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  Using DOT-approved Michelin Power Race tires in a class where slicks are
the norm, Vincent Haskovec won Formula USA Superbike at Homestead. |
 hen
a rookie wins a big race, veterans often dismiss it as a fluke. But it
was no fluke when the newly introduced Michelin Power Race tires won
six races at last October’s combined Formula USA National and Championship
Cup Series Race of Champions weekend, held at Homestead, Florida.On top of the six race wins, the Power Race claimed four pole positions and five national championships. Not bad for tires that made their competition debut that same weekend. The star of the event was Steve Rapp of the Valvoline EMGO Suzuki team, who used the Power Race to claim the winner-take-all national championship races in CCS Heavyweight Superbike and Unlimited Supersport, along with a win in FUSA Formula Sportbike. Butler Engineering’s Robert Jensen added to the Power Race’s growing résumé by winning CCS Middleweight Superbike and FUSA Sportbike, while also clinching the season-long championships in both FUSA Sportbike and Superbike. But perhaps the most noteworthy performance for Power Race was in the FUSA Superbike race, where Valvoline EMGO Suzuki rider Vincent Haskovec put his GSX-R600 on pole and won the race–using the DOT-approved Power Race in a class that allows pure racing slicks. The Power Race relies heavily on technology developed for MotoGP racing, where Michelin dominates the world championship. The new Power Race series includes the first-ever commercially available dual-compound DOT racing tires. The Power Race will be available in three models: • Power Race Medium: intermediate compound in the center, soft compound on the shoulders; • Power Race Medium Soft: intermediate compound in the center, extra-soft compound on the shoulders; • Power Race Soft: soft compound overall; no dual-compound. Of course, dual-compound tires have been used by factory race teams for years. But it took Michelin and its vast MotoGP experience to bring dual-compound tires within reach of privateer racers. Michelin hasn’t lost a 500cc or MotoGP world championship in the last 13 years, and established an unprecedented record of 92 consecutive Grand Prix victories spanning the past six seasons. Making tires for 240-horsepower GP bikes has also taught Michelin engineers more than a few things about high-speed stability and durability. The Power Race excels in these areas thanks to a GP-inspired construction comprising two angled polyester plies and a zero-degree aramid belt. The front Power Race tire’s plies are arranged at 65顯/65顯/0顯, while the rear tire’s plies are at 75顯/75顯/0顯. A new semi-slick tread pattern gives the Power Race exceptional grip, particularly at full lean, while the tread grooves are oriented to evacuate water from the contact patch in damp track conditions. New front and rear profiles actually help shift the bike’s weight bias toward the front, for better feedback under braking. Unlike some ultrahigh-performance tires, which are “downrated” to V or W speed indices, all Power Race tires carry the (W) index for speeds in excess of 168 mph. This not only simplifies tire selection, but also confirms that the Power Race meets the highest certification standards. The most popular sizes and compounds of the Power Race are available now from Parts Unlimited, with additional sizes arriving in the early months of 2005. Suggested retail prices for Power Race front tires will range from $170 to $215, with rears selling for $207 to $310, depending on size and compound. |
For more information see:
www.michelin.com
