ZF, IMSA Announce Partnership for TUSC

Officials from the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) and ZF Friedrichshafen AG – a global leader in driveline and chassis technology – announced today a multi-year agreement making ZF an Official Partner of the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship and a Proud Partner of IMSA.

A centrepiece to the partnership will be the introduction of the new ZF Race Reporter program in the 2014 TUDOR Championship. Hosted by MRN Radio pit reporter Tony Rizzuti, short ZF Race Reporter videos will provide unique insights, expert opinions and engineering features for race fans.

ZF established a similar series of social media video programs in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) series in 2012 and in Japan’s Super GT Series last year.

The ZF Fan Reporter contest will bring a lucky TUDOR Championship race fan at select events the opportunity to ask questions of racing insiders through submissions to zf.com/motorsports. The winning Fan Reporter will win a VIP race experience for two, including travel and accommodations, and the opportunity to ask his or her questions on camera.

“Today’s announcement of ZF’s investment in IMSA and the TUDOR Championship is particularly gratifying as it is the first example of a new corporate partnership that is a result of the merger,“ said Scott Atherton, IMSA president and chief operating officer. “We had spoken to ZF before, but it was the unification of sports car racing that caught their attention and brought us together.

“We are also honored that ZF has entrusted us with the opportunity to help them build their brand’s awareness across North America. ZF has been a major provider of leading drivetrain technology for over 100 years and we look forward to working with them to jointly build the TUDOR Championship and the awareness of the ZF brand. Today marks the beginning of what we hope will be a long and mutually beneficial collaboration.”

ZF plans to utilize the partnership to establish a firm presence and increased awareness of its brand in North America. A number of TUDOR Championship teams utilize ZF racing clutch systems and ZF dampers, including factory and customer teams from Audi, Aston Martin, Ferrari and Porsche, as well as a number of teams utilizing Daytona Prototypes.

In addition, TUDOR Championship teams are supported by ZF Race Engineering, a dedicated motorsports engineering and service team established in 2006 for the company’s North American racing program.

“Around the globe, many renowned racing teams and car manufacturers have relied on ZF’s innovative technologies and first-class service to help them win – from the top Formula 1 teams and DTM competitors to the World Rally Championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans,” said Dr. Stefan Sommer, CEO of ZF Friedrichshafen AG.

“The new TUDOR United SportsCar Championship fuses elements of DTM and Super GT, opening up international growth perspective for worldwide sports car racing. It is the perfect stage for us to demonstrate the technical excellence of ZF products.”

The 2014 TUDOR Championship opens with the 52nd Rolex 24 At Daytona on Jan. 25-26.