Chevrolet Unveils 2012 Corvette Daytona Prototype

[MOTV8]

Chevrolet Unveils 2012 Corvette Daytona Prototype

Will Debut in GRAND-AM Road Racing Series Rolex 24 in January

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., Nov. 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Chevrolet unveiled its 2012 Corvette Daytona Prototype at Daytona International Speedway today. The Corvette Daytona Prototype will make its competitive debut in the 50th anniversary of the GRAND-AM Road Racing Series Rolex 24 at Daytona next January 26 - 29, 2012.

"Racing and performance are the founding principles of Chevrolet, and bringing the Corvette Daytona Prototype to GRAND-AM is a tremendous opportunity," said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet Vice President, Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. "The opportunity for innovation is what makes the Daytona Prototype Class such a good fit for Chevrolet. Sports car and endurance racing is an outstanding platform for manufacturers like us to test and learn. The design of this race car incorporates iconic Corvette styling cues and will be immediately recognized by sports car enthusiasts and fans of GRAND-AM Road Racing. We are excited to see the Corvette DP compete in the legendary Rolex 24 at Daytona next January."

The new Corvette Daytona Prototype will participate in a GRAND-AM test at Daytona International Speedway on Wednesday, November 16.

"GRAND-AM's new Daytona Prototype concept is aimed at allowing manufacturers to showcase their brand in an exciting, cutting-edge fashion," said GRAND-AM President Tom Bledsoe. "Chevrolet, with its new Corvette DP, has done just that. The anticipation of seeing this new Daytona Prototype compete is building each and every day. This announcement has immediate and far-reaching implications, with the potential to change the face of sports car racing."

Four teams will campaign the Corvette Daytona Prototype in 2012: No. 90 Spirit of Daytona Racing; No. 10 SunTrust Racing; No. 99 GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing; and the No.'s 5 and 9 Action Express Racing teams.

"The 2012 Corvette Daytona Prototype was developed by a multi-faceted effort involving Chevrolet, Corvette Designers, Pratt & Miller and GRAND-AM, and Chevrolet also worked closely with chassis builders Riley, Coyote and Dallara," said Mark Kent, GM Racing Director. "The IMSA GTP Corvette Prototype campaigned by Hendrick Motorsports in the '80s was the inspiration for this new Chevrolet Corvette Daytona Prototype. And, like the GTP Corvettes, the new Corvette Daytona Prototype contains numerous styling cues from the street version of the Chevrolet Corvette."

Corvette has a long, storied history of racing-related feats in Daytona. Zora Arkus-Duntov – the Father of the Corvette and chief engineer working on the Corvette in the '50s and '60s – set a flying-mile speed record of more than 150 miles per hour in a Corvette on Daytona Beach, one of a number of record runs on the beach for him. When Daytona International Speedway opened in 1959, Arkus-Duntov turned the fastest laps – 155 miles per hour – in a Corvette SS.

More recently, in 2001, a Corvette driven by Ron Fellows, Johnny O'Connell, Chris Kneifel and Franck Freon was the overall winner in the Rolex 24 at Daytona. Another Corvette finished fourth that year, with Dale Earnhardt Sr., Dale Earnhardt Jr., Andy Pilgrim and Kelly Collins.

For more photos Click here: Linky

[MOTV8]

Hey Dawg, remember that LMP project they had stashed away at Pratt & Miller???

[Shifty]

This had better not spell teh end of GT2 in ALMS....I'm not a fan of Grand Am/NASCAR.... I wonder if CR is pissed about teh IMSA laying down for Rahal and his Bimmers?

[MOTV8]

This had better not spell teh end of GT2 in ALMS....I'm not a fan of Grand Am/NASCAR....

I wonder if CR is pissed about teh IMSA laying down for Rahal and his Bimmers?

I'm sure they're not happy, but I think they just took chicken shit and tried to make chicken salad.

Look real close at the old mock up at P&M too: Linky

[Desertdawg]

I can't wait to see it run with teh other roller skates, but I'm with teh shifter give me GT or I'm watching Bill Dance fishing re-runs... I remember seeing that model before, I bet they were just waiting on teh funds.

[MOTV8]

Well, Chevy's already enjoyed success with the Gainsco DP, etc...which really makes me wonder about this project.

Whole lotta speculating goin on.

Since this prototype racer is supposed to pick up on Corvette styling cues the theory is the C7's taillights will be 'similar':

Teh 'revolutionists' that have been wanting a mid-engine vette want this thing turned into a street version, sans the ginormous wing:

[Shifty]

It's not hideous, I do like teh taillamps better than teh Jalopnik sketch C7, and if it strengthens Chevrolet/Corvette, all teh power in teh world to 'em. However, if it weakens teh ALMS team in any way, I'm gettin' on a plane...

[MOTV8]

Take note, the Risi and Patron Ferrari squads are "here" and even an Audi for Dawg.

GRAND-AM: Nasr, Action Express Riley Top Tuesday Testing At Daytona

Sunoco Rolex 24 at Daytona Challenge winner puts Action Express Riley-Porsche quickest in first day of testing at Daytona...

Felipe Nasr wasted no time getting up to speed around Daytona International Speedway, as the Brazilian unofficially topped the time charts in Tuesday's GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series test.

Nasr, the 2011 British Formula 3 champion who earned a place in next month's 50th Rolex 24 thanks to winning Sunoco's Daytona Challenge, turned a best time of 1:41.286 in the No. 58 Action Express Riley-Porsche. The time was 0.049 seconds quicker than the No. 2 Starworks Motorsport Riley-Ford of Ryan Dalziel, who slotted in second quickest on the day.

"Obviously this is a big difference from F3 with the weight, the power and the brakes, but I found this car awesome to drive," Nasr said. "This is such a great series and I absolutely can’t wait to race here. The Action Express team did a great job getting the car ready and I absolutely have to thank Ozz Negri for all of his help. I had such a great day today.”

The big story of the day, however, was the debut of a brace of new Daytona Prototypes and GT cars, including three new Corvette DPs. Quickest of the new-gen DPs was the No. 9 Action Express Racing Corvette DP of Joao Barbosa with a 1:41.835 lap time, less than six-tenths slower than Nasr's time in the grandfathered DP.

Barbosa and co-drivers Terry Borcheller and J.C. France, as well as teammates Darren Law and David Donohue in the No. 5 entry, turned the first laps of the pair of new Coyote-based Corvette DPs. Both cars nearly made up two seconds from their times set in Tuesday morning's three-hour session.

SunTrust Racing also rolled out its new Corvette DP, with Max Angelelli reeling off a best time of 1:41.957. It ended up being quicker than the No. 90 Spirit of Daytona entry of Antonio Garcia and Oliver Gavin, which made its second testing appearance after debuting here last month.

A familiar face led the way in GT. Defending Rolex 24 winners TRG and its new No. 67 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car of Spencer Pumpelly unofficially posted the quickest time of the day, a 1:49.667. The lap, set in the morning, was 0.781 seconds quicker than the No. 88 Autohaus Motorsports Camaro GT.R of new pairing Jordan Taylor and Paul Edwards.

But as seen in DP, the newcomers to the GT category stole the headlines, as entries from Audi and Ferrari took the track for the first time.

Jeff Segal wound up quickest of the new-spec GT cars, turning a best time of 1:51.642 in his AIM Autosport Team FXDD Ferrari F458 Italia Grand-Am. The 2010 Rolex GT champion's lap, however, was nearly two seconds adrift from Pumpelly's class-leading time.

The other Ferrari debutants didn't fare as well. Risi Competizione, returning to Daytona for the first time in over five years, was nearly a second slower with its No. 62 entry of Toni Vilander and Rafa Matos, while Extreme Speed Motorsports' F458 was a further half-second behind.

Audi unveiled its new R8 GRAND-AM, with factory driver Frank Stippler completing 66 laps in the car's first official laps in the U.S. Stippler posted a best time of 1:54.643, nearly five seconds off the pace.

All times were unofficial, as no teams were required to go through GRAND-AM tech.

The second and final day of testing is on tap for Wednesday.

Noteworthy:

- Defending Rolex 24 class winner Spencer Pumpelly led the GT class with a lap of 1:49.437 in the No. 67 TRG Porsche GT3. The No. 67 is one of five Porsches being fielded at the test by TRG.

- In the lone incident of the seven-hour session, Gary St. Amour went off course in the chicane and damaged the front end of the No. 55 Acumen Motorsport Porsche GT3. The car has been repaired and will be ready for Wednesday’s session.

- Michael Marsal filled in for Paul Dalla Lana in the No. 94 Turner Motorsport BMW M3, joining Bill Auberlen and Boris Said. Dalla Lana, who had a business commitment, recently became the first GRAND-AM driver to win the prestigious BMW Sports Trophy as the marquee’s top independent driver. He came out on top in a field of 235 participants to win the award, presented for the 50th time at BMW headquarters in Munich, Germany.

- Two-time Daytona 500 winner Michael Waltrip is expected to test a TRG Porsche GT3 on Wednesday. AF Waltrip, being run in collaboration with Italy’s AF Corse team, has already entered a Ferrari F458 Italia Grand Am in the Rolex 24.

- The new Racers Edge Motorsports Dodge Viper did not participate in Tuesday’s session as the team worked at its DeLand, Fla. shop on the car’s new paddle shift system. The bright red Viper arrived at the track late Tuesday afternoon, and is expected to test on Wednesday.

The Quotes:

- “Wow! I didn’t expect these cars to be so quick. Obviously this is a big difference from F3 with the weight, the power and the brakes, but I found this car awesome to drive. This is such a great series and I absolutely can’t wait to race here. The Action Express team did a great getting the car ready and I absolutely have to thank Ozz Negri for all of his help. I had such a great day today.” Felipe Nasr, No. 58 Action Express Racing Porsche/Riley

- “This has been a thrash, because we only got the new Ferrari three days ago. But we felt it was important for us to be here and learn more about the car. That will make the January test more productive and have us better prepared for the Rolex 24. This is a big step for Extreme Speed Motorsports, and it’s nice to have all four drivers in one car. Winning the Rolex 24 (in 1996) was one of my highest accolades. The depth of drivers here is unbelievable, and it’s very prestigious to be part of it.” Scott Sharp, No. 03 Extreme Speed Motorsports Ferrari 458 Italia Grand Am.

- “We still have to sort some things out because this is the first time the car’s been out here with the new specifications regarding the aero and downforce. I really would like to drive the Rolex 24 and I would love if everything works out, but nothing has been finalized yet. There are a lot of interesting manufacturers in GRAND-AM like Ferrari, BMW and Porsche and it’s great that Audi is going to compete with them.” Frank Stippler, No. 51 Audi R8 GRAND-AM

- "It’s good to be back in the Rolex Series, and I’m happy to be here with Magnus Racing. They’re one of the youngest teams in the paddock that wants to win the most. It’s been a productive day. John Potter, who will be my co-driver for the season, was fast right out of the box this morning, and that’s extremely encouraging for a team looking to contend for the championship.” Andy Lally, No. 44 Magnus Racing Porsche GT3.

- “This is Ferrari from the factory making a statement, saying, ‘We care about the Rolex 24. We want to win this race. We’ve designed a car for this series. Let’s go do it.’ You’re only going to see four teams here at the Rolex 24 representing Ferrari. To be driving one of those four cars is amazing. It’s the experience of a lifetime.” Jeff Segal, No. 69 AIM Autosport Ferrari F458 Italia Grand Am

- “There’s a long way to go between now and the Rolex 24, but we’re certainly going to take a shot at repeating our GT victory. Spencer (Pumpelly) and I are going to race the full season in the Rolex Series, and TRG is an incredible team. This is a brand new car, and it’s been quick right out of the box. It’s great to see all the new cars out there – the new Ferraris are going to be tough.” Steve Bertheau, No. 67 TRG Porsche GT3

- “The last time I drove here was in 2007 and I have to tell you, I have done some PA announcing here, but being in the car is a lot cooler. You get here at Daytona and the first lap you’re just feeling out the changes; the second lap you go a little faster; the third lap you start to grin; and about the seventh or eighth lap I was like – I love this place! Depending on how we do and some sponsorship we may be able to run the whole season. This whole team came together about 14 months ago. We have a car, we have a team, we have the bits and pieces. We had a little excursion today, but those things happen. We’ll be back out tomorrow.” Frank DelVecchio, No. 55 Acumen Motorsport Porsche GT3

[PhatVette]

Imo, it would be supercar-like if they angled the side glass some more(looks too upright), and lowered the roofline a tad....as I did in this quickie-photochop

[MOTV8]

Nice chop!

[Desertdawg]

At least the Audi is wearing stars and stripes, don't be hate'in....

[MOTV8]

At least the Audi is wearing stars and stripes, don't be hate'in....

Oh I'm not, I dig teh Audi. In fact...I'll be WATCHING this series this year.

You hear that ALMS? I think we should consider seeing other people. It's not me, it's you.

I need some space.

I'll call you when I'm in a slump...or out drinking heavily.

[Desertdawg]

I've been DVRing all the British, German, and Austrailian Touring cars series on Speed lately, some really fun bumper bending going on...

[MOTV8]

Wow, that's really scraping the bottom of the barrel...must be that bad wrist forcing you to wean off teh pron.

Rolex Series tests complete at Daytona

Spirit of Daytona, SunTrust Racing and Action Express Racing continued to work with the new Corvette Daytona Prototypes Wednesday as a two-day Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series test concluded in preparation for the 50th Anniversary Rolex 24 at Daytona, set for Jan. 28-29, 2012.

The four Corvette DPs showed steady improvement throughout the test, with some posting their fastest laps in the final hour. Darren Law ran an unofficial lap of 1:41.687 in the No. 5 Action Express Racing Corvette DP co-driven by David Donohue, followed by the No. 9 Action Express entry of Joao Barbosa, Terry Borcheller and JC France, the No. 10 SunTrust DP of Max Angelelli and Ricky Taylor, and Antonio Garcia and Oliver Gavin in the No. 90 Spirit of Daytona Corvette DP.

"Our new Corvette is very similar (to the 2011 Dallara) as far as handling goes," said SunTrust's Ricky Taylor. "Daytona isn't such a critical downforce track, so I think once we go to the smaller, tighter tracks that require downforce, we'll see a difference. Here at Daytona, we just normally trim the car out as much as possible to try to get that straightline speed."

Running a previous generation Daytona Prototype, Felipe Nasr continued to impress by turning in the fastest unofficial lap of the test, 1:40.438 (127.601mph) in the No. 58 Action Express Racing Porsche-powered Riley. The 19-year-old Brazilian won the 2011 British Formula 3 championship and earned his ride in the 2012 Rolex 24 by outscoring competitors in three Europeans championships to win the Sunoco Rolex 24 At Daytona Challenge.

Spencer Pumpelly was quickest in the GT class for the second straight day, running a lap of 1:50.200 (116.298mph) in the No. 66 TRG Porsche GT3. The GT class also featured three teams running the new Ferrari 458 Italia Grand Am as well as the premiere of the Audi R8 Grand-Am. Both cars were built by the factory specifically for Rolex Series competition.

Two-time Daytona 500 winner Michael Waltrip turned his first laps on the Daytona International Speedway road course in preparation for his Grand-Am debut. Since his AF Waltrip team's Ferrari was not yet ready, Waltrip and co-drivers Rob Kauffman and Rui Aguas practiced in a TRG Porsche GT3.

Why does the Viper suddenly remind me of a Monte Carlo???

[MOTV8]

GRAND-AM: An All-New Game For Action Express

With new Coyote chassis, Chevrolet engines and Corvette bodywork, the 2010 Rolex 24 at Daytona winners have a lot to learn...

Action Express Racing arguably had one the steepest learning curves out of the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series teams that participated in last week’s pre-season test at Daytona International Speedway.

The 2010 Rolex 24 at Daytona winners not only debuted Corvette’s new DP bodywork but also had to come to grips of its new Coyote chassis and Chevrolet powerplants after two seasons with the Riley-Porsche package.

As David Donohue, co-driver of the No. 5 entry with Darren Law told SPEED.com, there was more than met the eye when it came to unleashing the pair of new Corvette DPs onto the track for the first time last Tuesday.

“For us, since we're actually changing chassis, engine and bodywork, it's like walking into a whole new house,” Donohue explained. “You have to figure out where everything is. For me, personally, I'm a little guy. All my teammates are over six-feet [tall], so I have a tough time just reaching the clutch pedal all the way to the floor, let alone see over the steering wheel! I have a different sort of adjustment parameters than the rest of the guys.”

Having only received the Coyote-chassied Corvettes from Pratt & Miller just three days prior to the test, the Bob Johnson-owned operation, led by former NASCAR driver Elton Sawyer and tech chief Gary Nelson, had little time to prepare the new-generation Daytona Prototypes for testing.

While there was some expected teething issues with the cars, including a grounding problem on the No. 5 Corvette DP of Donohue and Law, all five of its full-season drivers taking part in the historic first test, including the No. 9 crew of Joao Barbosa, Terry Borcheller and J.C. France, were pleased with the progress made over the two days.

“I’m pretty happy with the handling,” Law said. “It's more of a chassis difference, Riley to Coyote, than anything. This bodywork definitely produces more downforce, so we have a little bit of work to do.

“We haven't had time [to make adjustments to] the louvers and tunnels under the splitter. So it has a lot of play aerodynamically. I'm sure we can be quicker but we're not there yet. In time, we'll be there.”

The new Corvettes, the only new-look DPs to have hit the track thus far, were about one-second off the pace from the second-generation machines that have been grandfathered for 2012. But gaining outright speed wasn’t the top objective during the team’s initial roll-out.

“We're really interested in durability and to see where the weakest parts are going to be,” Donohue said. “Being new-bodied on an existing chassis, there's always things like where is the debris going to end up? Where is the body weak? Where can it break the easiest? Where is it going to wear out? Where's heat getting trapped? How do you get it on and off quick? Simple stuff like that.”

With additional testing planned at Daytona for next week, ahead of the official “Roar Before the 24” test on Jan. 6-8, Barbosa, who has been part of the team’s two series victories to date, is upbeat about the team’s chances in what will be a crucial first race next month.

“Obviously being an unknown car for us, there's a lot of surprises that might happen in a 24-hour race,” Barbosa said. “But we'll be ready and use these test days to find all of the glitches in the car. The mentality is to always come to Daytona to win and we've been really successful here in the past, so we obviously want to win here again with the new Corvette.”

[MOTV8]

And the fifth musketeer has arrived...

But no Jimmie Johnson?

GRAND-AM: GAINSCO Corvette DP Turns First Laps

Soon-to-be new "Red Dragon" completes initial test at Texas World Speedway in anticipation for 2012 GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series season...

The fifth and final new Corvette Daytona Prototype has turned its first laps, as GRAND-AM teams continue to gear up for next month's 50th Rolex 24 at Daytona.

GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing's next-gen Daytona Prototype was unloaded Monday at Texas World Speedway in College Station, Texas, where drivers Alex Gurney and Jon Fogarty took the soon-to-be new "Red Dragon" for a series of shakedown laps around the high-speed oval/road course.

Testing is scheduled to continue today for the first-ever Riley-chassied Corvette DP, which joins the Coyote Corvettes of Action Express and Spirit of Daytona, as well as the Dallara-based machine from SunTrust Racing.

The Texas-based team will then head to Daytona next week for its first test on the Florida high banks, ahead of the "Roar Before the 24" on Jan. 6-8.

With five-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson not taking part in January's around-the-clock classic, GAINSCO/BSR will announce his replacement next Monday in Daytona.

[MOTV8]

Teh email blurbage....this shot of the 99 reminds me of a Pagani Zonda R, ...which is a good thing.

Riley DPG3 GRAND-AM protoype takes first laps at Daytona

The Riley DPG3 took its first laps at Daytona International Speedway in preparation for the 50th Rolex 24 At Daytona. NASCAR regular AJ Allmendinger joined John Pew at the wheel of the No. 60 Michael Shank Racing Ford/Riley during the December 19th testing.

“It’s a little bit different to drive," said Pew, "but it’s awesome. The guys did an excellent job getting it ready. We’re still learning the car, but it’s all good – and it looks beautiful, too. From the driver’s standpoint, our position is a little bit more in the center of the car, and I feel a little bit lower. It’s fine, but it just takes a little time to get used to.”

In addition, GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing had the first public test of its new No. 99 GAINSCO Auto Insurance Corvette Daytona Prototype. Two-time DP champs Alex Gurney and Jon Fogarty were joined by Memo Gidley, who was announced as the team’s third driver for the Rolex 24.

After testing Gurney said, “My first impressions of the new car are really good. It definitely feels different, and we’re still getting used to the aerodynamic configuration. Everything so far has been very positive. We feel the new Corvette is as fast as it looks.”

Other Daytona Prototypes at the special invitational session were the No. 10 SunTrust Corvette DP of Max Angelelli and Ricky Taylor; the No. 5 Action Express Racing Corvette DP of Darren Law, David Donohue and Christian Fittipaldi; and the No. 9 Action Express Racing Corvette DP of Terry Borcheller, JC France and Max Papis.

Rick Ware Racing was the lone GT participant. Miles Maroney, Brett Sandberg, Tomy Drissi, Timmy Hill and John Ware turned laps in the team’s Porsche GT3. The team will field a Ford Mustang for the full 2012 season, with Jeffrey Earnhardt as lead driver.

The next official activity for the Rolex Series will be the Roar Before the Rolex 24 test at Daytona International Speedway on Jan. 5-8. The 2012 Rolex Series opens with the Jan 28-29 50th Anniversary Rolex 24 At Daytona.

[Desertdawg]

So to call it a Corvette they used tail/head lights and the flags, what are the light on the ford off of? an aerostar???

[MOTV8]

Does it really matter?

Another Corvette Racing shoe hops in the new DP:

Richard Westbrook joins Spirit of Daytona for 2012

GM factory driver Richard Westbrook has been named to a full-season effort in the Rolex Series, with a seat alongside Antonio Garcia in the Spirit of Daytona No. 90 Corvette DP.

Westbrook joined GM in 2011 as a third driver for Corvette Racing in American Le Mans Series endurance races and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Prior to that, he had starred in Porsche Cup cars, with a pair of Porsche Supercup titles and an FIA GT2 championship.

“We are very excited to have Richard behind the wheel of our new Corvette. This is a very exciting time for Spirit of Daytona,” said team owner Troy Flis.

“I'm delighted to have joined SDR for 2012. It's a very exciting time to be joining the Grand-Am championship with all the new cars and in particular the new Corvette,” added Westbrook. “We all know how good looking the car is, but now we will work hard to make it a success on the track, and I'm relishing the hard work that lies ahead.”

Westbrook, Garcia and Oliver Gavin should comprise one of the strongest driver lineups in the DP class for this year's Rolex 24 at Daytona. The team was rather unlucky not to convert pace in 2011 with Garcia and Paul Edwards into a win.

[MOTV8]

Uh oh....Chevy kickin butt:

Corvette DPs and Camaro quickest at Daytona test!

GRANDAM: Corvette and Camaro fastest in day 1 of series January Daytona test

Grand-Am Road Racing Series press release

GRAND-AM Cooldown Lap: Daytona

Roar Before the Rolex 24

Friday, Jan. 6, 2011

The Corvette Daytona Prototype looked fast standing still when the new car was unveiled at Daytona International Speedway in November. The new cars lived up to their billing Friday, taking the top five positions in the Roar Before the Rolex 24, opening a three-day test at Daytona International Speedway.

Max Angelelli led the day with a lap of 126.382 mph in the No. 10 SunTrust Corvette DP he shares with Ricky Taylor and Ryan Briscoe. He was followed by David Donohue in the No. 5 Action Express Corvette DP (126.213 mph), Max Papis in the No. 9 Action Express Corvette DP (126.138 mph), Alex Gurney in the No. 99 GAINSCO Auto Insurance Corvette DP (125.893 mph) and Antonio Garcia in the No. 90 Spirit of Daytona Corvette DP (125.832 mph).

Sixth fastest, in a new No. 02 Target/TELMEX BMW/Riley, was NASCAR regular Juan Pablo Montoya with a speed of 125.810 mph.

Robin Liddell led the 44-car GT entry with a lap of 117.048 mph in the No. 57 Stevenson Chevrolet Camaro co-driven by John Edwards and Ronnie Bremer. Liddell, riding a two-race winning streak, ran his fastest lap early in the morning session before experiencing transmission troubles.

Fall-Line Motorsports topped the charts in Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge action, claiming the top two speeds in Grand Sport on Day 1. Charles Espenlaub turned the day’s fastest lap in the No. 48 BMW M3 (109.278 mph) while Hugh Plumb was second-fastest in the No. 45 BMW M3 (108.963 mph). Cory Friedman was fastest in Street Tuner (100.466 mph) in the No. 24 Autometrics Motorsports Porsche Boxster.

Noteworthy

TELMEX Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates rolled out a pair of new Riley DPG3s, including a new No. 01 BMW/Riley for 2011 DP champion Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas. The pair won the 2011 Rolex 24, and will be rejoined by Joey Hand and Graham Rahal for this year’s event. Returning in the team’s No. 02 BMW/Riley are Juan Pablo Montoya, Scott Dixon, Dario Franchitti and Jamie McMurray.

Michael Shank Racing announced Justin Wilson as the fourth driver for the No. 60 Liveon.com Ford/Riley, joining NASCAR’s AJ Allmendinger and Rolex Series regulars Ozz Negri and John Pew.

Second-generation driver Justin Bell announced that leading online companies eBay Motors and Mobile and Quicken Loans Inc. will sponsor the No. 4 Children’s Tumor Foundation/Racing4Research Magnus Racing Porsche GT3. Bell, son of three-time Rolex 24 winner Derek Bell, will co-drive with Ryan Eversley, Daniel Graeff and Ron Yareb.

Patrick Dempsey stepped out of his Mazda RX-8 and logged some laps for Multimatic Motorsports in the team’s new Aston Martin Vantage. Dempsey also will return to the No. 40 Visit Florida Mazda RX-8 that finished third in the 2011 Rolex 24.

Bruce Ledoux, driving the No. 03 Mazda MX-5 for CJ Wilson Racing, was transported to Halifax Medical Center following an incident in the chicane during Friday afternoon’s session. He was awake and alert, awaiting further evaluation at Halifax.

“This is the strongest GT field in any series – ever.” Andy Lally, Magnus Racing Porsche GT3

“This is a whole new piece, and we’re still learning about it. We’ve got a lot to learn and a long way to go, but we’re very comfortable about how our first day went.” Scott Pruett, No. 01 TELMEX BMW/Riley

“We’re not really concerned about our qualifying speed. We’re more concerned about how the car feels in the race. That makes all the difference in the world. Look at last year – we qualified both cars out of the top 10 and we were running right up there after only a few hours. Right now, everything is right on track as far as our racing and testing program is concerned.” Christian Fittipaldi, No. 9 Action Express Racing Corvette Daytona Prototype

“Today was the first time I have ever driven at Daytona and it was awesome, absolutely amazing. I couldn’t believe how steep the banking was when I saw it. Daytona is a very quick circuit and the infield can be quite technical. It’s such a unique place – I really can’t compare it to any other circuit I have driven before.” Aaron Steele, No. 6 Mitchum Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro, Sunoco GRAND-AM 200 Challenge winner

“We came here with a good base setup and were able to come out strong and run a good time in the opening session. The Rolex Series looks very good this year, with the new DPs and new manufacturers in GT. We’re happy to be here with a good team. No one’s sure about the pace of the new cars, and it’s hard to tell where everyone is at this point, but overall, it feels very promising.” Robin Liddell, No. 57 Stevenson Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro.

The Roar Before the Rolex 24 continues Saturday with a full day of activities. The Rolex Series will practice from 9-10:45 a.m., 1-2:30 p.m., 4-5 p.m. and 6:30-8 p.m., with Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge sessions from 11 a.m.-noon and 2:45-3:45 p.m. Other activities include fan forums and tech talks in the Sprint Fan Zone. The Roar wraps up Sunday with practice from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

The 2012 Rolex Series season opens with the 50th Anniversary of the Rolex 24 At Daytona, Jan. 28-29.

[MOTV8]

Day 2, and same as it ever was...

Corvette Daytona Prototype continues to top the speed charts

Berreta's new Ferrari quickest in GT, although it was Vilander driving the quick laps.

[MOTV8]

Corvettes Roar Loudest At Testing For Daytona 24

By Jim Pedley | Managing Editor

RacinToday.com

Max Angelelli ran the fastest lap of the three-day Roar Before the Rolex 24 test session on Sunday morning with a lap of 126.712 mph in the No. 10 SunTrust Corvette DP co-driven by Ricky Taylor and Ryan Briscoe.

The new Corvette DPs took the top five places at the test, with the two Action Express cars following the SunTrust team.

Angelelli sounded cautiously optimistic about his team’s chances in the upcoming 50th Anniversary edition of the 24.

“You’ve got to understand that we were pushing the limit and, in the first session today, we did a qualifying run under the perfect conditions – low fuel, new tires, a good, clear lap, no mistakes,” he said. “It was the perfect lap. Obviously we’re happy, but not because of that lap. We’re happy because we did eight practices without a single issue.

“Our SunTrust Corvette ran really well the entire time. So far, I’ve never had a January test as good as this one. It’s been great, very successful. All we’re hoping for is another weekend like this one, and that will be the race weekend. The sad part is that this was just a test. There is a lot that will have to be achieved on race weekend, but I’m pretty confident.”

The Corvettes were rolled out after the 2011 season. Being so new, there was a lot of concern among the teams using them about potential.

SunTrust owner Wayne Taylor said the car’s performance in the three-days test relieves a ton of pressure.

“I feel much better,” Taylor said. “We’ve got the best crew on the pit lane and they look at every single millimeter of this car. There’s not even a question in my mind that we have the best driver lineup. We have three guys who are fast. We have three guys who are reliable. We have three guys who have done this before, together. And we have three guys who understand it takes a team effort.”

Ferrari came away with the quickest laps in the GT sessions. Guy Cosmo led Sunday’s testing with a lap of 117.216 mph in the No. 03 Patron Tequila Ferrari 458 Italia Grand Am. Toni Villander led the class at the test, running 117.321 mph on Saturday in the No. 63 Risi Competizione entry.

Billy Johnson turned the fastest lap of the weekend in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge Grand Sport (GS) class on Sunday with a lap of 1:56.984 (109.533 mph) in the No. 61 Roush Performance Ford Mustang. Charles Espenlaub turned the second quickest lap of the day in the No. 48 Fall-Line Motorsports BMW M3 (109.289 mph), followed by Bill Auberlen in the Turner Motorsport BMW M3 (109.187). All three times were posted in the Sunday’s morning session.

Jeff Mosing was fastest in Street Tuner, turning in a lap of 2:06.959 (100.945 mph) in the No. 56 RACE EPIC/Murillo Racing BMW 328i also in Sunday’s morning session. Cory Friedman, of Autometrics Motorsports, and BimmerWorld Racing’s Seth Thomas rounded out the top three with laps turned in the weekend’s first two days.

—

The Times:

Daytona Prototype (DP):

– Ricky Taylor/Max Angelelli/ Ryan Briscoe – No. 10 SunTrust Corvette DP – 1:41.142 (126.712 mph)

– Alex Gurney/Jon Fogarty/Memo Gidley – No. 99 GAINSCO Auto Insurance Corvette DP – 1:41.541 (126.215 mph)

– Joao Barbosa/Terry Borcheller/JC France/Max Papis – No. 9 Action Express Corvette DP – 1:41.657 (126.215 mph).

Grand Touring (GT):

– Guy Cosmo/Scott Sharp/Johannes van Overbeek/Ed Brown – No. 03 Tequila Patron Ferrari 458 Italia Grand Am – 1:49.337 (117.215 mph)

– Butch Leitzinger/Marco Holzer/Cooper MacNeil/Emmanuel Collard – No. 23 WeatherTech Porsche GT3 – 1:49.423 (117.123 mph)

– Nick Tandy/Bill Lester/Tom Long/Rhett O’Doski.Mark Thomas/Thomas Gruber – No. 18 Muehlner Motorsports Porsche GT3 – 1:49.465 (117.078 mph)

Grand Sport (GS):

– Billy Johnson/Jack Roush Jr. – No. 61 Roush Performance Ford Mustang Boss 302R – 1:57.984 (109.553 mph)

– Charles Espenlaub/Charles Putman – No. 48 Fall-Line Motorsports BMW M3 – 1:57.267 (109.289 mph)

– Bill Auberlen/Paul Dalla Lana – No. 96 Turner Motorsport BMW M3 – 1:57.376 (109.188 mph)

Street Tuner (ST):

– Jesse Combs/Jeff Mosing – No. 56 RACE EPIC/Murillo Racing BMW 328i – 2:06.959 (100.946 mph)

– Daniel Rogers/Seth Thomas – No. 82 BimmerWorld Racing BMW 328i – 2:07.578 (100.456 mph)

– Robert Stout/Kevin Gleason/Sarah Cattaneo – No. 60 Lucas Oil/Mikita Power Tools BMW 328i – 2:08.078 (100.064 mph)

—

Notes

– A total of 117 cars participated in the three-day Roar. Joining the 14 Daytona Prototypes in the Rolex Series were 46 cars from the GT class. The Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge had a total of 57 cars, 35 in Grand Sport and 22 in Street Tuner. Additional cars are anticipated for the Rolex 24 weekend.

– Spirit of Daytona had the second gear break in its new No. 90 Corvette DP early in Sunday morning’s session. The team replaced the gears and put the car back on track, only to discover that there was a crack in the casing that led to an oil leak, putting the car out for the remainder of the session.

– Action Express Racing faces a triple learning curve for the 2012 Rolex 24. In addition to the new Corvette DP bodywork, the 2010 Rolex 24-winning team also has a new engine (Earnhardt Childress Racing Chevrolet) and a new chassis (Coyote). Team director of team operations Elton Sawyer said the biggest challenge at the Roar has been working with brake temperatures.

– APR Motorsport brought four different cars to the Roar – in three different classes. The team is debuting in the Rolex Series with the No. 51 Audi R8 GRAND-AM. The team also runs the No. 41 Audi S4 in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge Grand Sport class, and has two cars in Street Tuner, the proven No. 171 Volkswagen GTI and the new No. 181 VW Jetta GLI. The Alabama-based team is looking to bring seven cars to the Rolex 24 weekend, including six for the GRAND-AM 200 Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge opener.

– Bill Lester has been added to the lineup of the No. 18 Muehlner Motorsports Porsche GT3 for the Roar and the Rolex 24. Lester, a former regular in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, made GRAND-AM history in 2011 by becoming the first African-American competitor to win a Rolex Series race. Co-driving with Ricky Taylor, he won at Virginia International Raceway in the No. 88 Autohaus Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro and finished second in the GT championship, losing by only two points.

– Sarah Cattaneo tested in her new ride with Mitchum Motorsports. She drove in both of the team’s No. 60 and 62 Lucas Oil/Makita Power Tools BMW 328i. Cattaneo won at New Jersey Motorsports Park in 2011 and finished fourth in the Street Tuner championship.

– Aaron Steele had his first test in the U.S., sharing the No. 6 Mitchum Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro with Tim Bell. The British driver won the first Sunoco GRAND-AM 200 Challenge, outpointing drivers in six European series to earn a ride in the 2012 Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge series opener, a contest that mirrors the Sunoco Rolex 24 At Daytona Challenge for the Rolex Series.

[MOTV8]

I predict one of these Corvette DP's will WIN the Daytona 24....if they don't catch fire!

Grand Am: GAINSCO leads practice

Corvette DP's were 1-2-3-4.

[MOTV8]

Daytona kicks off in 20 minutes on Speed...time to stop watching German Touring Cars and Aussie V8's Dawg!

GRAND-AM: Daytona Prototype Reborn

A new breed of Daytona Prototypes will take the green flag for today's 50th Rolex 24 at Daytona...

When the green flag drops on todays 50th Rolex 24 at Daytona, a new era in the history of the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series will begin. Not only will a new breed of production-based racers from Audi and Ferrari embrace the GT ranks, but the first of the series new-generation Daytona Prototypes will take center stage for a grand premiere in one of Americas most prestigious endurance classics.

Born from a desire of giving the aging, and arguably less appealing, current specification DPs a major facelift after nine years of competition, GRAND-AM officials began formulating the Extreme Makeover nearly two years ago.

The goal, according to Managing Director of Manufacturer and Series Development Dave Spitzer, was to deliver a sleeker-looking platform that could enable a stronger brand identity to the cars on the roads of North America today.

Weve made a fundamental decision that there has to be passion in sports car racing, Spitzer says. In the 1960s and 70s, there were no wind tunnels; there was no CFD; there were no engineers. The shape was the shape and thats what everyone says they want to get back to.

So weve said, Ok, how do we change the rules of the game to allow those beautiful shapes to come back again for those manufacturers that want the ability to communicate their design architecture in a prototype environment? Thats what were doing and a real fundamental aspect of this that will come out over time.

It didnt take long for the first manufacturer to jump on the bandwagon, as Chevrolet took the wraps off its Corvette Daytona Prototype late last year. A project originally conceived from the still-born 2009 LMP1 regulations at Le Mans, the Corvette DP was the first to showcase GRAND-AMs new intentions for its flagship category.

Featuring a drastically reduced greenhouse area and styling cues taken from the road-going Corvette C6, the announcement created instant buzz, arguably for one of the first time in GRAND-AMs Daytona Prototype era.

Chevy really wanted to try and make the DP car a little bit more appealing and also to have a link to a car on the road. I think they've managed to achieve that, says Corvette driver Oliver Gavin.

The Corvette is fantastic and a great looking car. It's everything Corvette owners are interested in and wanting to see. I think you're going to get a lot of interest from the Corvette owners and Corvette corals. Having that link with the car and the car on the race track is very important.

Gavin will team with fellow Corvette drivers Antonio Garcia, Richard Westbrook and Jan Magnussen in the flagship No. 90 Spirit of Daytona machine, one of five Corvette DPs entered in the twice-around-the-clock classic.

2010 Rolex 24 winners Action Express Racing will also have a pair of Coyote-chassied Corvette DPs while two-time Rolex Series DP champions GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing has gone with a Riley-chassied Corvette. SunTrust Racing rounds out the charge with its Corvette DP, built on top of the successful Dallara chassis.

The Spirit of Daytona Corvette was the first to hit the track for testing in November, with Gavin and Garcia handling the majority of the cars early development during the two end-of-year tests at Daytona.

It's always difficult to test a new car, Garcia says. There are always new things to learn about the car. The new aero is the biggest thing. But up until now, the Pratt & Miller and Spirit of Daytona guys have been working very closely together.

As a driver, it doesn't feel way different. The looks are way different than it way it feels. The main thing is that we're running a Corvette and that's very good for the brand and that helped us put together this big team together. I think that's the biggest thing for GRAND-AM itself.

While Corvette DPs swept the top five quickest times in pre-season testing at Daytona earlier this month, a second new-look DP was also getting up to speed. Riley Technologies, the most successful constructor in class history, debuted its new MkXXVI, a non-brand specific model that could be used by teams.

GRAND-AM powerhouse Chip Ganassi Racing took the wraps off their new Rileys at the Roar Before the 24, with the likes of sports car great Scott Pruett, IndyCar stars Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon plus NASCAR aces Juan Pablo Montoya and Jamie McMurray all getting seat time in the teams pair of BMW-powered entries.

For four-time and defending Rolex Series champion Pruett, who will lead Ganassis full-season charge with co-driver Memo Rojas, the push to the new generation car is just another step in the ever-changing sports car racing landscape.

I think it's how GRAND-AM continues to evolve, Pruett says. What we're seeing, not just in this sport, but also also what you see is that more manufacturers want to race something similar to what you see on a showroom. So it would only make sense that GRAND-AM is trying to embrace that.

Two other Rolex Series stalwarts, Michael Shank Racing and Starworks Motorsport, will also campaign a new-gen Riley for the entire 13-round championship. Shank was the first team to take delivery of the new-model car in December, which will see NASCAR star AJ Allmendinger and IndyCar ace Justin Wilson join full-season drivers Ozz Negri and John Pew for this weekend.

I just think the car is a lot more sexier, Negri says. Being in this series for so long, I particularly got used to the look of the car. I was even thinking it was a good-looking car until the new ones came out. I think we'll bring a lot more attention to the series.

My wish and my hope is that the other manufacturers will follow what Chevy is doing, which they've come fully on board with this. [it would be good] to see more cars looking like their production cars. It will bring a lot more identity to the series.

While Corvette and Riley are the only two new-look DPs for now, more appear to be on their way, possibly for as soon as mid-year, according to Spitzer.

We're hopeful to introduce more in the 2012 season, Spitzer says. We're working with those people in finding logical solutions. That relates to our review and approval process as well as the wind tunnel process and variability to execute. All of those factors are involved. We will talk to all people that are interested and find ways to get them in that are logical.

For now, though, all focus is on todays 50th Rolex 24, and the ushering in of a new era for GRAND-AM in what could turn out to be a very bright and prosperous future ahead for its Daytona Prototype platform.

Guessing Chevy 1-2-3 in DP, and maybe a podium in GT???

[MOTV8]

Well...that was just plain ugly...Ford powerplants and Porsche GTs dominated. Chevy? Not so much.

GRAND-AM: Michael Shank Racing Wins Gripping 50th Rolex 24

No. 60 Riley of AJ Allmendinger, Justin Wilson, Ozz Negri and John Pew lead Ford 1-2-3 in GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series season-opener....

After years of trying and countless heartbreaks on the Florida high banks, Michael Shank Racing’s fortunes turned to gold Sunday, as the GRAND-AM stalwarts scored a thrilling victory in the 50th Rolex 24 at Daytona.

In what was one of the hardest-fought endurance races in recent memory, an impressive closing triple stint by open-wheel turned NASCAR star AJ Allmendinger put the team’s brand-new Riley-Ford out front ahead of the similarly prepared Starworks Motorsport entry of Ryan Dalziel.

The two squads, both dark horse picks for the race, fought tooth-and-nail throughout the twice-around-the-clock endurance classic, which came down to a series of late-race caution periods, a costly mistake by the Starworks squad and the unlikely demise of defending winners Chip Ganassi Racing.

Allmendinger, who teamed with IndyCar star Justin Wilson, making his driving comeback after a season-ending back injury, and MSR season regulars Ozz Negri and John Pew, took a narrow 5.198-second victory over the No. 8 Starworks machine of Dalziel, who was unable to match the newly signed Penske Racing driver.

He held off the rapid Scot, who along with co-drivers Allan McNish, Lucas Luhr, Enzo Potolicchio and Alex Popow, arguably had the car to beat, leading 295 laps of the 761-lap race. However, their hopes were dashed in the 17th hour with an off-course excursion by Luhr, which damaged the Riley-Ford's rear-end and slowed their pace in the end.

MSR's old-generation No. 6 Riley-Ford of young guns Michael McDowell, Felipe Nasr, Jorge Goncalvez and Gustavo Yacaman scored a surprise third place following the late demise of the No. 01 Ganassi Riley-BMW.

The highly anticipated debut of Corvette’s DP failed to live up to the hype, with all five of its cars running into various setbacks. The No. 5 Action Express Racing machine of Darren Law, David Donohue and Christian Fittipaldi overcame early race electrical gremlins to finish three laps behind in fifth.

Spirit of Daytona’s Coyote-chassied Corvette, featuring an all-factory driver lineup of Antonio Garcia, Richard Westbrook, Oliver Gavin and Jan Magnussen, came home eighth after overnight driveshaft failure put one of the pre-race favorites 14 laps behind.

The sister Action Express machine, which made multiple trips to the garage for suspension and other mechanical issues, wound up ninth in the hands of Joao Barbosa, Terry Borcheller, Max Papis and J.C. France.

Both GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing and SunTrust Racing, the other two Corvette entries, had miserable fortunes, the Dallara-chassied SunTrust entry managing only 14 laps before engine failure.

While Alex Gurney, Jon Fogarty and Memo Gidley took the checkered flag. it was after a severely delayed run marred by a radiator change, water pump failure and mid-race accident.

In GT, Magnus Racing not only celebrated its first Rolex 24 class victory but its first win in Rolex Series competition, with Andy Lally, Richard Lietz, Rene Rast and team owner John Potter taking an equally challenging win in the production-based ranks.

At least a Camaro got 4th in GT behind the Porsches and ahead of the prancing pony of ex-CR Olivier Beretta. Suntrust's engine failure after like 14 laps was just massively embarassing...