While there is still a long way to go in the 2007 Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series, race teams, drivers and series officials already have their eye on 2008 as evidenced by this week's test sessions of the new Pirelli P Zero tyres that all Daytona Prototype and GT cars will use beginning with next year's Rolex 24 At
Daytona.
The #01 TELMEX Chip Ganassi Racing Lexus Riley, #77 Kodak Feeds The Need/Doran Racing Ford Doran, #39 Crown Royal Special Reserve/Cheever Racing Porsche Fabcar and the #20 Howard Motorsports Pontiac Crawford were joined at Homestead-Miami Speedway for two days of Pirelli tyre testing by the #70 Mazda/Mazdaspeed SpeedSource Mazda RX-8, #07 Banner Racing Pontiac GXP.R and the #72 Tafel Racing Porsche GT3. On Wednesday, the #01, 39, 20, 07 and 70 teams moved a few hundred miles to the north for more testing on the Daytona International Speedway road course layout.
The teams combined to run several thousand miles over the four days of testing and came away from the sessions impressed with the performance of the new tyres. Many cars did 40- to 50-lap runs, and the Pirellis earned positive reports in their first time on Rolex Series machinery from all involved.
“We are very pleased with the early efforts of Pirelli,” said Grand-Am director of race operations Scott Spencer. “The tyres have come back from long runs showing good wear characteristics and great consistency in lap times. Overall, we have had a great introduction to Pirelli and their ability to produce race tyres.”
Among the drivers testing were points leaders in both the Daytona Prototype and GT classes. Daytona Prototype points' leader Scott Pruett shared the #01 Lexus Riley with co-driver Memo Rojas, while GT points co-leader Sylvain Tremblay put the Pirelli tyres to the test on his #70 Mazda RX-8.
“We are pleased to see Pirelli's commitment to the Grand-Am Rolex Series,” Tremblay said. “The competitiveness of the series will no doubt be matched with the quality and competitiveness of their tyres. It is early in the relationship, but we are pleased with the product and progress we have seen to date.”
