While many teams and drivers use
the off season to rest up for 2013, the group at Team Falken Tire has been hard
at work preparing for the future. Since checkered flag waved at Petit Le Mans
in October, Falken Tire has been busy applying the 2012 season data to the
development of the 2013 tires.
Last month, Team Manager Derrick
Walker and Falken Tire drivers Bryan Sellers and Wolf Henzler journeyed with
the staff of Falken Tire to Japan to visit Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI),
where the race winning tires used in the American Le Mans Series are developed,
created and tested. In Nagoya, Japan,
the group went on a Motorsports Factory tour at the SRI facility where not only
did the team get to meet the group of individuals that created the tires, but
they also had the opportunity to sit down for a question and answer session to
learn more about past and future developments.
“All of the people at SRI were
very friendly and welcomed us warmly,” said Wolf. “They tried to answer all our questions as we
discussed the plan for next year. I was surprised to see how they have already
applied the data from our last race at Petit Le Mans. They did a lot of data
analyzing.”
After visiting the Motorsports
factory, the group traveled to the Technical Center at the SRI Kobe facility,
where the tires are designed. The
Technical Center also played host to discussions about the future of Falken
Tire in the American Le Mans Series.
The data collected from Petit Le Mans will play into effect
as early as next week when the team conducts the first test of the off season
at Sebring International Raceway. “They have made a plan for our
upcoming test to the first race,” said Wolf. “What they want to do next year
looks very good and I was very pleased and what we saw. If they can bring what
they have on paper on the street in a tire, I’m sure we’ll continue to move
forward.”
“The trip to visit SRI
Motorsports in Japan was extremely productive,” said Kevin Jones, Falken Tire’s
ALMS Supervisor. “Visiting the motorsports factory and technical center allowed
our drivers and team manager to better understand the tire development process
which will help our team give focused feedback to our engineers in Japan for
2013. It was great to get the entire ‘brain trust’ in one room to discuss
and plan for the future of this program moving forward.”
The trip concluded with a team dinner in celebration of the
2012 Baltimore Grand Prix win, marking the third win for Team Falken Tire.
“We were treated to a typical Japanese dinner on our last
night,” said Derrick. “It was a great night and a very warm welcome from all
the hard working guys behind the brand.”
Bryan echoed the thoughts of
his co-driver and Team Manager. “Our trip to Japan was very informative and
extremely successful. We left Japan feeling energized and having a clear goal
and direction of the program.”
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