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KUMHO eager for 2006 ALMS seasons
Heading into the penultimate race of the 2005 American Le Mans Series season—the 10-hour Petit Le Mans on October 1 at Road Atlanta—KUMHO and Miracle motorsports were well positioned to win the LMP2 class championship. Miracle had a two point lead in the team standings, and KUMHO was just two points out of first in the tire manufacturers’ standings.

But a series of incidents during the race, including damaged body work, a cracked turbo housing and a fried gearbox bearing, ultimately knocked the team out of the race and, unfortunately, the championship hunt.

As was the case all season long, KUMHO and Miracle ran well at Petit Le Mans. Two hours into the race, the team sat third overall and lead the LMP2 class—marking the ninth time in nine races that the team had the class lead. “It’s disappointing not to win the championship, but we still enjoyed a very good first year in ALMS competition,” said Rudy Consolacion, KUMHO’s motorsports manager. “We scored three class wins, including the Twelve Hours of Sebring, and three second place finishes.”

“A lot of people took notice of us this year because our tires performed so well right out of the box,” said Consolacion. “Some of the biggest names in professional sportscar racing—and in all of motorsports, for that matter—approached us about supplying tires for them next year. Right now, the only thing I can say for sure is that it will be an interesting ‘silly season.’”

Sunoco Powers Porsche's Speed Record Runs; Jay Leno, David Donohue Mirror Mark Donohue's Efforts
TALLADEGA, ALABAMA, OCTOBER 25, 2005 - On August 9, 1975, famed race car driver Mark Donohue set a new world closed-course speed record in a Porsche powered by Sunoco/CAM 2 fuel. Almost exactly 30 years later, on September 7, 2005, his son David Donohue and television star Jay Leno reprised Mark's effort by setting new speed records in a production 2005 Porsche Carrera GT powered by Sunoco fuel. The record runs took place on the same track, Talladega Superspeedway, where Mark Donohue set his record three decades ago.

THE CAR The newest-generation Porsche used to set these latest records is a totally stock, street-legal 2005 Carrera GT, with only safety equipment added to protect the driver, including a 5-point racing harness. The Carrera GT is built from ultra-light, ultra-strong carbon fiber, aluminum, magnesium, and high-strength steel. It is powered by a mid-mounted 5.7-liter V-10 engine that generates 605 horsepower. Like its engine, the suspension, ceramic brakes and ceramic composite clutch are all derived from Porsche's racing experience. About 450 Carrera GTs have been delivered to Porsche enthusiasts in North America.

THE FUEL The record-setting Porsche Carrera GT was powered by Sunoco's GT™ 100 fuel, which is unleaded, 100-octane street legal gasoline. Sunoco GT 100 contains no metallic compounds to harm catalytic converters or oxygen sensors. It contains a comprehensive additive package for greater engine protection and reduced fuel system deposits. Sunoco GT 100 is designed for high performance street cars, muscle cars, classics, street rods, motorcycles, karts and marine applications.

THE DRIVERS Driving the Carrera GT to its new records were David Donohue and Jay Leno. David Donohue, son of the late and legendary Mark Donohue, is a highly-credentialed race car driver in his own right. A current competitor and multiple class and overall winner in the Rolex Sports Car Series, Donohue was North American Touring Car champion, won his class (GT2) at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and competed in more than a dozen NASCAR Busch series and Craftsman Truck Series races. Jay Leno, of course, is host of NBC Television's The Tonight Show, and is well-recognized as an avid automotive enthusiast and collector. He owns nearly 100 antique, classic, and racing cars. He has driven a jet car 278 mph on the dry lake bed at El Mirage, CA and once drove a pre-production race car more than 200 mph in Spain. He has driven the pace car at the Indy 500 and the Daytona 500

KUMHO enters the American LeMans Series!
KUMHO decided to enter the America Le Mans Series for a number of reasons. ALMS is the only professional road racing series in the U.S. that promotes tire competition, and that’s important to KUMHO. This give KUMHO a chance to prove how good our tires are.
In addition to open tire competition, KUMHO will benefit from ALMS’ recognition as the world’s premier professional sports car championship. ALMS will also provide good television exposure for KUMHO, with races broadcast live on CBS or Speed Channel (where 2004 ratings increased 40 percent over 2003). Additionally, KUMHO will receive on-site exposure from big crowds at ALMS races; nearly 550,000 people attended the series’ nine races in 2004—a 20 percent increase from 2003.

“When we decided to use KUMHO Tires this year after winning the championship last year on a different brand, I think people thought we were nuts,... Well, here we are again, and the tires exceeded everyone’s expectations. Who would have thought? The tires were good all day. We even triple stinted a pair one time, and the only issue was a tire puncture from track debris in the middle of the race.”-exerpt taken after winning 12 Hours at Sebring, 3/05