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Farnbacher Loles
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Corvette
Utah Grand Prix Holds Risks and Rewards for Corvette Racing
First Race on New Track Configuration Is Final Rehearsal for 24 Hours of Le Mans
SALT LAKE CITY, May 13, 2008 -- After back-to-back races on concrete-lined street circuits, the Corvette Racing team will revel in the wide-open spaces of Miller Motorsports Park, the site of Sunday's American Le Mans Series Larry H. Miller Dealerships Utah Grand Prix. Although the team has raced twice previously at the facility near Salt Lake City, this will be the first ALMS race held on the circuit's fast 3.048-mile, 15-turn perimeter course. The two previous ALMS events held at Miller Motorsports Park were contested on the track's twisting 24-turn, 4.5-mile configuration.
The Utah Grand Prix is a crucial event for Corvette Racing because it is the final rehearsal for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the centerpiece of the Chevrolet factory team's program. Miller Motorsports Park's high-speed turns and wide, smooth surface replicate the conditions that Corvette Racing will encounter on the immense 8.5-mile Circuit des 24 Heures du Mans on June 14-15. But with the twin Compuware Corvette C6.R race cars scheduled to be flown to France just days after the Utah event, it's imperative that they roll into their transporters unscathed at the conclusion of the two-hour, 45-minute race.
"While the infield course at Miller Motorsports Park is very challenging because there are so many turns, racing on the perimeter course is a better tune-up for Le Mans," said Steve Wesoloski, GM Racing Road Racing Group manager. "At more than three miles in length, the outer circuit is still a long track by most standards, and the addition of the new Turn 7 will make it a very fast course. Eliminating several of the tight corners in the infield should produce a cleaner race with fewer incidents. Our top priority is to have the race cars ready to air freight to Le Mans in three days."
Geographically and culturally, Utah's high desert is a world away from France's lush Loire Valley, yet the Utah and Le Mans race circuits have much in common.
"Without doubt it's a good warm-up for Le Mans," said defending GT1 co-champion Oliver Gavin, driver of the No. 4 Compuware Corvette C6.R. "It's a circuit that has a good long straight, some reasonably high-speed corners, and we can run our Le Mans tire specification for the last time before we go to France. It's a good place for us to run.
"I think the new track configuration for the Utah Grand Prix is going to be a very fast circuit," the Briton noted. "Every driver likes a high-speed track, and it's very different to what we had in the Long Beach and St. Petersburg street circuits. It will be nice to get back into 100 mph corners, will be good fun to stretch the legs of the Corvette C6.R again."
While the team's eyes are on the Le Mans prize, there is still an ALMS championship to be decided. After three rounds of the 11-race series, Jan Magnussen and Johnny O'Connell hold a four-point lead over Gavin and Olivier Beretta in the GT1 drivers championship on the strength of two victories.
"I liked the course we raced on last year at Miller Motorsports Park, but it does make it difficult in traffic," said Magnussen. "I think because the speeds will be higher on the new circuit, this will be a good track for us to run before Le Mans. Last year was good for us when we went from there to France -- we were well prepared. I'm looking forward to going back to Salt Lake City."
Corvette Racing's next event is the American Le Mans Series Larry H. Miller Dealerships Utah Grand Prix presented by The Grand and Little America Hotels at Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah, on Sunday, May 18, at 1:05 p.m. MT. SPEED will broadcast the two-hour, 45-minute race live at 3 p.m. ET.
Flying Lizard
Flying Lizard Heads to Utah for ALMS Round Four
May 9, 2008 -- Sonoma, California -- Flying Lizard heads to Utah next week for round four of the American Le Mans Series season: the Larry H. Miller Utah Grand Prix on May 18. With five podium finishes so far this season, including the GT2 win at Sebring, the three-Porsche Lizard squad leads in the ALMS GT2 team championship. In the ALMS drivers' championship, No. 45 Lizard Porsche drivers Joerg Bergmeister and Wolf Henzler are in second place, just six points behind the No. 71 Tafel Racing Ferrari of Dominik Farnbacher and Dirk Mueller. Johannes van Overbeek and Patrick Pilet in the No. 46 Lizard Porsche are in third, and in the No. 44 Porsche Seth Neiman is fourth and Darren Law fifth.
Thomas Blam, Flying Lizard chief strategist, discusses the upcoming race, "We're looking forward to being back at Miller. The 3-mile, 15-turn course has been modified from 2007: some of the longer turns have been removed, and it should be an ideal road course setup. We expect to see the competition between Ferrari and Porsche continue to heat up at this race. Tafel Racing is coming off of two strong wins at St. Pete and Long Beach and is adding a second car at this race. This is the Corsa Motorsports Ferrari team's home track so we expect them to be a presence, and of course, Risi Competizione will be pushing to come back from a challenging start this season. It's a tight championship race right now between the No. 71 Tafel Ferrari and the No. 45 and No. 46 Lizard Porsches - but it's still early in the season and anything can happen at this point."
Lizard chief engineer Craig Watkins added, "Miller is a relatively new track and it is smooth and flat. It's significantly different than Sebring and the two street courses (St. Pete and Long Beach), and will require a very different setup for the Porsches. Aerodynamics are a big focus here, much more than at the street courses because the speeds are higher and the course is flat with few bumps. We've resolved some of the understeer problems that dogged us here last year so we should be able to put together neutral cars that can take full advantage of the track. Of course, this will be our first so called 'normal' race running the new 2008 Porsches, so I'm sure we have plenty to learn."
Watkins agrees that Miller is one of the top circuits of the ALMS season, but also with its own unique challenges: "The wind and sand are tough to deal with here. Last year, sand blowing across the track made it hard to get setup dialed in. Also, it's the first time here for Patrick Pilet: so far he's been quick to get acclimated to each track but learning a complex road circuit can take longer than learning a short street course. In the No. 44 Porsche, Darren Law will not arrive until race day, so Seth Neiman will manage setup solo."
After Salt Lake City, the Lizards will head to France for the historic 24 Heures du Mans race. Eric Ingraham, team manager and No. 46 Porsche strategist, added, "After Miller, we head straight to Le Mans for the test on June 1 and the race June 14 and 15. We hope to have a strong showing here in Salt Lake: having some solid momentum going into the Le Mans event always helps."
VICI
Miami, Florida - VICI Racing and Kumho Tire are heading for the Miller Motorsports Park this week to contest the Utah Grand Prix, the fourth round of the 2008 American Le Mans Series. They are bolstered by the decision to run a second Porsche 911 GT3 RSR for the first time, and welcome a top- class driver line-up for the new #18 car.
Three exciting young drivers will be in the cockpit of the #18 car, and at Utah the trio will all be driving the VICI Racing Porsche 911 GT3 RSR in race action for the first time. The team's new Brazilian pilot Ruben Carrapasoto will get his first full cockpit time after impressing everyone during a handful of practice laps at St. Petersburg with his assured and fast pace, while we are delighted to announce the return of Nicky Pastorelli, and the arrival of his promising younger brother Francesco.
Nicky, former European F3000 Champion and most recently a ChampCar pilot, is very well known to the team, as he drove for VICI Racing in the Rolex 24 Hours last year, and also conducted pre-Sebring shakedown testing of the #5 car. Very highly rated by all our staff, we are pleased to have him in a race seat for Utah. In some families, motor racing oozes through the blood, and it is certainly the case in the Pastorelli household, Nicky's younger brother Francesco is busy carving a name in European 'staircase' formulae. He will be making a big step up to drive in ALMS GT2 but the team is confident that he is ready to make the transition.
From the tight city streets of St. Petersburg and Long Beach, the ALMS moves onto the high-speed Miller Motorsports Park, just 30 minutes from downtown Salt Lake City in Tooele, Utah, for its third visit to a purpose- built track that only opened in April 2006. However after using the 24- turn, 4.5-mile full course during their first two visits, this year for the first time, the ALMS teams will be racing on the blindingly quick 15-turn, 3.05-mile 'perimeter' course, providing VICI Racing and Kumho Tire with yet another tough challenge for their new tire development program before the series takes an 8-week long early summer break. This track is around 4,500 feet above sea level, and gets very hot and dry in the day, adding more variables into the equation.
VICI Racing and Kumho Tire have put this ambitious tire development program together in a very short time, with everyone highly motivated and enthusiastic about the challenge. Nevertheless, the team knows a steep learning curve lies ahead throughout this year, this is a tough challenge, and by choosing to run the program in full race conditions from day one, it is a process that will be carried out in the spotlight. Arriving at Sebring in March with new personnel and a new Porsche 911 GT3 RSR straight out of the box, the team showed its professionalism by holding a top-3 position for over 4 hours, only relinquishing it when issues beyond their control arose. Motor racing though brings highs and lows, and for St. Petersburg an early practice crash brought involvement at the Florida street circuit to a premature end. However the team fought back with precision to make the grid for the second consecutive street race at Long Beach a fortnight later and record a highly satisfying finish.
During the opening three races the #5 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR has been piloted by Nathan Swartzbaugh and Craig Stanton, and this lineup, which blends IMSA GT3 Cup champion Nathan's youth and speed with Craig's proven winning experience, will be back in the cockpit of the #5 car for the Utah Grand Prix. The #5 car will be supported by long-term VICI Racing partner, Wempe, a Germany-based manufacturer of exquisite timepieces and jewellery, as well as our two new partners this year: high-precision turning machine manufacturer, Tornos, and commercial real estate company, Westway Development.
Just over two years old, the Miller Motorsports Park provides a demanding challenge with four different circuit configurations available. On its third visit, and for the first time, the ALMS series will this year use the 14-turn, 3.06-mile 'Perimeter' Course (also called the Outer Course), which eliminates all the twists of the entire infield section and is one of the fastest track layouts in North America, featuring a 3,500-foot main straight where speeds will reach 200 mph and with cornering speeds from 50 to 100 mph.
While the track is basically flat, Miller Motorsports Park's design incorporates several significant elevation changes in order to add character, challenge and unparalleled sightlines for spectators. The variety of configurations, each with its own distinct characteristics, enables Miller Motorsports Park to provide challenges for drivers and riders of all skill levels while simultaneously providing exceptional race action for spectators. Safety was a major consideration in the design philosophy of Miller Motorsports Park. The circuit provides significant runoff areas, deep gravel traps and ample curbing to allow competitors to race hard, secure in the knowledge that if they make a mistake there is plenty of room for error designed into the circuit. Miller Motorsports Park thus justifiably enjoys a reputation as one of the safest racing facilities in the world.
Ruben Carrapatoso: "I'm very excited now about Utah, it will be great to get some decent time in the 911 which seemed very driver friendly when I tried it at St. Petersburg, everything you expect a Porsche to be. I have been watching videos of the Utah track to learn as much as I can about it, and it looks to be a superb track, very fast and with some great turns. I have been impressed by the professionalism of the VICI Racing team, and their commitment, and I can't wait to get in the car and hopefully get my ALMS career off to a good start in Utah, and have a good result for the team."
Nicky Pastorelli: "I'm very excited to be driving at Utah. I know the team well as I drove for them in the Daytona 24 Hours last year and they are a professional, dedicated bunch. I'm keen also to get behind the wheel of the RSR in a race as I did the car's shakedown runs pre-season for them and it felt like a superb race car that has, as we have seen since, already become a proven GT2 winner. ALMS is the most professional sports car series around so I'm looking forward to being involved. Of course having Francesco in the line-up is a bonus and it's great to have him in the car. Ruben is obviously very fast, so I think we will be the young, hungry line-up and I'm looking forward to making some waves and surprising a few people."
Francesco Pastorelli: "I can wait to get behind the wheel of the Porsche 911 next week. This will be a big step up in my career and I'm anxious to prove that I can repay the team's faith in my abilities. I'm grateful to them for giving me this chance and I intend to demonstrate that I can be a great asset to the team, starting in Utah. The track looks great too, very fast; I have been watching previous races there to understand it as much as I can. Racing alongside my brother will be fun too, Nicky is a few years above me and I have learnt a lot from him; he is quick, and has been very supportive of my own career."
Craig Stanton: "It was a real pleasure driving in my home race at Long Beach with all of the guys at VICI Racing, and now I'm looking forward to the next race at Salt Lake City. I know the car pretty well now and I know I've got a team that will put a great car under me."
Ron Meixner, President VICI Racing: "I'm pleased with the progress of the new program so far, and the fact that Utah will represent another big step forward. Kumho Tire has been working hard to develop new compounds and we have all learnt a lot after three races. Everyone is fully committed, our new personnel without exception have brought new strengths in their respective areas and the team did an expert job in recovering so well from the setback at St. Petersburg. I'm also very satisfied with the new team management structure we have put together for this year. However Kumho Tire and VICI Racing have a long way to go and we have to push on non-stop in every single area to keep raising our game towards the front of the GT2 pace. I'm pleased that we can now add the second car to the lineup, which will strengthen further our challenge in Utah and allow us to learn a lot more from the tire development program."
Roland Wall, Technical Director & Chief Engineer VICI Racing: "Utah presents quite a new challenge for us that I'm really looking forward to. After two street races we will be on a much faster track where aerodynamics will play a much more important part; this is an area I will have a close focus on. I'm looking forward to having the second car, this will give us much more scope to gather data and broaden our approach. It's also a two- and-three-quarter hour-long race so strategy will play a much bigger part. Kumho will have new compounds at the track for us to try, as they have done all year; I appreciate the commitment they are putting into the project. Finally I'm looking forward to seeing Ruben having more time in the car as well as working with Nicky and his brother, they both have pace."
Tim Bumps, Team Manager VICI Racing: "We're all looking forward to a good showing in Utah. It's been a really busy month for the whole team. After the rush to get the #5 car repaired, sorted and ready for Long Beach we have spent much time since fully preparing it for Utah. Now we have the new car in the equation as well; it will be delivered directly to the track so getting it prepped and ready will involve a lot of intensive work. We now have an expanded personnel lineup as we will be running two cars so we have been very busy gearing up and integrating the team to manage two cars. Everyone has been simply excellent in their application and I hope the week will go smoothly and, importantly, that we load up two undamaged cars on Sunday evening."
Jason Myers, Kumho Tires: Our development with VICI Racing has been progressing very well, and with the addition of a second car we feel the team will continue to show the capability of the Porsche on Kumho Tires. This will speed up the learning curve and give Kumho the opportunity to collect twice the data for future compounds and constructions. The crash at St. Petersburg was a setback, however now that the street circuits are behind us we can focus on Utah and beyond. The R&D center has been working very hard to bring the next generation tire for competition to the team. We'll have new options available for Utah so we expect to continue our push to the front and the fight for podiums."
The action on track at the Miller Motorsports Park for VICI Racing gets underway this Friday (May 16) afternoon with a 30-minute practice session (2:05-2:35 PM) reserved for the ALMS GT1 and GT2 classes. This is immediately followed by an hour-long free practice session (2:35-3:35 PM) which is open to all the classes (LMP1, LMP2, GT1 and GT2). Saturday (May 17) will see two practice sessions of an hour's duration each (10:20 - 11:20 AM and 1:55-2:55 PM) before the 20-minute qualifying session (3:05- 3:25 PM) which is reserved for the GT1/GT2 teams.
On Sunday (May 18) a 25-minute warm up session is scheduled (8:00-8:25 AM) before the Utah Grand Prix, the fourth round of the 2008 American Le Mans Series, goes to green flag at 1:05 PM. The race is scheduled to last for 2 hours and 45 minutes with the checkered flag waved at 3:50 PM.
Live television coverage will be presented by SPEED TV. Live radio coverage will be available on XM Satellite Radio Channel 144 and American Le Mans Radio at americanlemans.com, which also will feature IMSA's Live Timing & Scoring.
Farnbacher Loles
Marc Basseng of Leutenbach, Germany, will drive the No. 87 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR with Dirk Werner in the ALMS race. He is excited about racing on the 3.048-mile Utah road course, after street races in St. Petersburg, Fla., and Long Beach, Calif. He hopes to match the speed of the Flying Lizard Motorsports squad that leads the GT2 class team championship.
"The track looks really quick and with a lot of corners, completely different from the street tracks. I think we'll have to find a complete new setup for this kind of track," he noted. "I hope we can get closer to the Flying Lizards in the quali[fying] and can keep up with the race pace like we did in Long Beach."
Werner added, "I can't wait to drive the Porsche in Miller, as I missed Long Beach and I enjoy driving these GT2 cars so much. I'm excited to see how fast the Porsche is at this track because of the modified 2008 aero[dynamics] and to see if we can beat the Ferraris. The team showed good speed in the first races, but we missed good results. I hope we can manage to fight for a podium in Miller."