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Michelin Wins GT1 Class at Daytona 24-Hour Race

3 February 1998

Michelin Wins GT1 Class at Daytona 24-Hour Race

    DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. Feb. 3 -- Michelin claimed the GT1 class
victory here, Feb. 1, in the Rolex 24 at Daytona, in which the Michelin
Pilot-equipped Rohr Motorsports Porsche 911 GT1 outran all but one of the
lighter, quicker cars in the Can-Am division.
    The Rohr Motorsports team included Indy champion Danny Sullivan, Alan
McNish, Joerg Mueller, Dirk Mueller and Uwe Alzen.  The team completed 803
laps of the 3.56-mile road course.
    Finishing second in the GTl class and third overall was another
Michelin-equipped Porsche 911 GT1, campaigned by Labre Fat Turbo Express.
    Michelin supported six cars it the Daytona event, including two Panoz
Motorsports GTRs, one of which led the GT1 category through most of the
evening hours.  As morning broke, both Panoz cars retired with overheating
problems.
    The victory is the first ever in the GTl class for Michelin at the 24-hour
Daytona event.
    "This is a great way to start off Michelin North America's first full year
of competition in North American GT racing," said Herb Johnson, director of
motorsports for Michelin North America.
    The Daytona win comes on the heels of a successful 1997 season in
international GT racing, in which Michelin claimed the FIA GT2 crown with the
Oreca Viper team.
    In addition to its activity in the GT racing scene this year, Michelin
North America will supply tires for the Barber Dodge Pro Series and has a
marketing agreement with Skip Barber Racing Schools.
    Michelin, which brought the world the radial tire more than 50 years ago,
is the world's largest tire company.  It has 22 plants in North America and
produces tires for every type of vehicle, from bicycles to the space shuttle.

SOURCE  Michelin