Highcroft
de Ferran
Andretti Green
Fernandez
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Highcroft
Patron Highcroft Racing Pulls Out the Stops to Get Back on Track at Petit Le Mans
Thanks to outstanding team work the Patron Highcroft Racing crew completely rebuilt the Acura ARX-01b overnight, after it sustained heavy damage in Thursday practice, to qualify seventh in LMP2 for Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta. The team's monumental efforts have ensured that drivers Scott Sharp, David Brabham and Dario Franchitti are back in the fight for the 10 hour/1,000-mile event and penultimate round of the 2008 American Le Mans Series.
The Patron Highcroft crew worked in shifts throughout the entire night to get the car running. Remarkably, the Acura could have gone out for practice on Friday morning, but the team wisely made the decision to further review the newly-built car.
After missing all of Thursday's practice sessions, the #9 Acura's first laps on track came in qualifying. David Brabham put in some solid installation laps to ensure everything was in order before attempting to post any quick times. Despite the car being literally fresh out of the box, Brabham was able to push as the session progressed and managed to post a fastest time of 1:08.064 to qualify 12th overall and seventh in LMP2.
"Incredible work by the entire Patron Highcroft Racing crew made sure that we were back on track for qualifying today. They did a phenomenal job," said team principal Duncan Dayton. "There is a great spirit in the team and there was a lot of laughing and smiling to keep us going through the night. We managed to give David a pretty good car for qualifying although we missed a little bit on the set-up and balance. But nine-tenths off of the LMP2 pole car isn't bad for a car turning its first laps. We've got good straight-line speed and some improvements planned for the race tomorrow. We've got a strong car and a great group of drivers, so we should have a shot."
Sharp commented: "We think that a loss of air balance on the rear of the car caused the incident yesterday, but the crew has done a fantastic job to rebuild it in 12 hours. The team's outstanding strength is our foundation in every aspect. We are strong. We've got smart strategy and we are consistent at getting good results. Every one of those attributes will come into play during the long race. I'm feeling great and I am looking forward to starting the race tomorrow."
Brabham commented: "I can't believe the amazing job done by the Patron Highcroft Racing team to completely rebuild the car overnight. It was no easy task and I'm very proud of all of the guys. To get back out there for qualifying was fantastic, although we knew that we didn't have enough time to get a good qualifying setup, but the car was pretty good considering. We'll make a couple of tweaks for the race but I am confident that we have a good car. On race day, you can only work with the car you have, but we have proved this season that this team can give the drivers a good racing machine. We should be competitive throughout the race and I feel good about our chances."
Franchitti added: "Getting back in the Acura has been a big culture shock for me. It is so different from driving the stock car this year. These cars are so quick and they are the most technically-advanced on the planet. We had a good test here a few weeks ago and that really helped to prepare me for this weekend. The incident yesterday was tough on the crew guys, but this team is so talented that they will be sure to give us a great car for the race. I'm looking forward to Saturday."
With qualifying complete the team can now concentrate on fine tuning the Acura to help Sharp, Brabham and Franchitti, to mount their assault during the maximum 10-hour race tomorrow for which maximum points are up for grabs. Approaching the penultimate round, which starts at 11:15 AM EDT, Sharp and Brabham lie second in the LMP2 title fight, just four points adrift of the leaders, Timo Bernhard and Romain Dumas. Patron Highcroft also sits second in the Team championship to Penske Racing, so there's everything to play for.
de Ferran
BRASELTON, GA (3 October, 2008) -- It was qualification day today for the 11th running of Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta and taking his turn behind the wheel of the #66 Panasonic-sponsored Acura for de Ferran Motorsports was Simon Pagenaud.
The young Frenchman showed well in his first qualifying attempt for the 1,000-mile race taking fifth place in the LMP2 class and eighth place overall.
It was under the watchful eye of team owner and fellow driver Gil de Ferran as well as teammate for the weekend, reigning Indy 500 and IndyCar Series Champion Scott Dixon that Pagenaud put in his qualifying performance.
The racecar driver from Poitiers, France completed 16 laps around the 2.54-mile road course but it was on his final lap that the rising young star put in his time of 1 minute 7.656 seconds, placing him on the fourth row of the starting grid.
Petit Le Mans, round 11 of the 2008 American Le Mans Series, gets underway tomorrow, Saturday, October 4 at 11:15 am with live television coverage on SPEEDTV starting at 11:00 am.
SIMON PAGENAUD
"At the beginning we had a very positive car, very, very loose but we made a good adjustment and we went quick. We're just missing a little bit of pure speed but in a ten-hour race that's not as much of a factor.
"I think we have a good driver line up, and we're all pretty even and that's very important since it's such a long race. The car is a solid racecar and I have good expectations for the race. I'm pretty impatient to go racing. We've been here for a week already, so I'd like to go racing now!
"I think tomorrow is going to be a special day with so many cars on the track. It's going to be interesting. All the passing is going to be important, we will have to be careful in traffic and try to be there at the end."
GIL DE FERRAN
"We are satisfied with our qualifying. It's a ten-hour race, so I guess out of all the races that we have done so far, this is probably the least important qualifying session. We're happy with the car and we're looking forward to a clean race tomorrow, it's a long way to go.
"I think Scott has fitted into the team very, very well. It's always difficult for someone just to come in for one event, when Simon and I have been working together for the whole year, but Scott has fitted in perfectly well and has really given a very positive contribution and good effort, so we're happy to have him around. And Simon did a great job in qualifying, so it's looking good."
SCOTT DIXON
"I'm feeling pretty good in the car. It's always very tough to share the car with three drivers when you only get hour sessions. As far as track time it's difficult and we got a lot of red flags so it doesn't help to get into a rhythm and things like that. The first couple of days we tested here I didn't do a whole lot of laps but I definitely feel comfortable in the car for the race. It's not so flat out, it's more of a consistency and trying to weed your way through traffic. I can't wait, I'm looking forward to it. I just can't wait to sit in the car for three hours!
"(About dealing with the slower traffic) It's gets annoying but it's hard for those guys too, especially in the GTs, they're probably racing while always having to look in their mirrors. So luckily this car is fast and you can sort of pass a ton, but I'm sure there's going to be problems tomorrow with the traffic, there always is."
Andretti Green
Franck Montagny, #26 XM Radio Acura
"I think the XM Radio Acura car is faster than what we put up there today. The crew did a good job putting it back together after this morning. The car is quite good, but the brakes just kept sticking on me so I couldn't get up to speed fast enough. But, we'll be okay for tomorrow. The car is good, so we'll see what we can do tomorrow. It's a long race, so a lot can happen."
Fernandez
Lowe's Fernandez Racing to Start Sixth in Class at Petit
Adrian Fernandez qualified the #15 Lowe's Acura ARX sixth in class and 11th overall for Saturday's Petit Le Mans. Fernandez managed to break into the 67-second range for the first time in the 25-minute qualifying session with a 67.866 second lap. He was looking for an additional three-tenths of a second to chase down the fourth-ranked #26 Acura of Andretti Green's Franck Montagny, but a spin in Turn Six in the closing stages relinquished his bid.
Luis Diaz will start tomorrow's 1,000 mile/10-hour endurance classic which will mark the debut of Michel Jourdain Jr. with the squad. Focusing on race setup, the trio have made steady gains since beginning their testing program this past Saturday with Fernandez claiming the second-fastest time in class [fifth overall] in the one-hour 45-minute night practice session yesterday.
Adrian Fernandez, #15 Lowe's Acura ARX: "I spun twice in qualifying which is very uncharacteristic of me but I was just pushing hard. I was down on my lap time on my last lap and just kept my foot on it and the car didn't take it. I spun in Turn Six. I knew what I had to do, came very hot into the corner and the rear didn't stay with me and I lost it. For the race, I think we have a good race car."
Luis Diaz, #15 Lowe's Acura ARX: "It has not been an easy week so far for anybody. There have been a lot of crashes and the traffic out there has been brutal, worse than any other place. It has been a challenge but so far we have had a clean week and that has been the plan. We tried not to take too many risks. Looking to the race, I know that we are well-prepared. We have done everything possible to make sure that the car is good for the end. Now, I think it is just a matter of luck. I don't think any of us will go out to break records right away or do something crazy and I am feeling pretty confident. Maybe we haven't always showed the speed this week, but we have done a pretty good job."
Michel Jourdain Jr., #15 Lowe's Acura ARX: "I feel I am getting better and better. My job for this race is mainly to help Adrian and Luis rest and make sure they are good for the end. I am trying to be quite conservative and driving on the conservative side -- still to be fast but to try to not make any mistakes. I would rather lose a couple of tenths a lap making sure I am clean rather than lose a nose and lose five minutes as a best case scenario. I really like these cars. They are fantastic. Lowe's Fernandez Racing is such a great team. I am really enjoying working with everyone here and the track is a lot of fun so I am very happy."