February 1, 2012
(Grand-Am)
The GT class victory in the Daytona 24 Hour went to Andy Lally, John Potter, Richard Lietz and Rene Rast in the No. 44 Magnus Racing Porsche 911 GT3. "I absolutely knew we had the potential to do it," Lally said of the victory. "It was a pleasure to be able to join the team. It was absolutely epic to come home... on the top step, especially the 50th." What Lally didn't say is that the team took tremendous satisfaction in hanging one on Kevin Buckler's TRG juggernaut, which finished second with drivers Steven Bertheau, Marc Goossens, Wolf Henzler, Spencer Pumpelly and Jeroen Bleekemolen in the No. 67 Porsche 911 GT3. Leh Keen, Andrew Davis, Hurley Haywood and Marc Lieb completed the Porsche GT podium sweep in their No. 59 Brumos Porsche 911 GT3.
(Grand-Am)
Billy Johnson (with teammate Jack Roush Jr.) led the final 18 laps in the No. 61 Roush Performance Products/Gary Yeomans Ford Mustang Boss 302R to win Friday’s Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge Series BMW Performance 200. The victory gave Roush’s father, team owner Jack Roush, his first Grand-Am victory at Daytona International Speedway. Johnson finished 1.061 seconds ahead of Charles Espenlaub in the No. 48 Fall-Line Motorsports BMW M3. Espenlaub’s teammate Bryan Sellers was third in the No. 46 BMW. The race began in the wet with twenty-five of the race’s 58 laps run under a total of six caution flags. The BMW Performance 200 will be televised on SPEED on Sunday, Feb. 4, at noon ET.
(Grand-Am)
Pierre Kleinubing - after his teammate Jayson Clunie started at the rear of the field in his No. 31 i-Moto/Cybernation.net Mazda after missing qualifying with engine issues - won the ST class race anyway with a last-lap front stretch pass of Nic Jonsson (with Andy Lally) in the No. 10 Kinetic/Kia Racing Kia Forte. The margin of victory was .021 seconds in a side-by-side finish. The pair had battled with Gregory Liefooghe (with J. Capestro-Dubets) in the No. 81 BimmerWorld Racing BMW over the final laps. Liefooghe finished third. “I was the lucky one in the end,” Kleinubing said. “Nic gave me a big push and I was able to get by the Bimmer. Once we got side-by-side, we rubbed a bit and slowed his momentum and I was able to get by him again. Lucky to be here. Finally got a win.”
(Highcroft Racing)
The revolutionary DeltaWing Le Mans sports prototype racer is set to conduct its first full-scale rolling-road wind tunnel test next month. The first set of the uniquely designed-and-built Michelin tires has been delivered, which was the final piece needed in order to conduct wind tunnel testing with the actual racecar. Featuring tires designed and built by Michelin in France, the fronts on the most radical race car in the world are stunningly only four inches wide. “It takes a company like Michelin who have a global perspective and understanding of the importance of efficiency and personal mobility to be able to come up with a tire that meets the goals of the DeltaWing,” said Ben Bowlby - the DeltaWing designer who was recently awarded the Dino Toso Racecar Aerodynamicist of the Year award at RACE TECH Magazine's World Motorsports Symposium for his work in designing the groundbreaking DeltaWing. “The level of technology that Michelin can bring is second-to-none and having a company like them who have an incredible racing heritage and an outstanding road car business is a perfect match for us. “What they have done for us is completely incredible and I can’t wait to see these tires in action very soon.” The full-scale DeltaWing racecar will soon leave its development headquarters at Dan Gurney’s All-American Racers in California to head to the Windshear facility in Charlotte, North Carolina, for testing. Technical personnel from Michelin, transmission partner EMCO Gears and the DeltaWing engine partner (who will be announced at Sebring) will be on site at the first track test that is scheduled to follow the wind tunnel visit. “Michelin races to learn and races to win,” said Silvia Mammone, Michelin motorsports manager and project leader for the Michelin DeltaWing. “There is tremendous focus in the auto industry worldwide on making vehicles lighter without sacrificing performance, and we hope to learn a great deal from our collaboration with the DeltaWing program.” The car’s official entry for the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June was recently submitted by Project 56 DeltaWing partner, Highcroft Racing. Marino Franchitti has been named the first test driver of the DeltaWing.
(Highcroft Racing)
Marino Franchitti
Editor-in-Chief's Note: Check out Michelin's racing website - "Michelin Alley" - and get in on all of the behind-the-scenes buzz. Go here. - PMD
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