ALMS 2011 thread

[MOTV8]

IN THE COCKPIT: Oliver Gavin, Le Mans

"I can’t deny it was devastating blow for the No. 74 car but time is a great healer and the win for our sister car helped straight away..."

Oliver Gavin | Posted June 14, 2011

Well, what a 24 Hour race! I hope you all got to see some or all of it as there was action from start to finish – including some spectacular crashes with fortunately no serious injuries – and for the Corvette Racing team the best possible result with a win at Le Mans for the No. 73 car in the GTE-Pro class. Many congratulations to my teammates Olivier, Antonio and Tommy, and to former team mate Marcel Fassler who won the race overall in the No. 2 Audi R18.

While I’m obviously pleased for the team, it was yet another gut-wrenching result for the No.74 (my car) as we went out for the third year running after leading the class, this year after 17 hours. Contact with a Porsche resulted in extensive damage to the front and rear of the car and a loss of drive. Jan Magnussen, who was behind the wheel at the time, was fortunately unharmed but the car couldn’t make it back to the pits and was retired.

Before that thought the race and phenomenal fun and I really enjoyed competing again at Le Mans. I had a fantastic battle at the start with Andy Priaulx and Augusto Farfus’ BMWs and Gimmi Bruni’s AF Corse Ferrari, and managed to put a nice move on a pair of them going down into the first chicane which I was quite surprised about. I think because there were four of us altogether there was this massive tow and I managed to pass the two BMWs and out-brake them into the chicane which was nice to do.

When the first safety car period came about, we came in for our first pit stop a lap before everyone else and got a big break. That was the thing that kept up ahead of the Ferrari for the next 16/17 hours, and it was amazing that one bit of luck just got us a step up and we managed to control that gap for all those hours.

The situation with Jan’s accident was out of the blue. I was sitting in Corvette’s hospitality having something to eat with Jim Miller and one of the senior GM bosses and Jan came on the radio saying “Had a crash, big damage, trying to make it back to the pits.” Then it came up on the screen and it was stationary, the car looked very badly damaged. I knew then that our chance of winning was gone.

It seems that around about 8-10am at Le Mans is a bad time for us! Three years in a row we’ve led, we’ve controlled, in complete control of the situation and something’s happened to take us out.

When Jan returned to the pits, he was obviously shocked and shaken and very apologetic but we all assured him that it was a racing incident. We have to make a thousand of those kinds of passing or racing decisions on a racetrack every ten laps. Jan was trying to avoid making contact with another car and unfortunately when he did that he went up onto a curb and across the grass. The car snapped one way and then the other and went across the grass into the Porsche. It was a really nasty accident and it’s a testament to how strong the Corvette is that Jan is okay and came away with very few aches and pains.

I can’t deny it was devastating blow for the No. 74 car but time is a great healer and the win for our sister car helped straight away. The No. 51 Ferrari was our main challenger and it was a hard fight with AF Corse all the way to the end but we had them covered. That’s the thing with Le Mans - it's hard and cruel, and that's why winning here is like nothing else in the world. I'm still devastated, really.

See you back on U.S. soil at the next Grand-Am race at Road America in a couple of weeks.

-Olly

[Shifty]

Gavin is such a class act, I'm sure glad he's driving for CR instead of teh other guys...

[MOTV8]

Gavin is such a class act, I'm sure glad he's driving for CR instead of teh other guys...

But....my crystal balls say one of the Olly's may get the boot before next season begins. Bereta maybe? Time to go find another Milner...you think?

And teh PR hack from Larbre finally shook off the hangover and posted their blurb:

Larbre Competition Le Mans 24H Race Report

Larbre Competition completes dominant Le Mans 1-2

Larbre Competition confirmed their domination of the Le Mans 24 Hours for a second consecutive year on Sunday after recording a 1-2 finish in the GTE Am class.

The #50 Corvette C6R driven by Patrick Bornhauser, Julien Canal and Gabriele Gardel made up for a difficult qualifying session by charging through the class from eighth to first by early Sunday morning.

Meanwhile, Jean-Philippe Belloc, Christophe Bourret and Pascal Gibon in the #70 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR jointly run by IMSA Performance were the only trio capable of matching their team-mates’ pace as the two cars built an unassailable 17-lap lead over their nearest challengers by the chequered flag.

This year’s race was not without its challenges however. Three lengthy Safety Car periods, the second of which lasted the best part of two hours, stifled significant progress while at one stage the class’ top five were all running on the same lap.

Ultimately, superior speed and reliability proved vital with neither Larbre entry experiencing significant delays in the pits.

This was Canal and Gardel’s second consecutive Le Mans class win with Larbre Competition after being part of the line-up that scored GT1 victory at the wheel of a Saleen last season. Bornhauser, who was scheduled to complete the line-up 12 months ago before illness ruled him out, finally gets his hands on the trophy.

Patrick Bornhauser: “For us, this was a well planned victory. A team like Larbre is perfectly prepared for this type of event which extends to the car, driver crew and mechanics. All were ready and no mistakes made throughout the entire race. The car was never in the garage with a mechanical problem so at the finish that usually means you win.”

LM GTE Am podium: class winners Patrick Bornhauser, Julien Canal, Gabriele Gardel and Jack Leconte

Julien Canal: “Obviously I am very happy with my second consecutive win here for Larbre Competition. Personally, I don’t think this is down to luck but confirmation of fantastic team work and I would like to thank Larbre for their trust and confidence. I think that we are going places together!”

Gabriele Gardel: “Jack and his team have done an amazing job for this year’s programme so it’s a great reward for him and all the staff. I am really happy to be here and would like to thank the entire team and the boys, especially after the off on Wednesday night when I damaged the car. They worked very hard to fix it so this is a great reward for their efforts. To win at Le Mans is an amazing feeling.”

Jack Leconte: “This year our Le Mans project was a special one, with the objective to reunite all members of the Larbre family from over the years. We started by winning twice with Porsche in 1993 and 1994 which included our friends Raymond Narac and Franck Rava who have since moved on and created their own professional organisation. I saw that in the current economic situation it would be too difficult for IMSA and Larbre to put together a two-car team for Le Mans. Instead, we decided to run a joint effort with Porsche and rookie drivers which Larbre has had a tradition of doing down the years. Putting this well-organised project together is a fantastic reward. The launch of our partnership with General Motors and Corvette Racing has also been a total success. We have worked together perfectly in the pursuit of a shared value, victory, with each side doing the maximum to obtain the best possible performance. The Pratt & Miller team has also given everything to win the GTE Pro class following Jan Magnussen’s and the #74 car’s accident. Reunited on the Le Mans 24 Hours podium, we are only at the start of a great story.”

-source: Larbre Competition

[Shifty]

If they were going to ditch someone, I think it would be Berreta before Gavin...

[MOTV8]

I came across a nice piece on teh current spec C6.R at Vette...and promptly vadered it for your instant enjoyment.

2011 Corvette Racing C6.R - Portrait Of A Performer

An inside look at the 2011 Corvette Racing C6.R

From the August, 2011 issue of Vette

By Christopher R. Phillip

Photography by Christopher R. Phillip

Corvette Racing's C5-R and C6.R Corvettes are among the most recognized road-race cars in the world, and for good reason. In the 12 years since the first iterations of these factory racers were introduced at the 24 Hours of Daytona on February 5, 1999, the Vettes officially known as No. 3 and No. 4 have won 79 races (through 2010), including eight American Le Mans Series (ALMS) Manufacturers' Championships, seven ALMS GT1 Drivers' Championships, seven Sebring 12-hour and eight Petit Le Mans class wins, and six (uh...make that eight now! - Dean) class wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

In "C6.R Up Close and Personal," (VETTE, September '07), we spotlighted many of the features that differentiated these cars from a production Z06, and got to know some of the crewmembers who kept them in race-winning condition.

Corvette Racing introduced the second- generation C6.R to compete in the production-based GT2 category (since renamed GT) in August 2009. The cars were homologated on the Corvette ZR1, and shared the supercar's body design, aerodynamic package, aluminum frame and chassis structure, steering system, windshield, and other components.

In the months leading up to the 2011 season, Corvette Racing stayed busy around the clock, designing and building two all-new C6.Rs to meet the latest GT-class regulations established by the Le Mans and ALMS races' governing body, the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO).

Given all the engineering, technological, aerodynamic, and cosmetic changes that have been made to the C6.Rs since our last story ran four years ago, we thought it would be apropos to ask Chevrolet for a private look at the latest version. Our guide was Corvette Racing Program Manager Doug Fehan, who gave us a close-up look at the No. 04 car and explained how this most recent edition differs from its predecessors.

Here’s C6.R No. 3 in Corvette Racing’s paddock at Sebring on February 23, 2011. The car had just passed tech inspection for the annual 12 Hours of Sebring enduro.

The Corvette C6.Rs are powered by 5.5-liter, naturally aspirated GM small-block V-8 engines. They’re based on the 7.0-liter LS7 powerplant and use production aluminum blocks along with heavy-duty cylinder heads. The engines feature a smaller cylinder-bore diameter (4.090-inch) and a shorter stroke (3.185 inch) than the production LS7 to reduce displacement to meet GT-class rules. The series also “equalizes” the performance of engines of various types and sizes by requiring intake-air restrictors. Thus the Corvettes’ engines breathe through a pair of 28.8mm restrictors that are located in front of the sealed airbox, which limit engine output to 485 horsepower at 5,800 rpm.

To stay below the maximum noise levels specified in the ACO rulebook, mufflers are located inside the race cars’ rocker panels. The exhausts exit below both doors, where shields protect the composite body panels from exhaust heat.

The Corvette race cars are using purpose-built Bosch 5-series motorsports engine-management systems in 2011. “Corvette Racing engineers worked very hard on the communication system that links the new engine-management system and the paddle-shift system,” says Fehan. “We’ve also adopted a new power control system that automatically performs many of the functions that used to be done manually, such as turning on the reserve fuel pump and switching the batteries during pit stops.”

GT rules require the use of ferrous (steel) brake discs, rather than the exotic (and expensive) carbon-carbon rotors that the C6.R cars used in the GT1 class. The brake pads’ composition is changed according to the race distance—more aggressive pads are used for sprint races, while harder, longer-lasting pads are fitted for endurance events.

The Xtrac sequential six-speed transaxle has interchangeable gear ratios that can be tailored to different tracks. The gearbox is equipped with a pneumatic Megaline two-way shift cylinder that works in conjunction with the paddles on the steering wheel and an electronic control system to change gears. The shift cylinder replaces the conventional gearshift lever.

The GT regs also mandate a 1-inch wicker, or “Gurney flap,” at the rear of the Corvette C6.R’s carbon-fiber wing. In previous years, this piece’s height could be changed to increase or decrease downforce and the resulting drag.

GT rules require teams to use one rear-wing design throughout the season, and the rulebook stipulates this unit’s maximum width and length. After the wing is submitted by a team and approved (homologated) by the ACO, it can’t be changed. Consequently, the Corvette Racing engineers designed a hybrid wing that would perform on high-speed, low-drag tracks like Le Mans and Road America, as well as on high-downforce circuits like Long Beach and Lime Rock. The mounting brackets allow the wing’s angle to be adjusted in small increments to fine-tune the downforce.

The GT1 version of the Corvette C6.R featured sectioned and widened front fenders with aerodynamic louvers on the top surface. GT rules require that the bodywork match the production ZR1 fender, with only flares used to cover the wide racing rubber.

Michelin works closely with Corvette Racing, providing the team with tires in multiple compounds to suit a variety of track and weather conditions. During an endurance event like the Sebring 12-hour or the 24 Hours of Le Mans, different tire compounds may be employed throughout the race, depending on the temperature of the racing surface. The tires are mounted on new-design BBS aluminum wheels, sized 18x12.5 inches (front) and 18x13 inches (rear).

continued...

[MOTV8]

...I told you.

Previous incarnations of the Corvette C6.R racers, including last season’s cars, featured a flush rear valance. One of the aerodynamic refinements made to the 2011 versions is this cutout between the diffuser and the trailing edge of the rear wheelwell.

Of these three flush-mounted lights integrated into the outer door skins, can you guess which one is most important to Corvette Racing? If you answered, “The top one!” you’re correct, since the lights display the C6.R’s position during the races. From top to bottom are First, Second, and Third Place. They’re controlled remotely by the series’ timing and scoring systems.

A pair of hydraulic connectors on the right-side roof support allow the crew to add oil to the engine and gearbox from pressurized canisters during pit stops. The stabilizer-bar stiffness can be adjusted with a wrench.

The C6.Rs are equipped with onboard pneumatic jacks, which raise and lower the cars for tire changes. During pit stops, a mechanic plugs in the high-pressure (300 psi) hose and opens a valve to raise the car; when he disconnects the hose, the car drops safely and the driver starts the engine.

This crush structure, positioned starboard of the driver-side door, is made of honeycomb aluminum with a high-strength Kevlar skin. Developed by GM Racing and first used in the Corvette C5-R, this structure absorbs energy in the event of a side impact, protecting the driver by deforming under load to cushion the blow.

The Corvette race cars were equipped with air conditioning before these systems were made mandatory. The current version uses a compressor from GM’s electric-car program, and the team has refined the condenser and evaporator to maximize cooling efficiency using production GM components. Cool air is circulated through the cockpit and pumped through holes in the driver seat. The driver also breathes cool air through a hose connected to his helmet (not shown).

Many of the C6.R’s cabin controls and switches—including the car-to-pit radio, windshield wipers, lights, traction control, engine map, air conditioning, reserve fuel pump, and engine start—have been relocated from the dashboard to the steering wheel for 2011. “The steering-wheel system is more user friendly, and drivers of various sizes can reach the switches more easily,” says Fehan.

The ACO now allows paddle-shift transmissions in the GT category, and Corvette Racing has adopted this technology to the C6.Rs. The paddles are functionally similar to the ones found in production Corvettes, and allow drivers to change gears with both hands firmly on the steering wheel. Unlike the factory setup, the C6.R system uses the righthand paddle for upshifts, and the lefthand paddle for downshifts. “The paddle shift is a big plus, particularly in the braking zones,” says C6.R full-time driver Oliver Gavin. “You can get hard on the brakes, then downshift really quickly. Going up through the gears, the shifts are smooth and solid. In terms of consistency and reliability, the system is a really good step forward. I will confess that during the first test, I kept reaching for the stick, which wasn’t there!”

GM Racing pioneered the use of right-side driver-safety nets in the mid-’90s, and this feature is now used in many forms of motorsports. The net prevents sideways motion of the driver’s head during an impact. The onboard camera gives TV viewers a look at the driver at work during ALMS broadcasts.

Wireless telemetry transmits data from the Corvettes to the engineers in the pits, who monitor operating parameters such as tire pressure, fuel consumption, coolant temperature, and oil pressure in real-time. Since the volume of data collected is so large that only a portion of it can be sent via the airwaves, a high-speed connection is plugged into the C6.Rs during pit stops for a full download. The readings are then routed to a network system on the pit stand and analyzed by the team’s engineers.

Chevrolet was established in November 1911 by racer Louis Chevrolet and General Motors founder William C. “Billy” Durant, and its cars quickly earned a reputation for performance, durability, and value. Corvette Racing is saluting Chevy’s 100th anniversary in 2011 with these special centennial graphics created by GM Design. They are affixed to the C6.Rs’ front fenders.

And I'm still waiting on this year's version of this:

[Shifty]

Nice FAQ senor!

[Desertdawg]

Awesome, and pictures just made it that much better!!!

[MOTV8]

Just so you know...teh Jags think they are better...

ALMS - Jaguar To Return To GT Class At Lime Rock

EAST LANSING, July 5, 2011: Despite the near three month gap in the 2011 American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patron, JaguarRSR has been working diligently to enhance the performance of the boisterous JaguarRSR XKR GT and is looking to turn even more heads this weekend in Round Three at Lime Rock Park - the American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix, July 9.

Coming off the team's best finish of sixth at Long Beach in the ultra competitive GT field, the sophomore ALMS squad was elated for the opportunity to take advantage of some "down time". In mid-May, the team journeyed to the heart of NASCAR country in North Carolina to undertake a series of off-track tests designed to generate a wide range of performance enhancements. The first stop was Morse Measurements where the team fitted a XKR onto their Kinematics and Compliance Rig (K & C Rig). Next up was a 20-hour shift at the AeroDyn family of wind tunnels. The last stop was to the American home of damper partner Ohlins to utilize the seven-post shaker test facility.

Since the conclusion of those tests, JaguarRSR had been pouring over the huge mountain of data to reveal further performance secrets. After updates were made the team hit the track taking advantage of an opportunity to do some testing at Road Atlanta.

"It is hard to have such a big break in a season schedule, but we took every advantage of the down time to really focus on getting two cars ready for the heat of the season," said Paul Gentilozzi, JaguarRSR Principal Partner. "We have renovated our car systems and focused on weight reduction and distribution using our experience from Sebring and Long Beach. We saw great gains while testing these new developments at Road Atlanta and look forward to Lime Rock, a track that will give us a true test of what direction we have taken and where we are in the GT pack."

Lime Rock Park is 1.50-miles of natural-terrain road course with the breathtaking elevation changes in the village of Lakeville, Connecticut, in the state's northwest corner. It is a track that looks deceivingly simple, but is immensely challenging. Its uniqueness is that it is short, but actually quite fast. This race weekend is a short one with a limited amount of track time, so the team needs to be very efficient in finding the perfect race setup.

"The challenge for us is to make the XKR last the entire race in very warm weather and be very gentle on the Dunlop tires so that we can extract maximum performance out of them for a full stint," said John Gentilozzi, JaguarRSR Technical Director. "In the short practice time that we have, we will focus on making a good drivable car; obviously we are always looking for speed but we want to focus on making a consistent, fast race car."

Experience behind the wheel at such a venue also plays a vital role. PJ Jones returns to Lime Rock co-driving the #98 JaguarRSR XKR GT. The American is a legend of his own at Lime Rock, as he holds the ultimate track record for fastest lap (43.112 seconds / 128.595 mph - set in a Toyota GTP car, which earned him a pole position). California native, Rocky Moran, Jr. makes his ALMS return after debuting with the team in Sebring and also has several years under his belt at this track while competing in the Barber Dodge Series. In his most recent visit he won the pole and lead the entire race before a rear tire went flat and failed with four corners to go.

Teaming up in the #99 car are veteran open-wheel drivers Cristiano da Matta and Bruno Junqueira. The Brazilian duo will be venturing out for their first run at Lime Rock, but with their vast knowledge of road and street course racing and familiarity from their teammates, they should get acclimated very quickly.

There will be two practice sessions on Friday ahead of GT qualifying that afternoon at 3:45 pm ET. Following a 20-minute morning Warm Up session, the two hour and 45 minute race is scheduled to take the green flag at 2:05 pm local time on Saturday, July 9. Live video coverage will be available on ESPN3.com in the US and americanlemans.com for international users. Worldwide radio coverage will be available on American Le Mans Radio at americanlemans.com. ESPN2 will air the race starting at 1:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 10.

ESPN3.com issued a statement regarding the lack of availability for their live stream in the booming metropolis of Gila Bend, AZ:

"Tough shitski."

[Shifty]

It would probably help if Jag could finish a race....

[MOTV8]

I'm asuming that Chebby will soon hit us with some "we-kicked-butt-at-LeMans" adverts, hoping for the win on Sunday sell on Monday boost.

Last time Vettes won the 24 hours Chevy put that full page ad in USA Today IIRC, this year they made a TV commercial:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LhKnFQEDJU&feature=player_embedded

Cool. But I thought Tim Allen (voiceover) was a Ford/Saleen guy

[Desertdawg]

But the Jags have that cool paint job stupid espn3

[Shifty]

LAKEVILLE, Conn., July 6, 2011 – What happens in Le Mans stays in Le Mans. That’s because Saturday’s American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix at Lime Rock Park is something completely different from the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Corvette Racing returns to the American Le Mans Series after capturing its seventh class victory in France on June 12. The differences between Le Mans and Lime Rock are stark. The former is an 8.5-mile circuit in the French countryside; the latter is a 1.5-mile bullring around a former gravel quarry. Lap times in Le Mans are nearly four minutes long; the laps click off at Lime Rock in under 60 seconds. Instead of 24 hours and two dozen pit stops, the third round of the ALMS will be a quick two-hour, 45-minute sprint with a pair of scheduled stops. “The transition from the longest track on the schedule to the shortest is always a test for race teams,” said Corvette Racing program manager Doug Fehan. “The two tracks are dramatically different, yet many people underestimate just how fast Lime Rock really is. With lap times under a minute and average speeds approaching 100 mph for the GT cars, pit stops are paramount because you’re almost certain to lose a lap during a green-flag stop. The engineering staff plays a crucial role in developing a plan, and the crew has to perform perfectly. So in spite of the immense differences between Lime Rock and Le Mans, both races ultimately come down to strategy and execution.” Corvette driver Jan Magnussen relishes the return to the roller coaster track in the Connecticut countryside. The Dane drove Stevenson Motorsports’ Camaro to a GT class victory in the Grand-Am Memorial Day Classic at Lime Rock five weeks ago, and hopes to continue that momentum when the ALMS arrives. “You always like a track where you won your last race,” Magnussen said. “Lime Rock is very challenging, a bit bumpy and definitely the kind of Old School circuit that I like. It’s fast and fun to drive, but it’s very, very hard to race cleanly there because there are no obvious passing points. “When I won at Lime Rock in May, I learned the importance of qualifying well there,” Magnussen noted. “We started on the GT class pole, and I saw the value of being able to do my own race while everyone behind me was fighting each other. I put a lot of emphasis on qualifying, but Lime Rock is always going to be a hard race for everybody.” Magnussen and co-driver Oliver Gavin will be racing the same Compuware Corvette C6.R that led the GTE Pro class at Le Mans for nearly 16 hours before being sidelined in a high-speed shunt. The chassis has been repaired and will return to action at Lime Rock. “After Le Mans, the team took the car back to the shop, put it on the chassis plate, and assessed the damage,” Fehan reported. “When we saw how the production aluminum frame had compressed perfectly to absorb the impact, it gave everyone an even greater appreciation of the effort that the production Corvette engineers put into vehicle safety for the consumer. No pun intended, but things like that don’t happen by accident – they’re designed in. That’s why Corvette competes in the GT class: The race car is relevant to the product because it is the product.” After nearly a three-month hiatus since the series’ second round in Long Beach, Calif., the race for the ALMS championship begins in earnest at Lime Rock. With seven races in the next 13 weeks, the pace will be fast and furious for Corvette Racing. Magnussen and Gavin are second in the drivers championship with 36 points, and the Le Mans-winning duo of Tommy Milner and Olivier Beretta are third with 31 points. Chevrolet is second in the manufacturer standings behind BMW and ahead of Porsche, Ferrari, Ford, Jaguar and Lamborghini.

[MOTV8]

Where's teh pix??

[Shifty]

Where's teh pix??

Hey, I was just helpin' out....I'm not officially on teh payroll...

[Guest azz061]

Wow great info and very informative for me as a newbie to this racing!

[MOTV8]

Wow great info and very informative for me as a newbie to this racing!

How 'bout that? A "feature" you like on ACE!

[Guest azz061]

Hey a critic has to keep it real!

[MOTV8]

First, let me digress...that funky ILMC series ran the 6 hour at Imola last weekend (Peugeot dominated) and teh Labre vette scored a podium in GTE Am. AF Corse Ferraris, on their home turf, beat teh bimmers in Pro after BMW got slapped with a penalty.

BTW, Porsche announced they are coming for the LMP1 boys with a new uber-car (no word on how Audi feels about that) and Dawg's boy Patsy Long thinks he's gonna get a seat in it.

Now teh Larbre blurb, followed by the Speed Lime Rock preview blurb:

LMS: Larbre Competition Imola ILMC Event Race Report

Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari

Larbre Competition continued their strong Intercontinental Le Mans Cup form at Imola in Italy last weekend where the squad’s Corvette C6.R finished second in the GTE Am class to extend the team’s lead at the top of the ILMC championship standings.

Julien Canal, Gabriele Gardel and Patrick Bornhauser were re-united behind the wheel of the #50 machine for the first time since dominating the Le Mans 24 Hours three weeks ago. Hot conditions, as well as the circuit’s stop-start nature, make Imola one of the most demanding venues on the calendar. Not that it affected the French trio who all once again produced error-free performances.

Having finished third on the road, the car was subsequently promoted to second place following a rival’s disqualification. That leaves Larbre Competition a substantial 27 points clear at the top of the GTE Am points table with three rounds still remaining.

Julien Canal: “The outcome in Italy was very positive. I qualified the car for the first time this year and despite only having one lap in practice on new tyres due to the numerous red flags, I was able to set the fifth fastest time in GTE Am, running at the same speed as the GTE Pro entries at particular parts of the circuit. During the race, my two team-mates did an excellent job to hand me the car in third place. My first stint was quite difficult because the track temperature kept increasing and affected the tyre compound, which was no longer ideally suited to the hot conditions. After contacting Jack on the radio, we decided to choose a different compound which worked perfectly. That enabled me to catch the race leaders while building a solid advantage over the chasing AF Corse Ferrari behind. The team has done an excellent job to make the Corvette perfectly balanced. I had a great time driving it at Imola.”

Gabriele Gardel: “The team did an excellent job following the Le Mans 24 Hours to prepare the car for Imola. Our engineer Johannes Gruber devised a good set-up and the result was clear. I am really happy with all the team’s hard work, especially as not a single mistake was made during the weekend. The mechanics were really fast during the pit-stops. After Julien had qualified the car well I took the start of the race and immediately found a good rhythm to move up to first. Unfortunately I lost it just five laps before the end of my double stint before handing over to Patrick. I would like to thank my team-mates for their excellent work which allowed us to finish second. It’s a result that promises much for the rest of the season.”

Patrick Bornhauser: “This famous circuit, which I first discovered on foot with my team-mates, is not one of the easiest to learn. I only had two four-lap runs during first practice which wasn’t enough to fully learn and understand the layout. Then, in the afternoon, a monsoon drenched the circuit so we decided not to run which prevented any further time to learn. I did manage one ten-lap run in final practice and the times were quite promising. During the race, I double-stinted one set of tyres which was very rewarding, even if their compound was not ideally suited to the 45-degree track temperatures. Nevertheless, I ran third in class throughout before handing over to Julien. In the end we clinched second, which is a great result for everybody in the squad and allows us to increase our lead in the championship.”

Jack Leconte: “Following our recent one-two finish at the Le Mans 24 Hours, Larbre Competition’s objective was to consolidate our position in the 2011 Intercontinental Le Mans Cup standings. First of all, the team focused on improving the car’s set-up as we had only run the Corvette in three events at that stage. All the analysis work carried out post-Le Mans, where the car was considered not quick enough by Larbre’s team management, brought its rewards. The set-up devised for Imola, despite the loss of the second practice session following rain, was successful. Our average lap times in Italy were quite close to the factory Pro class cars. Our drivers also strongly appreciated the quality of those settings as it allowed them to run solid stints. We should now be close to our optimum performance as early as Silverstone. The technical team understands the car perfectly while reliability is also in place. Finally, our pit-stops were well executed which has given the team the solid foundations to defend their Intercontinental Le Mans Cup lead. A new world title is looking like a strong possibility. We will now prepare for the race at Silverstone and the overseas rounds in the USA this September before heading to Asia in November. Hopefully our first year in partnership with Corvette Racing will end with perfect and mistake-free results.”

Larbre Competition’s ILMC campaign continues in Great Britain on September 9-11 with the 6 Hours of Silverstone.

by: Larbre Competition

-and-

ALMS: Lime Rock Park Preview

Series roars back into action for first of seven rounds in next 13 weeks...

John Dagys | Posted July 07, 2011 Newark, NJ

After a three-month break, the American Le Mans Series returns to action this weekend in Lime Rock Park. Saturday’s Northeast Grand Prix at the famed Connecticut bullring kick starts what many are calling the second-half of the season. But with the seven remaining rounds packed into the next 13 weeks, there will be no let up in sight until the champions are crowned at Road Atlanta in October.

While a handful of series regulars took advantage of the early summer break to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, most others used the 111-day layover between April’s Grand Prix of Long Beach and Saturday’s third round of the season to prepare for the busy stretch ahead.

With 15 entries, nearly half of the four-class field, the GT category will again take center stage. Following back-to-back victories at Sebring and Long Beach, BMW Team RLL has been the team to beat in the early stages of 2011. Dirk Muller and Joey Hand hold a commanding 14-point lead in the hotly contested drivers’ title race.

But it’s clear the competition hasn’t been standing still, most notably from the three other factory or works-supported entries in class.

Corvette Racing, fresh off their seventh victory at Le Mans and first with the GT-spec C6.R, could be the favorite to break the Bavarian manufacturer’s win streak this weekend. Both cars, including last month’s class-winning No. 3 Corvette of Tommy Milner and Olivier Beretta, will likely play a role in the outcome of the two-hour and 45-minute race.

One should also not count out the No. 45 Flying Lizard Motorsports Porsche of Jorg Bergmeister and Patrick Long, which was also present at Le Mans, as well as the Risi Competizione Ferrari F458 Italia of drivers Jamie Melo and Toni Vilander, who are hot on the heels of last weekend’s GTE-Pro class victory in Imola.

Others such as Team Falken Tire (Porsche) and Extreme Speed Motorsports (Ferrari) used the time off for further testing and development and could be wildcards as well.

The pair of Jaguar XKRs from the JaguarRSR stables may not play into the mix for the win, but Cristiano Da Matta and Bruno Junqueria’s sixth place finish at Long Beach, and recent wind tunnel time for the cars, could see another major leap forward for the Paul Gentilozzi-led squad.

Despite picking up a car in the form of a second Dyson Racing Lola B09/86 Mazda for UAE-based Humaid Al Masaood and Steven Kane, the LMP1 category hasn’t seen as much of a boost as originally expected.

And with both of Level 5 Motorsports’ Lola-Hondas having been withdrawn in LMP2, the only cars entered in the new-look category, only three Le Mans-spec prototypes are set to start Saturday’s race, the same number at Long Beach.

Muscle Milk Aston Martin Racing came out on top in the two-hour street fight, but still trail Dyson Racing’s Chris Dyson and Guy Smith by 16 points in the LMP1 championship race. Lucas Luhr again takes the place of team owner Greg Pickett at the wheel of the Lola-Aston Martin, teaming with full-season pilot Klaus Graf.

Dyson’s championship quest no doubt has taken a boost with its second car, but with both drivers new to U.S. racing, and a rather unknown quantity, it’s unclear if the No. 20 machine will play a factor come race time.


The other major addition this weekend comes in the LMPC ranks, with the return of Jon Field to the drivers’ seat. Field teams with 17-year-old Aussie James Kovacic, who makes his series debut in the No. 37 Intersport Racing Oreca FLM09.

While Intersport’s sister machine of Kyle Marcelli and Tomy Drissi could be contenders for class honors, they’re all currently trailing newcomers CORE autosport, which lead the title race following its maiden victory at Long Beach. Genoa Racing’s entry of Eric Lux and Elton Julian shouldn’t be counted out from the weekend's battle, either.

The GTC category again sees seven entries, including the return of Butch Leitzinger, who teams with Bill Sweedler in the No. 23 Alex Job Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car. Other class contenders include defending champions Black Swan Racing and the pair of TRG Porsches.

Thirty-one cars are set to do battle on the tight confines of Lime Rock Park, utilizing a slightly revised layout for the first time. The classic West Bend layout has been reinstated, eliminating the second chicane that was added in 2008. Should be muy interesante!

The compact, two-day weekend kicks off on Friday with a pair of practice sessions prior to qualifying later that afternoon. The Northeast Grand Prix, round three of the American Le Mans Series takes the green flag Saturday at 2:05 p.m. ET.

[Desertdawg]

Patty Long in an LMP1 ride, if you suck at driving, get something faster to make up the difference.... F'ning espn3

[MOTV8]

...if you suck at driving, get something faster to make up the difference....

Is that why you got teh C5, and then teh C6?

Atherton flappin his yap to ESPN today...

ALMS facing challenges head-on

After the traditional break in its schedule so that its team and drivers can participate in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the American Le Mans Series is gearing up for seven races in 13 weeks, starting Friday at Lime Rock Park in Connecticut.

The series, now in its 14th season of competition, has made great strides since founder Don Panoz came up with the idea to give his son's handmade cars some publicity by starting a sports car series.

"The series, in general, has never been stronger, when taken in its totality," noted ALMS president and CEO Scott Atherton. "That is, all of the metrics by which one measures the health of a series -- spectator counts, manufacturer involvement, sponsor involvement, grid size, level of professionalism, television viewership, ratings, etc. All of those metrics are at or above historical high measures. So we have nothing to complain about."

But Atherton added that there is an asterisk attached to his assessment of the series' health.

"The one category that is for sure below its historical rating, and certainly below the level that we would deem acceptable, is the content in our LMP category," Atherton said. "The LMP1 cars and the LMP2 cars are below our level of acceptance.

"But we are actively working to change that, and I believe we're being successful at attracting more content into those categories. Ironically, at the same time we are having challenges in that category, the GT class has never been stronger.

"We've never had more manufacturer involvement, never more diversity, never a higher level of competition. It is as good as it gets and many are describing it as the best GT racing in the world, period. I wouldn't argue with it."

Atherton said historians of the sport would have to go back to the early '70s and "the absolute peak of Trans-Am" to find GT racing with manufacturers going at it week in and week out.

Of course, one of the key roads the ALMS has gone down in the past few years is its Green Challenge, an unprecedented joint venture among ALMS, the U.S. Energy Department, the EPA and SAE International that began with one race -- the ALMS showcase Petit Le Mans -- in 2008. Entries use a variety of earth-friendly fuels and are ranked by their overall performance and environmental impact over the course of the race distance. The vehicles that go the farthest with the least impact are awarded prizes in the prototype and GT classes.

"The green initiative is alive and well and is actually becoming more consumable to a non-engineering student," Atherton explained. "That's been the one caveat of our green racing, especially the Michelin Green-X Challenge. It was complicated and some would say cumbersome to understand.

"We have retained some experts to help us simplify what is a very complicated set of circumstances for balancing four different alternative fuels, numerous different drive trains, all of the technical variables that are featured in our series that play into the Michelin Green-X Challenge and how one scores better or worse in that.

"We are continuing our alliance with the EPA and the Department of Energy. We have survived several management changes and the heavy scrutiny of budget in Washington to retain these programs and continue to grow. For us, it's a maturing process.

"That innovation continues to flow," he continued, "and the manufacturers continue to look at the championship as something to be proud of winning. I think our challenge right now is to maintain its relevance and not have it become like the space shuttle launches -- after you've done it 20 or 30 times, it tends to slip off the front page of the news."

Atherton remains very optimistic about the future of the ALMS. "In general, we're very solid and continuing to grow," he said. "We're working on initiatives now that take us out many, many years into the future. We've got a new television package that has certainly been a topic of much conversation. I think we're again in a leadership role, which is not uncommon for us to be in. And, when you are the leader, you make yourself an easy target. And, in this case, we're leading by example."

Spoken like a true PR hack.

More blurbarama to follow....

[Shifty]

Qualifing will be very important at teh Lime Rock....

[MOTV8]

Qualifing will be very important at teh Lime Rock....

And I don't know what to expect with the track change. Lime Rock is one of your favorites, what do you think the effect of removing the chicane will be?

[Desertdawg]

what do you think the effect of removing the chicane will be?

Ummmm.... More Speed ????

what do I win

...if you suck at driving, get something faster to make up the difference....

Is that why you got teh C5, and then teh C6?

quit being an acehole

[MOTV8]

what do you think the effect of removing the chicane will be?

Ummmm.... More Speed ????

what do I win

...if you suck at driving, get something faster to make up the difference....

Is that why you got teh C5, and then teh C6?

quit being an acehole

Yes, more speed acehole, but more or less "issues" with teh LMP1/2's hogging the line and overtaking? Dur...