Drivers Ayari & Hernandez Sweep Pole Positions & Wins FFSA GT
IRVINE, Calif., Oct. 17 /PRNewswire/ — Drivers Soheil Ayari and Bruno Hernandez in their #9 Saleen S7R, not only secured both pole positions, they also won both races at Le Mans this past weekend. This is an outstanding finish to the 2006 FFSA GT season before the final race commences at Magny-Cours next weekend (October 21-22).
In spite of a 40 kg (nearly 90 lbs) weight ballast, the Saleen S7R again proved its resolve on the track by outshining its competition of Ferraris, Corvettes and Vipers.
This crowning achievement now makes Saleen a nine-time Manufacturers’ Champion in a GT Series.
Ayari stated, “The Team did a superior job. The Saleen S7R was increasingly powerful throughout the season and the racecar obtained a world- class level of reliability. I was proud to share the wheel with Bruno all year.”
“We are very happy with the teamwork. The Saleen S7R has been reliable and powerful and today we have far surpassed our goals,” Hernandez added.
Founder and Vice Chairman, Steve Saleen, best described the 2006 season: “This achievement for 2006 has solidified our partnership with Oreca. This distinct affiliation combined with teamwork on the track achieved our goal of preparing for races in 2007.”
He continued, “Saleen’s racing history is renowned. Without a doubt, our racing accomplishments this year alone with Oreca as well as with Zakspeed have affected the industry to an extent that no other manufacturer can emulate.”
“Factory teams with vast resource pools have yet to grasp what we’ve done with the S7R,” noted Billy Tally, Saleen’s Chief Officer of Technology. “Our applied technology and innovation of power, downforce and mechanics have placed the S7R in a league of its own,” Billy concluded.
About Saleen
Since the company’s inception in 1984, Saleen has produced over 10,000 complete and EPA certified vehicles, more than any other specialty automobile manufacturer. In addition, Saleen has manufactured more than 600,000 vehicles worldwide, further emphasizing their commitment to excellence.
Now a nine-time Manufacturers’ Champion in GT sports car racing, Saleen manufactures the American Supercar – the Saleen S7, the S281 Mustang, the S331 Sport Truck in addition to the Saleen Parnelli Jones Limited Edition Mustang. Saleen’s manufacturing facilities are located in Irvine, California, and Troy, Michigan. The Michigan facility just finished a three-year run of the paint and assembly of the Ford GT.
For more information please visit www.saleen.com.
SOURCE: Saleen