American Le Mans Series - Top News Feed

ZYTEK HYBRID SYSTEM WINS GLOBAL INNOVATION HONOR

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:02:12 -0500

The KERS-Zytek Automotive powertrain used in both the American Le Mans Series and Formula One was named the Powertrain Innovation of the Year at the Professional Motorsport World Expo in Cologne, Germany. Corsa Motorsports - based in Sandy, Utah - developed and deployed the powertrain system for the first time in the 2009 American Le Mans Series in conjunction with the Ginetta-Zytek group. The LMP1 prototype race car finished third overall in only its second race at Lime Rock Park in July and fourth in the season finale in Monterey, Calif., at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

Stefan Johansson (left) and teammate Johnny Mowlem (right) drove the Corsa GZ 09HS in 2009 with an overall podium finish at Lime Rock

The motor and power electronics were cited for addressing substantial challenges that included designing subsystems that are exceptionally light and can be integrated into a system that does not affect the aerodynamics or handling of the car while withstanding the harsh thermal and mechanical environment of two of the world's most demanding race series.

Turning the concept of kinetic energy recovery into a race-winning reality was a major breakthrough and Zytek made a vital contribution to this achievement, observed Awards judge and freelance motorsport technology writer Charles Armstrong-Wilson.

Johnny Mowlem and Stefan Johansson piloted the Ginetta-Zytek 09HS in 2009.

John Manchester, Zytek Operations director commented, “It is a great honour for Zytek to receive this award. Motorsport is one of the best environments in the world to showcase and develop technology and this type of focus can help to educate people about Hybrid systems and ultimately lead to the transfer of technology onto to our ever day road vehicles.”

Zytek is a world leader in hybrid, chassis and engine development, and is responsible for the three most successful and recognizable hybrids in the history of motorsport, the Panoz Q9 GT1, the McLaren MP4-24 KERS and the GZ09HS LMP1.

Zytek will be making a presentation on its unique hybrid technology at the World Motorsport Symposium on the 19th OF November.

BMW/RLR'S HAND: NO CLUTCH NEEDED

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:30:55 -0500

In days past, any sports car owner got a certain amount of extra satisfaction in pulling away from a stop, popping the clutch in and out, and shifting through the gears.

As gearbox and transmission technology has advanced - Series manufacturers are building better road cars one race at a time! - so seemingly have preferences for automatic or semi-automatic transmissions ... at least as far as Joey Hand is concerned. BMW Rahal Letterman Racing's American star told the New York Times that he won't give up the semi-automatic sequential shifter in his BMW M3 racer. “I personally love driving the racecars without clutches,” he's quoted as saying.

“I’m a left-foot braker and the sequential shifter (upshifts and downshifts are done via pushing or pulling the gear-lever forward or back) helps keep the car’s attitude more stable,” he explained. On demanding tracks, where a driver might have to shift a manual transmission dozens of times every lap, Mr. Hand said the semi-automatic saves time and lets him focus more on braking points, car balance and acceleration.

While admitting a manual transmission can make for more of a sensory experience on public roads, Mr. Hand says anything that makes him quicker on the racetrack is better. “The old school way is to use a clutch,” he said. “Every time, I’ll take the semi-automatic.”

BACK TO MACAU GP FOR BRABHAM

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:45:16 -0500

Brabham's win at Macau provided a springboard to F1.

For the first time in 20 years, David Brabham is returning to the scene of one of the landmark victories of his driving career - the Formula 3 Macau Grand Prix.

The reigning American Le Mans Series LMP1 co-champion beat the likes of Michael Schumacher, Mika Hakkinen, Eddie Irvine – not to mention his own brother Gary – to take victory in the 1989 race.

“For a Formula 3 driver, Macau is the Holy Grail," Brabham said. "I think everybody recognises it’s a tough race to win. It’s still seen as the place for a young driver to demonstrate his talent.

“I was fortunate enough to win Macau and Formula 3, and then I went from Formula 3 to Formula 1," he added. "Macau can do that to your career.”

Brabham - reigning overall co-winner at the 24 Hours of Le Mans - is the youngest son of three-time Formula 1 World Champion, Sir Jack Brabham, who this year celebrates the 50th anniversary of his first title in 1959. Brothers Geoff and Gary are also both successful racing drivers. Sir Jack competed at Macau in the famous Race of Giants, held to celebrate the 25th Macau Grand Prix in 1978, along with legends Stirling Moss, Jackie Ickx, Thailand’s Prince Birabongse, and Macau’s own Teddy Yip.

In addition to his own successful racing career, Brabham also runs a young driver programme, the MSA British Race Elite. This year, two of his students are entered in the Macau Formula 3 Grand Prix: Sam Bird and Alexander Sims, and each hopes to achieve what his mentor did 20 years ago – take a coveted FIA Formula 3 Intercontinental Cup victory.

Having not set foot in Macau since 1989, Brabham believes it is time to go back and revisit the event which played such an integral part in his career: “Sometimes you get a flashback, something you read or you bump into someone, and it’s always nice to think about Macau.”

The Windsor Arch 56th Macau Grand Prix will be held from November 19-22, and will feature the Macau Formula 3 Grand Prix, the final rounds of the FIA World Touring Car Championship, the Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix, and a host of supporting races.

TWO-TEAM TEQUILA PATRÓN ASSAULT ON 2010 SERIES CHAMPIONSHIPS

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:28:14 -0500

Scott Sharp (left) and Ed Brown are the first two drivers for Sharp's new Extreme Speed Motorsports program, which will field two Ferrari F430 GTs in GT2 for 2010.

American Le Mans Series fans will enjoy a triple-shot of Patrón in 2010 with Scott Sharp’s new Extreme Speed Motorsports expanding to a two-car effort in GT2 to go alongside Patrón Highcroft Racing’s defense of its 2009 prototype championship.

While Sharp had originally intended to return to Patrón Highcroft Racing alongside his LMP1 championship-winning partner David Brabham, the former Indy 500 polesitter will now concentrate on team ownership - expanding his team’s Ferrari 430 GTC assault to a pair of cars

Sharp and Patrón Spirits Company CEO Ed Brown will be two of the drivers for the Ferrari GT2 assault. David Brabham will again lead the Patrón Highcroft Racing campaign. Sharp's replacement aboard the LMP1 championship-winning entry is expected to be confirmed in the near future.

Brabham and Sharp clinched the 2009 LMP1 championship at the final round of the series at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. The combination recorded seven class wins in their time together – four in 2008 (LMP2) and a further three victories this season (LMP1).

Patrón Highcroft grabbed an early points lead this season over de Ferran Motorsports after taking victory at St Petersburg in Round Two. The Danbury, Conn.,-based squad held the championship lead for the remainder of the season - eventually clinching the title by 17 points.

The championship victory was the first for Tequila Patrón which began sponsorship of Sharp in IndyCars in 2006. The son of former six-time SCCA champion Bob Sharp will now follow in his father's footsteps of becoming a race team owner for the first time next season.

Tequila Patrón will sponsor both Extreme Speed Ferraris as well as Patrón Highcroft Racing in the prototype ranks for 2010.

Brown will contest his first full season of American Le Mans Series competition after making his debut this year in the Series’ Challenge class alongside Bill Sweedler in Salt Lake City.

In addition to sponsoring the Patrón Highcroft and Extreme Speed efforts, Patrón once again will be the title sponsor for IMSA’s popular Patrón GT3 Challenge by Yokohama in 2010.

SCOTT SHARP
“It was always my intention to come back and defend my championship win with Brabs and the Highcroft boys in 2010 but after I started the process of getting everything established for Extreme Speed Motorsports, I quickly realized the amount of work we have ahead of us.

“I don’t want to do anything at less than 100 percent. It wouldn’t have been fair to Duncan, Brabs and the Highcroft boys if I wasn’t able to be absolutely committed to defending the championship.

“Also in establishing the new Ferrari team, it also wouldn’t be fair if I wasn’t able to devote the amount of time required to kick-start the new program.

“I’ll really miss working with the guys and driving the prototype cars but the opportunity to establish my own team and really prolong my career way beyond when I eventually hang up my helmet is too good an opportunity to pass up.

“I grew up watching my dad run his race team, so to be able to follow in his footsteps will be really rewarding.

“I’m also incredibly grateful to everybody at the Patrón Spirits Company for backing my team and giving me this remarkable opportunity. I really appreciate what an amazing opportunity they have given me and I look forward making sure we turn this new team into another winning Patrón squad.”

DUNCAN DAYTON
“We have enjoyed some great times with Scotty over the past two years and will certainly be sorry to see him go.

“He played a key role in turning our team into a championship winning outfit and we will all be forever grateful for that.

“It will be great to see more Patrón cars on track next year and we will all be working hard to push our sponsor towards more championship success in 2010.

“We're looking closely at our driver options for 2010 and will be indentifying drivers who will be able to work as well with Brabs as Scott has done over the past couple of years.

“Their preferences on car set-up were very similar and they were able to use the same seat. Being able to work so well together played a big role in clinching the championship.”

ED BROWN
“As a driver and a sponsor, I really have the best of both words for 2010.

“Patrón is again backing the championship winning squad as Highcroft aim to take back-to-back title wins.

“From my perspective as a driver, it will be great to have Scott as my team owner and teammate. He has a played an enormous role in helping me develop my professional driving career and having him as a benchmark to aim for will be very beneficial.

“Ferrari is also an outstanding brand for Patrón to be associated with.

“The American Le Mans Series has proven to be an exceptional vehicle for us to promote our brand and the increased exposure from having three Tequila Patrón cars on track will be outstanding.”

DAVID BRABHAM
“It has been great to drive with Scott over the past two years. We’ve had some great times both on and off the track and it was a pleasure to share the championship with him.

“He now has a great opportunity ahead of him and while I am sure he may miss driving the prototype, I certainly understand his decision because the opportunity to establish your own team is just fantastic and I know he wants to make sure he gives his new team all the attention it requires.

“I’d like to thank him for all his efforts over the past couple of years and wish him the best of luck with the Ferrari campaign.”

A CLOSE CALL FOR BMW RAHAL LETTERMAN IN SECOND JAPAN RACE

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:08:14 -0500

For more than two hours the BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team had been on the way to score its second victory in the Asian Le Mans Series, before a problem at the second pit stop dropped the BMW M3 GT2 down in the classification. At the end of the day, Dirk Müller (DE) and Tommy Milner (US) finished fifth in Okayama (JP) after 110 laps. Dominik Farnbacher (DE) and Allan Simonsen (DK) secured victory in their Ferrari F 430. On Saturday Müller and Milner had won the maiden race of the new Asian Le Mans Series.

Again Müller was on duty during the first part of the three-hour race for the BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team. From fifth on the grid the 33-year-old kept out of any trouble on the first lap, before setting his sights on the leaders and improving to fourth on lap six. Afterwards the competition involuntarily aided the progress of the BMW M3 GT2: First the Porsche 911 RSR with Wolf Henzler (DE) at the wheel stopped due to a technical problem, and then David Murry (US) also dropped back in his Ford GT Mk7. When Milner rejoined the race after the team’s first pit stop on lap 44, the BMW M3 GT2 was able to take the lead for the first time.

Like his teammate Milner put in another flawless performance and headed into the pits as leader on lap 78, in order to hand over the car back to Müller. However, the engine wouldn’t start after the pit stop was completed and the time needed to remedy the problem meant that Müller went back into action in the fifth spot. Four laps down on the front-runners the BMW works driver put in one quick lap after another, but there just wasn’t enough time to make up the lost ground. He ultimately brought the BMW M3 GT2 home in fifth and clocked the fastest GT2 lap in 1:32.136 minutes.

Bobby Rahal (Team Principal):
“Obviously we are disappointed, because we were again in a good position to win the race. But then the starter motor failed at our pit stop, and our chances were over. Of course we are happy with yesterday’s victory. However, if you are so close to scoring a second win you want that to happen. I hope that the Japanese fans liked the show we put in here in Okayama. For us it was a great experience.”

Dirk Müller:
“Everything went according to plan. We were in control at the front, and Tommy once again did a great job after my opening stint. But then the broken starter turned everything upside down and cost us several minutes. I had a good pace in my final stint, even setting the fastest lap time. But the gap to the front-runners was just too big. Overall our appearance in Japan was good fun and a nice conclusion to our successful season.”

Tommy Milner:
“Compared to the final 20 minutes of yesterday’s race, when I was under huge pressure and had to defend our lead, I had a much quieter stint today. Thanks to the great work from our pit crew I was able to take the lead and then opened up a gap. Unfortunately the problem during the second stop then ruined our race. However, thanks to our win on Saturday we can leave Japan on a positive note."

DRAYSON RACING WINS MICHELIN® GREEN X® CHALLENGE IN OKAYAMA

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:06:17 -0500

Drayson Racing concluded its inaugural season by accomplishing one of its founding objectives: win the Michelin ® Green X Challenge ®. The award for the most efficient and competitive performance in an Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO)-sanctioned series came in Race 2 of the two-event Asian Le Mans Series format here at the Okayama (Japan) International Circuit. Paul Drayson (London/Gloucestershire, UK) and Jonny Cocker (Guisborough, Yorks, UK) started the No. 87 Drayson Racing Lola with Judd Power from the pole position and finished fourth in the three hour race to rank as the highest privateer entrant in the race.

Strong driving by Drayson and Cocker, mixed with an excellent two-stop fuel strategy called by team manager Dale White (Bozeman, MT., USA) and the phenomenal fuel mileage of the Judd V10 engine placed the team in the position to win the environmental Michelin award. As for speed, there is no doubt the Lola B09/60 -Judd V10 has the pace. Cocker set the fastest qualifying lap on Friday (one minute, 19.143 seconds around the 3.7 Km/2.3 mile, 13-turn race course) and the fastest race lap on both Saturday (1:21.735) and today (1:20.561).

Today, Cocker got off to an exact copy of Saturday's start. The young Brit leaped from the pole position into a comfortable early lead. It was not until 20 minutes into the race that the No. 007 was able to pass for the lead. 40 minutes later, Drayson took the wheel maintaining an impressive third overall for much of his stint. The team's second and final stop came with under one hour remaining. From fifth, Cocker, back in the car, stalked, then passed the fourth-place Audi with just three minutes remaining in the race. The pass secured the team its first top-five Le Mans Prototype 1 (LMP1) performance in just its third race weekend in the class.

In the unique, two-race championship format, Drayson Racing finished sixth in Race 1. In the Saturday race, Cocker gapped the field early from the pole until a headlight failure forced a 3-lap stop for repairs. The extended stop ended any chance of the team's first international sportscar victory.

Today marks the close of the 2009 Drayson Racing "World Tour". Since March, the team has raced in two classes of cars (LMP1, GT2), in three different race series (American Le Mans, Le Mans Series and Asian Le Mans Series) and at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. They have competed in every ACO-sanctioned series covering three continents (North America, Europe and Asia) and eight countries (United States, Spain, France, Belgium, Germany, Portugal, the United Kingdom and Japan).

Quotes
Elspeth Drayson, Owner/CEO: "This is a perfect end to Drayson Racing's first season. Winning the Michelin ® Green X Challenge ® is a major accomplishment that tops off an excellent weekend. Pole, two fastest laps and top-placed privateer team demonstrates the progress the team has made in just three LMP1 races. I would like to thank everyone in the team and at Lola, Judd and Michelin for such an excellent performance here in Japan."

Paul Drayson, Driver/Owner: "I really felt I stepped up a gear during my stint today and got into the zone. I now feel more clinical in dealing with the GT traffic and so I was able to maintain a quick pace with zero mistakes. Our Judd engine is super efficient and our Michelin tyres were superb throughout so we could finish with one less fuel/tyre stop than the competition and that combined with our consistently strong pace was enough for first place in the Michelin ® Green X Challenge ®. A brilliant result."

Jonny Cocker, Driver: "Absolutely fantastic end to the weekend. To come away with two poles, two fastest laps and to be the winner of the Michelin ® Green X Challenge ® shows how much the team has achieved in such a short period of time. The race went well for me. The car and the Michelin tyres were fantastic. Now we can start to concentrate on building on our performance in preparation for next year."

Dale White, Team Manager: "To win the Michelin ® Green X Challenge ® is just huge for us! This has been our goal and one of the reasons we moved to the LMP1 class. I am so happy for Paul, Elspeth and the entire team. We knew this was in us as a team. We know we have a lot more too. We proved today we have what it takes to win these races. We took a lot away from this weekend that we'll be able to use over the winter to be ready for Sebring in March. This helps us carry a really positive momentum forward."

FRANCHITTI FILES: SEE YOU AT THE FRONT

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:57:31 -0500

Franchitti's 2009 season included two LMP2 victories and three pole positions for Dyson Racing.

Marino Franchitti's 2009 season in the American Le Mans Series didn't include a single race stint at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. But that did little, if anything, to sap the thrills the popular Scot enjoyed throughout the year, as he says on his latest SPEEDtv.com blog.

"The highlight of the whole race weekend came before we even got on track when I had the opportunity to meet Jim Hall and get a close look at his famous Chaparral 2 and 2E. I love the 2E so much, it was an honour to see it in person and watching Jim Hall drive it at Laguna was something that will stay with me forever, I still find it hard to believe I actually got to see it!!

"Our friends at Mazda and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca allowed us to take our crew guys out for some laps of the circuit in the safety vehicles used at the track. There was an RX-8, a Mazda 6 and the Mazda CX-7 and would you believe that the CX-7 (which is an SUV) was our favourite?! It was so much fun hustling that big beast around the track (though all three cars were fun!) and it was nice to be able to give the guys some fun and in some way thank them for the amazing job they have done this year."

Head over and check out more Voices of SPEED selections.

MUELLER, MILNER SCORE HISTORIC GT2 WIN IN JAPAN

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 09:53:57 -0400

Dirk Müller and Tommy Milner celebrated victory with the BMW M3 GT2 in the first round of the Asian Le Mans Series. At the "Okayama International Circuit" the drivers of the BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team put in a flawless performance and crossed the line as winners in the GT2 category after 113 laps, relegating Marc Lieb and Wolf Henzler in their Porsche 911 RSR to second with a gap of 0.292 seconds. Following the victory in the American Le Mans Series race in Road America, this is the second win for the new GT sports car, and also the car's maiden win in Asia.

The final phase of the Asian Le Mans Series inaugural event was a thriller. After Müller, who was in the car at the start, had worked his way up from fifth on the grid to second in the early stages of the three-hour race, Milner took over the wheel of the BMW M3 GT2 on lap 52. The 23-year-old took the lead with a successful overtaking manoeuvre on Henzler on lap 78. In order to save time, the BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team decided not to change tires during his second pit stop on lap 103 when Milner remained in the car.

The gap which he had kept thanks to this brave strategy diminished lap by lap. Eight minutes before the end of the race Lieb, running on fresh tyres, started to put Milner under constant pressure, But the BMW driver successfully defended the lead in a nail-biting finale, committed no mistakes and ultimately took the chequered flag as winner.

Bobby Rahal (Team Principal):
"This is a fantastic result. In qualifying we didn't achieve the maximum, so it was important that Dirk gained some ground after the start. Our fuel economy and the
pace of the car were very good. During our second pit stop we didn't change our Dunlop tires. Tommy then drove the race of his life. The Porsche managed to close
the gap, but just couldn't get by. There's only a little time to celebrate our win as there is a second race to contest tomorrow. Up to now Japan has proved excellent ground for us."

Tommy Milner:
"This was a tough race. As we didn't change tires during the pit stop I knew it would be a close finish. Marc Lieb put me under pressure, and I had to fend off his first attacks in order to keep my chances alive. I managed to do that. Finally I scored my first win. In the ALMS I finished on the podium five times, and many times I got close to victory. Now it has happened at last. A big thank you to my team. The guys are once again doing a great job."

Dirk Müller:
"We knew that our package would be competitive. But it's just great that it was strong enough for the win. After the start I gained several positions. In these close
battles my experiences from the World Touring Car Championship are a bonus. I didn't risk anything when behind the Porsche and patiently waited for my chance.
That paid off. Tommy did a perfect job today and wrapped up our victory."

SERIES A CENTERPIECE OF CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED FORZA MOTORSPORT 3

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:21:41 -0400

The American Le Mans Series announced its partnership with Microsoft Game Studios in the release this week of the highly acclaimed Forza Motorsport 3, the culmination of more than a year’s worth of technical and commercial development with Microsoft’s Turn 10 Studios. Exclusive to the Xbox 360 platform, the racing simulation is chock full of American Le Mans Series content that will introduce the Series to a new fanbase. The game extends the experience of its franchise predecessors by taking the genre to new heights in terms of realism, physics, online competition, and user-generated content.

A pair of Flying Lizard Porsches are part of the Forza 3 lineup. Image: Turn 10 Studios at Microsoft Game Studios.

Forza Motorsport 3 features up-to-date American Le Mans Series race cars such as the No. 16 Dyson Racing Mazda-powered Lola coupe, the No. 45 Flying Lizard Porsche 911 GT3 RSR and the No. 92 BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team BMW M3 GTR. There are 27 different American Le Mans Series race cars including even Patrón GT3 Challenge entries alongside a number of historic IMSA race cars. Classic Series circuits like Sebring, Road Atlanta, Road America and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca add appeal for sports car and road racing fans around the world.

“Microsoft and its Forza Motorsport brand have established themselves as the benchmark of cutting-edge gaming technology - a perfect match to what the American Le Mans Series represents in professional motorsport,” said Scott Atherton, Series President and CEO. “While there is no substitute for the sights and sounds of an American Le Mans Series race, Forza Motorsport 3 does an unbelievable job of recreating it with truly lifelike accuracy and detail. The fact that many of the world-class cars and race tracks of the American Le Mans Series will be brought into millions of homes around the world through this game means the exposure for our teams, manufacturers and marketing partners will reach unmatched levels. And I bet we cultivate a whole new category of fans –-those who will learn about us first through Forza 3 and then want to see the real thing in person. Everyone wins.”

Dyson Racing's Lola-Mazda coupe is part of the Forza 3 lineup. Image: Turn 10 Studios at Microsoft Game Studios.

Critical acclaim is already coming in…including those from the driving community. “It's a very real experience,” American Le Mans Series driver Stefan Johansson told reporters in an early review. “I got back in my old Audi (R8), and both the graphics on the track and the feel of the car were absolutely incredible - every bump, every braking point is in the exact same place.”

When Peugeot factory driver Stéphane Sarrazin visited the studio just before racing his 908 HDi prototype at Petit Le Mans in September, his lap times on Forza’s rendering of Road Atlanta were within 0.2 second of his qualifying time there a few days later, according to AutoWeek.

“We’ve played a bit of Forza here in the AW office and it’s great,” says Motorsports Editor Mac Morrison. “In my view the best part is the wide selection of actual race cars, not just exotic street cars that you can tune.”

Past and present entries from American Le Mans Series manufacturers Acura, Aston Martin, Audi, BMW, Chevrolet, Dodge, Ferrari, Maserati, Mazda, Pagani, Panoz, Porsche and Saleen are among those available for game-players. In each case, developers at Turn 10 Studios received actual data on the cars to help accurately model their performance characteristics. The development team attended American Le Mans Series races and gained cooperation from many teams in researching authenticity and capturing great details in livery and performance characteristics.

BMW Rahal Letterman's BMW M3 is one of many BMWs available. Image: Turn 10 Studios at Microsoft Game Studios.

Forza Motorsport 3 sets a new standard for game development and video entertainment. With breathtaking HD graphics and the most advanced vehicle performance modeling in a video game, Forza Motorsport 3 includes a host of driving assists and adjustable skill levels to make the game a gripping pick-up-and-play experience for audiences of all ages and skill levels.

The American Le Mans Series
The American Le Mans Series is the global leader in green racing and the premium brand of motorsport in North America, featuring high-tech, relevant sports cars from the most prestigious automobile manufacturers in the world. Its unique four classes of competition showcase exotic, open-top prototypes and sophisticated production-based GT cars, all competing on the track at the same time. The American Le Mans Series competes at the premier road racing tracks across North America and at selected temporary street circuits in major urban markets.

The American Le Mans Series, based on the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans, is the only motorsports body in the world that features multiple street-legal alternative energy sources - clean diesel, E10 and E85 ethanol, as well new hybrid technologies. It has taken the leadership role in motorsports for the furthering of alternative fuel technology and use. It also illustrates deeper the Series’ relevance to its list of prestigious manufacturers and affluent consumer base.

About Turn 10
Forza Motorsport 3 is piloted by Turn 10 of Microsoft Game Studios. The experienced development team, led by franchise director Dan Greenawalt, is composed of top developers, real race drivers and car collectors whose pedigrees include work on top racing franchises such as Forza Motorsport, Project Gotham Racing and RalliSport Challenge. In 2007, Turn 10 released its most recent title, Forza Motorsport 2, garnering racing game of the year awards from IGN Entertainment Inc., Yahoo! Inc., GameSpot, and the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences.

JONNY ON THE SPOT: POLE POSITION IN JAPAN!

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:50:32 -0400

Drayson Racing's Jonnny Cocker files his latest blog from the Okayama circuit in Japan, shortly after his first career overall pole position in prototype racing!

Hey all!

Jonny (right) celebrates his pole position with teammate/team owner Paul Drayson.

So we had a pretty busy day on today! Both of the practice sessions and qualifying all in one day! With only a couple of hours running before qualifying it was very important that we were focused on establishing a solid setup for the car as quickly as possible as the first race is tomorrow with only a short warm-up session before hand!

The first session went great. Myself and Graham Moore, the Drayson Racing team’s race engineer, had discussed prior to the session about setup for the car based on the little amount of information we had on the circuit. We knew that it would be important for us to have good mechanical grip in the middle sector of the lap through the tight and twisty sections but also a good high-speed balance through the faster corners at the end of the lap. So it would be a fine line between the two and finding the best compromise possible!

Check out Jonny's previous blog from Japan by clicking here

We ended up P4 in the first session which was a good result, but there was certainly still room for improvement. After a pretty lengthy debrief post-session we had some really good changes that would be made to the car for the second practice session and they paid off! P3 in the second session with a less than perfect run! We knew that we still had plenty of time in the bag so qualifying was going to be pretty exciting!! We ended up making a couple of small changes to the car again for qualifying but basically ran with our setup from practice two.

The decision was made to wait pretty late in the qualifying session until we went out (to avoid traffic as much as possible) and the car was fuelled for a maximum of 4 laps. The pressure was on but I was feeling pretty good coming from the previous two sessions. The car felt fantastic and everything was working great!

Jonny writes, "The team and everyone involved with this project have done an incredible job and this just makes it all worth while..."

I ran my first couple of laps, first a 1:19.3 then found a couple of tenths and set a 19.1 which I remember thinking at the time, actually, that’s pretty quick, but had no idea where the other cars were in relation! I was then in traffic and slowed to find myself a space. While I had a minute I called Dale White, our team manager, on the radio and asked how we were getting on. I was pretty surprised when Dale replied: “We’re P1, stay out, stay out.” As calmly as possible I replied: “OK”. Deep down thinking “WOW” but obviously until the session was over we wouldn’t know for sure!

Dale called to me and we pitted the next lap. That meant a three-minute wait until the end of the session before the result was confirmed. It had to be one of the longest three minutes of my life! Finally the session was over and we were POLEEEE!!! A pretty amazing feeling really and it’s still not really quite sunk in!

The team and everyone involved with this project have done an incredible job and this just makes it all worth while, especially coming from Laguna and having a pretty huge job rebuilding the car after the incident in the race! Well done everyone! Amazing!

So now I’m really looking forward to tomorrow morning and starting from the front in the first race! It’s going to be pretty exciting so make sure you’re watching!!!

-Jonny

For more on Jonny, visit jonathancocker.com or draysonracing.com.