Press Release: Performance Friction Corporation
Brake maker wins 2011 product of the year award from Race Tech.
Performance Friction Corporation Wins the 2011 Most Innovative New Motorsport Product of the Year Award
Clover, SC - February 2, 2011 - Don Burgoon, President of Performance Friction Corporation, received the award for the Most Innovative New Motorsport Product from Soheila Kimberley, Publishing Director of RACE TECH magazine at the RACE TECH World Motorsport Symposium. Since being released at the start of 2010, the ZR43 Zero Drag caliper has been found on a number of winning cars in NASCAR Cup including Jamie McMurray's Earnhardt Ganassi Racing Chevrolet, winner of the prestigious 2010 Daytona 500. Don Burgoon paid special thanks to the number of key individuals who were responsible for developing the ZR43 Zero Drag brake caliper. "I am accepting this award on behalf of Nihal Murthy, Jim Vorberger, Darin Cate, Bill Bracken, Peter Babbage, Scott Paul, and Darrick Dong who have worked so hard on perfecting the ZR43 Zero Drag caliper which has proven to be so successful from the time we released it. But most of all I would like to thank our motivation-the racers-who are always trying to make the car quicker. Thanks to them." At the same event, Adrian Newey, Chief Technical Officer at Red Bull Racing, was presented with the Dino Toso award for the Racecar Aerodynamicist of the Year. On accepting the trophy, he gave special thanks to his team, particularly Peter Prodomou, Head of Aerodynamics. "I am very pleased to accept this reward on behalf of everyone at Red Bull Racing, particularly Peter Prodromou, following our successful season in 2010. It is especially pleasing to be honored by one's peers." The award for the Race Engine Designer of the Year was presented to Thomas Laudenbach for the Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid which has proved to be extremely competitive since its inaugural race at the Nürburgring 24 Hours. The heart of the system features the ingenious Flywheel Storage System developed by Williams Hybrid Power. "The entire team behind the Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid will be delighted to have won this award," said Laudenbach on receiving the trophy, "as it recognizes the hard work that has gone on behind the scenes in engineering this hybrid car that has been so competitive from its first race. In its sixth year, the RACE TECH World Motorsport Symposium again attracted the highest level speakers and delegates from around the world. John Iley, Head of Aerodynamics at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, who has been Chairman of the Aerodynamics/Vehicle Dynamics Day from the start, was once again the Chairman for the day while the Racing Engine Day was chaired by Ulrich Baretzky, Head of Engine Technology at Audi Sport. Lord Paul Drayson, team owner of Drayson Racing, and Martin Whitmarsh, Chairman of the Formula One Teams Association and CEO of McLaren Racing, gave the keynote speeches on the two days. Other speakers included Gilles Simon, the FIA's Head of Electronics and Powertrain, Pete Spence, Vice President and Technical Director, Toyota Racing Developments, Ben Bowlby, Technical Director, Ganassi Racing and Mark Page, Chief Scientist, Swift Engineering.
