New Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Performance Tire Earns 'Star Spec'

AKRON, Ohio, March 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Fresh off the starting line, Dunlop's Direzza Sport Z1 ultra-performance tire already has a star next to its name in 2008.

A star has always implied something special, and on the new Direzza Sport Z1 "Star Spec" summer tire, the star designation carries prestigious cachet. For example, "Star Spec" helps provide faster lap times from the start and "consistent grip on ensuing laps" in sanctioned events, according to Matt Neidert, performance tire brand manager for Dunlop in North America.

The new tire features the "Star Spec" tread compound, which helps a performance car's initial dry grip during sanctioned amateur driving events, such as autocross and high-performance track-events hosted by regional car clubs.

The new Direzza Sport Z1 "Star Spec" is available now, qualifying it for use in Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) national events. According to section 13.3 of the 2008 SCCA SOLO rules, tires must be readily available by April 30 to qualify.

The "Star Spec" predecessor won SCCA's hotly contested Street Touring Ultra class at the San Diego National Tour on Sunday. Drivers Thomas Kenna and Richard Jung set the fastest overall times for street tires with a first and fourth place. The Southern California duo raced on full treads, while competitors used shaved tires.

"'Star Spec' means impressive dry grip out of the gate. Driving enthusiasts won't have to wait for their tires to 'come in' at the beginning of an event, helping to provide an edge over the field. This is also great news for owners of smaller vehicles, who sometimes struggle to work their tires up to the point of peak grip," Neidert said.

Direzza Sport Z1 "Star Spec" is a DOT-approved summer performance tire for hard-core driving enthusiasts and car-club members. The tire helps deliver superb dry traction and handling at regional car-club events like track days, driving schools, and autocross.

A high-response directional tread pattern with circumferential grooves helps create a consistent contact patch on the pavement for a smooth feel and seamless transition. An "optimal mold shape" helps provide a consistent footprint shape and uniform pressure distribution across the footprint for enhanced cornering, he said.

The tire also features JointLess Band technology to help enable smooth performance at highway speeds, he added.

Direzza Sport Z1 "Star Spec," available in 20 sizes with rim diameters from 15 to 18 inches, replaces the Direzza Sport Z1, which was introduced in August 2007.

Dunlop is a global tire brand with an excellent reputation among performance car enthusiasts. Well known for its prestigious original-equipment fitments and sports car racing heritage, Dunlop is also a key supplier to sport compact enthusiasts featuring "tuner" tire sizes and race series sponsorships. For more information on Dunlop's performance tires, go to http://www.dunloptires.com.