American Le Mans Series - Top News Feed

ANOTHER LOOK: 2009 MONTEREY SPORTS CAR CHAMPIONSHIPS PRESENTED BY PATRÓN

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:11:12 -0500

The first official practice sessions for the 2010 American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is exactly a week away. So before diving head-first into the new season, take a look back at the final race of 2009 – the Monterey Sports Car Championships presented by Patrón at historic Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

The 2009 closed with a bang – in more ways than one. In fitting fashion, Gil de Ferran ended his driving career with an overall victory in an extremely close fight with Adrian Fernandez as the retiring Brazilian legend won his fifth race with Simon Pagenaud in the de Ferran Motorsports Acura ARX-02a.

De Ferran beat Fernandez to the line by 0.662 seconds in an epic final race. The two ran nose-to-tail for most of the final 30 minutes in a duel reminiscent of their open-wheel battles at the circuit nearly a decade ago.

Fernandez and Luis Diaz won their eighth LMP2 race of the season in the Lowe’s Fernandez Racing Acura ARX-01b. They closed their championship year in grand style, tying a class record for victories in a season.

Patrón Highcroft Racing’s David Brabham and Scott Sharp placed third overall and second in LMP1. The team was the biggest winner on the night with the LMP1 team championship and driver titles for Brabham and Sharp.

Autocon Motorsports’ Tony Burgess, Chris McMurry and Bryan Willman placed third in P1 and fourth overall in the best finish for the team’s Lola B06/10-AER this season.

Jörg Bergmeister and Patrick Long won in GT2 for Flying Lizard Motorsports in their Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, a victory enhanced by driver championships for the pair and the second straight team title for the Lizards. Bergmeister finished 1.037 seconds ahead of Corvette Racing’s Jan Magnussen after the two cars banged side-to-side coming out of the final turn. As they beat on each other toward the finish, Magnussen went around hard into the outside wall just before the start-finish line.

ORBIT Racing’s Guy Cosmo and John Baker were winners in the Challenge class in their Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car. The pairing, which started on the class pole, finished ahead of Gruppe Orange’s Nick Parker and Don Pickering, and the third-place entry of Richard Rodriguez and Galen Bieker placed third for P7 Racing.

The result was more than enough to secure the class championship for the Snow Racing tandem of Martin and Melanie Snow, who had to retire early with engine issues.

The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón will open its 12th season with America’s greatest sports car race, the 58th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida from March 17-20. The green flag will fall at 10:30 a.m. ET on Saturday, March 20 with live coverage on SPEED starting at 10 a.m. ET. Live coverage also will be available on American Le Mans Radio, as well as Sirius Channel 127 and XM Channel 245. Visit the Series’ schedule page for ticket and accommodation information. Live Timing and Scoring, track schedule, entry list and much, much more will be available on Racehub at americanlemans.com.

You can follow the Series on Twitter (almsnotes) and on our Facebook page and the official YouTube channel.

BRAILLE BATTERY PROMOTES GREEN TECHNOLOGY IN SERIES

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 09:30:31 -0500

Braille Battery announced a title sponsorship position and partnership with Primetime Race Group today to form the Primetime Braille Battery Racing Team. This newly formed team will be competing in 2010 American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón, the Global Leader in Green Racing, to promote Braille Battery’s cutting-edge products to automotive enthusiasts.

“With so much press on Batteries and Future Technology recently, we felt the need to expose our new Lithium batteries and Braille’s GreenStart program through our favorite venue, racing!” explains Blake Fuller, President of Braille Battery. “We have supplied to winning teams in all facets of motorsports and recently released the World’s first safe Lithium-Ion starting batteries available for all types of vehicles. Throughout history, racing has resulted in the development of new technology for passenger cars. Braille Battery’s goals are perfectly in line the resolution of the American Le Mans Series to be the “Global Leader in Green Racing” to use motorsports as a proving ground and a stage to promote Green Technology to the World. Our success in racing has already enabled us to be selected as OE equipment on some of the top supercars built today!”

In 2009, Primetime Race Group ran Braille’s Recycled GreenStart Technology racing batteries to win its Prototype Lites drivers championship, as well as the American Le Mans Series’ Founders Cup. In 2010, the Primetime Braille Battery Racing team is set to be a dominant player in the newly form and hotly contested Le Mans Prototype Challenge (LMPC) class. The team will begin its season at Sebring for the historic 12-hour race March 20th, 2010 and will travel throughout the country into major cities with the final round in Atlanta for the epic 1,000-mile Petit Le Mans race.

"We are honored that Primetime Race Group chose to promote our company to this forward-thinking audience”, said Brand Manager Ray Ferriera for Braille Battery. “Braille has established a history of providing batteries to start race cars. This partnership will open awareness for what is happening now and what can be done today, built in America. We have always partnered with manufacturers to inspire them to think about the future of racing and our impact on the environment. Braille is very aware that to have a future in racing you must first have a future.”

Joel Feinberg, driver and owner of Primetime Race Group, and reigning Prototype Lites champion states, “Our relationship with Braille Battery over the last two years has shown us the proven reliability and performance of Braille products as a recipe for success. We are looking forward to having Braille Battery on board and the opportunity to promote their amazing product line to global racing fans. The graphic design of the car communicates to our fans the message that performance combined with environmental awareness is required in the World we live today.”

ABOUT BRAILLE BATTERY
Braille Battery, LLC, is the technology leader in the premium performance battery market. Braille Battery’s products include the World’s only Carbon Fiber battery line, the highest recycled content passenger car batteries and the World’s first lead-free automotive starting battery. In 2009 Braille Battery released the first OE sized Lithium-Ion battery for passenger and high performance cars. Blake Fuller, founder of the company, has a history as a road racer. Fuller’s racing career began at America’s Oldest Race, the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, where he was Rookie of the Year in 1999. He went on to capture First Place at the Pikes Peak Hill Climb in 2002. While developing his winning car, Fuller sought ways to reduce weight and was struck by the excessive weight of the battery. He then began to develop lightweight solutions for his race car, and Braille Battery was conceived. The company name, Braille, reflects the concept that advantages of weight reduction and electrical performance are sometimes only felt, not seen to the human eye.

ABOUT PRIMETIME RACE GROUP
Primetime Race Group is a Florida-based company specializing in professional motor sport as well as sports marketing. With more than 30 years of racing heritage, Primetime Race Group is dedicated to its partners and each other. The team, lead by Joel Feinberg, who is also the 2009 IMSA Prototype Lites champion, has a passion for going fast and delivering results for corporate partners. Primetime Race Group will campaign the Primetime Braille Battery Race Group ORECA FLM09 driven by Feinberg and co-pilot Kyle Marcelli during 2010 in the Series’ Le Mans Prototype Challenge series with their eyes set on another series championship.

ABOUT AMERICAN LE MANS SERIES presented by Tequila Patrón
The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón, based in Braselton, GA, is the world's top sports car series and is recognized as the Global Leader in Green Racing. In the tradition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, multiple classes of cars – three prototype and two GT classes – race on the track at the same time to create compelling race action and constant passing. All cars in the Series race on one of four alternative fuels: clean sulfur-free diesel, cellulosic E85, E10 or gas-electric hybrid. The Series has more automobile marques involved than any other major race series in the world as manufacturers develop relevant technologies on track that transfer directly to the customer showroom. It operates a 10-race schedule in top markets throughout North America.

OUTREACH IN ORLANDO WITH THE AUSTIN HATCHER FOUNDATION

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 09:18:54 -0500

For the fifth consecutive season, the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón will visit local children’s hospitals within its race markets in partnership with its official charity, the Austin Hatcher Foundation.

Throughout 2010 and in support of its long standing relationship with the Foundation, Series teams and drivers will visit – for its second year – the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando, Fla., on Saturday, March 13, between 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. prior to competing at the 58th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida.

The visit will feature appearances by such drivers as Johnny O’Connell from Corvette Racing, who has won more times at Sebring (eight) than other driver in history; Patrón Spirits Company CEO and Extreme Speed Motorsports’ Ferrari pilot, Ed Brown; 27-year old JaguarRSR driver and returning Series competitor Ryan Dalziel; and Cooper Tires Prototype Lites Championship contender and Inspire Motorsports driver Gary Gibson.

During the visit, drivers will be handing out gifts such as autographed hero cards, Series-made activity books and bubbles - the universal symbol for the Austin Hatcher Foundation - as well as playing a Forza race car video game with the children dealing with pediatric cancer.

Since 2006, the Austin Hatcher Foundation has touched the lives of more than 750 children and families in 10 cities and seven states around the United States. Throughout the upcoming season, that tradition continues as the Series actively participates through hospital visits, as well as by raising money and awareness for the Austin Hatcher Foundation through direct donations, Web and trackside merchandise sales, online race memorabilia, auctions, sales of limited-production American Le Mans Series/Austin Hatcher Foundation co-branded gear and through trackside diversionary therapy events centered around selected races.

The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón will open its 12th season with America’s greatest sports car race, the 58th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida from March 17-20. The green flag will fall at 10:30 a.m. ET on Saturday, March 20 with live coverage on SPEED starting at 10 a.m. ET. Visit the Series’ schedule page for ticket and accommodation information. Live Timing and Scoring, and American Le Mans Radio will be available on Racehub at americanlemans.com.

You can follow the Series on Twitter (almsnotes), our Facebook page and the official YouTube channel.

TEAM CYTOSPORT/PORSCHE CHOOSE MICHELIN

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:52:02 -0500

When Greg Pickett and Klaus Graf debuted the Muscle Milk Porsche RS Spyder at the 2009 American Le Mans Series round at Mid-Ohio last August they were not quite sure what to expect of their new steed. They did however know what to expect from their MICHELIN® tires. What they expected and what their Benicia, CA-based Team CytoSport got were results.

With four podium finishes in four starts, including a pair of seconds at Mid-Ohio, and Laguna Seca, and a dazzling stint by Graf in the wet at Petit Le Mans, Pickett and Graf were suddenly in the thick of the LMP2 prototype battles at every race.

That trend is expected to continue as they enter the 2010 American Le Mans Series for the full season. Pickett, a Trans-Am series champion and Graf, a veteran in international sports car competition and former ALMS winner are accustomed to success.

As the “preferred technical partner” for Porsche worldwide, Michelin and Porsche will once again team up on one of the most sophisticated cars on the American Le Mans Series grid, the Porsche RS Spyder. The prototype was developed exclusively on MICHELIN® tires and all 24 ALMS wins for Porsche RS Spyders have come with Michelin.

“It is a great thing for Team CytoSport and for Muscle Milk to be associated with world class technical partners like Porsche and Michelin,” said Pickett. “We were able to be competitive right from the start because of the efforts by our team and the work that had already been done by Porsche and Michelin.”

For Pickett, the only driver to score Trans-Am series wins in four decades, the ALMS results brought a special bonus. He was able to share the podium at Road America with son-in-law Scott Sharp. “It was pretty cool at 62-years-old to be taking part in the podium ceremonies with my son-in-law and have my grandkids hanging around wanting to carry our trophies back to the truck,” said Pickett.

“We are very pleased to continue our technical partnership with the entire Team CytoSport and the Muscle Milk Porsche family,” said Silvia Mammone, Michelin Motorsports manager.

DRAYSON RACING CHOOSES MICHELIN

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:49:44 -0500

Drayson Racing, the United Kingdom-based team owned by Elspeth, Lady Drayson and Paul, Lord Drayson, has announced the choice of MICHELIN as technical partner for their #8 Lola-Judd prototype competing in the 2010 American Le Mans Series (ALMS) and 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Paul, Lord Drayson is a member of the United Kingdom Parliament’s House of Lords and the present Minister for Science and Innovation in the UK Government and has long been dedicated to ‘green’ environmental causes.

In 2007, Drayson secured the first-ever national victory in the UK for a bio-ethanol fueled car. Drayson continued his green initiatives when he competed in the ALMS GT2 class in 2008 with an E85-powered Aston Martin Vantage GT2. In 2009, Drayson captured the first MICHELIN® GREEN X® Challenge award in Asia, at Okayama, Japan.

Drayson Racing has quickly established itself as a major player in the world of endurance motorsports. After competing in the British GT Championship, European Le Mans Series and American Le Mans Series with a GT2 class Aston Martin, Drayson Racing made the switch to the LMP1 ranks with a Lola-Judd prototype and debuted the Coupe last season in the ALMS at Petit Le Mans and the Monterey Sports Car Championship, Laguna Seca.

The team, in its second season with Michelin, captured the pole for the inaugural Asian Le Mans Series event in Okayama last October.

For the fourth consecutive year, Paul Drayson will team with co-driver Jonny Cocker (Guisborough, Yorks, UK). Cocker, 24, won the 2004 British GT Championship and 2005 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia.

Dale White, Team Manager, brings exceptional experience and endurance racing success to the team. White’s teams have won GT honors at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (2003, 2004), the Twelve Hours of Sebring (2005), the Petit Le Mans (2005, 2006) and American Le Mans Series GT2 titles (2005, 2006).

“With Michelin, I can say they are a true partner to Drayson Racing,” said Dale White, Drayson Racing’s Team Manager. “I have worked with nearly every tire manufacturer in the business and the approach Michelin takes is proven again and again by their success. Michelin is a company committed to the same core principles that we are; performance, the environment, professionalism and family. Michelin knows the lessons that can be learned from our sport and they take what they learn on the track – be it adhesion, rolling resistance, manufacturing techniques and put it into their street tires.”

“One of the single greatest on-track benefits that Michelin has provided to us is its consistency over the course of a long stint,” continued White. “With the Lola-Judd-Michelin combination, we can run two and even three fuel stints before we need to change tires. Considering the amount of time it takes to change four tires, that is a remarkable benefit to the overall race strategy. That alone can mean the difference between winning and losing a race.”

“We are delighted to have Drayson Racing join as a full-season technical partner team in the LMP class,” said Silvia Mammone, Michelin motorsports manager. “The team’s commitment to technology, innovation, success and education are an ideal match for Michelin.”

HUNDREDS OF SPECTATORS ALREADY IN LINE FOR SEBRING

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:44:59 -0500

More than 100 vehicles and 300 fans have been waiting for two weeks to enter Sebring.

Even though the gates don’t open for another week, more than 100 vehicles with nearly 300 spectators are already in line awaiting the 58th running of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida. At 6 a.m. local time on Wednesday, March 17th, spectators can enter the historic raceway in preparation for the 12-hour classic that starts at 10:30 a.m. ET on Saturday, March 20th. The opening race of the 2010 American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón features the largest Sebring entry in four years.

Often called the “Woodstock of Auto Racing,” Sebring attracts tens of thousands of race fans from all over the world for America’s oldest sports car endurance race. Spectators began camping near the entrance of the raceway two weekends ago, and by the time gates open on March 17th, more than 4,000 fans are expected to be in line.

For ticket information visit sebringraceway.com or call 800-626-7223.

Fans annually line up to enter Sebring International Raceway before sunrise as the gates open Wednesday before the race.

SEBRING’S 2010 FAN OF THE YEAR: Congratulations to Jeff “Fuzzy” Callahan of Cape Coral, Fla., for being named 2010 Sebring “Fan of Year.” He has been a regular at Sebring for more than two decades, camping at Turn 13 with his friends and family. Fuzzy was nominated by friends and fellow Sebring fans, such as John Malloy. As John explains:

Jeff “Fuzzy” Callahan is the 2010 Sebring Fan of the Year.

“Fuzzy’s dedication to Sebring is unsurpassed. He always did this for his two children and for me and my sons. … Fuzzy has created an environment for us to spend the best quality time with our children for the four days each year, and as we have watched our kids grow up, Sebring has added many joyous moments in our lives. Our sons and daughters will carry the torch long after us since we are all hooked.”

Fuzzy has had some tough health issues to deal with recently, but he is well on the road to full recovery. His friends have all told us he is a true inspiration and a dedicated supporter of Sebring International Raceway.

The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón will open its 12th season with America’s greatest sports car race, the 58th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida from March 17-20. The green flag will fall at 10:30 a.m. ET on Saturday, March 20 with live coverage on SPEED starting at 10 a.m. ET. Visit the Series’ schedule page for ticket and accommodation information. Live Timing and Scoring, and American Le Mans Radio will be available on Racehub at americanlemans.com.

You can follow the Series on Twitter (almsnotes) and on our Facebook page and the official YouTube channel.

AJR ADDS THIRD ENTRY FOR GTC IN 2010

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 12:38:13 -0500

Alex Job Racing has added a third Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car to his stable which will debut in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) GTC class for the season opening Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring race to be run on March 20th. The GTC category is brand new for 2010 featuring the popular Porsche 911 GT3 Cup race car.

The No. 80 Car Amigo/Alex Job Racing/Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car will be piloted by the Mexican duo of Luis Diaz and Ricardo Gonzalez. Diaz is the 2009 ALMS P2 champion. On his way to the P2 championship he stood on the top step of the podium in eight of 10 races, including Sebring. Gonzalez is an open-wheel standout that will be making his endurance racing debut next week. Patrick Kelly (Minneapolis, Minnesota), a GT3 IMSA Challenge front runner, will be the third driver in the No. 80 for Sebring.

"Luis and Ricardo bring a lot of racing experience to the team," Alex Job, team owner, said. "Luis has been to every track on the schedule making him a valuable asset behind the wheel and with our other drivers. Ricardo has a lot of open-wheel experience and together with Luis we will indoctrinate him into endurance racing. I am looking forward to seeing how this team develops as the season progresses.

"We knew that the new ALMS GTC championship would be popular. There are approximately 160 of these Porsche 911 GT3 Cup spec race cars here in the United States. It is a credit to Scott (Atherton, ALMS CEO) and his team to include this class in the 2010 championship."

In addition, Alex Job has added Jan-Dirk Lueders (Barrington, IL) in the No. 23 entry and Leh Keen (Charleston, SC) will be in the No. 81 car for Sebring.

Alex Job Racing ALMS GTC 2010 Entries:
No. 23 Battery Tender/Tequila Patron/Alex Job Racing/Porsche 911 GT3 Cup entry will see Bill Sweedler (New York, New York), Romeo Kapudija (Chicago, Illinois) and Jan-Dirk Lueders (Barrington Hills, IL) behind the wheel.

No. 80 Car Amigo/Alex Job Racing/Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car will be piloted by Luis Diaz (Mexico City, Mexico), Ricardo Gonzalez (Mexico City, Mexico) and Patrick Kelly (Minneapolis, Minnesota).

No. 81 Mission Foods/Alex Job Racing/Porsche GT3 911 Cup car will be driven by Juan Gonzalez (Mexico City, Mexico), Butch Leitzinger (Rebersburg, PA) and Leh Keen (Charleston, SC).

Alex Job Racing is one of the most successful teams in ALMS history with 37 wins. This record is supported by 45 pole positions and 75 podium finishes. The team has won three championships (GT in 2002, 2003 and 2004) complimented by their two GT class wins at Le Mans. The team also boasts six Sebring 12 hour wins.

The ALMS GTC category is specific to one of the most popular factory produced racing cars in the world, the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup. Developed for Porsche's one-make series around the world, the new version of the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup is based on the road-going 911 GT3 RS. The power unit featured in the new 911 GT3 Cup is largely identical to the production engine of the 911 GT3 RS with the same output of 450 bhp and the same maximum engine speed of 8,500 rpm.

Battery Tender
In 1999, Deltran introduced the Battery Tender Plus into the marketplace. The main reason was that many more AGM style lead acid batteries were being used in a variety of power sports engine start applications. Each and every Deltran Battery Tender Battery Charger® regardless of its size is programmed with a microprocessor that will correctly charge a battery then automatically switch to a maintenance/float mode. Refer to www.batterytender.com for more information.

Patrón
Simply Perfect in every way, Patrón tequila is an ultra-premium luxury white spirit that's delicious on the rocks, and mixes flawlessly into most any cocktail. From the highest-quality Weber Blue agave plants grown in the highlands of Jalisco, Mexico, to the centuries-old distillation process, to the signed, handcrafted glass bottles, Patrón is produced with unparalleled attention to detail. Imported and marketed by The Patrón Spirits Company, brands in the portfolio consist of Gran Patrón Burdeos, Gran Patrón Platinum, Patrón Silver, Patrón Reposado, Patrón Añejo, Patrón XO Cafe (tequila and coffee liqueur), and Patrón Citrónge (extra-fine orange liqueur), as well as Pyrat Caribbean rums, and Ultimat ultra-premium vodka. For more information, please visit www.patronspirits.com.

Mission Foods
Based in Irving, Texas, Mission Foods was established in 1949. Mission Foods is one of the world's largest tortilla, flatbread and corn flour producers and is engaged primarily in the production, marketing, distribution and sale of tortillas, chips, wraps, flat breads corn and wheat flour. For more information reference www.missionfoods.com.

ANOTHER LOOK: 2009 PETIT LE MANS POWERED BY MAZDA6

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 09:31:37 -0500

Franck Montagny and Stephane Sarrazin gave Peugeot its first American Le Mans Series victory, winning a weather-shortened 12th annual Petit Le Mans powered by MAZDA6 at Road Atlanta. Race officials, citing hazardous conditions due to torrential rains that fell at Road Atlanta just past the four-hour mark, called the race at eight hours, 44 minutes running.

Peugeot’s two diesel-powered factory prototype coupes finished 1-2 with the pole-sitting 908 HDi of Pedro Lamy and Nic Minassian in second. The first of Audi Sport Team Joest’s Audi R15 TDIs placed third, the car driven by Allan McNish and Dindo Capello. The Peugeot-Peugeot-Audi finish mirrored the end result at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June.

The highly anticipated battle between the Peugeots and the Audis lived up to expectations in qualifying and the early part of the race. Both Montagny and Sarrazin had to fight back from a lap down on more than one occasion after the Peugeots’ early race setup struggles.

Dyson Racing took its first Petit Le Mans victory with a victory in LMP2 for Marino Franchitti, Butch Leitzinger and Ben Devlin. Their Mazda-powered Lola B09/86 coupe had problems with gear selection early, but the Acura ARX-01b of Lowe’s Fernandez Racing’s Adrian Fernandez and Luis Diaz experienced steering issues throughout.

Nevertheless, the duo completed enough laps to clinch the LMP2 team championship for Lowe’s Fernandez and the manufacturer title for Acura.

Risi Competizione’s Jaime Melo, Pierre Kaffer and Mika Salo won in GT2 in their Ferrari F430 GT, the fifth straight endurance victory for the team. A brilliant call by Salo to take wet tires before the rest of the GT2 field proved to be the difference, and it took him six laps to move the Ferrari past the five cars in front of him to take the lead for good.

The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón will open its 12th season with America’s greatest sports car race, the 58th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida from March 17-20. The green flag will fall at 10:30 a.m. ET on Saturday, March 20 with live coverage on SPEED beginning at 10 a.m. ET. Visit the American Le Mans Series' schedule page for ticket and accommodation information.

You can follow the Series on Twitter (almsnotes) and on our Facebook page and the official YouTube channel.

CORVETTE C6.R AND CORVETTE ZR1: MORE THAN 10 YEARS OF TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 14:31:17 -0500

How close is Corvette C6.R racer to the ZR1 production street car? Let us count the ways... Click here to download the image. Used with permission of Corvette Racing.

Corvette Racing’s second-generation C6.R will be powered by a new 5.5L production-based V-8, to compete in the new unified GT class in the 2010 American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patron as well as the GT2 class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The updated C6.R and the Corvette ZR1 on which it’s based represent the strongest link yet between a production Corvette and the modern Corvette Racing team. Both cars are well-equipped to compete on and off the track with showroom competitors including Aston Martins, BMWs, Porsches and Ferraris.

Corvette has a long history of production-based endurance racing, making its first appearance at the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1956, and its first appearance at Le Mans in 1960. Then Corvette chief engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov leveraged the racing program to improve the production Corvette, as evidenced by the development of heavy-duty and high-performance components and the introduction of the race-bred Z06 option on the 1963 Corvette Sting Ray.

The transfer of technology between racing and production cars resumed with the start of the modern Corvette Racing program in 1999. More than a decade later, it’s impossible to imagine one team without the other, according to Tadge Juechter, Corvette chief engineer:

Corvette Racing's first full season of GT2 competition starts at Sebring.

“Simply put, without Corvette Racing, there would not be a Corvette Z06, much less the ZR1. And, without the foundation of the Corvette C6, Z06 and ZR1, the Corvette Racing team would not be the dominant presence in production-based racing.”

1999 – 2004: The C5-R acts as a catalyst for Corvette performance
Corvette Racing campaigned the C5-R from 1999 through the end of the 2004 season. The first-generation car scored 35 victories in 55 races, won its class at the 12 Hours of Sebring three consecutive years, posted three 1-2 finishes in the GTS class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and earned four consecutive ALMS manufacturers championships for Chevrolet.

It also served as a catalyst for Corvette performance.

In 1999, the fifth-generation Corvette C5 produced 345 horsepower from its 5.7L V-8. Leveraging the powertrain technologies developed for the C5R, Corvette brought back the hallowed Z06 moniker in 2001, packing a 385 horsepower 5.7L V-8.

In addition, the C5-R helped shape the sixth-generation Corvette, introduced for the 2005 model year. Corvette Racing’s influence could be seen in the C6 Corvette design, which featured flush headlights for better aerodynamics; a single, large grille opening for the engine air intake, radiator, and brake cooling; a lower coefficient of drag; and low 3,179 pound curb weight. Lessons from racing were also integrated in the 6.0L LS2 V-8, the most powerful standard Corvette engine to date, with 400 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque. As a result, the C6 Corvette delivered unprecedented performance, including a 186-mph top speed, acceleration from 0-60 mph in 4.1 seconds, and quarter-mile runs in 12.6 seconds at 114 mph.

2005 – 2009: The co-development of the C6.R and Z06
The C6 Corvette served as a foundation for the joint development of two new, high-performance Corvettes: the 2006 Corvette Z06 and the Corvette Racing C6.R, introduced in 2005.

Both cars were powered by 7.0L small-block V-8 engines, with dry-sump lubrication systems, CNC-ported aluminum cylinder heads, titanium valves, forged steel crankshafts, and plate-honed cylinder bores.

For the Z06, the collaboration translated into 505hp, 470 lb.-ft. of torque, and searing performance: 198-mph top speed, acceleration from 0 – 60 mph in 3.7 seconds, and quarter-mile runs in 11.7 seconds at 125 mph. Racing’s influence was also evident in the Corvette Z06 use of lightweight carbon fiber front fenders and wheelhouses, and aerodynamics package – including a front splitter, air extractors behind the front wheels, radiused trailing edges on the wheel openings, brake cooling scoops, widened rear fenders, rear diffuser, and spoiler.

For the C6.R, homologation on the Z06 translated into 42 wins, four consecutive ALMS drivers and manufacturers championships, and three victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

2010: Introducing the second-generation C6.R, based on the ZR1
In the 2010 American Le Mans Series, Corvette Racing will compete in the series' production-based GT category (formerly GT2) and in the GT2 class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with a second-generation C6.R that is homologated on the Corvette ZR1.

The GT rules require the use of many production-based components, making the ZR1 and C6.R the closest street and racing Corvettes since the 1960s.

Introduced for the 2009 model year, the ZR1 is the fastest, most powerful car ever produced by Chevrolet. To deliver 638 hp, the LS9 V-8 engines are hand-built using many of the processes developed by the race team. To deliver a 205-mph top speed, the ZR1 aerodynamics package also utilizes race technology – including wide carbon fiber front fenders with dual vents, a full-width rear spoiler, and a front splitter.

The updated C6.R utilizes the ZR1 body design, aerodynamic package, aluminum frame and chassis structure, steering system, windshield, and other components.

Aluminum frame: The new Corvette C6.R is built on the same aluminum frame rails that underpin production Corvette Z06 and ZR1 models. Other production chassis structures in the race car include the windshield frame, the hoop around the rear of the passenger compartment, the door hinge pillars, the drivetrain tunnel, the firewall, and the floor pan.

Steering system: The new Corvette C6.R utilizes the production steering column out of the ZR1, with a fully adjustable steering wheel, and production rack-and-pinion steering rack.

Body profile: The Corvette C6.R race car is now virtually identical to the Corvette ZR1 street car in appearance, as GT rules require production-type fenders with simple flares to accommodate wider tires.

Aerodynamics: The new C6.R utilizes the full-width, production rear spoiler from the ZR1, and a production-based ZR1 front splitter that extends 25mm, in contrast to the 80mm splitter allowed under the GT1 rules. Although the aerodynamics package does not produce the same levels of downforce as the GT1 car, the C6.R is more predictable over a wide range of speeds.

Where the C6.R and ZR1 differ significantly are in situations where GT rules actually prohibited the use of the more sophisticated ZR1 components. For example, the ZR1 is equipped with carbon-composite brake rotors, while GT regulations require ferrous (steel) brake discs. And, where the ZR1 utilizes a 6.2L, supercharged V-8, the C6.R will use a naturally aspirated small-block, production-based 5.5L V-8.

The Corvette C6.R race cars' 5.5-liter Chevrolet small-block V8s are developed, built and maintained by GM. The Corvette C6.Rs' LS5.5R is a naturally aspirated race engine, based on the Corvette Z06's 7.0-liter LS7 engine (which in turn was developed with the 7.0L race engine used in the C6.R GT1 cars), built on production cast-aluminum cylinder blocks.

Pending GT2 class regulations specify a maximum displacement of 5.5 liters, the reduction in displacement to meet this requirement was achieved by shortening the crankshaft stroke and reducing the cylinder bore diameter. In accordance with the regulations, the race engines have two 28.8mm diameter intake air restrictors. The LS5.5R engines are equipped with dry-sump oiling systems, CNC-ported aluminum cylinder heads with titanium intake and exhaust valves, and sequential electronic port fuel injection. The race engines use E85R ethanol racing fuel in the ALMS and E10 fuel in Le Mans.

Race on Sunday, Sell on Monday
Clearly, Corvette Racing’s success in production-based endurance racing has played a significant role in improving the performance of the production Corvette. In addition, as the racing and production cars have become more closely linked, Corvette Racing has also shown a positive impact in Corvette sales.

“Corvette sales tracked directly to customer leads at ALMS races have doubled from 2005 to 2009,” says John Fitzpatrick, Chevrolet Performance Cars marketing manager. “This proves what we have heard anecdotally from other Corvette owners: Watching production-based Corvettes win against legendary marques like BMW, Porsche and Ferrari, on legendary tracks like Sebring and Le Mans, makes Corvette all the more desirable.”

Corvette's on-track successes are carrying over to showrooms around the world, as evidenced by this Corvette Corral at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

CENTURY CRAFT SUPPORTS MARCELLI FOR 2010

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 13:31:50 -0500

Announced today, Canadian race car driver Kyle Marcelli is pleased to have support from Century Craft Custom Builders Inc., as he campaigns in the 2010 American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patron co-driving the No. 11 ORECA FLM09 with Joel Feinberg for Primetime Race Group.

Century Craft’s president Carmen Apreda has been a long-time race enthusiast and fan of the American LeM ans Series. He made a special appearance during the ALMS official winter test last week where he enjoyed catching up with Kyle and meeting the Primetime Race Group.

“It’s the local support that means so much for me to have. Century Craft has been with me from the start, they have been so positive and excited to be involved," Marcelli said. "I’ve shared many proud moments with them since our relationship began in 2007 and I look forward to sharing many more throughout 2010 as I complete in the American Le Mans Series.”

“Century Craft is proud to be back again as a supporter of Kyle Marcelli and his upcoming 2010 season in the American Le Mans Series," said Carman Apreda, President, Century Craft Custom Builders Inc. "We are confident that he will excel in the upcoming season, as he has so often proven in the past. We wish Kyle all the best and look forward to an exciting season ahead.”