Shifty Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 Holy chit! Aston Martin Racing Set to Race at Long Beach, Monterey Confirms 2012 WEC and Le Mans programs 2012-02-24 Share | Aston Martin Racing will embark upon an exciting new challenge in 2012 as it prepares to make a return to international GT motorsport in the FIA World Endurance Championship. The team will campaign a V8-powered Vantage in the GTE Pro category of the eight round series, which spans three continents. At the third round of the championship, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Aston Martin Racing will field a second works Vantage GTE. The Vantage GTE is a development of the Vantage GT2, with significant improvements to all areas including the engine, drivetrain and suspension. Carrying the iconic Gulf colours, the new car will make its competitive debut at round one of the FIA World Endurance Championship, the 60th anniversary edition of the 12 Hours of Sebring, on March 17th. The driver line-up has been confirmed as Darren Turner (GBR), Stefan Mücke (D) and Adrian Fernandez (MX). In order to give the team more competitive experience of the Vantage GTE ahead of Le Mans, Aston Martin Racing will also contest the Long Beach and Laguna Seca rounds of the American Le Mans Series on April 14th and May 12th respectively. Aston Martin Lagonda Chairman David Richards shared his enthusiasm for the new project: “It’s great to be returning to our core motorsport activity; production-based GT racing. It formed the basis for Aston Martin’s return to competition when the DBR9 GT1-racer was launched in 2004, and it was in GT racing that we achieved our famous victories at Le Mans in 2007 and 2008. “The GT category is also now the most competitive class in world sports car racing and with the new FIA World Endurance Championship the GTE class will, I believe, offer the closest fought and most exciting spectacle. We will see many premium sports car brands competing with great sounding racing cars based on their production models, which all the fans can relate to.” At the heart of the Vantage GTE is the road-going Aston Martin V8 Vantage. The GTE is a significantly updated version of the original GT2 car and has been specifically designed to compete in championships running to the Automobile Club De L’Ouest GTE regulations. Under the bonnet, the engine is based on the standard Aston Martin V8, but with competition components including cylinder heads, connecting rods, valves, camshafts and a racing exhaust system. As in the road car, the transmission is mid-rear mounted, but with a six-speed semi-automatic sequential transmission and competition clutch. The transmission also has a dedicated oil/air cooling system. The bonded aluminium structure is taken directly from the V8 Vantage road car. Into this, Aston Martin Racing integrates an aerospace specification steel roll cage built to FIA standards. With the exception of the roof, the bodywork is manufactured from lightweight carbon fibre and features an advanced aerodynamic package with carbon fibre splitter, flat floor and diffuser, and a carbon fibre rear wing designed using the latest computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques. The Vantage GTE retains the road car’s double wishbone suspension layout at the front and rear, but with bespoke wishbones and coil springs over Koni adjustable aluminium bodied dampers. Powerful but lightweight six-piston Brembo racing calipers are fitted to the front axle with similar four-piston calipers at the rear. Aston Martin Racing’s decision to enter the FIA World Endurance Championship will ensure that the brand continues to compete at the very highest level of endurance sports car racing. As of the 2012 season, all of Aston Martin Racing’s competition cars are based on the road-going Vantage, reflecting its status as the sportiest car in Aston Martin’s model range. Factory driver Darren Turner said: “I’m excited about this programme as it’s our opportunity to take Aston Martin back to the top of the world of GT racing. The Vantage GTE is a great car; she’s coming along nicely now and we’re ready to take on what we expect will be tough competition. The FIA World Endurance Championship calendar looks good to me, especially as I’ve already won in an Aston Martin at half of the tracks: Sebring, Silverstone, Interlagos and of course at Le Mans. We are going to Sebring next month with a brand new car, but that’s exactly what we did with the DBR9 back in 2005 and we won that race. I’m not promising we can repeat that but we’ll certainly try!” Team-mate Stefan Mücke explained the team’s ambitions for its first year in the FIA World Endurance Championship: “I’m really looking forward to racing the Vantage GTE and I’m optimistic that the car will be competitive. We always aim high and target podium finishes at every race, but we are also determined to prove the speed and reliability of the Vantage GTE in 2012.” Adrian Fernandez added: "GT racing will be a new experience for me because I have raced single-seaters and prototypes for the majority of my career. It's always a pleasure to try something new as a racing driver and with Aston Martin's past success in the GT category, I'm sure I will learn how to get the most out of the Vantage GTE very quickly. We have a strong driver line-up with my team-mates Stefan and Darren, who have a lot of experience in GT racing. I am excited for the start of the season as well as the opportunity to represent Lowe's both in a world championship and the American Le Mans Series." Aside from a two-car campaign at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Aston Martin will also host the inaugural Aston Martin Racing Festival, which gives all owners of its GT competition cars the opportunity to participate in an exclusive 45-minute race on the 8.5-mile Circuit de la Sarthe on the morning of the 24-hour epic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOTV8 Posted February 25, 2012 Author Share Posted February 25, 2012 Helllloo...MÜCKE. Holy chit is right!! More british ass to kick! Can't believe they got Fernandez, and I wonder how AM will do running teh show without Prodrive doing all teh actual work! I'm suddenly curious about the motor, if Parker happens to read this I hope he shares anything he knows about this cross-plane crank versus flat-plane crank V8 stuff... Aston Martin on Friday unveiled its 2012 Vantage GTE that will make its racing debut at the FIA World Endurance Championship in Sebring, Fla., on March 17. The new car has nearly 25 improvements over its predecessor, with emphasis on improving the car’s reliability and serviceability, according to Aston Martin Racing managing director John Gaw. “Our first target for this project was to produce a reliable car,” Gaw said. “We have also strived to make the car easier to service. We have new subframes front and rear, which, for example, mean the engine can be changed much more quickly because we no longer have to take the car apart.” Other improvements are revised aerodynamics, including a new rear wing, a new roll cage and a heavily reworked version of the Vantage’s cross-plane crank V8 engine. AMR opted to put on hold for durability reasons the development of the flat-plane crank V8 used by its customers at the opening races of 2011. “We have been pretty serious about this,” Gaw said. “The Vantage has always been a customer car, but now I would describe it as a factory car. We have incorporated lessons learned from the DBR9 GT1 and our LMP1 cars.” A 2011-spec car fitted with the new engine was tested at Guadix in Spain earlier in the year. The first definitive 2012 Vantage GTE was shaken down at the MIRA proving ground on Tuesday before a day’s testing at Donington Park on Wednesday. The car is set to run for three days at Road Atlanta before making its race debut in the hands of Darren Turner, Stefan Mücke and Adrian Fernández at the opening FIA World Endurance Championship round at Sebring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two Fangs Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 I'm suddenly curious about the motor, if Parker happens to read this I hope he shares anything he knows about this cross-plane crank versus flat-plane crank V8 stuff... Flat plane cranks can be compared to a shotgun. Crude, but effective. The easiest way to explain the difference is to show how the crank is laid out. The flat plane cranks do not have connecting rod journals every 90 degrees like a 350, but instead the flat plane crank has connecting rod journals 180 degrees apart, like a four cylinder. The two greatest benefits of this design are a large number of firing order combinations, and even bank-to-bank firing orders, and a crank that slings much less counter weighting. Meaning a lower MOI and much faster acceleration capability. Much faster. Flat plane V8 cranks are not found often in cars because they tend to vibrate more than an average driver cares for. But they sound absolutely out of this world and go like stink. If you watch a race with a flat plane Aston, their distinctive Ferrari-like howl is really cool. As far as I am concerned, this type of crankshaft has a definite advantage when performance is the primary objective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two Fangs Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 Here is a graphic I nicked off of google to better show what I was trying to explain between a flat plane (the new Aston) and a cross plane (traditional V8) design Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two Fangs Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 Here is a Lingenfelter experimental LSX with a flat plane crank in it, wish the sound was better, but you can certainly tell the V8 rumble is non-existent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOTV8 Posted February 25, 2012 Author Share Posted February 25, 2012 I'm suddenly curious about the motor, if Parker happens to read this I hope he shares anything he knows about this cross-plane crank versus flat-plane crank V8 stuff... Flat plane V8 cranks are not found often in cars because they tend to vibrate more than an average driver cares for. But they sound absolutely out of this world and go like stink. As far as I am concerned, this type of crankshaft has a definite advantage when performance is the primary objective. Good stuff, thx! So in the above scenario, AM has a flat plane cranker that probably shreds, but isn't as reliable as the cross plane, and for WEC racing they need bulletproof. Makes sense now. I was imagining it the other way around, like AM was using the cross plane as a way to get an edge hp-wise, while they obfuscate to the sanctioning body about development/reliability issues for the flat plane. It's AM, I admit, I am biased.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two Fangs Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 Biased with good reason, I might add. The AM team is going to have growing pains, but that limey piece of shit will be fast when they get it sorted.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two Fangs Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 By the way, congrats on "obfuscate", I almost used "bifurcate" in Victor's winter gas thread earlier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shifty Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 ALMS: Jaguar pulls plug on GT racing program Published on February 24, 2012 LAT PHOTOGRAPHY - On Friday, Jaguar and RSR Racing announced they would be ending their American Le Mans Series GT2 program. Jaguar and RSR Racing on Friday announced that their American Le Mans Series GT-class campaign will not continue in 2012, “as Jaguar focuses all of its efforts on its ambitious global product-growth plan. Every aspect of Jaguar Cars is committed to its global growth plan—meaning prudent and frequently difficult business decisions are being made along the way in order to ensure that every available resource is channeled towards its future.” Paul Gentilozzi’s Michigan-based Rocketsports Racing was behind the Jaguar XKR GT program since its inception in 2009, but the effort never quite lived up to expectations and hopes. The XKR GT recorded several top-10 finishes during its competition history, but it never finished a race in a position better than sixth after struggling to find speed to match the ALMS front-runners. Gentilozzi said, “I could not be more proud of the impact we have made in North America with Jaguar loyalists. I have been racing Jaguar XKs for more than a decade and will continue to hold in esteem our accomplishments and victories that include a GT win in the 24 Hours of Daytona and seven manufacturers’ and drivers’ championships in the Trans-Am Series. “RSR will continue to develop its line of aftermarket performance products for the current line of Jaguar cars. In addition, RSR will launch its XKR track car to the public.” Meanwhile, Jaguar left the door open for an eventual return to competition. “The energy, focus and sheer determination within the RSR team are all virtues Jaguar has been proud to have been associated with,” the company said in a prepared statement. “Nonetheless, Jaguar has a rich heritage in motorsport and envisions that in the future, the brand could again be associated with racing at the highest level.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two Fangs Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 Interestingly, I associate Jaguars with backwards-assed piece of shit Lucas electrics and broken head studs. "racing at the highest level" was the furthest thing on my mind. Kind of like associating Roseanne Barr with Penthouse magazine.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shifty Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 Yeah, but they were cool looking, and another GT2 entry besides stinkin' Porsches and Fewwawis... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOTV8 Posted February 26, 2012 Author Share Posted February 26, 2012 They tried...Junquera even turned some quick laps...once....but pimpin ain't eazy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shifty Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 Ye gads this last couple of weeks before Sebring kills me very time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOTV8 Posted March 4, 2012 Author Share Posted March 4, 2012 Turn up volume to annoyingly loud. Clicky A and Clicky B Rinse, repeat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shifty Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 Thanks for that Dean, now I've got to go consult a physician for an erection lasting longer than 4 hours... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOTV8 Posted March 4, 2012 Author Share Posted March 4, 2012 np I've also been enjoying this can o' whupass a few times lately. I feel that Ferrari's got teh speed this year, but can they run 12 at Sebring without teh breaking? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shifty Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 Hey, teh aluminum is recycle-able when all of those transmissions start breaking... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desertdawg Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 awesome sounds, just waiting for the 17th..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOTV8 Posted March 7, 2012 Author Share Posted March 7, 2012 awesome sounds, just waiting for the 17th..... Those vids must've been hell on your dial-up, sorry... Can you get ESPN3 there yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desertdawg Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 no 3 yet, but i can get it on my company provided sprint mifi, so i might accidently leav it on and log on with the pad to watch .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shifty Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Corvette Racing to Debut New Wide-Body Race Cars in Sebring Season-Opener New Corvette C6.Rs and New Driver Lineup to Highlight 60th Annual Sebring 12-Hour Race Following an intense preseason testing program, Corvette Racing will begin its quest for the American Le Mans Series GT championship in the season-opening 60th Annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring on Saturday, March 17. Originally constructed as a training ground for B-17 bomber crews during World War II, the runways and service roads of Sebring Airport became a proving ground for legions of Corvette racers. Corvette Racing will continue this motorsports tradition with the competition debut of a new generation of Compuware Corvette C6.R race cars and a revised driver lineup at Sebring International Raceway in the most demanding endurance race on the ALMS calendar. Many of the updates in the Corvette C6.R race cars are the result of changes in the GT class rules for 2012. The new Corvettes are 2 inches wider than the preceding version (80.6 inches overall width). Corresponding revisions in the bodywork and suspension components complement the increased track width allowed by the regulations, with muscular fender flares covering Michelin racing tires that have been optimized for the new chassis configuration. The rear wing is mounted 75mm higher than last year, and the front fascia now bristles with dive plane "whiskers" to enhance front downforce in the close-quarter battles that are the hallmark of the GT category. The heart of the beast is an updated 5.5-liter Chevrolet small-block V-8 that breathes through twin 29.2mm intake air restrictors (.4mm larger than in 2011) as specified by the GT regulations. "Last year one of our competitors was granted a waiver to run a car that was 2 inches wider than the GT rules allowed, and the regulations were subsequently changed to allow all of the cars in GT to race with this increased width in 2012," said Gary Pratt, Corvette Racing team manager. "The 2-inch wider track required all-new bodywork and revised suspension components. The updated Corvette C6.R has to go through the homologation (approval) process again, so we had an opportunity to make additional refinements within the parameters of the GT regulations. GM Powertrain engineers went through a similar process with updates in engine tuning and calibrations to improve driveability and throttle response." The wide-body Corvette C6.R race cars still retain strong links to their production counterparts. The hydroformed aluminum frame, bodywork, and aero package are derived from the Corvette ZR1 supercar. The engine is a based on the Corvette Z06's 7.0-liter naturally aspirated, all-aluminum small-block, reduced to 5.5 liters displacement in accordance with the GT regulations. This tight bond between street and track is showcased in the new 2013 Corvette 427 Convertible, the fastest, most capable Corvette convertible ever produced. The Corvette Racing program pioneered the Corvette 427 Convertible's 7.0-liter engine, lightweight carbon fiber body components, and aero enhancements. "A wider car transfers less load under cornering, and consequently it has more lateral capacity," explained Doug Louth, Corvette Racing engineering director. "It's not as simple as just making wider fender flares, however. The project involved CFD analysis, surface optimization, and wind tunnel testing. Longer front control arms produce different loads that required new fatigue calculations, durability testing, and packaging studies. "A key objective was to minimize drag as much as possible with the wider body, while maximizing the downforce potential that it provides," Louth noted. "Even on a high-speed circuit like Le Mans, the net result favors a wider track width in terms of overall lap time. The wider track has special requirements, and Michelin again proved to be an excellent technical partner. At every test, we had several development tires to evaluate with Michelin engineers. The same Michelin personnel develop tires for the Corvette production cars, so it's a very deep and productive relationship that encourages the transfer of technology between the two disciplines." Success in Sebring is not just about hardware – the human element is also crucial in an exhausting 12-hour endurance test. Corvette Racing has realigned its driver lineup in 2012 to ensure that all six pilots are compatible in both physical size and setup preferences. The No. 03 Compuware Corvette is driven by Jan Magnussen (Denmark) and Antonio Garcia (Spain), with 20-year-old Florida college student Jordan Taylor making his Corvette Racing competition debut as third driver. Oliver Gavin (UK) and Tommy Milner of Lake Mary, Fla., will share the No. 4 Compuware Corvette C6.R, with Richard Westbrook (UK) reprising his role as third driver in the long-distance events. "We work together very, very well," said Magnusssen about his co-drivers. "We have similar feedback and want similar characteristics in the car. We have arrived at a solution on the seat, the pedals, and the steering wheel that we can all use without seat inserts, which will speed up driver changes. Everybody is up to speed and very fast in the car." "It's great to welcome Tommy on board in the No. 4 Corvette C6.R," said Westbrook. "I can't argue with being paired with the reigning Le Mans champion. Olly, Tommy and I get on well, we've gelled over the winter, and we've learned what each other likes in the car. With our similar sizes, the driving position is more comfortable than last year, which is very important when you're double-stinting." With a total of 63 entries for Sebring (33 ALMS and 30 FIA World Endurance Championship), the 17-turn, 3.7-mile circuit will feature intense racing and heavy traffic. "It's going to be a really challenging event," said Gavin. "My expectations are there will be huge traffic and difficult situations with drivers who haven't raced at Sebring before. The pit lane has been extended to accommodate the large number of entries, which has changed the entry to the first turn. This will be an issue for the faster prototype cars because they won't be able to swing out wide to overtake and then arc into the first corner." "Sixty-three cars at Sebring will be tough for everyone," Milner predicted. "I'm glad that I've raced there several times before and know the track well. Among all of the endurance races, Sebring is one of the most difficult driving into the night. You have the sun in your eyes in Sunset Bend and smoke from the campfires blowing across the infield. The back section, especially Turn 14, is very dark. When you don't have any reference points at night, 120 mph feels like 300 mph. Night practice here is very, very important." Corvette first competed at Sebring in 1956 when John Fitch and Walt Hansgen raced to a Class B victory at the 12 Hours of Sebring, the first step onto the world stage that established Chevy’s sports car as a contender in top-level competition. Since then, 24 Corvettes have scored class or category victories in this legendary endurance race, including seven ALMS class wins by Corvette Racing. Armed with new machinery, an international roster of skillful drivers, and a dedicated crew, Corvette Racing is now focused on bringing home its eighth Sebring title. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOTV8 Posted March 12, 2012 Author Share Posted March 12, 2012 Campfire smoke isn't the only kind blowing across the track... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desertdawg Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 "Last year one of our competitors was granted a waiver to run a car that was 2 inches wider than the GT rules allowed, I didn't know this until you guys said something, now it's in print.... der beemers are going to suck now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shifty Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 "Last year one of our competitors was granted a waiver to run a car that was 2 inches wider than the GT rules allowed, I didn't know this until you guys said something, now it's in print.... der beemers are going to suck now Also teh rear wings are now equal... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOTV8 Posted March 13, 2012 Author Share Posted March 13, 2012 Light reading today with two Sebring previews out: Racer and Epoch Racer also has a nice piece on newb Jordan Taylor, and his use of a racing sim to land the job with CR: Linky Check out his sim rig! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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