2011 American LeMans Series Thread............

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mlittle
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2011 American LeMans Series Thread............

Post by mlittle » Fri Oct 29, 2010 8:22 am

With memories of the 2010 American LeMans Series season squarely in the rear-views', it is now time to look ahead to 2011 and the season to come.............



2011 American LeMans Series Schedule...........
--Wheels Down Winter Test: Sebring International Raceway(Sebring, Fla)
--Rd.1/15-19 March: 59th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring(Sebring International Raceway--Sebring, Fla.)
--Rd.2/15-16 April: Long Beach Grand Prix(Streets of Long Beach--Long Beach, Ca.)
--Rd.3/8-9 July: New England Grand Prix(Lime Rock Park, Lakeville, Ct.)
--Rd.4/22-24 July: Mobil 1 Grand Prix of Mosport(Mosport International Raceway--Mosport, Ont.)
--Rd.5/4-6 Aug.: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge(Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course--Lexington, Ohio)
--Rd.6/19-21 Aug.: eStar Grand Prix of Wisconsin(Road America--Elkhart Lake, Wisc.)
--Rd.7/1-3 Sept.: Baltimore Grand Prix(Baltimore Street Circuit--Baltimore, Md.)
--Rd.8/15-17 Sept.: 6 Hours of Monterey(Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca--Monterey, Ca.)
--Rd.9/27 Sept-1 Oct.: 14th Petit Le Mans(Road Atlanta--Braselton, Ga.)


note.....all ALMS events with the exception of the Petit Le Mans, are time-certain events as follows below........
--Sebring: 12 Hours
--Long Beach, 1 hr., 10 min.
--Monterey: 6 Hours
--Road America: 4 Hours
--Petit Le Mans: 10 Hours OR 1000 miles, whichever comes first
--All remaining events(Lime Rock, Mosport, Mid-Ohio & Baltimore) are 2 hr., 45 minutes in length
Last edited by mlittle on Thu Nov 11, 2010 8:59 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by mlittle » Fri Oct 29, 2010 8:26 am

State of the Series Speech
---Given during the 13th Petit Le Mans weekend by ALMS President Dr. Scott Atherton...........


It’s a mid-term election year, and while most candidates are not strutting around singing “Happy days are here again,” I have to tell you that following the qualified success of our season finale at Petit Le Mans, those of us here at the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón were humming exactly that… at least for a day or two.
Now it’s back to work for the rapidly approaching 2011 season and to build upon what many are calling the most successful season in ALMS history. But before I tell you what were are looking toward, let’s take look back at what we achieved in 2010:

We named our first presenting sponsor (Tequila Patrón)
• We added four new corporate partners (Freescale Semiconductor, Yancey’s Fancy Cheese, Battery Tender, Tequila Patrón)
• We had our largest full-season grid in history (33)
• All four class championships (driver, team and mfr) came down to the final race – an ALMS first.
• We witnessed a new full-season factory GT program - Jaguar
• We further developed our position as the Global Leader in Green Racing
• We introduced our fourth alternative fuel (IsoButanol – thanks to our friends at BP, Mazda and Dyson Racing)
• We introduced the first factory production-based hybrid to North America (Porsche 911 GT3 R) – amid great worldwide as well as North American mainstream media attention in markets such as New York City, Washington, DC and Atlanta.
• The U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Environment Protection Agency collaborated with ALMS to present on-campus programs with leading automotive research universities
• We were invited to Washington, DC by our government partners to showcase our position as the most relevant, technically advanced and green motorsports platform in North America
• Corporate hospitality sales / involvement set records at several race venues
• Road Atlanta set a record race-week attendance of more than 124,000 for Petit Le Mans powered by MAZDA 2
• More than 12,000 fans kicked off Petit Le Mans a week early at the inaugural Motorsports on Main in Greenville, SC. Many thanks to Michelin for its efforts as the driving force
• We announced a new race market for 2011 - Baltimore, which ranks as one of the 20 largest media and consumer markets in America.
• We announced the addition of yet another top level professional GT team for 2011 with West Racing partnering with Lamborghini and Yokohama
• We played host to the first Intercontinental Le Mans Cup on North American soil – Petit Le Mans
• We received some of the best mainstream media coverage ever – a testament to the Series’ rise in popularity (e.g. – 7-minute feature on CNN; cover stories in Road & Track, RACER, Race Tech Engineering; and major headlines and feature articles in the Wall Street Journal, NY Times and USA Today)
• We experimented with a bold, new approach to out television broadcast with a “docudrama” style production featured with our CBS network shows
• We streamed two races in-full online to rave reviews from fans and competitors alike. Consider this a plug, but both the Mazda Raceway and Mid-Ohio rounds are available on-demand at americanlemans.com.
Quite a year! But to borrow a phrase from our friends at Porsche used in the marketing of its hybrid – we are not about to rest on our laurels. As we move forward, we are working hard to confirm a new, vibrant and integrated television / communications package that will elevate the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón to new levels of excitement and awareness. That will coincide with an expansion of our online platforms. We plan on taking advantage not only of valuable broadcast time, but live program streaming and social media components as well.
In compliance with the ACO’s 2011 rules, we will once again operate both an LMP1 and LMP2 class along with the overwhelming successes of LMPC, GTC and our 2010 stalwart GT class. The ACO has agreed to grandfather current prototypes for 2011 competition in LMP1, while the new LMP2 rules open opportunities for constructors such as Honda, Riley and Ford. We anticipate an increased demand for both of the Series’ Challenge. The GT class will again be classic ‘mano-a-mano’ battle with the likes of BMW, Corvette, Porsche, Jaguar, Ferrari, Ford, Panoz and now Lamborghini battling head-to-head.

There has been much interest from new marketing partners to align with our Series as the word begins to resonate on the valuable ROI affiliated with the ALMS. In addition, we have received overtures from several viable race markets about bringing the world’s top sports car series to their cities along with, perhaps, a new manufacturer or two.
The “off-season” (there is no such thing) is often just as hectic as the in-season but in a different sort of way. The planning, the meetings with constituents and new prospects, the self-evaluating and analysis become heightened each year. All good problems to have. It is the price one pays for success … because there is no resting upon our laurels.

I would be remiss if I closed before thanking everyone who played significant roles into making 2010 our best season ever – our promoters, our teams, our drivers, our corporate partners, and our IMSA and ALMS staff, all of which worked tirelessly and sometimes thanklessly way past hours deemed normal to most. But that dedication is the hallmark of success.

Thank you to all.
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Road America Returns to a 4-Hr. Race Format

Post by mlittle » Thu Nov 11, 2010 9:00 am

Image


The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón announced today that its race at Road America originally scheduled for Sunday, August 21 is now set for Saturday, August 20. As a result, the Series’ 10th annual stop in Elkhart Lake, Wis., will revert back to a four-hour format instead of two hours, 45 minutes as originally announced.

“The ALMS is endurance racing at its finest.” said Road America President and GM George Bruggenthies. “It just makes sense that this premier sports car series should have the chance to stretch its legs a little on one of America’s most storied road courses. But most importantly, it is something that our fans have asked for, so we are delighted to bring back the four-hour race to our 2011 schedule. The fans have always appreciated the sophisticated race cars and the excitement that the ALMS’ multiple classes provide along with that spectacular sunset finish.”

You will get little argument from the drivers, many who categorize Road America as their favorite track on the circuit. “Most drivers, myself included, will tell you that Road America is a great place to race,” said reigning LMP co-champion David Brabham of Patrón Highcroft Racing. “Its layout is fast, challenging and bloody fun to drive. The course has a great mix of turns, straightaways and elevation changes which makes it all very exciting for drivers and fans alike. And the American Le Mans Series always gets such a great reception there.”

The 2011 season marks a decade of ALMS racing in Elkhart Lake. The 2010 race was one of the most exciting in the history of the Series as Drayson Racing’s Jonny Cocker passed Klaus Graf of Muscle Milk Team CytoSport two turns from the finish to win a frantically fought battle that saw the four leading prototypes finish within six seconds of each other.
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New Driver Lineup for BMW in 2011

Post by mlittle » Mon Dec 06, 2010 7:15 am

Image


BMW Motorsport unveiled its 2011 motorsports program at its home base in Munich Saturday, confirming its commitment to the M3 GT2 for another season of international competition in both Europe and the U.S.

While BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team will return to the American Le Mans Series with a two-car assault, its driver lineup has been reshuffled. Dirk Werner, who contested the European-based Le Mans Series with BMW Team Schnitzer, moves over to the ALMS program, replacing Tommy Milner as a full-season driver. Dirk Muller, Bill Auberlen and Joey Hand all return in the team and manufacturers’ quest of scoring back-to-back titles.

It’s currently unknown whether Milner has been dropped as a BMW driver altogether, or whether the 24-year-old American will be a part of the team’s programs at the endurance races. SPEED.com has learned that Milner tested with Corvette Racing last month.

In Europe, BMW Team Schnitzer intends to again focus its efforts around the three major endurance races at Le Mans, Spa and the Nurburgring, with confirmation of its program made depending on the final regulations for each respective race. Participation in the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup is also yet to be confirmed for the same reason.

Werner, Andy Priaulx, Augusto Farfus, Jorg Muller, Dirk Muller, Uwe Alzen, Pedro Lamy and Dirk Adorf have been tasked as pilots for the manufacturers’ 24-hour programs. “The 2011 international motor racing season will once again see BMW play a major role,” said BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen. “Our chosen vehicle for endurance campaigns is the BMW M3 GT2, which not only celebrated victories in the 2010 American Le Mans Series, but also proved successful in Europe and Asia.

“The car will once again be campaigned in 24-hour classic events in Europe, and in the ALMS in North America. We are convinced we will be able build on the successes of this past year in order to continue the BMW M3’s unique motor racing success story.”
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Post by mlittle » Sun Feb 20, 2011 9:36 am

*"Cough, cough...."* :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Now that the sun's become to shine more and the temperatures' are rising, time to begin focusing on the 2011 season, starting w/a news item from the beginning of February concerning one of motorsports' more interesting teams.............



----Junqueira, da Matta, PJ Jones to pilot JaguarRSRs in 2011 ALMS season
JaguarRSR team principal Paul Gentilozzi had already said that the team will run two cars in their second year chasing the LMGT title in the American Le Mans Series. The competition in the class is always hotly contested at all the venues and 2011 challenge will be the same which is one reason Gentilozzi signed a trio of experienced racers: Bruno Junqueira, Cristiano da Matta and P.J. Jones.

Recently Gentiolzzi -- a past Trans-Am champion -- alluded to having a strong second year and today the announcement of three of the four full-season drivers indicates that he wants not only top-notch racers, but ones who also have the desire and determination to work with the team engineers and crew in order to reach the podium.

Open-wheel aces Junqueira and da Matta will be teammates in the No. 99 Jaguar XKR. Road course expert and former IMSA GTP racer, Jones will be one of the two pilots in the No. 98 XKR. The three drivers named bring to the table a wealth of experience and not only in sports cars. The fourth driver will be named later as the team prepares for the ALMS Winter test at Sebring International Raceway on February 9th and 10th.

"We believe that 2011 holds a lot of promise," said Gentilozzi. "We have our 'rookie' season behind us, and look forward to a more competitive sophomore season with all of the changes and developments that we have made to the program. We have such great talent in our driver lineup, all of these guys will bring a unique perspective and influence to the team."

The team has stiff competition in the GT class with top manufacturers: BMW, Corvette, Ferrari and Porsche. The team's technical director John Gentilozzi said in an interview with the American Le Mans Series: "Certainly we have come of age during the resurgence of the GT category - especially in the American Le Mans Series - and we welcome the challenge of facing the best manufacturers in the world at every race on the calendar. Our team has a great attitude and we are up for the challenge as we enter the 2011 season."

Junqueira and da Matta are best friends, even though their past rivalry is well known in the former CART/Champ Car series. While they raced against one, the two Brazilians share a lot in common off the track and when da Matta was injured while testing at Road America, Junqueira was right by his side then and during the recovery process. Even when da Matta made it to Formula One as a full-season driver, the two remained fast friends. Now they will race together for not only the same team, but they will be co-drivers.

"I am excited to be working with Cristiano," said Junqueira. "He is an extremely talented driver and it will be an honor to call him my teammate. We are both from Brazil, actually from the same city. We have always been battling with each other on the track, my fondest memory was in 2002 when we fought for the Champ Car World Series Championship title, he won and I finished second. It will be nice to have him on my side, to work with him instead of trying to beat him."

Junqueira's past includes the his championship in 2000 F3000, test driver for the Williams F1 team (1999, 2000) before he entered the CART series where he finished second in the title fight three consecutive years (2002, '03, '04) -- once to his friend and now teammate and twice to his then teammate Sebastien Bourdais.

"I am extremely happy to have the opportunity to compete in the American Le Mans Series; it is a series that I have been looking forward to joining for the last couple of years. I am proud to be a part of the JaguarRSR team and to be working with Paul Gentilozzi. I have known Paul for some time now; he is a racer and we have a good partnership. It is also an honor to be representing the Jaguar brand and to have the opportunity to drive the XKR GT.

The 2002 CART champion, da Matta, was the Indy Lights title holder in 1998 after moving up the ladder in his native homeland by taking Brazilian Formula 3 championship. He spent two years in F1 before returning in 2005 to the Champ Car series. However the accident with a deer ended -- at that time -- da Matta's racing career. Never say never and in 2008, da Matta ran a sports car test session with Bob Stallings Racing and after being back in a racing machine, he said, "After the test, I realized 'I still know how to do this, I remember this very well. The biggest thing I felt after the test was just a sense of relief. For me, it was a big, big relief, bigger than big."

Da Matta commented on his new ride with the JaguarRSR team, "I have had a great career in open-wheel cars, and I feel that it is now time to begin a new chapter in my life. I have always admired GT racing, so I am excited to get started and to be a part of the American Le Mans Series with JaguarRSR. Working with Paul (Gentilozzi), someone who has experience in GT racing, couldn't be a better situation for me. He will be a great teacher and I will be able to learn a lot from him. Driving for Jaguar is something big; a big responsibility in one way and a big pleasure in another because I will be working on developing the car and showing the true glamour of the XKR out in its racing form."

Returning to an IMSA sanctioned series is the oldest son of Parnelli Jones. P.J. Jones has raced nearly anything with four wheels -- perhaps even two wheels -- from Indy cars to off-road vehicles, he has done it all. Catching the eye of Dan Gurney and Carroll Shelby, his career moved him into both open-wheel and sports car racing. In 1992, he earned the Most Improved Driver award with the Toyota-factory IMSA GTP team. His teammate to was Juan Manuel Fangio II, and in 1993, he finished second in the title fight with six poles and three wins with Toyota winning the Manufacturers' championship. Staying with the All American Racers, Jones moved to the CART series in 1996. Over the years, Jones has also done the Baja 500 and 1000 events, raced midgets, did one-off sportscar series rides and was one of the test drivers for the Toyota program as the Japanese manufacturer moved into NASCAR. He still is one of the road racing specialist for several NASCAR teams.

"I have had some of my best racing years in IMSA GT competition and to return with JaguarRSR is a thrill," Jones said. "I am real happy to be a part of the team and to represent Jaguar. Previously I competed in the GTP category and now to be in GT racing as a part of the American Le Mans Series looks very competitive. I think that it adds a lot of excitement and thrill for the drivers."

The team will have a chance to work together for the first time at the Sebring test next week. The fourth driver for the season could be named at that time or prior to the test days. With the 12 Hours of Sebring as the season opener on March 19th being an endurance event, two or more extra drivers could be named for both entries.

"From what I have seen in the JaguarRSR team they have made a lot of improvement from last year. We will go down to Sebring to test things out and prepare for the big event in March," added Jones. "We have a great driver lineup with a lot of experience - it should be a great season and I can't wait to get started."
:burnout: :burnout: 8)
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Post by mlittle » Sun Feb 20, 2011 9:39 am

ALMS Wheels Down Winter Test, Day 1 News & Notes
(from 9 Feb. 2011)
MUSCLE MILK ASTON MARTIN SETTING THE SEBRING PACE
Quickest time in both of Wednesday's Winter Test sessions

Muscle Milk Aston Martin Racing opened the Sebring Winter Test in strong style Wednesday with the fastest times in both sessions with its Aston Martin-powered Lola. The exotic closed-top prototype turned in a best lap of 1:50.530 (120.510 mph) with team owner Greg Pickett, Klaus Graf and Lucas Luhr sharing driving duties.

The Muscle Milk squad will race its new coupe for the first time in the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón next month as part of a 59-car field for the 59th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida. In last year's race, the Aston Martin factory team drove the car to a third-place overall finish.

Dyson Racing's Mazda-powered Lola B09/86, another prototype coupe, was second quickest at 1:51.042 (119.955 mph). Chris Dyson, Guy Smith and Jay Cochran each drove Wednesday.

Corvette Racing put its stamp on the GT class in impressive fashion with the two best times of the day. The Corvette C6.R of Oliver Gavin, Jan Magnussen and Richard Westbrook turned a time of 2:02.235 (108.975 mph) during the afternoon session - only 0.025 seconds better than the car's best time in the morning.

Krohn Racing's Ferrari F430 of Tracy Krohn and Nic Jonsson was the class' second-quickest car at 2:02.597 (108.649 mph). It was followed by Flying Lizard Motorsports' Porsche 911 GT3 RSR of Patrick Long and Jörg Bergmeister was next at 2:02.964 (108.324 mph).

Newcomer CORE Autosport set the fastest LMPC time with a lap of 1:54.092 (116.748 mph) with the driving trio of Jon Bennett, Frankie Montecalvo and Ryan Dalziel sharing one of the team's ORECA FLM09s. Their entry was just ahead of Genoa Racing's two prototypes - a 1:54.634 (116.196 mph) from the car of Larry Conner, Dane Cameron and Javier Echeverria.

In GTC, another first-year entry in NGT Motorsports set the fastest time. The Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car of Henrique Cisneros and Carlos Eduardo turned a lap of 2:05.678 (105.606 mph) in the opening session. It was about a half- second clear of TRG's entry of Spencer Pumpelly and Duncan Ende. Defending Sebring class winner Alex Job Racing sat third with a lap of 2:06.363 (105.411 mph). Leh Keen, Bill Sweedler and Brian Wong are splitting driving duties.

Testing resumes at Sebring on Thursday with sessions from 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m. ET. Live Timing and Scoring will be available at americanlemans.com.
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Post by mlittle » Sun Feb 20, 2011 9:40 am

ALMS Wheels Down Winter Test: Day 2 News & Notes
(from 10 Feb. 2011)
MUSCLE MILK WRAPS UP DOMINATING SEBRING TEST
Lola-Aston Martin quickest in all four sessions, as is Corvette in GT

Muscle Milk Aston Martin Racing ended the annual Sebring Winter Test with the fastest time of the week during Thursday's final session - a 1:49.997 (121.094 mph) lap by Lucas Luhr at Sebring International Raceway. The two- day session served as a preview for the 59th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida and the opening round of the 2011 American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón.

Luhr will drive at the 12 Hours with Klaus Graf and team owner Greg Pickett in Muscle Milk's new Aston Martin-powered Lola coupe for LMP1. The squad won in P2 last year at Sebring with a Porsche RS Spyder, and went quickest during each of Wednesday's and Thursday's two sessions in its new Lola- Aston Martin. Thursday's final session began with a brief rain shower, but the track dried midway during the afternoon.

The Muscle Milk entry outpaced Dyson Racing in each of the four sessions. The Lola-Mazda coupe's fastest time was a 1:50.205 lap in the afternoon session. Chris Dyson, Guy Smith and Jay Cochran all shared driving duties.

Corvette Racing got into the act as well in GT with the best class times both days. The team's No. 3 Corvette C6.R of Olivier Beretta, Tommy Milner and Antonio Garcia posted the quickest time of all with a 2:02.186 (109.014 mph) pass in the afternoon. The Corvette operation was consistent with the sister car of Jan Magnussen, Oliver Gavin and Richard Westbrook setting a lap of 2:02.197 (109.004 mph) in the morning.

Flying Lizard Motorsports' Porsche 911 GT3 RSR of Jörg Bergmeister and Patrick Long was third quickest in GT with a lap of 2:02.373 (108.848 mph) in the afternoon session. The final four-hour run was particularly close with only 0.43 seconds separating the top four cars - the two Corvettes and Porsches from Flying Lizard and Team Falken Tire.

CORE autosport's ORECA FLM09 of Jon Bennett, Frankie Montecalvo and Ryan Dalziel went quickest in LMPC with a lap of 1:54.370 (116.464 mph). Its time in the morning session topped both of Genoa Racing's entries, led by Larry Conner's time of 1:55.721 (115.104 mph) in the morning. The second ORECA of Eric Lux, Elton Julian and Christian Zugel posted a best lap of 1:55.636 (115.189 mph), also in the morning.

The GT Challenge fight was just as close. Like LMPC, the class' fastest times all came in the morning session. TRG's Porsche 911 GT3 Cup entry of Spencer Pumpelly, Duncan Ende and Dion von Moltke set the quickest lap at 2:06.405 (105.376 mph). Alex Job Racing, last year's Sebring class winner, was next at 2:06.647 (105.174 mph); Leh Keen, Bill Sweedler and Brian Wong each drove the Porsche.

The 59th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida is set for 10:30 a.m. ET on Saturday, March 19. The race will be shown live and in its entirety on ESPN3.com and americanlemans.com starting at 10 a.m. ET. ABC will provide coverage from 12:30 to 2 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 20. Visit the American Le Mans Series' schedule page for information on tickets and area accommodations.
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Global Motorsports Confirms 2011 ALMS GTC Plans

Post by mlittle » Wed Mar 09, 2011 6:18 pm

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---For the past several seasons, Orange County, California-based Global Motorsports Group has defined European car performance in the competitive sprint racing of SPEED World Challenge, campaigning Porsche GT3 Cup cars. This year, in addition to their World Challenge schedule, GMG will enter into its second season with the American Le Mans Series, in the Grand Touring Challenge class.

Bret Curtis will once again be partnered with James Sofronas in the No. 32 GMG / Spectra Resources Porsche GT3 Cup, which will feature a full line of performance parts developed by Global Motorsports Group.

Curtis’ highlights include the 2011 Rolex 24, two second-place finishes in the 2010 ALMS season, secured at Long Beach and Mid-Ohio. All of this coming after his inaugural race in 2009, piloting a Porsche GT3 Cup, in the ALMS season finale at Laguna Seca, in which he finished fifth in the GT-Challenge class while driving with Sofronas. Curtis’ experience comes from stints in both the Patron GT3 Challenge as well as the Pirelli Drivers Cup.

Sofronas, a multiple race-winner in SCCA’s World Challenge, is considered one of the country’s premier Porsche drivers. The owner of GMG is also a veteran of several endurance races, including entries in the 2009 and 2011 Rolex 24 at Daytona, and is looking forward to the challenge of competing in the country’s premier endurance racing championship. James sees the 2011 season to be a very competitive year, and he has high hopes in securing the team’s first win, after finishing second, a 2010 season best, at both Long Beach and Mid-Ohio. His main focus is on the title and feels confident in his team’s ability to contend for the title.

Jan Seyffarth is the third driver in GMG’s stable. His vast and successful experience in Porsche Super Cup will add to the depth in GMG’s driver line up. His driving duties will be well utilized for the 12 Hours of Sebring.

“Our first season in the American Le Mans Series was very exciting for Bret, for myself, and for everyone at GMG,” said Sofronas. “We competed in the ALMS event at Laguna Seca, and as a driver and team owner it was a very good experience which ultimately led to our decision to compete in the series in 2010. For the drivers, it will be a great challenge, and will also allow us to further develop our line of performance parts for the Porsche 997.”

Curtis and Sofronas will take the wheel of the No.32 GMG / Spectra Resources Porsche GT3 Cup at the ALMS Sebring kickoff event March 17-19, 2011 with strong support from its sponsors, including Moton Shocks, Stoptech Brakes and BBS.
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Dyson Racing Adds Partners to 2011 Campaign

Post by mlittle » Wed Mar 16, 2011 7:16 am

Dyson Racing is pleased to announce the addition of ModSpace and Construct Corps as partners of the #16 Mazda Lola Coupe for the 2011 American Le Mans Season. A revised, full-season car livery incorporating their branding alongside existing team sponsors Mazda, G-OIL and Thetford will debut at the 59th Annual 12 Hours of Sebring on Saturday, March 19 and a special ModSpace and Construct Corps-centered livery will be featured at the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca round in September.

"We welcome ModSpace and Construct Corps to the ALMS and Dyson Racing," said Chris Dyson, Vice President and Sporting Director of Dyson Racing. "They are innovative companies focused on quality, service and value and we look forward to providing a platform to showcase their position as one of the largest global suppliers of modular construction."

"Both ModSpace, and our motorsports' partner Construct Corps, are very excited about our partnership with Dyson Racing and Mazda," said William Mann, Director of ModSpace Motorsports. "It is extremely rewarding to be aligned with these two organizations as we continue to grow our business mode. With the focus and dedication of this team, we look forward to a strong performance this season."

Modular Space Corporation (Modspace), based in Berwyn, PA, is a leading provider of modular buildings, portable storage and services for temporary or permanent space needs. Building on more than 40 years of experience, ModSpace serves a diverse set of customers and markets - including commercial, construction, education, government, healthcare, industrial/energy and special events - through an extensive branch network throughout the United States and Canada: www.modspace.com .

Construct Corps is a leading provider of temporary skilled workers for construction, disaster response, environment and manufacturing companies throughout the US. Through its exclusive Construct Buddy recruiting system, Construct Corps provides more workers in more locations with one point of contact than any other company: www.constructcorps.com .

"When the final checkered flag falls on the final race of every racing season, each team has the same opportunity to focus on preparing for the new season ahead," noted John Doonan, Manager, Motorsports Team Development at Mazda North American Operations. "Since Petit Le Mans 2010, everyone at Dyson Racing has been working hard to put all the pieces in place for a run at the LMP1 Championship in 2011. All of us at Mazda are proud of the effort the team has put in at the shop, during testing on track, and in securing partners to begin the 2011 campaign. Here at Mazda, our motorsports strategy is based on a very focused business model that requires strong partnerships with teams, partners, and customers. We congratulate Dyson Racing on their new partnerships G-OIL, ModSpace, and Construct Corps…and may the 2011 season bring many victories…on the track…and in the marketplace."
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Highcroft & HPD's ARX-01e Arrives At Sebring.......

Post by mlittle » Wed Mar 16, 2011 7:21 am

from 13 March 2011

Highcroft Racing's new HPD ARX-01e hit the track at Sebring for the first time Saturday in preparation for this week's Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. Marino Franchitti and David Brabham were on site to sample the new LMP1 class racer - a development of last year's championship-winning LMP2 chassis but now featuring more horsepower, revised suspension, wider Michelin tires and a new aerodynamic configuration featuring considerably less drag.

Last year's LMP2 class Sebring polesitter Marino Franchitti was entrusted with initially shaking down the car - the team concentrating on systems checks before bringing the car up to speed.

In total, Franchitti and two-time ALMS prototype champion David Brabham completed 33 laps in the #01 car which will do battle this week against the likes of European factory teams from Audi and Peugeot as well as local rivals armed with Mazda and Aston Martin LMP1 prototypes.

Following today's debut, the Highcroft Racing squad will undertake further preparation on Sunday prior to Monday's official full-day test.

The car will also be prepared in its final Sebring livery which features team technical partner Michelin and its new Pilot Super Sport tire. Brabham and Franchitti's teammate Simon Pagenaud arrives in Sebring on Sunday in preparation for race week.

Testing continues on Tuesday prior to the start of official practice on Thursday. The 59th running of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring goes green on Saturday, March 19.

MARINO FRANCHITTI:
It is fantastic to be back at the track with Highcroft, HPD and the new ARX-01e. It was great today to get the shakedown under our belt – we just did our normal systems checks and we were delighted with the way everything went. Now we can go back, dissect all the data, make some changes and come back on Monday to do some more running. On track today we not only have a bigger engine air restrictor for the LMP1 class we’re also running basically Le Mans downforce. The car is very slippery and we have a lot more power so we have a much better straight line speed performance than what we were used to.

Last year you would accelerate along the straight and hit a virtual wall, but this year the car seems to be accelerating all the way to the end. It will be very interesting to see how we stack up against the diesels when Monday’s practice starts.

DAVID BRABHAM:
It is fantastic to get in the car again - everyone is so excited about Sebring race week. Today was all about systems checks, making sure nothing was rubbing or leaking and I have to congratulate the guys because we had very little go wrong today and it is a great start for the week coming up. The Highcroft boys have worked very hard to get the car here. Obviously we would have liked to been testing before Christmas but it wasn’t to be. Everything has been a bit of a rush but the Highcroft team as usual have just done a phenomenal job.

One thing that struck me very quickly about the ARX-01e is how fast it is in a straight line because we have Le Mans downforce and a bigger restrictor. It is a lot faster in the straight and certainly way quicker than what we are used to in this car. That was really exciting to see. We’re low on downfoce but we’re waiting for the grip to come up during the week as we discover what the balance is like, getting the ride heights where they need to be – there is so much for us to do, but we are really just getting started.
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Series Continues Pressing Alternative Fuels.......

Post by mlittle » Sat Mar 19, 2011 9:07 am

Image

---With gasoline prices soaring toward $4 a gallon, consumers once again are considering alternatives. For some, it’s driving less. For others, it’s public transportation. For still others, it’s finally getting fed up with the gas guzzler and looking for a vehicle that is fuel- and energy-efficient. Sound familiar? Think back to Petit Le Mans 2008 when the gas supply was becoming scarce, spiking at $4.25 a gallon. This is a scenario that will not likely disappear without some alternative action.

Since 2006, the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón has led the way in the motorsports community toward alternative fuels and helping manufacturers develop fuel-efficient technology and innovations on the track that could transfer to the consumer vehicle. It even went so far as to be embraced by the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and SAE International, which established green racing protocols that resulted in the world’s premier sports car series being elevated to the Global Leader in Green Racing.

And the American Le Mans Series has statistics to back up its moniker. According to analysts and engineers familiar with the green racing protocols and measurements, cars in this year’s season opener Saturday - the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida - will use 28.3 percent less oil/petroleum than the race cars used before the Series began exclusively using alternative fuels in 2007. That improvement will likely grow during the course of the season, since this year’s Sebring race will include measurements of many race teams from Europe where E85 (fuel comprised of 85 percent ethanol made from non-food stock bio-materials) and isobutanol (a fuel produced from a wide range of bio-renewable materials) are not permitted as they are during the ALMS regular season, thus driving down that reduction improvement.

If all cars used in the U.S. were to achieve a comparable reduction and results, the U.S. could reduce its oil imports by more than 50 percent. It would also translate to saving more than 338 million gallons of gasoline each year as well as more than 2 million gallons of diesel fuel. Such reductions would allow America to rely less on foreign fossil fuels, thus reducing our vulnerability to disruptions of foreign fuel supplies. This significant reduction in oil use would sharply lower oil prices worldwide and have a very positive political and economic impact for the U.S. It would keep $450 billion inside our country (at current oil prices) while creating employment opportunities within both the energy sector and the automotive industry as well.

“The American Le Mans Series has always been a leader in technical innovation,” says Scott Atherton, President and CEO of the Series. “Often, the public sees the automotive and transportation industry as being the problem. We would much rather be part of the solution. By working with leading automobile manufacturers worldwide, we believe we are accomplishing that.”

The DOE, EPA and SAE International must think so as well. These groups and Michelin have created Green Challenge™ and MICHELIN® Green X® Challenge awards that are given to manufacturers and teams that score best in overall performance, fuel efficiency and carbon reductions during the race and over the course of a season.

On any given race weekend, the American Le Mans Series, has more manufacturers involved than any major motorsports series in the world, often in excess of 10 marques. All cars compete using one of five approved alternative fuels or energy sources: isobutanol, cellulosic E85, E10, clean diesel and electric hybrid.

This Saturday, bragging rights will not only go to the team that wins the 12-hour race, but also to the one that has been the cleanest, fastest and most efficient. Now that’s a race to tomorrow in which everyone should be interested.
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A New Kid On The ALMS Block.........

Post by mlittle » Sat Mar 19, 2011 9:09 am

Image

---The launch of the 2011 Intercontinental Le Mans Cup has brought many world-class teams to Sebring International Raceway for Saturday’s season-opening round. While there’s the obvious additions of the factory diesels from Audi and Peugeot, some notable privateer outfits, including Rebellion Racing, are also embarking the new international sportscar championship.

After three promising seasons in the prototype ranks, the Anglo-Swiss squad, run by second-generation team manager Bart Hayden, steps up to the global stage not only with a full ILMC attack but also with the support of the largest automaker in the world.

That’s right. Toyota has returned to Le Mans-style racing, twelve years since its short-lived factory GT-One program, which nearly conquered La Sarthe. This time, though, it’s strictly a customer program in which the Japanese automaker will provide engines and support to Rebellion’s Lola B10/60s in both the ILMC and European-based Le Mans Series.

Rebounding from his father, Hugh's, sudden passing over the winter, Bart Hayden has not let go of the team's long-term goals. (Photo: John Dagys)

Rebellion is no stranger to success, having finished runner-up in the 2009 Le Mans Series LMP2 championship while under the Speedy Racing Team Sebah Banner. But last year saw a switch to a two-car LMP1 effort, with new Judd-based Rebellion powerplants, which saw the team struggle for reliability, despite showing encouraging pace.

“On numerous occasions, we’ve shown that we’ve got the pace to be right at the front,” Hayden said. “The frustration that I have from previous seasons is that we’ve not tended to deliver on that potential. We’ve had moments of good times and good results, but there seemed to be a number of mechanical endurance-related issues.

“I’m not standing today saying they’re gone. Make no bones about it, it’s been a heck of a stretch to get here and have two cars ready in Europe for the LMS season. We’re keeping our fingers crossed a little bit. But we’re quite pleased with the progress thus far.”

While the Alexandre Pesci-owned team makes its ALMS debut here this weekend, Hayden has assembled a strong cast of drivers and crew that could play a darkhorse role in the season-opener.

Open-wheel turned sportscar stars Neel Jani and Nicolas Prost will share the wheel of the team’s Lola B10/60 Toyota with reigning GTC champion Jeroen Bleekemolen, who will join the duo for the three major endurance races of the year. Another key element comes with the support of Toyota. Utilizing a 3.4-liter V8 engine based from its Formula Nippon powerplant, the program also comes with the support from Cosworth, which maintains the car’s electronics.

While it’s strictly a customer-based relationship for the time being, there no doubt appears to be some significant interest from Toyota on where this relationship could possibly blossom into in the not-too-distant future. Yet, Hayden is taking a realistic approach to the Sebring challenge, fully realizing the odds they’re up against. But it’s clear he hasn’t lost sight of the team’s ultimate goal.

“There’s a budget to be considered because we’re not a works team, so we have to try and be sensible on where we direct our attention and focus,” Hayden said. “Also, we don’t want to spend a load of money for the ACO to then say, ‘Here, have more restrictor because you’re now too quick.’ So it’s a bit of a ‘Find out where we are’ weekend. And I’m not necessarily sure we’ll know this race.

“But we see this as the beginning of the relationship and hope that it will lead to our aspirations of becoming either a semi-works or works team, much like Joest are considered to be Audi. We’d like to be Toyota Team Rebellion. It’s early days, and there’s lots of rumors about if [Toyota] will be doing their own thing or if they’re not. I don’t have a view on that or have any information. To be honest, why worry about what other people are doing because then I wouldn’t do a good job with what I’m doing. My focus is to deliver the best we can.”
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Post by mlittle » Sat Mar 26, 2011 2:58 pm

Current American LeMans Series Standings


~~~LeMans Prototype(LMP) Class
LMP-1 Driver Standings
t-1st}[1]Chris Dyson, 30 pts(1 win)
t-1st}[2]Guy Smith, 30 pts(1 win)
t-1st}[3]Jay Cochran, 30 pts(1 win)
LMP-1 Engine & Chassis Standings
Engine: Mazda, 30 pts(1 win)
Chassis: Lola, 30 pts(1 win)
LMP-2 Driver Standings
t-1st}[1]Ryan Hunter-Reay, 30 pts(1 win)
t-1st}[2]Luis Diaz, 30 pts(1 win)
t-3rd}[3]Scott Tucker, 26 pts
t-3rd}[4]Joao Barbosa, 26 pts
t-3rd}[5]Christophe Bouchut, 26 pts
LMP-2 Engine & Chassis Standings
Engine: Honda, 30 pts(1 win)
Chassis: Lola, 30 pts(1 win)

~~~LeMans Prototype Challenge Standings
t-1st}[1]Jens Petersen, 30 pts(1 win)
t-1st}[2]Dane Cameron, 30 pts(1 win)
t-1st}[3]Michael Guasch, 30 pts(1 win)
t-4th}[4]Ryan Dalziel, 26 pts
t-4th}[5]Jon Bennett, 26 pts
t-4th}[6]Frankie Montecalvo, 26 pts
t-7th}[7]Gunnar Jennette, 23 pts
t-7th}[8]Ricardo Gonzalez, 23 pts
t-7th}[9]Rudy Junco, 23 pts
t-10th}[10]Eric Lux, 20 pts
t-10th}[11]Elton Julian, 20 pts
t-10th}[12]Christian Zugel, 20 pts

~~~Grand Touring Class
GT Driver's Standings
t-1st}[1]Andy Priaulx, 30 pts(1 win)
t-1st}[2]Joey Hand, 30 pts(1 win)
t-1st}[3]Dirk Muller, 30 pts(1 win)
t-4th}[4]Augusto Farfus, 26 pts
t-4th}[5]Bill Auberlen, 26 pts
t-4th}[6]Dirk Werner, 26 pts
t-7th}[7]Olivier Beretta, 23 pts
t-7th}[8]Tommy Milner, 23 pts
t-7th}[8]Antonio Garcia, 23 pts
t-10th}[10]Oliver Gavin, 20 pts
t-10th}[11]Richard Westbrook, 20 pts
t-10th}[12]Jan Magnussen, 20 pts
GT Manufacturers Standings
1st} BMW, 30 pts(1 win)
2nd} Chevrolet, 23 pts
3rd} Porsche, 16 pts
4th} Ford, 14 pts
5th} Ferrari, 12 pts

~~~Grand Touring Challenge Class
t-1st}[1]Tim Pappas, 30 pts(1 win)
t-1st}[2]Sebastien Bleekemolen, 30 pts(1 win)
t-1st}[3]Damien Faulkner, 30 pts(1 win)
t-4th}[4]Duncan Ende, 26 pts
t-4th}[5]Spencer Pumpelly, 26 pts
t-4th}[6]Alain Li, 26 pts
t-7th}[7]Nick Ham, 23 pts
t-7th}[8]Chris Cumming, 23 pts
t-7th}[9]Scott Blackett, 23 pts
t-10th}[10]Dion von Moltke, 20 pts
t-10th}[11]Jim Norman, 20 pts
t-10th}[12]Peter Ludwig, 20 pts
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ALMS Long Beach Preview

Post by mlittle » Fri Apr 15, 2011 4:38 pm

Image
With a low LMP car count this weekend, the GT classes should take center stage on the streets of Long Beach......


---While the 59th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring served as the official kickoff of the season, the American Le Mans Series gets into the full swing of things with this weekend’s street fight in Long Beach. The opening two rounds of 2011 couldn’t be more different than one another. Twelve hours vs. two hours. Airfield circuit vs. street circuit. Joint ILMC/ALMS entry vs. ALMS-only. Yet, with 31 cars on the grid, there’s still plenty of storylines heading into Saturday’s Tequila Patron American Le Mans Series at Long Beach.

With a sparse prototype field of only four LMP1 and LMP2 cars combined, the battle for top honors in GT is likely to take center stage this weekend, and quite possibly, for the remainder of the regular season.

BMW Team RLL will be looking to pick off where it last left off, following last month’s 1-2 finish for the factory squad. While the Bobby Rahal-led squad has yet to master a street course in ALMS competition, they nearly pulled it off last year thanks to a bold move to leave Tommy Milner out on the same tires.

While Milner and co-driver Bill Auberlen settled for a third-place result after its BMW M3 GT faded in the closing stages, strategy could again play a key role in the outcome of the race, despite the race’s length increasing from 100 minutes to two hours. The option of remaining on the same set of tires for the duration, though, appears to have disappeared as a result.

However, the battle could still be won and lost in the pits. With drivers not allowed to drive more than one hour and ten minutes in the car, and each driver required to complete a minimum of 30 minutes, two-car teams such as BMW Team RLL and Corvette Racing could opt for split strategies to cover all of their bases.

In addition to the factory BMW and Corvette squads, defending race winners Flying Lizard Motorsports will also likely put up a fight with its No. 45 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR. Drivers Jorg Bergmeister and Patrick Long eeked out a win here last year, the first of four during the season that propelled them to the GT drivers’ championship.

After crashing out early and battling electrical issues at Sebring, Ferrari’s two lead F458 Italias will be looking for a reversal of fortunes this weekend. The freshly rebuilt Extreme Speed Motorsports’ Prancing Horse of Scott Sharp and Johannes van Overbeek could be a contender, as well as the Rosso Red machine from Risi Competizione, which always shouldn’t be counted out of the mix, especially in the hands of Jamie Melo and Toni Vilander.

Other GT class entries to keep an eye on include Team Falken Tire’s Porsche, which showed an impressive turnaround at Sebring and the Yokohama-shod Paul Miller Racing entry, again led by former factory driver Sascha Maassen. Jaguar RSR’s pair of Jaguar XKR GTs and the West Racing Lamborghini complete the 14-car field.


While a GT entry is unlikely to score top honors overall, a podium finish could be in the cards, especially if attrition takes its toll at the head of the field.

Muscle Milk AMR head in as favorites for LMP1 honors, despite recording their first DNF in ALMS competition last time out. The screaming V12-powered Lola-Aston Martin proved to be quick on the streets last year in the hands of the factory AMR squad, nearly pulling off the win in the hands of Adrian Fernandez and Harold Primat.

With team owner Greg Pickett electing to put German Lucas Luhr in his place at the wheel of the No. 6 entry this weekend, anything but a win for Luhr and co-driver Klaus Graf would be considered a disappointment.

Dyson Racing’s Lola B09/86 Mazda will be Muscle Milk AMR’s only competition in LMP1, with Chris Dyson and Guy Smith looking to build on their solid sixth place finish at Sebring, stacked amongst the mights of the factory Audis and Peugeots.

Level 5 Motorsports is sure to win LMP2, with the team’s pair of Lola-Hondas also the only entries in class. While Scott Tucker will handle driving duties of both the open and closed-top machines, an overall victory could be in the cards if both Muscle Milk and Dyson run into trouble.

And depending on how things shake out, an LMPC car or two could also be thrown into the mix. Sebring winners Genoa Racing, with a single-car effort for Elton Julian and Eric Lux, head in as one of the class favorites, as well as the two-car CORE autosport squad, which scored a podium finish in their series debut last month.

While six Oreca FLM09s are expected to take the green flag, seven Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars make up the GTC division. Likely contenders include defending class champions Black Swan Racing, TRG, Magnus Racing and GMG Racing from nearby Santa Ana.

Track time will come at a premium this weekend, as teams will only have a single two-hour practice Friday morning prior to qualifying later in the day. The Tequila Patron American Le Mans Series at Long Beach will get the green flag Saturday at 4:30 p.m. PST for two hours of action-packed racing around the historic street course.
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Dyson Fastest In Long Beach Practice

Post by mlittle » Sat Apr 16, 2011 10:09 am

Image

----Dyson Racing topped the time charts in the first and only practice session for Saturday's Tequila Patron American Le Mans Series at Long Beach. Guy Smith turned a 1:16.780 lap time in his No. 16 Lola B09/86 Mazda, edging out the No. 6 Muscle Milk AMR Lola-Aston Martin of Lucas Luhr by 0.286 seconds.

In the highly competitive GT category, the No. 45 Flying Lizard Motorsports Porsche of Patrick Long was quickest with a 1:20.264 lap time. The American Porsche factory driver, who along with co-driver Jorg Bergmeister, will be going for their third consecutive win on the famed 1.968-mile, 11-turn street circuit.

Sebring winners BMW Team RLL wound up second and third in the session, with the No. 56 BMW M3 GT of Joey Hand some 0.258 seconds slower than Long's best lap. The No. 55 BMW of Bill Auberlen was third, with the No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari F458 Italia of Jamie Melo slotting in fourth best.

Despite ending the session fifth and sixth quickest, both Corvette Racing C6.Rs suffered early session misfortunes. Olivier Beretta went into the tire barriers in Turn 8, but later returned after repairs were made to the front bodywork. The No. 4 Corvette, meanwhile, made a late start after suffering driveshaft issues.

Another car to hit trouble this morning was the Team Falken Tire Porsche 911 GT3 RSR of Wolf Henzler, which slammed into the Turn 9 tire barriers midway through the session. The car sustained heavy rear-end damage and didn't return.

In LMP2, Christophe Bouchut led the way, turning a 1:20.261 lap time in his No. 33 Level 5 Motorsports Lola-Honda Coupe. Despite the new-spec powerplant receiving a larger air restrictor for this weekend, neither of the Level 5 machines were unable to match the pace-setting LMPC machine of Gunnar Jeannette, who wound up third quickest overall.

Jeannette's 1:19.089 lap time in the No. 06 CORE autosport Oreca FLM09 was nearly four-tenths faster than the Alex Figge-driven PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports machine in second. Elton Julian was third in class for Genoa Racing.

GTC was led by the No. 54 Black Swan Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car of Jeroen Bleekemolen, who turned 1:23.853. The defending class co-champion reunites with the Tim Pappas-owned squad this weekend after starting the season off at the wheel of Rebellion Racing's Lola-Toyota at Sebring.
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