Petersen Motorsports/White Lightning Racing and Tifosi Optics, Inc. announced a marketing and development partnership at Road Atlanta today. The two-time American Le Mans Series GT2 Driver’s Championship winning team will represent the Watkinsville, Ga. based athletic eyewear manufacturer in the American Le Mans Series. The No. 31 MMPIE/PAWS/Petersen Holdings/Michelin Ferrari F430 GT will carry branding of the specialty sunglasses maker while drivers Peter Dumbreck (born in Scotland but living in Adderbury, England) and Dirk Müller (a native of Germany now living in Monaco) as well as Petersen Motorsports/White Lightning Racing technicians and management will wear the “Enthusiastic Eyewear”. Tifosi Optics joins other top manufacturers such as Ferrari, Michelin Tires, MOMO USA (motorsports safety equipment and automotive products), Piloti, Inc. (shoes made with driving in mind), and Justice Brothers as technical and marketing partners of the Michael Petersen (Las Vegas, Nev. ) owned team.
The relationship marks the return of Tifosi, an Italian word that describes a very dedicated group of supporters, to professional motorsports after a time with the Minardi Formula One program. The Petersen Motorsports/White Lightning Racing effort is Tifosi’s first foray into professional sports car racing and the American Le Mans Series.
Over the course of the relationship, Petersen Motorsports/White Lightning Racing will assist Tifosi Optics in the development of new products for driving and track days. The Dale White (Bozeman, MT) managed organization joins several other professional athletes and teams already partnering with Tifosi Optics. Included in Tifosi athletic lineup are the Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team, Jittery Joes Professional Cycling Team, AEG-TOSHIBA- JetNetwork Professional Cycling Team, Team Cheerwine Women’s Elite Cycling and outdoorsman and television host O’Neill Williams.
Tifosi Optics was started in the fall of 2003 after co- founders Joe and Elizabeth Earley identified a need for a high-quality, value-oriented eyewear brand in the cycling industry. In just over three years, Tifosi Optics now boasts more than 3,000 retail locations in the United States and worldwide distribution in 29 countries. Every Tifosi model is meticulously tested by sponsored athletes and weekend warriors alike to ensure that each pair of sunglasses produced lives up to the company’s personal standards of quality. Tifosi Optics strives to develop the most user-friendly and cutting edge optics on the market so that customers can spend less time worrying about their gear and more time focusing on their passion for sports.
The Tifosi range includes interchangeable, single lens and metal frames in a variety of styles and colors to suit a broad spectrum of consumers. Every pair of Tifosi eyewear comes with a cleaning cloth and hard carrying case. Tifosi’s Fototec technology provides a changing gradient for various light levels. Its polarized technologies maximize clear vision while reducing glare and eye strain. Several models are available with a combination polarized and Fototec lens as well as prescription lenses.
The Tifosi-Petersen Motorsports/White Lightning Racing combination will debut in the American Le Mans Series at Saturday’s Tenth Anniversary of the Petit Le Mans here at Road Atlanta. Dumbreck and Müller will be joined by Lucas Luhr (born in Koblenz, Germany but now living in Ermatingen, Switzerland) in the two-time defending race winning No. 31. Dumbreck and Luhr will close the season together at the Monterey Sports Car Championships at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca on October 21.
Quotes
Michael Petersen, Team Owner: “We are very excited to announce this partnership with Tifosi Optics. Their eyewear fits perfectly into the American Le Mans Series and we are proud that they have chosen to work with us to expand their presence into motorsports. Tifosi joins an ever-growing list of companies that have chosen to partner with Petersen Motorsports/White Lightning Racing not just for the marketing benefits of our program but also because of our ability to help develop new products through endurance races like this weekend’s Petit Le Mans. ”
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