Michelin has enjoyed great success at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca by earning the triple play (three class victories from all three classes entered) for three consecutive years (2002-2004). That mark was bettered just last year as Michelin entered & won all four classes, scoring a first ever Michelin ALMS grand slam.
This week, Michelin will seek yet even a higher mark, a sweep of all four series championships.
OPERATION
GRAND SLAM
Michelin heads to Laguna Seca seeking the first
Championship Grand Slam (Tire, Manufacturer, Team &
Driver's Championships in all four classes) in ALMS
history. Michelin already has clinched the Tire
Championship in the P1, P2 & GT2 classes & holds a
seven-point lead in the GT1 class.
Michelin & their technical partners have already secured the manufacturer championships in P1 (Audi), P2 (Porsche) & GT2 (Porsche), while the GT1 Manufacturer Championship is still up for grabs as Chevrolet Corvette (Michelin) currently leads over Aston Martin.
Michelin technical partner-teams have also clinched the P1 (Audi Sport North America) & P2 (Penske Motorsports) Team Championships while the GT1 Team Championship will be determined at Laguna Seca. In the GT2 class, Michelin is assured to secure the Team Championship as the top three teams vying for top honors are all Michelin-fitted.
Audi Sport North America drivers, Rinaldo Capello & Allan McNish, clinched the Driver's Championship earlier this year in the P1 class. The other three championships will be settled at Laguna Seca with Michelin-drivers (P2: Maassen, Luhr; GT1: Gavin, Beretta & GT2: van Overbeek), leading in their respective classes.
"The ultimate dream would be to win the manufacturer, team, driver & tire championships in all four classes," said Karl Koenigstein, Michelin motorsports technical team leader for ALMS, "that would be a true Michelin 4 x4."
MICHELIN TECH
MEETS VALLEY TECH
Michelin tire designers, engineers & staff will be
bringing their latest technology & innovations to
Laguna Seca. "We have championships on the line & this
is the last chance to test new Michelin tire
technologies in ALMS race conditions before we move into
our off-season development," said Koenigstein.
MICHELIN PLAN:
BE SMOOTH, BE FAST, BE CONSISTENT
The Laguna Seca circuit rewards rhythm & smooth
driving pays off both in terms of consistent lap times
& reducing tire wear. The track features several fast,
sweeping corners, & Michelin engineers report that
tire temperatures are usually balanced & predictable.
"We expect that many of our Michelin partner Prototype
teams will have the option of double-stinting tires &
that our GT teams should have consistent handling &
lap times throughout their extended stints," said Koenigstein.
"The track surface is fairly smooth & there is not a lot of heavy braking or heavy acceleration required. The only thing that affects grip is the sand tossed up on the track from off-track excursions into the gravel traps. The tires give progressive feedback to the drivers & should allow them to know their limits," said Koenigstein.
STAY COOL
"Our Michelin colleagues in MotoGP reported track
temperatures up to 60C or 140 degrees Fahrenheit at
their United States GP race here in July," said
Koenigstein. "Thankfully, the temperatures are typically
cooler in the Monterey Peninsula at this time of year.
Our Michelin guys came away with the top four places in
the MotoGP race. It is a very big stretch, especially
with traffic, pit stops & race tactics, but we hope to
come away with four wins & four ALMS championships."
MONTEREY
SPORTS CAR CHAMPIONSHIPS ON SPEED CHANNEL
The Monterey Sports Car Championships will air at 8:00
p.m. EDT, October 21, on SPEED Channel.
As the undisputed leader in the tire industry, Michelin (www.michelin.com) designs, manufactures & sells tires for every type of vehicle, including airplanes, automobiles, bicycles, earthmovers, farm equipment, heavy-duty trucks, motorcycles & the space shuttle. The company also publishes travel guides, maps & atlases covering Europe, Asia, Africa & North America. Headquartered in Greenville, S.C., Michelin North America employs 22,300 & operates 19 major manufacturing plants in 17 locations.
