SEMA: Pirelli develops new tires for Trans Am
Pirelli has become the official tire supplier of the Trans Am Championship
The partnership was revealed at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas this week, with Pirelli announcing it has specially engineered new versions of its P Zero tires to meet the requirements of TA and TA2 racing cars. It is anticipated the technological developments that have gone into the new Trans Am tires will feed back into the development of Pirelli’s commercially available tires, as has happened in the past.
Founded in 1966 and split into a variety of classes, Trans Am is based on raceway-bred versions of sporting road cars similar to those offered in auto dealerships all over the country, reinforcing Pirelli’s connection between road and track.
Pirelli’s engineers have worked with Trans Am’s top teams and drivers to create the bespoke performance tire that is “nonetheless durable and encourages close competition.”
Pirelli will be the sole tire supplier to Trans Am for three years, starting in 2017. It is also the presenting sponsor — meaning that the competition will now be known as the “Trans Am Championship, presented by Pirelli.”
Pirelli boosts links to motorsport
Pirelli motorsport director Paul Hembery said: “Trans Am is one of the biggest names in America, with close, affordable and popular racing that showcases thrilling competition. With our involvement in the Pirelli World Challenge, as well as different one-make series in the USA and the recently-opened P Zero World store in Los Angeles, Pirelli’s links with American auto racing have never been stronger.”
A specially engineered P Zero on a Trans Am.
Pirelli’s North American Vice President of Motorsports Rafael Navarro said: “This new agreement with Trans Am is part of a wider plan to continue growing the commercial motorsports business in the North American market.
“Our direction was clear from the beginning and we have developed and produced a product that introduces radial technology to all categories, improving performance while maintaining the characteristics fans have come to appreciate from Trans Am racing.”
