- Bridgestone is competing in the 40th running of
the Tire Rack One Lap of America.
- Bridgestone will enter with two teams: Team Potenza Race and
Team Potenza RE-71RS.
- Bridgestone's participation in One Lap of America is in
celebration of its Potenza tire line's 45th anniversary,
engineered to bring the thrill, passion and performance of the
racetrack to everyday drivers.
NASHVILLE, Tenn., May 2, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- Bridgestone Americas (Bridgestone) will
celebrate its iconic Potenza tire line's 45th
anniversary by competing in the 40th running of the Tire
Rack One Lap of America event May 4-11,
2024. Team Potenza Race and Team Potenza RE-71RS will
participate in the eight-day, 3,500-mile event, known as one of the
most difficult endurance challenges in the United States. This cross-country event
spans 15 states and includes time attack trials at some of
America's most famous racetracks. Teams will spend nearly 24 hours
a day making the grueling journey and pushing the tires'
performance and durability to the limit across multiple courses and
thousands of miles.
This year marks the 45th anniversary of Bridgestone's
iconic Potenza tire line, which was engineered to bring the thrill,
passion and performance of the racetrack to everyday drivers. The
name Potenza translates to "power" in Italian, connecting the
company's passion for performance with a culture known for its
contribution to global motorsports. Bridgestone's participation in
One Lap of America offers the opportunity to highlight
high-performance products that are designed to deliver wins both on
and around the track that empower everyone to perform at their
best.
"Motorsports have been fundamental to Bridgestone's identity for
more than 60 years, and racing is a true passion for us as a
company to enhance the joy of the sport," said Cara Krstolic, Executive Director, Race Tire
Engineering and Production, Bridgestone Americas. "One Lap of
America offers a thrilling platform to celebrate and showcase our
high-performance Potenza lineup's enduring legacy of performance
and reliability. We will continue to use racing as a proving ground
for our R&D efforts. What really matters is that the new
solutions we deliver on track today will transform premium mobility
on the road tomorrow."
Team Potenza Race and Team Potenza RE-71RS will be advised
by professional racecar driver Katherine
Legge. Legge has won multiple races in the International
Motorsports Association (IMSA) WeatherTech SportsCar Championship
and boasts one of the most diverse resumes in modern motorsports.
In addition to IMSA, Legge has experience in NASCAR, INDYCAR,
ChampCar, DTM, A1GP, Formula E, Formula 3, Formula Atlantic,
Formula Renault, Jaguar I-Pace eTrophy series and a Formula One
test with Minardi.
Team Potenza Race
Team Potenza Race will consist
of Krstolic and professional racecar driver Christina Nielsen. Krstolic has more than 15
years of racing experience and oversees all design, development,
manufacturing and track-side support of INDYCAR race tires in
North America. Nielsen brings over
15 years of global professional racing experience and is a champion
of the IMSA Endurance Championship and a two-time champion of the
IMSA Weathertech series. Krstolic and Nielsen will be competing in
a 2024 Acura Integra Type S equipped with Bridgestone Potenza Race
tires. As team number 93, Krstolic and Nielsen celebrate the number
of years Bridgestone has been in business. Team Potenza Race will
be competing in the sports/GT cars over $50,000 and engine displacement under 3.5L
class.
Launched in May 2023,
the Bridgestone Potenza Race is engineered for track-driving
enthusiasts based on their expectations for an ultra-high
performance tire. The semi-slick Potenza Race tire delivers the
fastest lap time1 and the shortest braking on dry
pavement2 among key competitors. This pairs well with
outstanding track longevity1 to help driving enthusiasts
perform and push their limits on the track. The Bridgestone Potenza
Race tire is available in the U.S. and Canadian markets in 13
popular sizes from 17-inch to 20-inch rim diameters. Popular
fitments include sports cars and supercars most commonly used on
streets and tracks, including Maserati, Ferrari, Porshe, McLaren,
Lamborghini, BMW M, Audi RS, Mercedes-AMG and more.
Team Potenza RE-71RS
Team
Potenza RE-71RS will consist of drivers Todd Chapman, Senior Product Manager at
Bridgestone Americas, partnered with automotive influencer
Dustin Williams. Chapman has nearly
20 years of grassroots racing experience and has completed over 90
races to date. Williams has competed in various racing events
around the world including Global Time Attack, GridLife and the
Maximum Attack Challenge in Japan.
Chapman and Williams will be competing in a 2024 Honda Civic Type R
equipped with Bridgestone Potenza RE-71RS tires. As team number 45,
Chapman and Williams give a nod to the Potenza line's
45th anniversary. Team Potenza RE-71RS will be competing
in the sports/GT cars under $50,000
and engine displacement under 3.5L class.
Launched in April 2022,
the Bridgestone Potenza RE-71RS is engineered for
grassroots racing, designed with track day, autocross and endurance
racing drivers in mind. The flagship Potenza product, the Potenza
RE-71RS, is a dedicated track tire designed for precision
performance and blistering lap times, delivering enhanced steering
and grip and extended wear life3. The Bridgestone
Potenza RE-71RS tire is available in the U.S. and Canadian markets
in 38 sizes from 15-inch to 20-inch rim diameters. Popular fitments
include Mazda Miata/MX-5, Subaru
BRZ, Ford Mustang, Porshe Cayman and BMW 3-Series.
Bridgestone's One Lap of America presence reinforces the
company's global motorsports strategy to sustain racing for
generations to come. Bridgestone is committed to advancing and
developing a motorsports culture through support of domestic and
overseas motorsports ranging from grassroots amateur races to
top-level professional race series. Through these efforts,
including One Lap of America, Bridgestone aims to empower everyone
to experience the thrill and passion of racing while delivering
solutions that are essential to the future of mobility.
Bridgestone's presence at the 2024 One Lap of America aligns
with the "Emotion," "Ecology" and "Extension" values of the
Bridgestone E8 Commitment. The Bridgestone E8 Commitment,
encompassing eight values all beginning with the letter "E,"
solidifies Bridgestone's dedication to fostering a more sustainable
world.
For more company news, visit BridgestoneAmericas.com.
1 Lap time at Nardo circuit (6115
meter), average time over three laps in seconds: Bridgestone
(2:35,29), Pirelli (2:37,62), Michelin (2:37,87), Goodyear
(2:37,80).*
2 Dry braking distance (100 km/h to 0
km/h) at Bridgestone EUPG, distance in meters: Bridgestone (32.3),
Michelin (32.8), Pirelli (33.2), Goodyear (34.6).*
3 Comparison based on the Bridgestone
Potenza RE-71RS tires vs. the Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R tires from
internal testing. Results may vary depending on proper tire and
vehicle maintenance, road conditions and driving habits.
*Tests carried out by TÜV SÜD on the request of Bridgestone
in November 2021 and March 2022 at the facilities Bridgestone EUPG
(Italy) and Nardo (Italy) for tests with Mercedes AMG A45s, on
tire size 245/35 R19 Potenza Race compared to the performances of
main competitors in the same segment: Goodyear Eagle F1 Supersport
R (size 245/35 ZR19), Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect (size
245/35 R19), Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R (size 245/35 ZR19). TUV Report
No. 713231330. Actual results may vary.
About Bridgestone Americas, Inc.:
Bridgestone Americas, Inc. is the U.S.-based subsidiary of
Bridgestone Corporation, a global leader in tires and rubber,
building on its expertise to provide solutions for safe and
sustainable mobility. Headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., Bridgestone Americas employs
more than 45,000 people across its worldwide operations.
Bridgestone offers a diverse product portfolio of premium tires and
advanced solutions backed by innovative technologies, improving the
way people around the world move, live, work and play.
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SOURCE Bridgestone Americas, Inc.