Pirelli tires shine in first Grand-Am test

Daytona Beach, Florida- Pirelli’s inaugural pre-season test session with the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 took place in sunny weather and track temperatures of 90°F. The two day session was marked by highly favorable comments from the drivers and record lap times from the cars. Pirelli debuted its new motorsport support team and fleet which brought 2400 tires to support the 44 teams that attended.

Starting with the 2008 Rolex 24 at Daytona, Pirelli will fit all Daytona Prototype and GT competitors with tires specifically designed to suit both standard road course circuits and the banking of the Daytona and Miami tracks. Pirelli proudly returns to the North American motorsport scene as the official tire supplier to the largest professional sports cars series in the United States.

Sun Trust Racing team owner and driver Wayne Taylor said: “I’m thrilled to see Pirelli with us in the Grand-Am series. The new P Zero Racing tire offers a tremendous level of grip, consistency and steering feel, which makes each driving stint really exhilarating. As a former Pirelli driver, it’s nice to be back on Italian rubber." Former FIA-GT champion Gabriele Gardel, in Daytona for his first test with the #77 Doran Racing Ford noted that: “the Grand-Am atmosphere is absolutely amazing. Driving a Daytona Prototype is exciting and with the Pirelli tires I felt secure right from the beginning in a car I had never driven before. I’m looking forward to driving in Daytona on Pirelli tires in January".

Pirelli Tire North America specializes in manufacturing and marketing high- performance tires for passenger vehicles, motorcycles, ATV’s and motorsport. An industry leader in technology and quality, Pirelli operates its highly advanced Modular Integrated Robotized System (MIRS) in Rome, Georgia, to better serve the American OEM and Replacement markets.