Cypress, CA, April 7, 2009 - Nitto Tire and Team Achilles Motorsports recently competed in the world's longest endurance race: the 25 Hours of Thunderhill. The race requires teams to drive throughout the night for 25 hours straight. At the end of 25 hours the team with the most laps is declared the winner. The team campaigned a BMW M3 in the second fastest class overall and the fastest class requiring D.O.T.-compliant tires. The team ran on Nitto's NT01 road race tires. Nitto created a new website that documents the race as it unfolded.
Despite a shaky start, the race was one of the closest on record. Early in the race the team was forced to pit and make needed repairs, which put them four laps down. Then, as they tried to regain their track position, a dense fog settled over the track, making it difficult to see more than a few car lengths ahead. The fog forced officials to stop the race for over 11 hours. After the restart, the team starts to catch up to the first-place team. But is it enough time?
After weeks of preparation and hours of racing, the race came down to a few crucial seconds. The team finished first in their class, with 477 laps completed and a 9-second lead over second place. In fact, the team's laps and times were comparable to faster classes, which have the competitive advantage of using race slicks. When compared to these classes, the team finished second overall, fewer than 15 seconds behind the winner of the fastest class. This is Nitto's second consecutive win at the 25 Hours of Thunderhill. Nitto is the only tire manufacturer to hold back-to-back wins.
Nitto Tire develops performance tires for all uses, including racing, off-road and street. Using state-of-the-art manufacturing and testing facilities in Japan and the United States, the company strives to provide innovative and high-quality performance tires for the most demanding enthusiasts. For more information about Nitto or its products, visit the company's web site or contact the company directly. Nitto and Fueled by Enthusiasts are registered trademarks or trademarks of Nitto Tire U.S.A. Inc., located at 6021 Katella Ave., Ste 250, Cypress, CA 90630.