Adding new meaning to the term “peel out,” Bob Faieta and Melanie Snow were both double winners this past weekend on Yokohama’s new eco-friendly orange oil racing tire in the Patrón GT3 Challenge at Sebring International Raceway in Florida.
Driving Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars equipped with the company’s ADVAN ENV-R1 tire, which made its debut at Sebring, both drivers started from the pole and swept their respective classes on Thursday and Friday. It marks the first time that an auto racing a series has utilized sustainable tire technology on each competing vehicle.
The ENV-R1, the Official Specified Tire of the GT3 Challenge, reduces petroleum use by about 10 percent and increases recyclability while maintaining the high performance levels of previous race slick compounds, according to Mark Chung, Yokohama’s director of corporate strategy and planning.
“In its race debut this weekend, the tire has performed well with lap times remaining consistent throughout both races,” says Chung. “Several drivers have told me how impressed they were with the drivability of the tire.”
Faieta, the Platinum Class winner, has now won four GT3 Challenge races in a row. Snow, the Gold Class champ, is equally on a roll with 15 consecutive podium finishes. Both racers attributed their success in-part to the “strong-performing and consistent” ENV-R1s.
“My Yokohama tires just kept going strong and even got stronger toward the end of the race,” says Faieta, who is based in Tujunga, Calif. “It’s a testament to the new tire; a really awesome product.”
Adds Snow, who lives in Pleasant Grove, Utah: “I thought the ADVAN ENV-R1 worked really well. We were fairly quick in traffic and for us to be able to turn the times that we did was good. The tires held up well for me. My second to last lap was the fastest for me. They were consistent all the way through.”
Also presented was the Yokohama Hard Charger award, given to the driver advancing the most positions during each of the two rounds. Ludovico Manfredi, of London, England, drove from 28th to 21st in round one. Patrick Flanagan, of Laguna Niguel, Calif., advanced seven positions to take the second-round award.
Chung reports that the company’s orange oil racing technology will transfer to passenger car tires when the dB Super E-spec becomes available this summer in sizes designed for the Toyota Prius, Honda Civic Hybrid and other fuel-efficient models.
For more information, visit www.yokohamatire.com. A video of the dB Super E-spec is available at www.yokohamatire.com/video/ktlavideo.html.
