Extreme Speed Motorsports Qualifies at Petit Le Mans P1 And P2 – UPDATED

October 19, 2012 By Leave a Comment

During the Petit Le Mans race week, ESM, The Patrón Spirits Company and Ultimat Vodka launched the 2012 campaign “Race to Erace” hunger throughout the world. As part of the special livery at Petit Le Mans, fans can contribute to Action Against Hunger. Image Credit: ESM

Extreme Speed Motorsports Qualifies at Petit Le Mans P1 And P2 – UPDATED

The Extreme Speed Motorsports Ferraris dominated Friday’s qualifying session at Petit Le Mans – qualifying 1-2 and locking in the front row for tomorrow’s season finale at Road Atlanta.

Setting new records for the team and race circuit, Guy Cosmo, co-driver of the No. 02 Ultimat Vodka Ferrari 458 Italia, earned his first career pole position, the second consecutive pole for ESM, and set a new qualifying track record for Road Atlanta for the season finale of the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) presented by Tequila Patrón.

In the brief 15-minute session, the chrome and blue Ultimat Vodka-livered Ferraris were fixtures atop the charts. At the conclusion of the session, Cosmo and Toni Vilander, co-driver of the No. 01 Ultimat Vodka Ferrari 458 Italia, were listed as the front row starters for the 15th Annual Petit Le Mans powered by Mazda on Saturday.

The 1-2 qualifying effort is the first time team history that the Ferraris will start side-by-side from the start of the highly competitive GT class.

Cosmo earned his first career ALMS pole on Friday afternoon by lapping the No. 02 Ferrari around then 2.54-mile, 12-turn circuit in 1:18.677 (116.222 mph).  Cosmo will pilot the No. 02 with season-long teammate Ed Brown, and Atlanta native Anthony Lazzaro.

Vilander qualified the No. 01 car less than a tenth of a second behind Cosmo with a best lap of 1:18.729 (116.145 mph). Vilander, a factory Ferrari driver, joins season-long regulars Scott Sharp and Johannes van Overbeek.

The final race of the 2012 American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is Petit Le Mans powered by Mazda. The 1,000-mile/10-hour race from Road Atlanta is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. ET on Saturday, Oct 20. Full, live coverage starts at 11:15 a.m. ET on ESPN3.ABC’s broadcast begins at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 21.

UPDATED:

The ESM #01 that qualified P2 comes home after 10 hours of racing in P1 of the GT Class 30.68s ahead of Antonio Garcia driving the #3 Chevrolet Corvette C6 ZR1. On the last leg, Toni Vilander piloted home the Ferrari F458 Italia he had shared driving duties with team owner Scott Sharp and season co-driving teammate Johannes van Overbeek. It is a bit fitting that the factory driver from Ferrari, who flew in from the mother country of Italy, was able to be the cherry on top of the American campaigned Ferrari team’s cake of a win in the Petit Le Mans which serves as the final race of the 2012 season. The #55 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing BMW E92 M3 driven by Bill Auberlen came in third.

The #01 Ultimat Vodka/Action Against Hunger Ferrari 458 Italia started from the GT Class pole and was the dominant race car to beat during the endurance event. In his closing stint, Vilander had a 42 second lead with eight laps remaining in the race, but as the race came to a close, fuel strategy became an issue.

Vilander responded to the challenge and claimed his decisive win with only two liters of fuel remaining in the Ferrari’s tank.

The overall finishing position for the #01 Ferrari was 12th overall, out of 42 total entrants.

This win marks the second win for the #01 this season, with the other in July for Sharp and van Overbeek at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park.

The ESM #01 Ultimat Vodka/Action Against Hunger Ferrari 458 Italia co-driven by Scott Sharp, Johannes van Overbeek and Toni Vilander won the 15th Annual Petit Le Mans. Image Credit: ESM

This season, the #01 team has earned five third place finishes (Long Beach, Lime Rock, Road America, Baltimore, VIR) and two wins (Canadian Tire Motorsports Park and Road Atlanta). Based on this strong showing, Sharp and van Overbeek are ranked second in the very challenging ALMS GT driver’s championship.

The accolades continued at Road Atlanta with the #01 receiving the Michelin Green X Challenge Award for being the cleanest, fastest and most efficient race car in the GT class. ESM received the award during at Long Beach in April and at Virginia International Raceway in September.

On the other side of the ESM paddock, Ed Brown, Guy Cosmo and Anthony Lazzaro co-drivers of the #02 Ultimat Vodka/Action Against Hunger Ferrari 458 Italia. Cosmo initially qualified the #02 machine on the pole, but was forced to the back of the field at the start of the race after ALMS officials deemed to the #02 too low in ride height (by millimeters), thus failing post qualifying technical inspection. The low ride height was a result of a broken splitter that occurred during Friday’s qualifying session.

Cosmo wheeled the Ferrari and charged through and was running fourth before handing the Ferrari over to Brown. Unfortunately, time was lost in a driver change due to a problem with seatbelt adjustment, as well as an on-track penalty for Cosmo for “avoidable contact” with another competitor. Due to the time lost, the #02 finished the race in ninth place in the GT class.

A two hour recap of the 15th Annual Petit Le Mans, the final race of the 2012 American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón season, will air today, Sunday, October 21, at 1 p.m., on ABC.

… notes from The EDJE

Filed Under: Top ALMS Story Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Patrick Dempsey Feels He Is Finally Ready For The Big Stage

May 10, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Good Morning from @PatrickDempsey @jonny_cocker @jfoster4055. Image Credit: JDempsey Racing via Twitter (2012)

 

As with any good acting gig, an effort worth taking a part in takes preparation. Patrick Dempsey has been in preparation for this role all of his life … the role of exotic race car team owner, car owner, and driver in the American Le Mans Series, North America’s premier sports car racing series.

Dempsey is set to make his long-awaited debut in the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón six-hour race event this weekend at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. The successful Hollywood film and television star … and Dempsey Racing co-owner (with seven year business partner/driver, Joe Foster), is confirmed in the lineup for the team’s Lola-Judd prototype – part of the LMP2 field at the American Le Mans Monterey presented by Patrón.

The decision to enter the Mazda Raceway round comes after preparing to become a competent sports car driver for four years in the Grand Am series and most recently, a successful shakedown and initial three-day test of the prototype Lola-Judd on Michelin tires at Miller Motorsports Park outside Salt Lake City.

“It is nothing short of an awe-inspiring experience in every respect,” said Dempsey, who will be racing a prototype sports car for the first time. “It feels familiar but so much more intense – the braking, the acceleration, cornering and power, it is all on a much more dynamic level than the GT cars I have driven. It’s an amazing machine and it is incredible to even have the opportunity to race in a car like this at this level, and what better track to start with than Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. This race will really be a continuation of our learning and testing process only this time in front of a bigger crowd. We should be able to accomplish much more development and familiarization during an endurance race.”

Patrick Dempsey takes a moment to talk with Justin Bell before taking out the LMP2 for its first official test run at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. As lead driver and owner of Dempsey Racing, Patrick Dempsey enters the ALMS with a two car/two Class team. Dempsey is coming off of his fourth full season of GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series GT class competition in the No. 40 VISIT FLORIDA/ModSpace/Construct Corps/Dempsey Racing Mazda RX-8 GT. Image Credit: Justin Bell @justinbelltv

He is expected to share driving duties with his team co-owner Joe Foster and former ALMS Drayson Racing driver, Jonny Cocker. The addition of Cocker (Porsche Carrera Cup Asia Champion – 2005, British GT Championship – 2004) to the Dempsey Racing effort brings along a wealth of Lola car driving experience that Foster and Dempsy will benefit from. This will be much welcomed because it was only this March, Dempsey and Foster announced Dempsey Racing’s move into the LMP2 Class for a partial ALMS season in 2012. The team’s plans call for a full championship run in 2013 with the goal of an entry to the Le Mans 24 Hours in the near future, as well.

Dempsey Racing is a team effort in rare company by entering cars in two of the ALMS’s four classes. Henri Richard, Duncan Ende and Ryan Lewis will drive the team’s #25 PC car – an ORECA FLM09 also on Michelin tires. Two other teams have cars in multiple ALMS classes: Muscle Milk Pickett Racing (P1 and PC) and Lotus Alex Job Racing (GT and GT Challenge)

The American Le Mans Monterey presented by Patrón is set for 1:30 p.m. PT on Saturday, May 12, from the 2.238-mile Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. ESPN2 airs the race at 5 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 13. Live coverage is available starting 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 Monterey round and all ALMS races live on ALMS.com.

This weekend, we almost can hear Patrick Dempsey say (under his breath/paraphrased) the famous quote from the movie, Sunset Blvd. … a street not too far from where Dempsey resides – “Alright, Exotic Automobile Racing World, I’m ready for my close-up.”

Dempsy Racing's #25 LMPC open-cockpit (left) and #27 LMP2 closed-cockpit cars in after Thursday's promoter Test ... all in one piece each! Image Credit: Dempsey Racing ‏ @GoDempseyRacing

Promoter Test Day UPDATE:

Patrick Dempsey, making his LMP2 debut in Dempsey Racing’s new Lola B12/80 Judd. The actor/racer spun and high-sighted his Lola at the Corkscrew, which brought out one of two red flags.

Prior to Dempsey’s minor incident, co-driver Jonny Cocker, making his return to the cockpit of a Lola-Judd, posted the fifth quickest time overall and third best in LMP2 with a time of 1:19.698.

Dempsey Racing’s LMPC class open-cockpit ORECA FLM09 driven by Henri Richard, Duncan Ende, and Ryan Lewis ended up 11th out of thirty-four cars overall and 5th in class out of eight cars entered. Ryan Lewis is credited with the #25′s best lap at 1:20.952.

Qualifications UPDATE (from a “Tweet”):

Jonny Cocker ‏ @jonny_cocker – P3 in class in Quali.. Not bad considering the car is only 2 weeks old! Well done @GoDempseyRacing Lots of work to do but we’ll get there!!

Reminder: The American Le Mans Monterey presented by Patrón is set for 1:30 p.m. PT on Saturday, May 12, from the 2.238-mile Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. ESPN2 airs the race at 5 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 13. Live coverage is available starting at 4:15 p.m. ET on ESPN3.

… notes from The EDJE

 

** Article first published as Patrick Dempsey Feels He Is Finally Ready For The Big Stage on Technorati **

Filed Under: Top ALMS Story Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

New Media notes, quotes, and Tweets from the 60th Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring

March 18, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The team of the #2 Audi R18 TDI driven by Allan McNish, Tom Kristensen and Dindo Capello, celebrate their victory, once again, with the team of Timp Bernhard, Romain Dumas, and Loic Duval, who finished in 2nd place in the #3 Audi R18 TDI at the 60th running of the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring! It was a long, hard 12 hour race which was filled with a lot of drama and many wrecks on course. Image Credit: Josh Decker via QuattroWorld

There are many ways people use to try to communicate what they experience when they witness an event like a competition between people using machines of motion. Some write stories, some splice scenes from images captured in stills and video, while others capture observations registered in New Media posted on the internet via blogs, 140 character notes submitted to Twitter which are known as “Tweets”, and emailed PDF’s. The following entry are observations registered in New Media posted on the internet for Saturday’s 60th Anniversary Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring.

The captured observations, notes and quotes begin with a little more than five hours left in the 12 hour endurance race and continues to the end.

Allan McNish (#2-P1 Audi R18) posts his 28th ALMS victory, 4th at Sebring. Image Credit: ALMS

5:45 p.m. ET: Huge letdown for the No. 97 Aston Martin Vantage V8 of Darren Turner whose left rear wheel departed the car. Yellow flag for the stranded Aston which was running fourth in GT-Pro.

Olivier Crouzet @crewzyC7
RT @paulcrumlish: Sunset at #sebring12 @sebringraceway #alms #wec pic.twitter.com/32LEFOyQ

ALMS Racing @almsnotes
TIght in #P2. Bouchut and @Level5Racing only 0.633 seconds ahead of Dalziel in the Starworks HPD. #ALMS #Sebring12 #WEC

Muscle Milk Racing @MuscleMilkRace
Lucas gets by JRM for 3rd overall! Still 2 hours and 39 minutes to go! #ALMS #Sebring12

Pat W @toomuchracing
What rotten luck for JRM, Dumbreck/Brabham/Chandhok. :( Suspension failure after running 3rd.

8:51 PM ET

Nick Guzman @DarkKnightC6R
RT @almsnotes: Top six in #GT within 8.469 seconds. Did anyone tell them this is endurance racing? #ALMS #Sebring12 #WEC

9:28 PM ET

Kevin Toy @kevintoy888
Meanwhile, for you #INDYCAR fans, @EJVISO is still leading the PC class. *knocking on wood* #Sebring12 #ALMS

Kenichi Matsuo @stargazer_R
1 hour remains. Next routine pit stop will be final. #sebring #wec #alms

9:30 p.m. ET: One hour to go and the GT battle is heating up. JanMagnussen takes over the class-leading Corvette, but makes two mistakes–the first by putting it in reverse when trying to pull away, then cruising out of the pits and onto the track too slowly, letting the No. 51 AF Corse Ferrari get by.

9:32 p.m. ET: Class leaders:

LMP1: Tom Kristensen
LMP2: Stephane Sarrazin
LMPC: E.J. Viso
GT-Pro: Jorg Mueller
GT-Am: Julien Canal
GTC: Dion von Moltke

OAK Racing Live @OAKRacingLive
The clock ticks past 11 hours here with @olivierpla still in contention for LMP2 victory. +24secs to @starworksmotor. #WEC #ALMS #Sebring12

Muscle Milk Racing @MuscleMilkRace
Less than an hour to go! Simon is always in 3rd overall and Memo continues in 5th. #ALMS #Sebring12

9:41 PM ET

Alianora La Canta @lacanta
#sebring12 #alms #wec Things are quiet in LMP1, but the gap between the top 3 LMP2 cars (#44, #24 and #055) is 26 seconds.

Sport Auto Live @SportAutoLive
Top 3 GTE-Am : P1 Porsche 911 n°88 , P2 Corvette n°50 , P3 Corvette n°70. #WEC #ALMS #Sebring12

Alianora La Canta @lacantaMuscle Milk Racing @MuscleMilkRace
RT @almsnotes: Late-race trouble for @MuscleMilkRace! Reports of fueling rig problems. #ALMS #WEC #Sebring12
#sebring12 #alms #wec The #3 Audi (Bernhard P2) has pitted with, at a minimum, severe light bank damage.

Tony DiZinno @tonydizinno
That’s least of 6 car concerns. 016 Dyson now 1L away from being on same lap, 2L from overtaking. #DejaVuAllOverAgain #ALMS #Sebring12

Nathan Grundle @NathanGrundle
RT @almsnotes: Top six in #GT within 8.469 seconds. Did anyone tell them this is endurance racing? #ALMS #Sebring12 #WEC

10:05 PM ET

Jack Payne @jack4cap
#alms Joey hand retakes GT lead.

Laura Pritchard @LJ_Pritchard
Endurance racing. The proverbial it’s not over until the fat lady sings. @radiolemans @specutainment #WEC #sebring12hrs #alms

Mathilde berger @MatbergerBerger
RT @OAKRacingLive: @olivierpla’s pitstop has dropped him behind the @Level5Racing HPD. Time to shine Olivier. #WEC #ALMS #Sebring12

ROBERT LACAMBRA @robertlacambra
12 HRS OF SEBRING – 26 Minutes to go – Class Leaders #ALMS twitpic.com/8xs79m

Vukie @Vukie
RT @almsnotes: There is just 0.18 seconds between @JoeyHandRacing and Olivier Beretta with 21 minutes left. #ALMS #Sebring12 #WEC

Sport Auto Live @SportAutoLive
Top 5 LMP1 : P1 Audi R18 n°2 , P2 Audi R18 n°3 , P3 Pescarolo n°16 , P4 Lola Mazda n°016 , P5 HPD ARX n°21. #WEC #ALMS #Sebring12

OAK Racing Live @OAKRacingLive
Less than 15mins left here and LMP2 looks all-but settled, unless fuel plays a part of course. #WEC #ALMS #Sebring12

10:19 p.m. ET: Olivier Beretta out-brakes himself trying to pass Joey Hand for the GT-Pro lead. These two are providing the best fight on the track.

Michelin Alley @MichelinAlley
About 10 mins to go. Looks like Jan will be fighting it out for third place at #Sebring12. #alms #wec

Michelin Alley @MichelinAlley
5 mins to go: Audi No.2 leads. Starworks HPD leads P2, @JoeyHandRacing leads GT and @COREautosport’s No.06 leads PC. #Sebring12 #wec #ALMS

James Bogue @unitmotorsports
2 mins to go. Olivier Beretta slices past @JoeyHandRacing to grab GT lead. Last lap now. #alms #wec

Sunset at Sebring - The #56 BMW was consistently fast. Image Credit: James Fish | The Epoch Times

Bernard T. Bolt Esq @bernietb
Allan McNish exits the last corner and wins the Sebring 12 hour. #WEC #Sebring12 #ALMS

Michelin Alley @MichelinAlley
Hand back past but then pushed off. Beretta leads again in GT. #wec #ALMS

Kev @KevD9
Beretta prevails. What racing for the GT lead right at the end of a 12 hour race. Another great one. #ALMS #Sebring12 #WEC

Marcel ten Caat @dsceuroeditor
BMW wins Sebring, Corvette second, Beretta third. #Sebring12 #ALMS #WEC

Kevin Toy @kevintoy888
What a GT/GTE-Pro finish! gonna need a video replay. BMW 56 wins, followed by Corvette 4 and Ferrari 71. #Sebring12 #WEC #ALMS

Kenichi Matsuo @stargazer_R
Checkered flag! Cong Audi, Sarrazin, Pescarolo, and BMW #sebring #wec #alms

Matt Eagan @mattheweagan
@JoeyHandRacing is an animal!!! Get that position back! Big win – what a finish. #Sebring12 #ALMS #WEC

corey burbick @coreyburbick
class is in ALMS always goes down to the wire even after 12 hours of racing #12hoursofsebring #ALMS #marchmadness

l’endurance magazine @lendurancelive
RT @bernietb: Man. This endurance racing shit is SO BORING, eh? #WEC #Sebring12 #ALMS

Indy Racing Review @INDYracereview
Congratulations @COREautosport @EJVISO for winning the @almsnotes PC Class 60th Anniversary @sebringraceway 12 Hours #wec #alms #indycar2012

Andy Lally @AndyLally
Thank you.RT @ericpwilson Amazing result for No. 044 @FlyingLizard_MS with @AndyLally making a last-lap pass for P6 in #ALMS GT. #Sebring12

Helio Castroneves @h3lio
@EJVISO : buenissimo hombre te felicito!! Well done!

Marshall Pruett @marshallpruett
Also awesome for former open-wheel standout Jonathan Summerton, who won GT with @JoeyHandRacing and @RLLracing on his team and race debut.crazy how competive the GT

Graham Rahal @GrahamRahal
What a job by @RLLracing and @JoeyHandRacing to hang on to win. Ass of the year is Olivier Beretta who tried to take him out after 12 hrs!

Eric P. Wilson @ericpwilson
Replay showed Joey Hand didn’t know what he was taking about, was hit by No. 51 while No. 71 spun behind avoiding Hand #ALMS #Sebring12

Michael Friedman @mfriedman_63
Long Beach ALMS race will be live, on ESPN3, and ESPN2 TV it appears, in 4 weeks from today. #ALMS

Image Credit: ROBERT LACAMBRA via TweetDeck

At 10:31 pm (12h 0m running), Checkered Flag

Unofficial Top three in class:

(1) #2-P1 Capello/Kristensen/McNish (Audi R18) 325 laps
(2) #3-P1 Bernhard/Dumas/ Duval (Audi R18) 321 laps (-4 Laps)
(6) #16-P1 Collard/Boullion/ Jousse (Pescarolo Judd) 318 laps (-7 Laps)

(3) #44-P2 Potolicchio/Dalziel/ Sarrazin (HPD ARX-03b Honda) 319 laps
(4) #055-P2 Tucker/C.Bouchut/Barbosa (HPD ARX-03b) 319 laps (32.274-)
(5) #24-P2 Nicolet/Lahaye/ Pla (Morgan/Judd) 318 laps (-1 Laps)

(12) #06-PC Popow/Viso/Friselle (Oreca FLM09) 312 laps
(13) #52-PC Leitzinger/Dobson/ Junco (Oreca FLM09) 311 laps (-1 Laps)
(15) #05-PC Bennett/Braun/ Lux (Oreca FLM09) 310 laps (-2 Laps)

(18) #56-GT Hand/Summerton/Mueller (BMW E92 M3) 307 laps
(19) #03-GT Magnussen/Garcia/ Taylor (Corvette C6-ZR1) 307 laps (6.370-)
(20) #71-GT Bertolini/Cioci/ Beretta (Ferrari F458 Italia) 307 laps (8.110-)

(29) #88-GTE-AM Ried/Roda/ Ruberti (Porsche 911 RSR 997) 298 laps
(31) #70-GTE-AM Bourret/Gibon/ Belloc (Corvette C6-ZR1) 297 laps (-1 Laps)
(39) #50-GTE-AM Bornhauser/Canal/ Lamy (Corvette C6-ZR1) 288 laps (-10 Laps)

(33) #023-GTC Sweedler/Bell/ von Moltke (Porsche 911 GT3 Cup) 292 laps
(35) #022-GTC MacNeil/Keen/ Dumoulin (Porsche 911 GT3 Cup) 291 laps (-1 Laps)
(37) #34-GTC LeSaffre/Faulkner/ Bleekemolen (Porsche 911 GT3 Cup) 290 laps (-2 Laps)

Performance Hallmarks:

Allan McNish (#2-P1 Audi R18) posts his 28th ALMS victory, 4th at Sebring.

Tom Kristensen (#2-P1 Audi R18) posts his 13th ALMS victory, 7th at Sebring.

Dindo Capello (#2-P1 Audi R18) posts his 36th ALMS victory, 6th at Sebring

Alex Papow (#06-PC Oreca FLM09) first ALMS victory

E.J. Viso (#06-PC Oreca FLM09) first ALMS victory

Burt Frisselle (#06-PC Oreca FLM09) second ALMS victory, first at Sebring

Stephane Sarrazin (#44-P2 HPD ARX-03b Honda) seventh ALMS victory, first at Sebring

Vicente Potolicchio (#44-P2 HPD ARX-03b Honda) first ALMS victory

Ryan Dalziel (#44-P2 HPD ARX-03b Honda) first ALMS victory

Joey Hand (#56-GT BMW E92 M3) sixth ALMS victory, second at Sebring

Dirk Mueller (#56-GT BMW E92 M3) seventeenth ALMS victory, third at Sebring

Jonathon Summerton (#56-GT BMW E92 M3) first ALMS victory

Paolo Ruberti (#88-GTE-AM Porsche 911 RSR 997) records his first ALMS win

Christian Ried (#88-GTE-AM Porsche 911 RSR 997) records his first ALMS win

Gianluca Roda (#88-GTE-AM Porsche 911 RSR 997) records his first ALMS win

Townsend Bell (#023-GTC Porsche 911 GT3 Cup) first ALMS win

Dion von Moltke (#023-GTC Porsche 911 GT3 Cup) second ALMS win, first at Sebring

Bill Sweedler (#023-GTC Porsche 911 GT3 Cup) first ALMS win

Selected Driver Quotes:

(1) #2-P1 Capello/Kristensen/McNish (Audi R18) 325 laps

Allan McNish (#2-P1 Audi R18) “We’ve been racing this car for nearly a year, the first time here at Sebring. It adapted very, very well. The car is built for LE Mans, but the rigors here are what makes this track and the race so difficult for the engineers and the drivers. The R18 goes to its retirement after a victory. Sounds like a good way to send it off after 2011. We are looking now at the next race in the World Endurance Championship. We had a great run from start to finish. The work starts here. [during the last stint] I had Howden in my head the last time. All the attack situations. I heard some noises at the beginning of the race, which was more scary than at the end. But we have a very good history of finishing races at Audi. We know going in that we have a chance at victory. As drivers, we can be thankful for that, because there have been times in our careers where that wasn’t the case. [about the closed cockpit car] “The closed car doesn’t have the vision as an open car, the regs are in such a way and with the big tire we use, it takes the down force loads we require. The closed car is apparent it is more efficient. The advantage is the speed in the straights, especially with the small restrictors. It’s difficult to describe what it’s like, we’ve done a lot of testing so we’re used to it. But this race with 60-some cars, and the speed differentials was a great test again for us. We had to be very precise in traffic to make sure we made decisive maneuvers but not take excess risk.”

(3) #44-P2 Potolicchio/Dalziel/Sarrazin (HPD ARX-03b Honda) 319 laps

Ryan Dalziel (#44-P2 HPD ARX-03b Honda) “Its huge, Enzo and I have been with Starworks for a few years. We built a car in 9 days for 24 hours at Daytona and put it on the pole. You work with people who have perfected their craft after years and years. Our experience is very different, but a huge reward for guys who have not slept all week. They didn’t sleep at all last night. IT was a great start to what will be my most exciting season to date. I cant wait to get to the next race.

(12) #06-PC Popow/Viso/Friselle (Oreca FLM09) 312 laps

Alex Papow (#06-PC Oreca FLM09) “It was amazing to be here and we set a deal with Core Auto Sports 10 days ago. Just last Wednesday before coming to the track on Sunday and were told we think we have a chance for the championship. And it is here, we did it. We got first place. The team did a professional job and we just drove and made first place. It is incredible. It was my first time in the car and at Sebring. It is going to be good.

E.J. Viso (#06-PC Oreca FLM09) “For me it has been a very exciting week, he [Alex Popow] has been my best friend for so many years. He called me and said do you want to do this race. I know this track because of the IndyCar testing at the south circuit. But to learn a new track is always fun. But the program CORE Autosport has is a fantastic crew. It was a fantastic race.”

(18) #56-GT Hand/Summerton/Mueller (BMW E92 M3) 307 laps

Joey Hand (#56-GT BMW E92 M3) “It was basically the last 2 hours and 45 minutes that was the crazy train I was on. We talked about this, what do we have for this race, we knew we didn’t have the ultimate lap. We knew we had the smartest guys, starting with Bobby Rahal, then BMW, Dunlop, a lot of great people. We had 4 or 5 issues that could have taken us laps down. But we pitted on the right laps, in the right place. Coming down the last laps, we stinted 1 and a half or 1 and 3/4 and we just took fuel at the end. I was a little surprised. Then Berretta got around me, then I got back around him again. We got sideways again, the next thing I was around him. I can’t be here all year, I can help all I can. Summerton did an excellent job, he really impressed me. He didn’t make any mistakes. In a car to car competition, you have no chance making the move Beretta tried, it worked out for me, mainly because I was expecting it. When I was spinning, I kept it straight, but I knew he had a right front flat, so I knew if I could get up to him and get him jammed, it would be easy to get around.”

(29) #88-GTE-AM Ried/Roda/Ruberti (Porsche 911 RSR 997) 298 laps

Paolo Ruberti (#88-GTE-AM Porsche 911 RSR 997) “We are really happy to win the first FIA WEC and the 12 hours of Sebring. It’s like a dream. The car was perfect, we had a bit of trouble in the last hour. I did the last stint without the power steering. I kept the car on good pace with a good results. The Ferrari is a little faster than us, but we were in fact in the best position. In this place we need to now finish all the races for a good results.

(33) #023-GTC Sweedler/Bell/von Moltke (Porsche 911 GT3 Cup) 292 laps

Dion von Moltke (#023-GTC Porsche 911 GT3 Cup) “What a crazy race. A great one-two finish for Alex Job and the team. Thanks to Battery Tender, William Rast and PR Newswire for all of their support. Bill and Townsend did an amazing job all day. I had a scare with two hours to go when I got hit in Turn 17. I had to push the last two hours and was able to get a gap, make the last stop and bring it home for the win. The car ran flawless all day. The crew put a great car under us, and we delivered.”

ALMS Racing @almsnotes
Don’t miss #Sebring12 on ABC starting at noon ET and 3 p.m. PT today – Sunday. Don’t miss a classic! #ALMS #WEC @sebringraceway

… notes from The EDJE

** Article first published as New Media Notes, Quotes, And Tweets From The 60th Mobil 1 12 Hours Of Sebring on Technorati **

Filed Under: Top ALMS Story Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

It’s Audi R18 Diesel 1-2-3 Overall At 2012 Sebring Qualifications

March 17, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Audi R18 #1 on the circuit. To be driven in the 12 Hours by Lotterer, Treluyer and Fassler. Image Credit: MichelinAlley

Qualifying for Saturday’s 60th Anniversary, Mobil 1, 12 Hours of Sebring was held today and with little surprise in the overall standings, the diesel-powered Audi R18′s took the top three positions with the three fastest times. The cars qualified in car number-badged numerical order, with cars #1, #2 and #3 in grid positions 1, 2 and 3. Andre Lotterer (driving the #1 Audi R18 – pictured), the defending champion at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, showed what pace the cars could achieve with the overall and LMP1 class poles at 1:45.820.

Andre Lotterer (#1-P1 Audi R18) Overall pole winner, “This is my first time to the Sebring race, but not the Sebring track as we have tested here before. It is better to come here during the race weekend. This a little more action and it is great to see so many people. It is a great atmosphere. We were here in December for testing so we knew a little bit about the new front straight wall going into Turn 1. This is the last race for the R18 so it is an emotional car for the drivers as we move to the new Audi. It feels good to come to a legendary race like Sebring to compete with the car one more time. Hopefully the car will finish very nicely tomorrow for us. (On his stop-and-go penalty) I had a little stressful incident with the pit lane penalty. Usually the pit limiter is always on, but it wasn’t that time. That was my mistake for not noticing. It didn’t really make my life more difficult. The car ran great and I was able to get in a good lap. This pole is really nice for the staff as the guys work so hard to prepare for this race. This is a nice reward for the mechanics who work on the car. I wasn’t perfect at turns 13 and 15 so I didn’t think I would be that fast. You usually need a near perfect lap for the pole. Looks like the rest of the lap was better than I expected.”

While the Audi effort was dominating, the rest of the field of 64 cars would care to be mentioned so to that end, the other class poles featured Muscle Milk Pickett Racing (ALMS P1), OAK Racing (WEC LMP2), Level 5 Motorsports (ALMS P2), RSR Racing (ALMS PC), AF Corse (WEC GTE Pro), Corvette Racing (ALMS GT), Luxury Racing (WEC GTE Am) and NGT Motorsport (ALMS GTC).

E.J. Viso captured while in the cockpit (in mirror) with the fender louvers shown in foreground. Image Credit: MichelinAlley

Top three in class (overall position on the grid – in parentheses):

(1) #1-P1 Andre Lotterer (Audi R18) 1:45.820
(2) #2-P1 Tom Kristensen (Audi R18) 1:46.215 (0.395-)
(3) #3-P1 Romain Dumas (Audi R18) 1:46.935 (1.115-)

(11) #24-P2 Olivier Pla (Morgan/Judd) 1:50.467
(12) #44-P2 Stephane Sarrazin (HPD ARX-03b Honda) 1:50.823 (0.356-)
(13) #41-P2 Elton Julian (Zytek Z11SN-Nissan) 1:51.809 (1.342-)

(21) #9-PC Bruno Junqueira (Oreca FLM09) 1:54.510
(22) #06-PC E.J. Viso (Oreca FLM09) 1:54.555 (0.045-)
(24) #025-PC Dane Cameron (Oreca FLM09) 1:54.628 (0.118-)

(31) #51-GT Gianmaria Bruni (Ferrari F458 GT) 1:58.427
(32) #59-GT Jaime Melo (Ferrari F458 Italia) 1:58.723 (0.296-)
(33) #03-GT Jan Magnussen (Corvette C6-ZR1) 1:58.996 (0.569-)

(40) #58-GTE-AM Dominik Farnbacher (Ferrari F458 Italia) 2:00.184
(44) #57-GTE-AM Niclas Jonsson (Ferrari F458 Italia) 2:00.929 (0.745-)
(46) #50-GTE-AM Pedro Lamy (Corvette C6-ZR1) 2:01.640 (1.456-)

(52) #30-GTC Sean Edwards (Porsche 911 GT3 Cup) 2:06.674
(53) #34-GTC Damien Faulkner (Porsche 911 GT3 Cup) 2:06.697 (0.023-)
(54) #022-GTC Leh Keen (Porsche 911 GT3 Cup) 2:06.711 (0.037-)

Much of the interest surrounded the performance of open-wheel focused drivers crossing over to get broader experience in this international endurance racing event.

Selected Post Qualifying Quotes:

Simon Pagenaud (#6-P1 HPD ARX-03a) “It was a good day overall. In the end, we placed the Muscle Milk HPD right behind the Audis and that’s very good. However, it was an interesting day trying to make the car work with the track. We tried different things and, by the end of the session, it was very positive. I think we’re heading in the right direction. I’m getting excited now. I think we have our finger on what we need to do and it’s coming together. It’s taking longer than we would like because the sessions are short. There are a lot of cars on track and there were a lot of red flags, which makes it very difficult for the team to get to try what they want to try. It’s especially frustrating for the engineers but everyone is doing a great job and I think we should be good for qualifying and Saturday for the race.”

Ryan Hunter-Reay (#95-P2 HPD ARX-03b) “This has been a driver’s dream week. Just in a race car almost every day. The old quote, “just living the dream” is my motto this week. Saturday and Monday I was here in the LMP2 sports car for Level 5, Tuesday and Wednesday in the IndyCar for Andretti at Barber Motorsports Park, Thursday, Friday and Saturday back at Sebring for practice, qualifying and the race. Next Wednesday, I’ll be at St. Pete for the IndyCar Series opener. I can’t wait to get started in the IndyCars. I feel very fortunate and appreciative that I am able to drive these sports cars as well as the IndyCars. It keeps me sharp in the cockpit. I feel fresh going into St. Pete next week. I love coming back and racing with Level 5. It is a great team. It’s a great environment and it is becoming routine to come to Sebring each year. I really enjoy Sebring. It is my home track and we are looking to defend our win from last year (in LMP2).

Bruno Junqueira (#9-PC Oreca FLM09) Pole winner in PC, “This pole gives our team some good morale for this race. The team told me to be patient and bring the car home and we will be fine. This is the first time I have driven this car. I love it. (Adjusting to PC) On the first lap, I felt the brakes and they were great. They really worked well. So I said, ‘Hey, it’s race time. So let’s go.’ And the car was great. Now, we are ready for the race. It should be exciting. It feels really good and I can’t explain how happy I am to be here with an equal car and chance to fight for pole and today I have to thank our team for giving me the opportunity. Today I knew if I drove good, I would get a shot and every lap I got better. I was very happy.”

E.J. Viso (#06-PC Oreca FLM09) “I’m very excited to be here. This is something that was very last minute. I just got a call last week asking if I wanted to do this race and, of course, I didn’t want to miss this opportunity. I know one part of the track here at Sebring, the back section (from IndyCar testing). The rest of the track was
completely new to me. And racing these cars is also new to me. So far I am having a blast. This race has a great atmosphere here. I have seen a lot of familiar faces from my days of racing in Europe. I am having a lot of fun and I hope this will be the first of many here at Sebring. There are fans and motorhomes everywhere around this track. It is fun to see.”

Jonathon Summerton (#56-GT BMW E92 M3) “It is awesome to be here in this race. The BMW RLL team have been so helpful. I’m very honored to be here with them and hopefully we can go for a win. It’s a great group of guys. Right now, I am running in four ALMS races this year. I’m filling in for Joey (Hand) when he goes to the DMT series. After that, it is wherever BMW North American or BMW Motorsport want me. I want to be affiliated with a manufacturer and BMW is just the best. It is a thrill to be here.”

… notes from The EDJE

 

** Article first published as It’s Audi R18 Diesel 1-2-3 Overall at 2012 Sebring Qualifications on Technorati **

Filed Under: Top ALMS Story Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Reining ALMS LMP1 Champion Takes Delivery Of New Sword For 2012 Season

March 7, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Dyson Racing team inspects their new coupe upon its arrival. At the time of this posting, Dyson Racing has about 10 days to get the car ready for the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring fueled by Fresh from Florida. Image Credit: Dyson Racing via Video

Dyson Racing takes delivery of its new Mazda-powered Lola B12/60 LMP1 Car.

The team took delivery of its intimidating Lola B12/60 coupe the team will use with Mazda power in defense of its ALMS P1 championship. Featuring revised aerodynamics and wider front tires, the car will be a powerful contender in defending their American Le Mans Series Championship.

The B12/60 LMP1 Coupe is a one-piece carbon composite monocoque and is “technology ready” for the latest regulations and homologated up to 2014. The body panels are of lightweight pre-preg carbon composite construction.

Suspension? … CHECK! Dyson Racing has about 10 days to get the car ready for the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring fueled by Fresh from Florida (ctrl-click HERE to launch Dyson Racing video). Image Credit: Dyson Racing via Video

The suspension is double wishbone with pushrod/rocker-activated coil spring/adjustable dampers. The six-speed sequential gearbox is lightweight cast magnesium and features Lola fitted pneumatic/automated paddle-shift system.

Powering Dyson Racing’s Lola Coupes, Mazda’s MZR-R engine won the 2011 American Le Mans Series Engine Manufacturer’s Championship, adding to Advanced Engine Research’s title tally of four ALMS championships and four LMS championships.

The Lola gets offloaded from the transporter at the shop. Dyson Racing has about 10 days to get the car ready for the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring fueled by Fresh from Florida (ctrl-click HERE to launch Dyson Racing video). Image Credit: Dyson Racing via Video

Building on their successful partnership with Mazda, AER built an all-new version of the MZR-R race-winning engine for the 2010 season. Further refined and strengthened in 2011, the 2012 version has further advancements in virtually all areas. The 2.0 liter, four-cylinder in-line turbocharged engine was designed from a clean sheet of paper, and is designed to make in excess of 500 HP — on a per cylinder basis, more than an F1 engine. It is all aluminum construction and mounted as a semi-stressed member of the chassis with A-frames.

Combining very low mass with a small physical footprint, the engine is the smallest, lightest and most compact in LMP racing today and there are no external belt drives or ancillaries. The camshafts, water pump and oil pump are internally driven by gears. The engine has barrel throttles for optimum engine response with the latest Life Racing electronics for optimum engine control and high efficiency.

Checking to see if the new body length airflow vane meets specifications. Dyson Racing has about 10 days to get the car ready for the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring fueled by Fresh from Florida (ctrl-click HERE to launch Dyson Racing video). Image Credit: Dyson Racing via Video

Even with the Mazda MZR-R engine being the smallest in the ALMS paddock, it won the 2011 championship over the twelve-cylinder Aston Martin. It also added the honor of winning the 2011 Michelin Green-X Challenge to its resume. 2011 was the 20th anniversary of Mazda’s victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. They remain the only Japanese manufacturer to have won the endurance classic and their “never stop challenging” spirit continues its winning ways as strong as ever.

Team manager Michael White, driver Chris Dyson, and Technical Director Peter Weston describe the features of the new car.

… notes from The EDJE

Filed Under: Top ALMS Story Tagged With: , , , , , ,

TruSpeed Motorsports And City Of Long Beach Launch Grand Prix Magic

February 14, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The 38th Annual Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, set to take place April 13-15, took its first step toward the green flag when construction began Monday, February 13 on the outside of turn #10 before the hairpin turn #11 entering Shoreline Drive, the racing circuit’s 185 mph famed front straightaway. Pictured on this drizzly Monday morning from right to left are President and CEO of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach, Jim Michaelian | City of Long Beach Vice Mayor, Suja Lowenthal | President and Driver for TruSpeed Motorsports, Rob Morgan. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2012)

This Monday morning saw the kick-off celebration of the conversion of the streets around Long Beach’s Shoreline Drive and Long Beach Convention Center into the racing venue known every spring as the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. A process that has taken place 37 time before, and the 38th Annual Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach is set to take place April 13-15, 2012.

Street course motorsports racing strikes many casual event goers as something that is simple and oddly natural in its creation. “Hey, we drive on streets, so why don’t we just close them off and race on them” … they muse to themselves, while not knowing exactly what is involved with their simple and oddly natural thought processes.

The fact of the matter, it take a huge amount of concrete and effort to magically transform a street into a stable and safe motorsports racing facility. Grand Prix Association of Long Beach Director of Operations Dwight Tanaka and his staff will put in more than 30,000 working hours installing 14 million pounds of concrete blocks that line the track, three miles of fencing and 16,000 bolted-together tires, along with 16 huge spectator grandstands, seven pedestrian bridges and giant-vision boards for full-circuit TV coverage.

The construction got underway with assists from Long Beach Vice Mayor Suja Lowenthal and TruSpeed Motorsports Pirelli World Challenge team owner/driver Rob Morgan, who appeared at the track for a kickoff photo shoot with his #1 TruSpeed Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3, which was the championship-winning car in the series’ GT category last year.

Patrick Long, driving the then #45 PrivacyStar Porsche, sealed the 2011 GT Driver’s Championship in the Pirelli World Challenge on the season's last race at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. In doing so, Patrick claimed the title in his first full season in the Series and delivered to TruSpeed Motorsports its first series championship. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2012)

Entering its 23rd consecutive season, the Pirelli World Challenge (which will join the IZOD IndyCar Series, the American Le Mans Series, Firestone Indy Lights, Team Drifting Challenge, and Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race weekend events) is one of North America’s top production car-based racing championships. Divided into four separate categories (GT, GTS, Touring Car, and Touring Car B-Spec), races feature thrilling standing starts, adrenaline filled door-to-door action and world-class drivers. The Pirelli World Challenge features cars from the world’s most popular manufacturers – race-prepped versions of the cars driven on the streets. Sanctioned by SCCA Pro Racing, the series races at North America’s premier road and temporary street courses.

Morgan’s Costa Mesa-based TruSpeed Motorsports team is preparing to contest the SCCA’s GT car 2012 Pirelli World Challenge season which gets underway March 23-25 with a doubleheader at the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. The plan of TruSpeed Motorsports is to field three cars for the entire eight venue, twelve race GT/GTS Pirelli World Challenge 2012 season.

“We feel honored to help kick off the Grand Prix,” Morgan said. “When you look at the 38 year history and heritage of the event, it’s one of the best in the world. It’s also our home race, so we’re glad to be here today. We will be running three cars in the race … possibly four. But to be involved in something like this is wonderful. The last two years we have participated in the media ‘Press Day’ with a couple of race cars, giving the [track] rides and so forth, and this is another way we can promote and enhance our relationship with Jim Michaelian, the race, and the City of Long Beach.”

Dwight Tanaka, Grand Prix Association of Long Beach Director of Operations and his staff also install hospitality suites, tents, electrical equipment, phones, porta-johns, trash containers and a hundred other little things up until race weekend. Then on Sunday night, when the last race car has left the track, they start to take everything down, inspect the gear and get everything ready for next year when the grand prix magic begins all over again. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2012)

It takes two months to prepare this part of the City of Long Beach for the 175,000 fans expected during race weekend. All businesses along the race circuit, which includes Shoreline Drive, Aquarium Way and Pine Ave., will remain open during construction of the racetrack.

“We want to make sure that our course is both safe and competitive, and Dwight and is staff as well as the Long Beach city departments deliver on all accounts,” said Jim Michaelian, president and CEO of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach. “That phenomenal support is what helps us make the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach America’s number one street race.”

Fans can select and pay for their 2012 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach seats, parking, and paddock passes online at gplb.com. Ticket orders can also be placed by calling the toll-free ticket hotline, (888) 82-SPEED. Ticket prices range from $26 for a Friday General Admission ticket to $130 for a three-day ticket that includes Sat./Sun. reserved seating in grandstand upper levels.

Pre-paid parking packages are also available, along with handicapped seating, IndyCar Paddock passes, Super Photo tickets and a wide variety of Hospitality Club packages including the exciting Vista Club – featuring a nearly 360-degree view of the race circuit – located high atop the Hyatt Regency Long Beach.

Fans can also follow the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach on Facebook at GrandPrixLB and on Twitter @ToyotaGPLB.

So if you were one of those people who mused that Street Course racing was something that is simple and oddly natural in its creation … you’re right, close your eyes and “voila” … the Grand Prix magic will appear in Long Beach April 13-15, 2012 at the 38th Annual Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

Track Construction Commemoration Event Slideshow – HERE>>

… notes from The EDJE

 

** Article first published as TruSpeed Motorsports And City Of Long Beach Launch Grand Prix Magic on Technorati **

Filed Under: TECHNOLOGY HIGHLIGHT Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Virginia Is For American Le Mans Series Sports Car Racing Lovers

January 17, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Picturesque and challenging Virginia International Raceway. Image Credit:American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patron

Today, the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patron announced the addition of the 4.1-mile Grand Course at Virginia International Raceway (VIR) to the 2012 season schedule. The four classes of the ALMS will contest their prowess … on a course that Car and Driver magazine described as the closest thing in America to a lap of the Nürburgring Nordschleife … on Saturday, September 15 with the race to be televised on ESPN2.

The 4.1-mile Grand Course at Virginia International Raceway (VIR). Image Credit:American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patron


The event weekend will have as its headline a four-hour enduro with the ALMS elite sport cars, with the IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge by Yokohama, Cooper Tires Prototype Lites powered by Mazda, USF2000 National Championship powered by Mazda and the SCCA Pro Racing Playboy MX5 Cup as its supporting cast events.

Arial view of the 4.1-mile Grand Course at Virginia International Raceway (VIR). Image Credit:American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patron


This excerpted and edited from the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón -

ALMS ADDS VIR TO 2012 EVENT SCHEDULE
Series’ debut race at Virginia circuit will be on 4.1-mile Grand Course

The first ALMS race at VIR – located in Danville, Va. – also will mark the first competition on the track’s impressive 4.1-mile, 31-turn Grand Course. It’s a safe bet that track speed records will fall at the hands of the world’s most exotic prototype sports cars and premier production-based GT cars.

“For years we have received numerous inquiries from fans and competitors on when we would race at VIR, I’m proud to say that time is now,” said Scott Atherton, ALMS President and CEO.

“Virginia International Raceway is an excellent addition to what no doubt will be a fantastic 2012 season for the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón. Given VIR’s history and acclaim as a world-class road racing facility, this is a natural fit. We look forward to working closely with the VIR team to introduce their fans and lots of new ones to the fastest, toughest and most entertaining competition VIR has witnessed.”

Arial view of the 4.1-mile Grand Course at Virginia International Raceway (VIR). Image Credit:American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patron

The history book at VIR is ripe with the biggest names in North American road racing. Built in 1957, the track played host to its first race in August of that year – an SCCA event that attracted the likes of Carroll Shelby, Bob Holbert, Carl Haas and more. VIR also played host to the first IMSA GT race in 1971 – Hurley Haywood and Peter Gregg drove a Porsche 914-6 to a victory over Dave Heinz’s Corvette. Gregg and Haywood also won in the 1972 IMSA GT race at VIR.

Competitors over the years have heaped praise on the circuit. Paul Newman once opined that “if there’s a heaven on Earth, it’s VIR.” Car and Driver named it one of the six best road courses in the U.S..

“The list of drivers and manufacturers who have achieved success at VIR is a storied one,” Atherton said. “We are thrilled at the prospect of ushering in a new era of competition at VIR as the first series to run its Grand Course. The sights and sounds of our prototype and GT cars racing at high speeds around such a demanding and picturesque layout will create a spectacle no one should miss.”

The track closed in 1974 but reopened in 2000 after New York real estate developer and vintage racer Harvey Siegel acquired the track property in 1998. In addition to a repaving and widening of the circuit, VIR added resort facilities that include three hotel and multiple dining options. The track plays host to numerous events during the course of a season including sports cars, motorcycles and karting.
[Reference Here]

Tickets for the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón race at VIR on Sept. 15 will be available at VIRnow.com beginning Feb. 1.

The 2012 American Le Mans Series season gets underway with the 60th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh from Florida on March 17. It also will mark the first race of the 2012 FIA World Endurance Championship. Visit sebringraceway.com for details on tickets and accommodations.

The annual Sebring Winter Test is scheduled for Feb. 8-9 at Sebring International Raceway. Tickets are $10 with no paddock access granted.

… notes from The EDJE

 


-Article first seen as Virginia Is For American Le Mans Sports Car Racing Lovers at Technorati-

Filed Under: Top ALMS Story Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

“Senna” Bestowed MPG’s Best Of The Year Dean Batchelor Award

December 15, 2011 By Leave a Comment

John Bisignano, former ESPN motorsport journalist during Senna’s timeframe, accepts the Dean Batchelor Award on behalf of Asif Kapadia and Manish Pandey for the documentary, “Senna”. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2011)

 

“Senna” Bestowed MPG’s Best Of The Year Dean Batchelor Award

 

“Senna” … the critically acclaimed documentary about the racing spirit and history of F1 driver Ayrton Senna just won the overall “Best Of The Year” Dean Batchelor Award – Excellence in Automotive Journalism for 2011!

Established by the Motor Press Guild in 1995, the Dean Batchelor Award recognizes excellence in automotive journalism as exemplified by the man it is named after – Dean Batchelor.

The Award singles out individuals demonstrating outstanding achievement in the profession of automotive journalism. Each year MPG presents the Dean Batchelor Award to the journalist judged to have produced the single piece of work which best represents the professional standards and excellence demanded by Dean Batchelor during his life as an editor, writer, and chronicler of the automotive industry.

The product of years of archival research, “Senna” traces the life and career of Brazilian racer and three-time Formula One champion Ayrton Senna, and his death at Tamburello corner while leading the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix in Italy. The film was released overseas in 2010 and made its U.S. debut at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2011, where it won the Audience Award. It has also taken awards at the Los Angeles Film Festival, Melbourne International Film Festival, and the Adelaide Film Festival, and won the Motor Press Guild’s Best Audio/Visual Award for the Sept. 2010 to Sept. 2011 qualifying period before being bestowed the 2011 honoree as best out of four Dean Batchelor category award winners.

 

Catagory winners as follows (honored December 13, 2011):

 

Best Audio Visual: Senna, by Asif Kapadia and Manish Pandey

Image Credit: Working Title

 

Best Book: “Elva, The Cars, The People, The History” by Janos Wimpffen

Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2011)

 

Best Photography: “Everybody’s a Photographer” by Reinhard Klein

Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2011)

 

Basically, the highest award gearheads could bestow on a work of art and/or communication dedicated to motor culture in these four categories.

All hail “Best Of The Year” Dean Batchelor Award – Excellence in Automotive Journalism for 2011 to the documentary movie … “Senna”!

… notes from The EDJE

 
<Article first published as “Senna” Bestowed MPG’s Best Of The Year Dean Batchelor Award on Technorati>

Filed Under: f1, Featured Story Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Dan Wheldon eBay Charity Auction Held In Memorial & Family Support

October 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Memorial display on entrance to Conseco field for the Dan Wheldon Memorial service held in Indianapolis. Image Credit: Danial Incandela for IndyCar

Dan Wheldon eBay Charity Auction Held In Memorial & Family Support

Yesterday, October 24, 2011, eBay officially started posting items donated for auction of its Charity eBay Auction in memory of Dan Wheldon. 100% of the proceeds will go to benefit the the Dan Wheldon Family Trust Fund. This effort had its spark of a start through the desire of one of IZOD IndyCar Series youngest drivers, Graham Rahal.

This excerpted and edited from eBay -

Dan Wheldon
June 22, 1978 – October 16, 2011
Charity eBay Auction In Memory of IZOD IndyCar Series Champion Dan Wheldon
Auctions begin October 24th and run for 10 days

Graham Rahal didn’t know what he was starting when he offered to auction the race-used helmet, gloves and shoes he used in Las Vegas to raise money for the family of the late Dan Wheldon.

Rahal’s gesture began an outpouring of support from celebrities and athletes around the world who wanted to donate memorabilia to raise money for the Dan Wheldon Family Trust Fund.

“I certainly appreciate everyone’s support for Dan’s Memorial Auction,” said Rahal, who recently completed his first season with Chip Ganassi Racing. “I never thought when I tweeted about auctioning my helmet that we would get this kind of reaction.”
[>Reference Here]

NASCAR, LOWES liveried, “Lion Heart” visor-decaled racing helmet used in several races donated by El Cajon, California, native and five-time NASCAR Series Season Champion, Jimmie Johnson. Image Credit: eBay

It just becomes an additional grip to the heart to see the community and culture of motorsports come together over the tragic loss of one its most revered and respected figures.

Contributors include drivers and members from many competitive disciplines … for example, people can bid on a surfboard donated by multiple World Surfing Champion, Kelly Slater … a NASCAR, LOWES liveried, “Lion Heart” visor-decaled racing helmet used in several races donated by El Cajon, California, native and five-time NASCAR Series Season Champion, Jimmie Johnson (already catching its own auction action at $13,000 at post publish) … Firestone Tire Table Signed by all 2011 Indianapolis 500 Participants … Skip Barber Racing School 3 Day Session … NASCAR driving legend, Mark Martin, donated a Mark Martin #5 Black Windbreaker Size L, Cap, #5 Round Decal & T-Shirt … Indianapolis Colts Signed Helmet — Peyton Manning, Donald Brown & More (team member signatures) … much more!  

Dan Wheldon Charity Auction reactions Tweet-By-Tweet:

 

DWheldonAuction Dan Wheldon Auction by GrahamRahal
First item is up! Taste of the Track — Monticello Motor Club Racetrack Experience, NY r.ebay.com/fQGcOu

 

IndyCar IZOD IndyCar Series
The first item of the @DWheldonAuction is up for bid, new items every two minutes! r.ebay.com/fQGcOu

 

DWheldonAuction Dan Wheldon Auction by BeccyGordon
Next item is @kellyslater surfing legends signed Surf Board! Kelly Slater Signed Channel Islands 5’11 Whip Surfboard r.ebay.com/JtUIJx

 

pressdog Bill Zahren
Wheldon Memorial Auction Opens .. BID, ye BASTARDS bit.ly/uAgg66

 

dariofranchitti Dario Franchitti by scottdixon9
the bids have started on @DWheldonAuction , over $11k already for @JimmieJohnson helmet. I’ve got my eye on that one!!

 

indy44 Matt Archuleta
Just broke $13,000 HOLY (Insert cuss word here) RT @pressdog: $11,000 RT @indy44: Nice! RT @AllenWedge: Jimmie’s helmet already over $10,000

 

BHA Bryan Herta
The @DWheldonAuction is live, all proceeds go to support the Wheldon Family.

 

BeccyGordon Beccy Gordon
I really want the @kellyslater board for our house! I know @RyanHunterReay asked him to donate it & I want it! ;) @DWheldonAuction

 

indy44 Matt Archuleta
Takes a couple minutes for video to load-> A public celebration of Dan Wheldon’s life bit.ly/smjzgf #Lionheart #IndyCar

 

DWheldonAuction Dan Wheldon Auction by AllenWedge -We promise there will be cheaper items coming. Wow never expected this. We have lots of team hats etc coming up in the next few days.

 

16AndGeorgetown James Black – $35k and counting.Impressive\

 

SBPopOffValve Tony – The Mark Martin 1/64 signed diecast may end up being the most expensive 1/64 diecast ever – already past $300.

 

DWheldonAuction Dan Wheldon Auction by SBPopOffValve -Remember everyone this is only the start. Please stay tuned and keep bidding. There will be hundreds of items still to come!
-END-

 
May all of the competitors, fans, and people who have an interest in the sadness that is the tragic end of Dan Wheldon’s life be able to put an exclamation point on the mourning process through the Dan Wheldon eBay Charity Auction held in memorial and Wheldon surviving family support.

… notes from The EDJE

 

[Article first published as Dan Wheldon eBay Charity Auction Held In Memorial & Family Support at Technorati]

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Al Unser Jr.’s Demons Bite Him … AGAIN!

September 30, 2011 By Leave a Comment


4th Annual Long Beach Motorsports Walk Of Fame inductees Bobby Rahal and Al Unser, Jr. share a word while standing in front of Parnelli Jones just before the medallion unveiling ceremony. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2009)

Al Unser Jr.’s Demons Bite Him … AGAIN!

What is it with guys named Al (son of a famous Al) and speeding at triple-digits? Last night, Al Unser Jr. was pulled over driving as fast as Al Gore III (son of the former VP and Global Warming/Climate Change/Carbon Credits alarmist), who a few years ago was caught pacing his car at over 100 miles per hour (the irony in Al Gore III’s case is that he was driving a Toyota Prius). The problem other than speeding in both of these cases was that the driver was operating the vehicle at over 100 mph under the influence of a mind-altering substance … in Al Unser Jr.’s case, he was drunk … AGAIN.

A couple of years back , Al Unser Jr. was participating in what any racing fan would agree was one of Al’s best post career weekend’s ever. The scene was the 35th Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach week which started off on Thursday late morning with Al Unser Jr. being honored with a brass medallion with his name and accomplishments (a six-time winner at “The Beach”) being placed in the Long Beach Motorsports Walk Of Fame (along with Bobby Rahal) in the West side sidewalk of the Long Beach Convention Center on Pine Avenue.

The section of the Wyland Mural on the side of the Long Beach Convention Center that was to be re-dedicated after its restoration earlier in the month of April. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2009)

On Friday, he was given the honor of re-christening the Wyland whale mural on the side of the Long Beach Convention Center which had been re-conditioned by the original artist, Robert Wyland. Al christened the mural the first time it was commissioned and opened to the public.

A usually accessible Al Unser, Jr., signs a tee-shirt for a fan as he walks from the pits to an appearance at a sponsor event at the track. Image Credit Edmund Jenks (2009)

On Saturday, Al Unser Jr. participated in the famed Toyota Pro/Celebrity race which raises funds for charity and is a weekend crowd favorite at the Long Beach Grand Prix weekend. This being the best weekend ever, Al Unser Jr. came through by crossing the finish-line first ahead of all other drivers in-spite of having to start in the delayed start of the Pro grouping … but last behind all of the specially prepared-matched Toyota cars.

Al Unser, Jr. sits at the driver’s seat in the ceremonial Toyota convertable pace car as IRL Dallaras line up behind him in order to begin the warm-up laps before the 35th Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2009)

This best week ever for an acclaimed driver and Indy 500 winner as Al Unser Jr. would not have been complete unless, of course, on Sunday he was the Grand Marshal of the 35th Toyota Grand Prix Of Long Beach. He was able to lead all of the Dallaras off of the grid and around the track to the cheers of the 100,000 plus Californians gathered to start the spring off in a fine fashion with a premiere open wheel race event that is unequaled.

Due to Al Unser’s problem, he is almost like the decorated war hero who’s money is no good in any bar or social gathering. Life for Al Unser Jr. is really just one big party … until the party begins to damage relationships (divorce, days in jail, a smashing of an earned good reputation when sober, and etc.) and place other people’s lives in danger.

I feel for, and relate to, the problem Al Unser Jr. has and know what it takes to eclipse them. I have to agree with Michele Rahal in his videolog posted here. This behavior is a much larger problem for IndyCar Race Control (Al is a member of the crew managed by Brian Barnhart who has had his own documented problems in on-track decision-making this year) as it relates to the public image of the IZOD IndyCar Series and it is time for the whole crew to take a time-out … go to rehab, and come back to the world, clean, sober, and ready to face the challenges of this life with a clear head.

It is time to clean house and enter the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series season with a completely new staff and a fresh focus to compliment the new shape and approach to open wheel racing in North America … this opinion, from a person who is still sober after 19.5 years of facing life … one day at a time!

… notes from The EDJE

 

[Article first published as - Al Unser Jr.'s Demons Bite Him ... AGAIN! - at Technorati]

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