The 2014 TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, one of the most demanding race series for both man and machine, kicked off with the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway on January 25. The No. 91 SRT® Viper GTS-R driven by Dominik Farnbacher, Marc Goossens and Ryan Hunter-Reay claimed a third-place GT Le Mans (GTLM) class finish during the season opener, with Pennzoil Ultra® Full Synthetic motor oil providing top-tier protection under the hood.
Throughout each season, Pennzoil engineers work closely with the SRT team to develop motor oil formulations to help maximize performance and engine reliability for the team, with those developments contributing to the advancement of the brand’s technology.
When Pennzoil first started working with Chrysler Group LLC, the existing Pennzoil Ultra formulation was optimized to provide the combination of performance and durability to meet the stringent demands of the SRT engine. The result was Pennzoil Ultra 0W-40 Full Synthetic motor oil.
A similar process was utilized in starting with the Pennzoil Ultra 0W-40 and tweaking the formulation to provide the performance necessary to succeed in the Viper GTS-R. The formulation was fine-tuned for the GTS-R engine to exceed the requirements of a race engine performing at maximum load for 24 hours.
Ralph Gilles, President and Chief Executive Officer – Street Racing Technology (SRT) Brand and Motorsports, Chrysler Group LLC explains, “Shell and SRT have had a long standing relationship built on the constantly evolving advanced technology of Pennzoil Ultra. We’re looking forward to an exciting 2014 season.”
When developing products for the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship series (the ALMS and Grand-Am racing series merged in 2014 and are now called the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship), it is necessary to take into consideration the length of each event. Even shorter two-hour races place incredible demand on an engine and motor oil. That stress increases when competing in a 10-hour race like Petit Le Mans, or a 24-hour race like the Rolex 24 at Daytona. Those races demand an incredible amount of durability, and fortunately for the Viper GTS-R, Pennzoil has been able to build that into the formulations. In fact, Pennzoil has a special project in place with the Viper race team to ensure they are getting engine oils with the optimal combination of performance and durability throughout the season.
According to Chris Hayek, Pennzoil Global Brand Manager, “The advanced cleaning technology in Pennzoil Ultra provides the performance that the SRT Team Vipers rely on to help keep their high-tech engines running at top speed.”
Today’s tighter-tolerance engines require a motor oil that keeps them as close as possible to factory clean. The tighter the spaces between critical engine parts, the more crucial it is that the oil keeps those surfaces clean and protected. Even small deposits can make a big difference in performance.
The current Pennzoil partnership with the SRT Viper GTS-Rs provides the brand a true testing ground for Pennzoil Ultra Full Synthetic motor oils under some of the harshest racing conditions. Team collaboration is critical when using a motor oil in a race environment like the SRT Viper GTS-R. It is through this collaboration of feedback on the condition of the engine parts and looking at used oil analyses, from both test engines and on track, that enables Pennzoil and SRT to work together to ensure the best motor oil is being used for the application. Pennzoil scientists and SRT engineers are able to learn what adjustments in oil formulation are most important to provide the balance of performance and durability with each and every test.