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PSCR: Michelin Hits Jackpot at Las Vegas; Captures Top Two Spots in GT-1

29 April 1998

(LAS VEGAS.) --- Michelin captured its third consecutive victory of the season in the Toshiba Copiers & Fax Nevada Grand Prix at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Sunday, April 26 in Professional Sports Car Racing's GT1 class. The Michelin-equipped Panoz GTR-1 No. 4 driven by Andy Wallace and David Brabham prevailed over teammates Eric Bernard and Raul Boesel in the No. 5 Panoz GTR-1.

Wallace and Brabham held the overall lead several times and Brabham chased the lighter, faster World Sports Car of Wayne Taylor to the checkered flag, in a race that demonstrated the strong handling and grip characteristics of the Michelin Pilot radials. He turned the fastest lap of the race with only minutes remaining in the three-hour, 45-minute contest and flashed across the finish line just .445 seconds behind Taylor.

Bernard and Boesel were sidelined for a half-hour while a broken driveline component was replaced.

"We selected the right compound for the hotter conditions today and the Michelin Pilots provided great handling and grip all day," said Donnie Wilson of Michelin Race Tire Development. "The lap times of the cars did not fall off during extended runs. David Brabham was running some of his quickest times of the day in the final laps. We were very pleased with the durability and consistent handling of the Michelins through a full run today."

Las Vegas is the third consecutive win of Michelin's inaugural season in sports car racing. Michelin claimed victory at the USRRC-sanctioned Rolex 24 at Daytona when the Michelin Pilot-equipped Rohr Motorsports Porsche 911 GT1 took the checkered flag first in the GT1 class. Michelin then swept the top three GT1 positions at the Exxon Superflo 12 Hours of Daytona, led by the Panoz of Brabham and Wallace.

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.