DAYTONA, FL (January 26, 2012) – The Motegi Racing Technomesh GT3 wheel makes its American debut with Ferrari's historic return to the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona this weekend.

Two Ferrari 458 Italia Grand-Am cars competing in the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona will be using the first Motegi Racing Technomesh GT3 wheels ever seen in US competition.

"Our success in European GT3 competition has proven this wheel and we're pleased to be able to bring it to the United States at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona," said Jose Matiauda, Head of Global Motorsports and High Performance Tuning at Wheel Pros. "We believe that Motegi Racing's forged monoblock, single-lug, Technomesh GT3 wheel represents the future of the GT racing wheel."

The US-based Motegi Racing engineered the brand-new wheel in Italy through a technical supplier partnership with Michelotto, the storied Ferrari racecar builders that developed the Ferrari 458 Italia Grand-Am competition vehicles that will be campaigned this weekend.

The AF Waltrip and Risi Competizione teams will have the only cars in the Daytona paddock with the one-piece, single-lug Motegi Racing Technomesh GT3 wheel. The wheel is distinctly different from most others and is being run under a special exemption to Grand-Am rules. Under the 2012 Grand-Am rulebook, domestic American teams are not currently permitted to use this type of wheel.

Domestic American teams typically run wheels of a three-piece construction that are fitted to the vehicle with multiple lugs. To equalize the potential competition advantage of changing a single-lug wheel, European-based teams with this wheel set-up have been limited to fewer tire changers on the crew during competition.

The Ferrari 458 Italia Grand-Am is based on the GT3 version of the supercar. The design and quality of the Motegi Racing Technomesh GT3 wheel has been homologated by the FIA to use in competition at European GT3 championships.

Produced in Italy through a top-quality forging and machining process, these wheels are formed from a single piece of billet aluminum. Multiple stages of quality testing and heat-treatment hardening ensure the final product is durable and lightweight.

Ferrari 458 Italia Grand-Ams running the Motegi Racing Technomesh GT3 wheel:

AF-Waltrip (Car #56)

A combined effort of the Ferrari GT3 team AF Corse (of Italy) and the NASCAR Pastrana-Waltrip team (USA) under the AF-Waltrip banner. AF-Waltrip drivers for the Rolex 24 at Daytona are: Travis Pastrana (USA), Michael Waltrip (USA), Rob Kauffman (USA), and Rui Aguas (PT).

Risi Competizione (Car #63)

Backed by a consortium of Ferrari dealers from the United States and Canada, one of the two Risi Competizione cars is fitted with Technomesh GT3 wheel. Drivers Toni Vilander (FI), Andrea Bertolini (IT), and Olivier Beretta (MC) will co-pilot the entry.

ABOUT MOTEGI RACING

Through technical partnerships with leading professional racing teams, Motegi Racing Competition and High Performance Tuning wheels are designed and engineered for performance. Motegi Racing is owned by Wheel Pros, one of the largest suppliers of branded custom wheels, performance tires and related accessories for cars, SUVs and light trucks.

The new Motegi Racing Technomesh GT3 wheel makes its US competition debut this weekend at the 50th anniversary Rolex 24 at Daytona January 28-29, 2012.

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