always been phenomenal with them.  We’ve broken track records wherever we’ve gone with the Pirellis. You can’t say enough about the speed with them.”

“The tires have been great,” said Kevin Buckler, owner of the GT Class winning #67 (TRG) Porsche GT3 Cup and the #66 TRG GT3 Cup cars said. “Pirelli has been a stand-up partner and they nailed it; these tires are great, they are good for everybody.  We haven’t had a single problem with tires.  I’m really proud to be associated with these guys.”

Just like the tires, the Pirelli crew was up to the task of providing world-class service.  Not only did the 10,000 tires brought to Daytona International Speedway for the Rolex 24 have to be maintained at a constant temperature during storage and shipment, but 240 tires had to be mounted each hour by the Pirelli crew that included a team of 70 tire technicians and 10 Pirelli tire engineers from all over the world.  Such a fast pace requires a military discipline to activity in the Pirelli tire center in order to get each team the tires it needed to compete in the most grueling race of the 2009 Grand-Am racing season.

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.