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TTC-Equipped Vipers Dominate American LeMans Series Championship

11 November 1999

TTC-Equipped Vipers Dominate American LeMans Series Championship

    FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich., Nov. 10 -- Six races, six victories.
That's the record Team ORECA racked up with their Viper GTS-R racecars to
clinch the American LeMans Series GTS class championship.  Although Team ORECA
GTS-R's are highly sophisticated evolutions of the basic Dodge Viper design,
they are equipped with modified versions of the standard TTC TREMEC T-56
transmission found in stock Vipers.
    Team ORECA's Vipers completely dominated the Series' GTS class, where they
competed with Porches, Corvettes and Saleen Mustangs.  Besides winning all the
races they entered, Team ORECA GTS-R Vipers usually posted either a 1-2 or a
1-3 finish.
    The American LeMans Series triumph is by no means the only success that
TTC-equipped Vipers have earned.  Earlier this year, Team ORECA GTS-R's won
their second straight victory in the 24 Hours of LeMans, the world's most
famous -- and grueling -- endurance race.  (GTS-R Vipers are the only
production-based American cars to ever win at LeMans.)  And, in an
overwhelming 1-2-3-5-6 finish at the last race of the year in Watkins Glen.
Vipers also clinched their third consecutive FIA GT2 Championship.
    The Viper's success in racing is largely due to the bulletproof
reliability these cars deliver.  And, transmission technology from TTC played
a major role in assuring that reliability.  Few components in a racecar take
the kind of abuse a transmission endures during the course of one race.
Dozens of harsh, maximum RPM shifts are made on every lap, as the transmission
continuously absorbs torque and horsepower loads far greater than any
production vehicle will ever see.  It's the toughest test any transmission can
undergo.  And when you pass that test by getting to the finish line first, you
not only build a reputation for strong transmissions -- you also build a
stronger base of knowledge that improves the performance and reliability of
every transmission you manufacture.
    Therefore, the TTC TREMEC transmissions found on today's passenger cars,
pickups and SUVs carry innovations developed years ago at places like LeMans,
Sebring, Daytona and Road Atlanta.  And the next generation of TTC TREMEC
transmissions will be even tougher, thanks to the lessons the engineers are
learning from the latest round of victories.
    TTC designs, develops, manufactures, and markets transmissions for a wide
variety of vehicles, from high-performance passenger cars and light-duty
trucks, to medium-duty and Class 8 commercial trucks.  TTC is part of the UNIK
group, one of Mexico's largest auto parts suppliers.  UNIK is a wholly owned
subsidiary of DESC , traded on the NYSE under symbol DES.  Visit
TTC on the Internet at http://www.ttcautomotive.com