Pirelli Tire North America has been selected as the Official Tire Supplier for the World Challenge Championships, inking a five-year partnership that puts the prominent production-based series on racing slick tires. Pirelli will supply all cars in the World Challenge GT, GTS and Touring Car categories with the P Zero Racing Slick and P Zero Racing Rain tires beginning in 2011, the 22nd year of the SCCA Pro Racing-sanctioned Championship.
“Our colleagues at Pirelli have been very professional to work with in coming to the agreement on the partnership,” said Scott Bove, Director of Operations, WC Vision, the managing arm of World Challenge. “It’s a testament to their entire organization and helps one understand how they have become a premium tire manufacturer. They care about their customer. Our competitors have been asking for a racing slick for years and Pirelli is able to do this. We expect the tire will be yet another reason that new teams will consider competing in the Sports Car Wars of World Challenge.”
“Pirelli Tire North America is proud to be the exclusive tire supplier for the World Challenge,” Tom Gravalos, Pirelli Tire North America’s VP Marketing, Motorsports & Original Equipment, said. “This is a highly competitive racing series, and it will help drivers, teams and fans develop a strong, positive relationship with the Pirelli brand. This is an exciting time for Pirelli Motorsport, as we continue our strategy of growth and development and are now partnered with some of the most important race series and world championships in the world, including Formula One, GP2, GP3, the VW TDI Cup, Ferrari Challenge, Lamborghini Super Trofeo, Pirelli Drivers Cup USA and now, World Challenge.”
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.
The World Challenge has recently concluded its 2010 season, crowning a Drivers’ Champion and a coveted Manufacturers’ Champion in each of the three classes after a 12-race season, the largest in Series history. All World Challenge races are a maximum of 50 minutes in length and feature standing starts with popular cars from the world’s leading manufacturers racing head-to-head. For more information please visit www.world-challenge.com.
