ALMS 2012 thread

[Shifty]

I tell ya what though, that LMP1 battle between Guy Smith and Lucas Luhr was incredible!

[MOTV8]

"Incident under review." Whatevah that means, but I think they got teh gold mine and we got teh shaft.

Corvette Racing settles for a fourth and sixth at Road America

The Road America Road Race Showcase was going Corvette Racing's way for the first three hours, but the final 60 minutes saw a reversal of fortune for the Chevrolet team. After running at the front from the start of the four-hour race, the Corvettes were shuffled down the finishing order in the closing minutes.

Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner finished fourth in the No. 4 Compuware Corvette C6.R after their pit stop strategy was undone by an ill-timed yellow flag. Jan Magnussen and Antonio Garcia were sixth in the No. 3 Compuware Corvette C6.R after Magnussen was hit from behind in the final corner while running third. The victory went to the No. 55 BMW driven by Bill Auberlen and Joerg Mueller by 2.631 seconds over the No. 45 Porsche of Joerg Bergmeister and Patrick Long.

"We saw one of the most interesting final hours of racing in this team's history," said Corvette Racing program manager Doug Fehan. "We had what we thought was a very successful pit strategy planned, but coming out of the last yellow, the BMWs were first and second and the No. 3 Corvette was third. The BMWs went from being out of contention to running at the front with yellow flags and pit stops. It was unfortunate for us and fortunate for them. We've won races that way, and this was one that we didn't win."

Magnussen was running fourth when racing resumed with 20 minutes on the clock after the race's fourth full-course caution period. He passed the No. 01 Ferrari of Johannes van Overbeek in Canada Corner on the restart, and set out in pursuit of the race-leading BMWs. He made his move in Turn 1, but Joerg Bergmeister slipped through in a cloud of tire smoke to take second. Just as the checkered flag flew, contact with the No. 01 Ferrari in the final corner spun Magnussen off the track.

"I passed the No. 56 BMW in Turn 1 with a move similar to Laguna Seca where I towed up behind a prototype," Magnussen said. "He went to the inside and I followed. Suddenly the prototype stopped, I flat-spotted my tires and lost a lot of speed. Joerg got by, so I was still in third and I was going to try to salvage a podium finish, which would have been good for Chevrolet in the manufacturer championship. Then in the last corner, Van Overbeek drove into the back of my car. I'm very disappointed, and I'll leave it at that."

Magnussen's incident with the No. 01 Ferrari is under review by race officials.

Gavin drove the first stint in the No. 4 Corvette, Milner the second, and then Gavin double-stinted to the finish. The Englishman moved to second at 2:21 into the race, and held that position for nearly an hour until the third pit stop under caution. Gavin lost positions due to a balky door latch, but there was a bigger problem: The BMWs and Ferrari had pitted just before the yellow, gaining track position. Gavin was seventh after the pit stop cycle, and had to battle his way forward.

"During the last stop we had a problem with the door and lost positions," Gavin said. "All of a sudden we were caught in a mess with traffic and issues everywhere. To top it off, the No.56 BMW was forced wide in Turn 5, I tried to get a run on him, and we banged doors coming through Turns 6 and 7. Going down the hill into Turn 8, he was defending and it seemed to me that he braked early. I caught his right-rear corner and turned him around. I certainly didn't intend that to happen."

Gavin started the No. 4 Corvette third on the GT grid and Garcia started fifth in the No. 3 Corvette. Gavin held his position through the opening laps, then passed the pole-winning No. 44 Porsche on the fourth lap to take second behind the No. 45 Porsche of Joerg Bergmeister. Garcia was boxed in at the start and slipped to seventh, but moved up a spot on the seventh lap.

"At the start, we were bottled up behind some LMPC cars, and I managed to hold my position in the mad scramble," Gavin said. "Antonio was alongside me, and tried very hard to avoid hitting us, which cost him some positions. I was a bit quicker than Holzer, and I got past him in Turn 5. I thought perhaps I could challenge Joerg, but as the stint went on, I ceded the position back to Holzer because there was no sense in taking risks that early in four-hour race."

Garcia was one of the first to pit at 43 minutes into the race, and when the first full-course caution began shortly afterward, he moved up to second in the order as the leaders pitted. When racing resumed, Garcia grabbed the lead on the restart. Gavin pitted under the yellow flag and handed off to Milner, who emerged in fifth after the pit stop sequence.

"On the start, I took the wrong line again, like Mid-Ohio, and lost several positions," Garcia said. "It's difficult for a driver to give up a position, but I avoided contact with the No. 4 car, which was important. I started to put pressure on the No. 01 Ferrari and No. 17 Porsche, but after 10 or 15 laps the tires started to lose grip and we pitted early. The BMW followed us in, and I was anxious at the start of the second stint about the setup. The car was really good on the new tires and I passed for the lead after the caution. Then there was a point when there was oil in the Kink, so I decided to be cautious and let the BMW pass. The car stayed very consistent and we could run to our strategy."

Milner drove the second stint in the No. 4 Corvette, then handed it back to Gavin. "Today the car wasn't very comfortable for me," he reported. "We made some changes along the way and I think the last change was better for the car. Oliver was more comfortable so we decided that it was best for the championship to keep Olly in the car as long as possible. I did my time in the car and then turned it over to him. It got a little hairy at the end. It wasn't our best race, so now we just have to move on."

With 58 minutes to go, the third full-course caution tightened the field. Both Corvettes pitted under yellow, with Magnussen and Gavin staying in. The two BMWs and the No. 01 Ferrari pitted just before the yellow, gaining track position. When racing resumed, the No. 3 Corvette was fifth and the No. 4 Corvette seventh. Minutes later, the fourth caution set up the shootout for the checkered flag.

Gavin and Milner now lead the GT driver championship by 17 points in the unofficial standings over teammates Magnussen and Milner (105-88). BMW drivers Joey Hand and Dirk Mueller are third with 81 points, and Sharp/van Overbeek fourth with 80. Chevrolet leads the GT manufacturer championship by 10 points over BMW (126-116) with three races remaining, followed by Porsche (103) and Ferrari (100).

For the fourth time in 2012, the No. 3 Corvette C6.R won the Michelin Green X Challenge in the GT class with the best score for clean, fast, and efficient performance.

Corvette Racing's next event is the Baltimore Sports Car Challenge presented by SRT on Saturday, Sept. 1.

Road America Road Race Showcase GT Provisional Results (Top 10)

Pos./Car No./Drivers/Car/Laps

1. 55 J. Mueller/Auberlen, BMW E92 M3, 97

2. 45 Bergmeister/Long, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 97

3. 01 Sharp/van Overbeek, Ferrari 458 Italia, 97

4. 4 Gavin/Milner, Corvette C6.R, 97

5. 48 Miller/Maassen, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 97

6. 3 Magnussen/Garcia, Corvette C6.R, 97

7. 23 Sweedler/Bell, Lotus Evora, 97

8. 44 Neiman/Holzer, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 96

9. 91 Wittmer/Farnbacher, SRT Viper GTSR, 96

10. 56 D. Mueller/Summerton, BMW E92 M3, 95

[Shifty]

Corvette Racing at Baltimore: Racin' in the Streets GT Championship Battle Resumes Saturday in the Inner Harbor BALTIMORE, Aug. 27, 2012 – In the midst of the War of 1812, the Battle of Baltimore inspired Francis Scott Key to write the lyrics for "The Star-Spangled Banner." Now nearly two centuries later, the Battle of Baltimore will be rejoined – not by American and British armies, but by a fleet of world-class American, British, German, and Italian sports cars racing through the streets of Baltimore's Inner Harbor. Saturday's Baltimore Sports Car Challenge, the eighth round of the 2012 American Le Mans Series, promises another all-out fight between drivers, teams, and manufacturers. The two-hour skirmish on the downtown street course dispenses with such niceties as strategy, tactics, and patience. It's simply about speed, track position, and staying out of trouble. "There is no strategy in a two-hour race," said Corvette Racing driver Tommy Milner, a long-time resident of nearby Middleburg, Va. "It's basically one pit stop, and whoever is the fastest and can make the best of their qualifying position is going to come out on top. Any mistake and you're done because there's not much time to come back." Milner and co-driver Oliver Gavin lead the GT championship in their No. 4 Compuware Corvette C6.R by 17 points over teammates Jan Magnussen and Antonio Garcia in the No. 3 sister car. But with 20 points to be awarded to the victors in Saturday's street fight, that lead can evaporate in a heartbeat. Gavin and Milner know the pitfalls of racing on Baltimore's mean streets. Gavin finished third in last year's inaugural race in a bruised and battered race car that he shared with Magnussen, who was caught up in a first-turn melee. Milner finished seventh after a fraught restart that saw him penalized for contact in Turn 1. "I've done some media work in Baltimore, and I've seen the changes that they have made to the track that will be good for racing," Milner reported. "The chicane before the start/finish line is gone – it was fun for us to pound the curbs, but not so good for racing. Turn 1 has been opened up and widened to create better passing opportunities and to prevent the incidents that happened there last year. The second chicane also has been relocated to allow more passing. "Baltimore is a tough track because some sections are bumpy and low grip, while other sections have new asphalt and are very grippy," he explained. "That poses a challenge for the engineers to set up a car that's good in both sections. The Corvettes were quick last year, and we've seen this year that our new wide-body C6.Rs are competitive at every event. I'm looking forward to getting back to Baltimore and putting on a good fight." Gavin is on the same page as his driving partner. "It's hammer down and go," said the Englishman. "In a two-hour street race, it's about being as fast as you can all the time. It's pretty much a full-on, flat-out race to the finish. "We stand a very good chance, but luck can play a huge role in your result in a street race," he cautioned. "I expect the unexpected – somebody makes a boneheaded move, somebody spins in a blind corner and you can't avoid driving into them, or you get caught up in someone else's accident and your race is done. All street circuits are challenging and difficult for everyone involved, but they are also a huge amount of fun." Magnussen was teamed with Gavin last year when he went from 12th to fourth in minutes after being pinned against the wall in the first turn. This year the Dane is paired with Antonio Garcia, a rookie on the Baltimore circuit. "It will be Antonio's first race in Baltimore, and we have very little track time to practice and prepare," Magnussen said. "We'll have an opportunity to go around the track in golf karts and to look at the data from last year. I'll give Antonio as many pointers as I can to get him up to speed fast, but with him it's never a problem. "I loved what they did with the whole show last year," Magnussen noted. "Everything on track was terrific and I'm looking forward to going back. Since it's a street circuit, it will have a tendency to change from year to year, so we have to find where the grip is. The top speeds will be much higher without the chicane in the middle of the straight, which will make it more difficult to get the car stopped going into Turn 1. Last year it was very bumpy in the braking zone, and now the cars will arrive faster so there is more chance of overtaking – and of making mistakes!" "I always like street circuits, and the Corvette C6.R suits those circuits very well," Garcia said. "Whether the race is one hour or six hours, track position is very important. We need to be ready and quick right away for qualifying. If you are in the top two or three positions, you have a good chance to win. We need to focus on being fast all of the time." :Jake: :Jake: :Jake:

[MOTV8]

I was watchin Bernanke and some other shit, but it sounds like CR had a good session. Teh Indy cars were catchin air on teh big straight over some f***ing railroad tracks across teh freaking course. Then they shut down the session and had some crew try to grind down teh offending tracks/bumps. Then they decided to drop a chicane in.

[MOTV8]

Smith, Dyson lead opening ALMS practice

Dyson Racing's Guy Smith set the quickest time in the opening practice for the Baltimore Sports Car Challenge presented by SRT. The Briton's lap of 1:25.899 (85.496 mph) on the 2.04-mile, 12-turn street circuit in the No. 16 Lola-Mazda led Muscle Milk Pickett Racing's Klaus Graf by 0.289 second.

Corvette Racing sat 1-2 in GT with their Corvette C6 ZR1s, led by Tommy Milner in the No. 4 Corvette. He set a time of 1:30.580 and went 0.356 second quicker than Jan Magnussen in the No. 3 sister car. A pair of BMW Team RLL BMW M3 GTs was third and fourth; Joey Hand was the quickest of the two at 1:31.110).

Conquest Endurance's Martin Plowman led P2 in the No. 37 Morgan-Nissan prototype. His time of 1:28.021 – good enough for third overall - was 0.923sec clear of Level 5 Motorsports' Christophe Bouchut. Conquest won in class at Road America but Level 5 leads the class championship.

Having already clinched the Prototype Challenge team championship, CORE autosport still held the first two positions in class. Ryan Dalziel set the pace in the No. 6 ORECA FLM09 at 1:28.538 and was 0.079sec clear of teammate Colin Braun in the No. 05 car. Merchant Services Racing's Kyle Marcelli was third at 1:28.806.

Green Hornet Racing's Damien Faulkner posted the best GT Challenge time in his No. 34 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup. His lap of 1:34.854 gave the Irishman a 0.238sec gap back to TRG's Spencer Pumpelly.

[MOTV8]

Made some time for a sweet vader...

http://dlstatic.speedtv.com/imageserve/01kSelednRfF4/575x459.jpg?fit=scale&background=000000

http://dlstatic.speedtv.com/imageserve/029e1e18y37XZ/575x459.jpg?fit=scale&background=000000

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[Shifty]

Ollie looked smashing, brilliant! Mags, very determined....frankly, if these cars aren't seriously scuffed at teh very least, I'll be amazed...

[MOTV8]

Teh blurb...

2012 Le Mans: Luhr Gives Muscle Milk Baltimore Pole Position

After narrowly missing out on victory two weeks ago in the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón, Muscle Milk Pickett Racing’s Lucas Luhr took pole position for the Baltimore Sports Car Challenge presented by SRT on Friday. The German set a time of 1:25.174 (86.223 mph) in his No. 6 Honda Performance Development ARX-03a prototype.

Luhr and Klaus Graf saw their five-race win streak end in the last ALMS round at Road America. The P1 championship leaders are eager to get back on the right foot.

“It is really good for us – the series, the drivers,” said Luhr, who is racing in Baltimore for the first time. “I like racing on city circuits, and I think this is the best city course I have driven. It is very nice. But there are a lot of bumps. It was almost like the car didn't like me and it was trying to throw me out. We will massage the car a little bit tonight and see what she has in the morning.”

In the afternoon practice and qualifying, teams faced the addition of a temporary chicane exiting the final corner meant to reduce the speeds over a particularly bumpy section of the frontstretch. Luhr was one of the quickest learners as he went 0.740 seconds faster than Dyson Racing’s Guy Smith and the No. 16 Lola-Mazda.

Smith and Dyson beat Muscle Milk at Road America and are the main challengers in the P1 title race after winning the 2011 championship.

“I think we are going to see a tough race tomorrow. With the heat (which is expected to reach the mid-90s), it won't make it any easier,” Luhr said. “It will be important to get a good start, but you're never going to win a race in the first corner. Passing will be difficult because the track is not very wide, and the GT cars are very quick. You can't just cut through the field; you have to work together, there will need to be give and take.”

Eric Lux qualified Dyson Racing’s second Lola-Mazda third in class at 1:26.830 (84.579 mph).

Oliver Gavin turned Corvette Racing’s fortunes around in a big way with the GT pole position. After his No. 4 Corvette C6 ZR1 suffered a smashed tailpipe and body damage following a run-in with a prototype hit him in the day’s second practice session, Gavin turned a lap of 1:29.945 (81.650 mph) to take his first ALMS pole position of the season. The Briton was 0.382 seconds clear of Bill Auberlen in BMW Team RLL’s No. 55 BMW M3 GT.

Jan Magnussen qualified third in class in the No. 3 Corvette, just 0.468 seconds off Gavin’s pace.

“We had to run with a bent exhaust for qualifying. So Jan wants that setup on his car for the race tomorrow,” Gavin quipped. “The Corvette is pretty strong, so I wasn't concerned about structural and suspension damage. And the motor was running fine, so it didn't seem to be a problem.”

Gavin and Tommy Milner enter with the class championship lead, Corvette Racing leads BMW Team RLL in the team standings, and Chevrolet has the edge on BMW for the manufacturer crown. Naturally the goal for this weekend – more than any other – is for drivers to keep their cars off the walls and out of the tires. That goes double for any championship contenders.

“Win it; that’s the best way to go about the championship race,” he said. “You need a lot of luck on any street circuit. Everyone is racing out there, but they are racing against the circuit. They're trying to keep it on the ground too; (the track is) so bumpy and so aggressive. You have to not have any incidents with anyone.”

A last-lap flyer by Christophe Bouchut put Level 5 Motorsports on the P2 pole position. The Frenchman set a time of 1:27.119 (84.298 mph) in the No. 055 HPD ARX-03b he shares with Scott Tucker on the last of his 10 laps. It was good enough for a 0.080-second advantage over Conquest Racing’s Martin Plowman. Bouchut’s first laps with the temporary chicane came in qualifying.

“We changed a lot of things on the setup just before qualifying so I didn’t know exactly how it was going to be,” said Bouchut, who leads the P2 championship with Tucker by just five points over Plowman and David Heinemeier-Hansson.

Luis Diaz qualified Level 5’s No. 95 car third in class at 1:28.453 (83.027 mph).

“We are very close in the fight,” Bouchut said of the battle between Level 5 and Conquest. “The competition is so very close. Everyone in our class does so well, we always have to be on the limit. The difference was a tenth; on this track that is almost nothing.”

Level 5 didn’t race last year at Baltimore, and Ricardo Gonzalez (Diaz’s teammate) competed here last year. The team has had to learn a lot in a short period of time.

“The track is really interesting,” Bouchut said. “It is very hard, one of the hardest in my whole career. The straight line is the worst part; the other places are very good and challenging. When you are alone, it is already dangerous. If you put all of the other cars around it can be very tricky.”

Doing double-duty this weekend is no problem for Bruno Junqueira. The Brazilian star took his second Prototype Challenge pole position of the season for RSR Racing. He turned a lap of 1:27.464 (83.966 mph) in the No. 9 ORECA FLM09 he drives with Tomy Drissi, who won the PC race last year.

“Junky” also is running in the IndyCar Series race at Baltimore. In ALMS qualifying, he outpaced CORE autosport’s Ryan Dalziel by 0.077 seconds and Colin Braun by 0.330 seconds. The top five cars were within 0.814 seconds.

“I’m in cars a lot,” Junqueira said. “You have to completely change your mind-set when you are moving between the two cars. They are very different… night and day.”

RSR’s starting position is in limbo, however. Junqueira appeared to break the rear suspension coming out of the temporary chicane when the left-rear of the ORECA slapped the outside concrete wall. Even with the hit and the broken car, he still went fast enough to knock Dalziel off pole position. Even more impressive is that Junqueira started his final lap with a bent steering wheel after he brushed another wall.

“I gave it everything I could,” he admitted. “The car was dragging and I knew I had to keep going. I was lucky to finish the lap and keep it on pole.”

Damien Faulkner took his fourth GT Challenge pole position of the season for Green Hornet Racing in the No. 34 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup. The Irishman turned a lap of 1:1:35.493 (76.906 mph) in a topsy-turvy affair that saw four cars take turns with the fastest time of the session.

Faulkner was 0.624 seconds clear of Alex Job Racing’s Leh Keen and another 0.295 seconds better than JDX Racing’s Michael Valiante. Faulkner admitted he surprised himself with the pole position given the scarce time he had on track during Friday’s practice sessions.

“I think I had one lap with the new chicane before qualifying,” said Faulkner, who drives with Peter LeSaffre. “It was nerve racking; we had less than 15 laps all together this weekend. The Green Hornet team put together a great car out of the box. We haven't touched it since it came off the truck.”

Keen’s teammate Cooper MacNeil leads the class driver’s championship over Faulkner and Peter LeSaffre. AJR is ahead of TRG and Green Hornet in the team championship. Faulkner knows that time is short if he and LeSaffre want to make a move. MacNeil and AJR hold the largest championship leads of all the five classes – with the exception of CORE’s championship clinch in PC.

“We can't seem to collect the points on Saturday,” Faulkner said. “So we need to keep clean tomorrow and hopefully it can come back to us and get the payday. The biggest challenge is the bumps. You're just trying to hold on to the cars for all you’re worth. We run the highest ride height of all the classes, so we're riding around a bit like a bus.”

The Baltimore Sports Car Challenge presented by SRT is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Sept. 1 on the temporary street circuit in Baltimore's Inner Harbor. ABC's broadcast begins at noon ET on Sunday, Sept. 2. Full, live coverage starts at 4:15 p.m. ET on ESPN3.

The Series’ website offers additional content such as live in-car cameras, and timing and scoring for all users around the world. Viewers outside the U.S. can watch the Road America round and all ALMS races live on ALMS.com.

Visit ALMS.com for current and future event information including tickets and area accommodations. Follow the Series on Twitter (#ALMS, #GPoB), Facebook and YouTube.

Baltimore Sports Car Challenge presented by SRT

Baltimore Street Circuit, Baltimore

Friday’s qualifying

1. Klaus Graf, Germany (GER); Lucas Luhr, Germany (GER); HPD ARX-03a Honda (P1), 1:25.174, 86.223

2. Chris Dyson, Pleasant Valley, NY (USA); Guy Smith, Beverley, UK (ENG); Lola B12/60 Mazda (P1), 1:25.914, 85.481

3. Michael Marsal, Bedford, NY (US); Eric Lux, Jacksonville, FL (US); Lola B11/66 Mazda (P1), 1:26.830, 84.579

4. Scott Tucker, Leawood, KS (US); Christophe Bouchut, France (FRA); HPD ARX-03b Honda (P2), 1:27.119, 84.298

5. David Heinemeier-Hansson, Chicago, IL (USA); Martin Plowman, Indianapolis, IN (USA); Morgan/Nissan (P2), 1:27.199, 84.221

6. Bruno Junqueira (BRA); Tomy Drissi, Hollywood, CA (USA); Oreca FLM09 (PC), 1:27.464, 83.966

7. Alex Popow, Lecheria, VE (VEN); Ryan Dalziel, Scotland (SCO); Oreca FLM09 (PC), 1:27.541, 83.892

8. Jon Bennett, Fort Mill, SC (US); Colin Braun, Ovalo, TX (USA); Oreca FLM09 (PC), 1:27.794, 83.650

9. Raphael Matos, Brazil (BRA); Rodin Younessi, Wellington, FL (USA); 0; Oreca FLM09 (PC), 1:28.107, 83.353

10. Kyle Marcelli, Barrie, ON (CA); Tony Burgess, Toronto, ON (CAN); Oreca FLM09 (PC), 1:28.278, 83.192

11. Luis Diaz, Mexico (MEX); Scott Tucker, Leawood, KS (US); Ricardo Gonzalez, Mexico (Mex); HPD ARX-03b (P2), 1:28.453, 83.027

12. Oliver Gavin (GBR); Tom Milner, Leesburg, VA (USA); Corvette C6-ZR1 (GT), 1:29.945, 81.650

13. Bill Auberlen, Hermosa Beach, CA (USA); Jörg Müller, Germany (DUE); BMW E92 M3 (GT), 1:30.327, 81.305

14. Antonio Garcia, Barcelona, ES (ESP); Jan Magnussen, Roskilde, DK (DEN); Corvette C6-ZR1 (GT), 1:30.413, 81.227

15. Jörg Bergmeister (DEU); Patrick Long, Oak Park, CA (USA); Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (GT), 1:30.665, 81.001

16. Dirk Müller (DEU); Joey Hand, Sacramento, CA (USA); BMW E92 M3 (GT), 1:30.838, 80.847

17. Lucas Downs, North Mankoto, MN (USA); Matt Downs, North Mankato, MN (USA); Oreca FLM09 (PC), 1:31.206, 80.521

18. Johannes van Overbeek, San Francisco, CA (USA); Scott Sharp, Jupiter, FL (USA); Ferrari F458 Italia (GT), 1:31.262, 80.472

19. Wolf Henzler (DEU); Bryan Sellers, Centerville, OH (USA); Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (GT), 1:31.412, 80.340

20. Duncan Ende, Los Angeles (USA); Henri Richard, Los Altos Hills, CA (FRA); Oreca FLM09 (PC), 1:31.811, 79.990

21. Sascha Maassen, Aachen, DE (DE); Bryce Miller, Hoboken, NJ (USA); Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (GT), 1:32.108, 79.732

22. Marc Goossens, Belgium (BEL); Tommy Kendall, New Smyrna Beach, FL (USA); SRT Viper GTSR (GT), 1:33.526, 78.524

23. Townsend Bell, Santa Monica, CA (USA); Bill Sweedler, Westport, CT (USA); Lotus Evora/Cosworth (GT), 1:33.701, 78.377

24. Damien Faulkner, Mouille, IE (IRE); Peter LeSaffre, Rye, NH (USA); Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (GTC), 1:35.493, 76.906

25. Cooper MacNeil, Hinsdale, IL (USA); Leh Keen, Dublin, GA (USA); Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (GTC), 1:36.117, 76.407

26. Chris Cumming, Vancouver, BC (CAN); Michael Valiante, Vancouver, BC (CAN); Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (GTC), 1:36.412, 76.173

27. Spencer Pumpelly, Atlanta, GA (USA); Marc Bunting, Monkton, MD (USA); Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (GTC), 1:36.803, 75.865

28. Guy Cosmo, Long Island, NY; Ed Brown, Las Vegas, NV (USA); Ferrari F458 Italia (GT), 1:37.386, 75.411

29. Marco Holzer, Austria (AUT); Seth Neiman, Burlingame, CA (USA); Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (GT), 1:40.561, 73.030

30. Dominik Farnbacher, Germany (GER); Kuno Wittmer, Montreal, ON (CAN); SRT Viper GTSR (GT), 0, No Time

31. Al Carter, Greenville, DE (US); Patrick Pilet, France (FRA); 0; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (GTC), 0, No Time.

[MOTV8]

WTF just happened?

[MOTV8]

Somewhat unbelievably, teh Falken Porch defended it's win from last year, Gavin 2nd, Mags back in 6th after an early tire puncture cost Garcia alot of time.

[Shifty]

Mags/Garcia just can't buy any luck this year... At least teh Falken Porsche isn't in teh points race, teh #4 car moving on up like teh Jeffersons, and Bimmers not really gaining much.

[MOTV8]

...teh Jeffersons...?

Corvette Racing Takes Second, Sixth At Baltimore: Racing Roundup

Lighting up the streets of Baltimore with its thunderous exhaust this Saturday, Corvette Racing labored on Labor Day weekend, finishing second and sixth in the GT class of the two-hour race. The race saw tremendous competition in the closely-contested GT class, where the first four finishers represented four manufacturings, including Porsche, Chevrolet, Ferrari, and BMW.

Piloting the No. 4 Corvette C6.R, Tommy Milner started on the GT pole of Baltimore’s Inner Harbor before hitting a traffic jam caused by several prototypes on the first turn. Milner made it through the mess and led for the first ten laps before being blocked by a prototype, allowing the No. 55 BMW and No. 17 Porsche an opportunity to pass. The BMW was penalized for avoidable contact but the No. 01 Ferrari got by Milner before a pit stop and driver change. It was then that Oliver Gavin took over, coming second out of the pits. Gavin held on to the position until the checkered flag, coming in just 2.2 seconds behind the winning No. 17 Porsche of Bryan Sellers and Wolf Henzler, which finsihed fourth overall. The second-place finish furthers Gavin’s and Milner’s lead in the driver championship.

Antonio Garcia started the No. 3 Corvette C6.R in third, but wasn’t as fortunate as the No. 04 car in the first turn: the jam furnished the C6.R with a slow tire puncture, forcing Garcia to pit on the third lap, dropping the C6.R to 12th in the GT class. After the early pit stop, Garcia moved up to sixth before handing the reigns to Jan Magnussen at the 46-minute mark. Magnussen came out seventh from the pits, passed the No. 48 Porsche for sixth, and held on to the sixth position until the checkered flag.

Even though the team didn’t take first, it did accomplish its goal of finishing ahead of BMW: “Our sole strategic mission today was to finish ahead of the BMW,” said Corvette Racing program manager Doug Fehan. “Ordinarily we might take a slightly different perspective, but at a street race like this, with such closely matched cars, you have to have realistic goals. Our objective was to finish ahead of the BMW today, and we accomplished that. I’m proud of this team for its performance under pressure.”

Gavin and Milner now unofficially lead the GT driver championship by 28 points (124) over teammates Garcia and Magnussen (96). In third is BMW driver Dirk Mueller (94) while Joey Hand is fourth (91). With two races remaining in the season, Chevrolet continues to lead the GT manufacturer championship by 19 points (145) over BMW (126), Porsche (123), and Ferrari (110).

The next Corvette Racing competition is the American Le Mans Series VIR240 at Virginia International Raceway on Saturday, September 15.

Results from the Baltimore Sports Car Challenge (GT class) are as follows:

Car No./Drivers/Car/Laps

1.17 Henzler/Sellers, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 67

2.4 Gavin/Milner, Corvette C6.R, 67

3.01 Sharp/van Overbeek, Ferrari 458 Italia, 67

4.56 D. Mueller/Hand, BMW E92 M3, 67

5.45 Bergmeister/Long, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 67

6.3 Magnussen/Garcia, Corvette C6.R, 67

7.44 Long/Holzer, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 67

8.55 J. Mueller/Auberlen, BMW E92 M3, 67

9.48 Miller/Maassen, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 66

10.23 Sweedler/Bell, Lotus Evora, 66

Did you see teh remaining Viper and teh 458 bangin on each other?

[Shifty]

I guess we'll see what's to become of teh ALMS wednesday... http://www.dailysportscar.com/viewArticle.cfm?articleUID=8399BB0A-9E98-DCF5-8331F9E648DA6CDA&custUID=858ADB2B-1143-FDC9-357B889EBDC9CBA6&_sessionID=GARQQN5PYN&_subSessionID=QKQSDN3ICN

[MOTV8]

Two words... Fuster Cluck It could be that Corvette Racing takes the last ever GT1 title AND the last GT2 title...

[Shifty]

Talk about pissing me off to no end...

[Shifty]

Just a cool pics to ad:

[Desertdawg]

not much passing in bean town, unless your in the #55, then everyone gets to pass you sucks to get hung out by a faster prototype to loose the lead

[MOTV8]

not much passing in bean town, unless your in the #55, then everyone gets to pass you

sucks to get hung out by a faster prototype to loose the lead

I agree with everything you said....except teh bean town reference, iirc Boston is teh 'bean town', not Baltimore or Duncan.

[Desertdawg]

They both start with a B, I was close! I think a merger would be good, if they are going to feature LMP and LMPC for half of the broadcast it would be cool if there were more than 3 or 4 cars in each class... there were 3 P1 3 P2 5 PC

[Shifty]

Interesting anyway....if it can be "merged" by race teams and their owners, I foresee some good things like new track venues, another couple of long races, etc... I'm happy to hear Ed Bennett say that he wanted to respect teams' investment in race hardware, that chit is expensive! Tire manufacturers are going to be a huge mountain to overcome-Continental is such a major player for G/A, they are not going to be pleased about sharing teh road for example. I am hoping to see new, or previous manufacturers throw their hat in....Fjord, Audi, maybe Jag, Lambo, Aston Martin, Mercedes and McClaren, that will rock! Did you notice teh "technical difficulties" when teh naysayer threw out his question? It's good to own a venue I guess!

[Shifty]

Corvette Racing at VIR: Very Important Race With Championships on the Line, Corvette Team Ventures into Uncharted Territory at Virginia International Raceway ALTON, Va - According to the state slogan, Virginia is for lovers, but Virginia International Raceway is for racers. The manicured circuit in the rolling Virginia countryside will host Saturday's American Le Mans VIR 240, the ninth round of the 10-race 2012 American Le Mans Series. The penultimate event on this year's ALMS calendar is indeed a VIR - "Very Important Race" - for Corvette Racing. The Chevy team leads the driver, team, and manufacturer championships in the GT class, and can clinch the titles at VIR. The series' first appearance at VIR is a venture into unexplored territory, however. Corvette Racing was in France preparing for the 24 Hours of Le Mans during the ALMS open test held at VIR in June. While all four Corvette Racing drivers have experience at VIR, none has raced a Corvette C6.R on the 3.27-mile Virginia road course. "Antonio and I both know the circuit," said Jan Magnussen, second in the GT standings with co-driver Antonio Garcia in the No. 3 Compuware Corvette C6.R. "It's a fantastic place, a motorsports country club - the scenery is fantastic, the track has a lot of elevation changes, long sweeping corners, and some really tight and tricky bits. "While we were busy at Le Mans, several teams got a chance to test there, so we are a little behind," Magnussen explained. "Usually Corvette Racing picks these things up quickly, so I don't think that is a huge disadvantage. The competition is extremely close in this series, so we will need a few good practice sessions before qualifying to be able to fight with everyone else." Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner will arrive at VIR with a 28-point lead in the GT standings over their teammates and a 30-point margin over their closest BMW rival. A lead of 24 points at the conclusion of the VIR 240 would clinch the GT championship for the Anglo-American pairing in the No. 4 Compuware Corvette C6.R. "We really are coming to the point in the season where the pressure is on for everybody," said Gavin, who is scheduled to make his milestone 100th career ALMS start on Saturday. "There are championships on the line for drivers, manufacturers, and teams. Everyone is watching everything they do, whether it's a setup change, tire selection, a pit stop, or race strategy. You're wondering how that is going to have a knock-on effect for your end result. "In reality, championships are never won or lost in these final races," Gavin observed. "A point earned or lost in an early round can make all the difference. There have been races that haven't gone to plan for us, but that has happened with everybody. The teams and drivers in GT are super competitive, and everyone is taking points off each other. No one can predict who is going to come out on top. "Last year I raced a Camaro in a Grand-Am race at VIR in the rain," Gavin recalled. "I remember it being quite a challenge. It's a fast and flowing track, but it's quite narrow and unforgiving. It's got a unique character that is great fun, and I think it's going to be fantastic in the Corvette C6.R." Tommy Milner also knows his way around VIR. "I raced there 2004 and 2005," said the longtime Virginia resident. "I've qualified on the pole and I've won there, so I have good memories of the track. The Esses are going to be awesome in these cars, almost flat out and very, very fast. The track is rather narrow, so it will be tough to pass, and if you are ahead, you can make it difficult for people to get around you." Antonio Garcia is looking forward to this stop on the ALMS tour in his first season as a full-season driver for Corvette Racing - he's driven Daytona Prototypes at VIR for years. Garcia is fresh from a victory in a Corvette DP at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca on Sunday. "I know the track quite well, but I don't know the Corvette at that track so I will need to adjust, just as the team will adjust the car setup to perform," the Spaniard said. "I am looking forward to going to a track that I already know. The section going toward the Oak Tree corner is fast and flowing, with a series of corners that get your full attention. The circuit will produce really good racing." While the Corvette C6.R has not raced at VIR, the Corvette crew does have data from bygone days. "We tested at VIR when we were developing the C6.R many years ago," revealed team manager Gary Pratt. "We may be behind on the first day, but by the second day we should be right there. With all of the tools we have now, we won't be at a big disadvantage by not testing there."

[MOTV8]

Tehy have all of teh tools now. Teh Tommy was just at VIR drivin' a new 427 'vert for all those ads too.....that counts.

[MOTV8]

Graf, Muscle Milk take VIR pole with record lap

Klaus Graf and Muscle Milk Pickett Racing cemented their place in the history books Friday at Virginia International Raceway. Graf set an all-time track record en route to pole position for Saturday’s VIR 240, the first race at the circuit for the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón.

His lap of 1 minute, 35.434 seconds (123.352 mph) bested the previous record: a 1:36.3 from a Benetton ex-Formula One car in 2004. Graf was 0.932-second quicker than Dyson Racing’s Guy Smith in the No. 16 Lola-Mazda LMP1 car that is running a flywheel KERS hybrid system for the first time this season.

“It feels good to set the track record here,” Graf said. “It is a beautiful facility. I think all of the drivers love the layout and variety, elevation changes and the technical feel. We had another half second but I hit the traffic wrong. It's hard to not be able to show exactly what you have, but we'll take the qualifying time.”

Graf, Luhr and the rest of the Muscle Milk team hope Saturday’s race marks the end of a two-race losing streak. The pairing lost at Road America by only 0.083-second after going down four laps early, and a broken gear actuator at Baltimore resulted in a third-place class finish there.

Chris Dyson qualified Dyson Racing’s No. 20 Lola-Mazda third in LMP1 at 1:37.031 (121.322 mph).

In GT, Johannes van Overbeek earned his and Extreme Speed Motorsports’ first ALMS pole position with a lap of 1:45.988 (111.069 mph) in the No. 01 Ferrari 458 Italia. The GT battle was its usual tight self with seven cars within 0.692 second.

“We had a great test here in June, and we came here with the same setup,” van Overbeek said. “The Patrón Ferrari is really tailor-made for this track. It's a pleasure to drive our car here. It speaks to the mid-engine package the Ferrari has. The car is good under braking and there are quite a few hard braking areas.”

Van Overbeek, driving with Scott Sharp, ended the session 0.371-second clear of BMW Team RLL’s Dirk Müller in the No. 56 BMW M3 GT. Corvette Racing’s Oliver Gavin was third at 1:46.409 (110.630 mph) in the No. 4 Corvette C6 ZR1.

Gavin held the point for the most of the session before van Overbeek and the Ferrari came to life. The ESM pilot took the provisional pole with three minutes left at 1:46.409 only to watch Gavin post the same time on his next lap. Van Overbeek would have been awarded pole as he posted the lap time first, but he left no doubt and improved his final trip around the circuit.

Martin Plowman took the LMP2 pole position after another duel with Christophe Bouchut. Plowman, in the No. 37 Conquest Endurance Morgan-Nissan, set a lap of 1:38.043 (120.070 mph). He and David Heinemeier-Hansson will try for their third class-win of the season. If trends mean anything, then Saturday could be a good day for the duo. Conquest won the last two races in which Plowman won pole: at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (Mosport) and Road America.

Bouchut finished the session 0.422-second off Plowman’s pace. The two swapped fast laps eight times before Bouchut had consecutive offs that ruined his final laps in Level 5 Motorsports’ HPD ARX-03b. Luis Diaz was third in class at 1:39.093 (118.797 mph) in Level 5’s No. 95 entry.

The Prototype Challenge class featured another back-and-forth fight—this time a battle between four drivers. CORE autosport’s Colin Braun came out on top with a lap of 1:41.006 (116.548 mph) to earn pole position by the slimmest of margins, 0.001-second over Kyle Marcelli in Merchant Services Racing’s No. 8 car.

Braun won his second ALMS pole of the season in the No. 05 ORECA FLM09 he drives with Jon Bennett. They sit second in the class championship behind CORE teammate Alex Popow.

Damien Faulkner earned his fourth GT Challenge pole in five rounds and his fifth this season for Green Hornet Racing. He set a lap of 1:52.426 (104.709 mph) in the No. 34 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup and topped second-place qualifier Jeroen Bleekemolen by 0.370-second in the latest battle between the two.

Starting Lineup

1. Lucas Luhr, Germany (GER); Klaus Graf, Germany (GER); HPD ARX-03a Honda (P1), 1:35.434, 123.352 mph

2. Chris Dyson, Pleasant Valley, NY (USA); Guy Smith, Beverley, UK (ENG); Johnny Mowlem, England (ENG); Lola B12/60 Mazda (P1), 1:36.366, 122.159

3. Michael Marsal, Bedford, NY (US); Mark Patterson, Bronxville, NY (USA); Lola B11/66 Mazda (P1), 1:37.031, 121.322

4. David Heinemeier Hansson, Chicago, IL (USA); Martin Plowman, Indianapolis, IN (USA); Morgan/Nissan (P2), 1:38.043, 120.070

5. Scott Tucker, Leawood, KS (US); Christophe Bouchut, France (FRA); HPD ARX-03b Honda (P2), 1:38.465, 119.555

6. Luis Diaz, Mexico (MEX); Scott Tucker, Leawood, KS (US); Roberto Gonzalez, Mexico City, MX (MEX); HPD ARX-03b (P2), 1:39.093, 118.797

7. Jon Bennett, Fort Mill, SC (US); Colin Braun, Ovalo, TX (USA); Oreca FLM09 Chevrolet (PC), 1:41.006, 116.548

8. Lucas Downs, Butterfiled, MN (USA); Kyle Marcelli, Barrie, ON (CA); Oreca FLM09 Chevrolet (PC), 1:41.007, 116.546

9. Alex Popow, Lecheria, VE (VEN); Tom Kimber-Smith, England (ENG); Oreca FLM09 Chevrolet (PC), 1:41.269, 116.245

10. Tomy Drissi, Hollywood, CA (USA); Bruno Junqueira (BRA); Oreca FLM09 Chevrolet (PC), 1:41.411, 116.082

11. Rudy Junco, Monterrey, Mex (Mex); Marino Franchitti, Edinburgh, UK (SCO); Oreca FLM09 Chevrolet (PC), 1:41.475, 116.009

12. Tony Burgess, Canada (CAN); Pablo Sanchez, Mexico City, Mex (MEX); Eric Lux, Williamsville, NY (US); Oreca FLM09 Chevrolet (PC), 1:42.131, 115.264

13. Henri Richard, Los Altos Hills, CA (FRA); Duncan Ende, Los Angeles (USA); Oreca FLM09 Chevrolet (PC), 1:43.351, 113.903

14. Scott Sharp, Jupiter, FL (USA); Johannes van Overbeek, San Francisco, CA (USA); Ferrari F458 Italia (GT), 1:45.988, 111.069

15. Jonathon Summerton, Kissimmee, FL (USA); Dirk Mueller, Tagerwilen, CH (DEU); BMW E92 M3 (GT), 1:46.359, 110.682

16. Tommy Milner, Leesburg, VA (USA); Oliver Gavin (GBR); Corvette C6-ZR1 (GT), 1:46.409, 110.630

17. Antonio Garcia, Barcelona, ES (ESP); Jan Magnussen, Roskilde, DK (DEN); Corvette C6-ZR1 (GT), 1:46.497, 110.538

18. Patrick Long, Oak Park, CA (USA); Jörg Bergmeister (DEU); Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (GT), 1:46.583, 110.449

19. Seth Neiman, Burlingame, CA (USA); Marco Holzer, Austria (AUT); Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (GT), 1:46.601, 110.430

20. Jörg Müller, Germany (DUE); Bill Auberlen, Hermosa Beach, CA (USA); BMW E92 M3 (GT), 1:46.680, 110.349

21. Wolf Henzler (DEU); Bryan Sellers, Centerville, OH (USA); Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (GT), 1:48.014, 108.986

22. Bryce Miller, Hoboken, NJ (USA); Sascha Maassen, Aachen, DE (DE); Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (GT), 1:48.319, 108.679

23. Bill Sweedler, Westport, CT (USA); Townsend Bell, Santa Monica, CA (USA); Lotus Evora/Cosworth (GT), 1:48.940, 108.059

24. Ed Brown, Las Vegas, NV (USA); Guy Cosmo, Long Island, NY; Ferrari F458 Italia (GT), 1:51.510, 105.569

25. Peter LeSaffre, Rye, NH (USA); Damien Faulkner, Mouille, IE (IRE); Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (GTC), 1:52.426, 104.709

26. Henrique Cisneros, Miami, FL (US); Jeroen Bleekemolen, Monte Carlo, Monaco (NED); Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (GTC), 1:52.796, 104.365

27. Emilio Di Guida, Venezuela (VE); Spencer Pumpelly, Atlanta, GA (USA); Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (GTC), 1:52.969, 104.206

28. Chris Cumming, Vancouver, BC (CAN); Michael Valiante, Vancouver, BC (CAN); Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (GTC), 1:53.151, 104.038

29. Cooper MacNeil, Hinsdale, IL (USA); Leh Keen, Dublin, GA (USA); Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (GTC), 1:53.339, 103.865

30. Angel Andres Benitez, Jr, Valencia, VE (VEN); Angel Raphael Benitez, Sr, Valencia, VE (VEN); Jeroen Bleekemolen, Netherlands (NED); Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (GTC), 1:53.988, 103.274

31. Bob Faieta, Tujunga, CA (USA); Michael Avenatti, Lagunna Beach, CA (US); Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (GTC), 1:54.828, 102.519

[Shifty]

OG/Tommy could clinch today with 24 pts... I'd love to see a 1/2 Corvette finish, and Mags to get his first/only/seasonly win at Petit next also, and give teh 3 car teh P2 Manufacturers Championship behind Olly and teh Milner kid...

[MOTV8]

OG/Tommy could clinch today with 24 pts...

Clinchorama!

Gavin/Milner take teh GT win at VIR, clinching Driver's, Team, and Manufacturer's Championships!!!

Mags and Garcia had another sh!t day. Mebbe tehy can crush it at Petit.