Leh Keene wins Tire Rack's 3,500-mile One Lap of America race

Long-time participant Leh Keene has clinched the Tire Rack One Lap of America race in his 2009 Top Speed Nissan GT-R. The event began April 30 at the retailer’s headquarters in South Bend, Ind., and concluded at the same spot May 7 after covering 3,500 miles, 10 tracks and 18 stages on just one set of tires per car.

Of the 73 teams that started, 62 were able to finish – and none of the competitors experienced a race- ending tire failure.

Keene’s “knack for not overdriving the car and knowing how to run a steady, fast, consistent pace put him in first place throughout most of the event,” reports Brock Yates Jr., chairman of the endurance race established by his father in the 1970s.

“Leh brings a calm attitude to any track he goes after and is always offering advice and help to anyone who asks,” Yates says. “Approachable and always smiling, Leh is a true ambassador to motorsports and a huge value to the One Lap.”

The fastest speed for this year’s race was the 187 mph by recorded by Catesby Jones in his 2010 Nissan GT-R; Keene reached 181 mph, with both pilots posting their top numbers at the Daytona Speedway.

For more information, visit www.onelapofamerica.com and www.tirerack.com.