Contact: Emily Hornberger
Telephone: (610) 375-6180
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PENSKE RACING SHOCKS SUPPLIES A1GP
Reading, PA — August 22, 2008 — Penske Racing Shocks, a world leader in racing damper technology, has been named damper supplier to the new A1GP World Cup of Motorsport chassis set to debut next season.
When the A1GP field takes to the grid of the 2008/09 season opener in Mugello, each of the new Powered by Ferrari cars will be equipped with custom dampers produced by Penske Racing Shocks. The Pennsylvania based company will serve as the exclusive damper supplier to the series, having designed an A1GP specific damper which meets the exact requirements car designers were looking for.
Penske Racing Shocks has been a leader in damper technology for more than 20 years. Throughout the company’s history, its focus has remained entirely on producing advanced dampers for the motorsport market. Through its commitment to motorsport, the company has gained experience in a wide range of racing arenas including Formula 1, Indy Car, and NASCAR.
In designing the A1GP damper, Penske was able to draw from its experience, and in particular, its technical innovations founded in F1. At the same time, the company was committed to creating a product specifically intended to meet the needs of the A1GP chassis. By developing the dampers in parallel with the development of the car, Penske was able to give A1GP engineers exactly what they were looking for. This freedom allowed engineers to design the suspension layout with minimal compromise.
Members of Penske’s technical staff were on site for the initial tests conducted in Italy and Spain. Personnel from Penske’s main headquarters in the U.S. along with their European distributors, SPA Design Ltd., worked hard to ensure that the damping characteristics are optimized for both car and tire. This attention to subtle detail ensures that performance will remain consistent despite the varied tracks and conditions A1GP drivers can expect to encounter. In addition to its support during the developmental stages, Penske Racing Shocks will also have a presence at every event on the 2008/09 calendar. The presence of experienced technical staff will ensure that each team is gaining maximum performance from their dampers.
In keeping with the A1GP philosophy — that driving talent should be what differentiates the winners from the losers — Penske has developed a tamper proof damper aimed at preventing any team from gaining an unfair advantage by manipulating their shock absorbers. Through its partnership with NASCAR, Penske Racing Shocks has acquired a great deal of experience in the practice ensuring equality amongst all dampers within a controlled series. Based on its NASCAR model, Penske plans to implement at-race procedures which will ensure consistency in damper performance across the entire field.
Penske Racing Shocks Technical Director, Jim Arentz: “Penske Racing Shocks is honored and excited to be chosen as the damper supplier for the new Powered by Ferrari, John Travis-designed A1GP chassis. A1GP competitors will benefit from race proven technology and the consistency, adjustability, and performance of Penske dampers. The damper design chosen for A1GP, the Penske 2000 Series, is a custom product tailored to the exact needs of the new A1GP chassis without compromise and its design draws on years of success in F1, Indy Car, and Sports Car. Additionally, our world-class customer technical support will be shared by our US base of operations (Pennsylvania) as well as our UK base at SPA Design Ltd. (Tamworth) for the ultimate convenience to A1GP and its competitors. Our technicians and engineers have assisted with development of the car’s damper package from the onset and we look forward to working alongside A1GP for years to come.”
For additional information, please contact:
Penske Racing Shocks
Jim Arentz, Technical Director
150 Franklin Street
Reading, PA 19602
(610) 375-6180
www.penskeshocks.com
Penske Racing Shocks has been providing custom-built, high-performance shock absorbers to all forms of racing for over 20 years. Penske’s products have won many races and national and international championships in multiple racing series, including Formula One, BTCC, ALMS, NASCAR, ICS, GARRS, DIRT, NHRA, and AMA. Penske Racing Shocks currently supplies multiple Formula One racing teams with dampers and hydraulic suspension components.
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