 Dunlop Motorsport has upped the anti with a new 18" Sports Sedan tyre after years of domination with their 16" version.
It is now obvious that Dunlop has the speed to match the competition, the next part of the equation is if they can match or better the oposition over the 3 race distances.
In Race 1 it was Hossack (pictured at left in his Audi Sports Sedan)on the new Dunlop 18 inch sports sedan tyre head to head with Ricciardello on 18 inch Michelins. They ran nose to tail with 3 lead swaps for the entire race. In the end they both posted fastest laps on lap 3 that were about 3/100ths of a second apart, Hossack being the fastest on that lap which beat 2010 champion James Sera's lap record by 5/100ths of a second. Both drivers raced in the 1:30's and late in the race dropped into the 1:31's proving that both the Michelin and the Dunlop had similar qualities.
In Race 2 only 3/10ths of a second is all that separated Tony Ricciardello from Darren Hossack at the end of a second 10 lap sprint at eastern Creek on Sunday morning.
Ricciardello hung on with some "on the edge" driving whilst battling diminishing grip thanks to 2 hard races on the Michelin 18 inch race tyres. Hossack looked like he could get away if only he could get past but the Alfa Romeo driver made sure no opportunities existed despite the Audi looming up along side the Alfa twice.
Whilst Darren Hossack went on to win race 3 with surgical precision after resetting the lap record in race 1 and again in race 2 and then again in race 3, Tony Ricciardello, starting from rear of grid with a new set of Michelins went 2/10ths better to finalise the lap record at 1:29.1643.
It is clear that he New 18" Dunlop has the edge over Michelin in both speed and durability. The next race at Morgan Park in August should prove Dunlop the better tyre. These tyres will be commercially available in September, in time for Muscle Car Masters at eastern Creek Sept 4th 2011.
Tyre details:
Front: 310/655R18 D31 on 12" rim
Rear: 330/710R18 D31 on 13" rim
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