Columbus, Ohio – AERO Advanced Paint Technology™ sets a new standard in durability for motorsports applications. By engineering the properties of AERO to meet the demands of the aerospace industry, the AERO team was able to leverage the best qualities of protective films along with the aesthetic value of spray applied paints into a single stage applique film. The result is a lightweight, easy-to-install paint that will stand up to the rigorous track environment without degradation.

Michael Shank Racing continued to utilize AERO Advanced Paint Technology through the end of the 2014 TUDOR United SportsCar Championship in the No. 60 Ford Ecoboost powered Riley prototype.

Throughout the season, the car’s livery was offended by stones, grit, and rubber, race after race. However, by painting the car with AERO, MSR was never required to swap out the livery due to chipping, abrasion, or erosion. The team ran the same hood and bumpers for the entire season without an issue, even in the high wear areas.

Nonetheless, with changes in sponsorship and design, AERO’s easy-to-strip, easy-to-install proprietary adhesive gave Shank the ability to easily change the side panels on their own terms. This allowed for easy sponsorship additions, specialty livery options, and race-day changes.

Team owner Michael Shank has become a big advocate of the durability of AERO Advanced Paint Technology.

“The AERO paint system is truly remarkable in the way it has held up throughout the season,” Shank commented. “The paint, the graphics, and the carbon underneath all look brand new. And all we need to do with the cars—and pit equipment—is a quick wipe down with surface cleaner after the race.”

The long-term durability means fewer livery replacements, and therefore a reduction in total costs.

The durability of AERO Advanced Paint Technology™ goes beyond protecting value adding aesthetics, but also substrate materials. Carbon fiber parts are expensive to create and costly to replace. As such, protecting these materials with AERO protects the investment made, and therefore also helps reduce teams’ costs. Nonetheless, collisions in motorsports are inevitable. When impacts occur on track, AERO’s super strong film and adhesive can help hold carbon fiber parts together, thereby preventing a black flag or a mandatory pit stop.

Unlike other film-based systems, AERO does not suffer from texturization or discoloring over time. Throughout the lifetime of the product, the proprietary, self-healing AERO Clear Coat will continue to enhance the vibrancy and luster of the AERO, without yellowing or hazing. A season’s worth of wear and tear in harsh environments such as Laguna Seca would typically leave a great deal of abrasion and stone impingement on spray applied or vinyl, requiring the use of clear bra.

“We’ve engineered AERO to have better durability than substitutes, without the need for additional protective films, and we’re still lighter,” stated Jim McGuire, CEO of AERO’s parent company, entrotech. He continued “there’s a real competitive advantage here for teams like MSR, especially when cost savings has become more important than ever.”

Michael Shank finished the 2014 TUDOR Championship  season sixth, achieving a second place finish at Road America.

In addition to its long-term durability, AERO Advanced Paint Technology™ reduces maintenance time versus ordinary paint. AERO paint can be applied and stripped in minutes, since it does not require drying. More information on AERO paint is available at www.rethinkpaint.com.