May 16, 2012
John Thawley ~ Motorsports Photography @ www.johnthawley.com)
Editor-in-Chief's Note: John Thawley has come up with another batch of scintillating images, this time from the six-hour American Le Mans Series Race at Laguna Seca (Mazda Raceway) in Monterey. Once again the ALMS demonstrated that the racing going on in its GT class is the best road racing by far going on in the world right now. The No. 4 Corvette Racing Compuware Corvette ZR1 driven by Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner secured the victory in GT followed by the No. 3 Corvette Racing team car driven by Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia. Seven GT cars finished on the lead lap. It's a shame that the ALMS can't feature a 30-car field of GT cars every race weekend and be done with it, because that is The Show. - PMD
(F. Peirce Williams - INDYCAR/LAT Photo USA 2012)
Things heated up during Happy Hour yesterday (May 15) at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as Marco Andretti, driving the No. 26 Team RC Cola Chevrolet for Andretti Autosport, led the way with a lap of 40.2367 seconds (223.676 mph) - the fastest lap of the four days of practice.
(Michael L. Levitt - INDYCAR/LAT Photo USA 2012)
Marco Andretti prepares to go out for practice late yesterday afternoon (May 15).
(Dan R. Boyd - INDYCAR/LAT Photo USA 2012)
Helio Castroneves, driving the No. 3 Shell V-Power/Pennzoil Ultra Team Penske Chevrolet, was second quick late Tuesday afternoon (May 15) with a lap of 222.025 mph.
(Michael L. Levitt - INDYCAR/LAT Photo USA 2012)
James Hinchcliffe (221.864) was third quick on Tuesday afternoon (May 15) in the No. 27 Andretti Autosport GoDaddy.com Chevrolet.
(Michael L. Levitt - INDYCAR/LAT Photo USA 2012)
Graham Rahal's No. 38 Service Central Honda was fourth fastest (221.855) on Tuesday afternoon.
(Dan R. Boyd - INDYCAR/LAT Photo USA 2012)
Ryan Hunter-Reay ran fifth-quick in the No. 28 Andretti Autosport Team DHL/Sun Drop Citrus Soda Chevrolet (221.814).
(Michael L. Levitt - INDYCAR/LAT Photo USA 2012)
Townsend Bell (No. 99 BraunAbility-Schmidt Pelfrey Motorsports Honda) and Marco Andretti (No. 26 Andretti Autosport Team RC Cola Chevrolet) lead a pack into Turn 1 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway late Tuesday afternoon (May 15) in practice. "I'm really pleased with where we are at with the race car so far," Andretti commented afterward. "I have just been really working on the car in a pack, and just trying to stay flat in traffic. We have the car to the point now that I am confident to say we would be the ones to beat if the race was today. The speed on its own, I'm a little concerned about. I've said it before, I'll say it again, if we start 33rd, we can still win this race." (About differences in drafting this year compared to previous years): "These things, it is just obvious looking at them, they poke a huge hole in the air. I think it is going to be great for the fans, man. I don't think anybody is going to be able to lead for more than a couple of laps because the leader is just a sitting duck. You get such a great tow. There is going to be a lot of passing. The thing I am concerned about is the last minute because what happens is you get a decent tow, but then that last couple of car lengths, it really sucks you in, so a lot of guys are going to be, 'No, I can't get him, can't get him'. Then they are going to feel that, and they are going to be doing last-minute dive-bombs. That will be interesting, but you just have to be heads-up. That's all."
(Michael L. Levitt - INDYCAR/LAT Photo USA 2012)
Josef Newgarden got a little speed religion yesterday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The 21-year-old rookie from Tennessee got wobbly in Turn 4, did two complete spins and struck a glancing blow on the pit lane retaining wall. It was the first incident of contact of the month. Even so, Newgarden topped the time chart for the third time this month with a best lap of 40.3977 seconds (222.785 mph). Andretti Autosport teammates Marco Andretti (222.108 mph, above), Ryan Hunter-Reay (221.763) and James Hinchcliffe (221.638) were next quick as teams continued working on race set-ups with the new Dallara chassis. Thursday is the last day of practice before teams receive the added turbocharger boost for "Fast Friday" - reflecting a 40-50 horsepower gain and 4-5 mph per lap. The increase in the boost will be available for that session and the weekend qualifying sessions.
(motorvationllc.com)
American Conor Daly scored the biggest win of his career in Barcelona, Spain, early on Sunday morning after he took the checkered flag to win round two of the GP3 Formula One support series. The win puts him in second place in the championship with 23 points, just two points out of first place. "When I heard our National Anthem being played on the podium I just had to look behind me at the American flag with great pride. A lot of people have helped me get here and I wanted them to share the moment also," commented Daly.
(IMSA)
Sixteen-year-old rookie Tristan Nunez, driving for Performance Tech Motorsports, swept the weekend in the Cooper Tires Prototype Lites Powered by Mazda series at Laguna Seca (Mazda Raceway). Nunez qualified on the pole and led every lap in both races, which makes it five victories in the first six races for The Kid.
(Mark Weber/SCCA)
Randy Pobst (No. 6 K-PAX Racing Volvo S60), of Gainesville, Ga., led all the way to win the GT class in the Pirelli World Challenge Cadillac Sports Car Grand Prix at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca last weekend. Pobst's teammate Alex Figge (No. 9 K-PAX Racing Volvo S60), of Denver, Colo., finished second and Andy Pilgrim (No. 8 Cadillac Racing Cadillac CTS-) was third.
(Mark Weber/SCCA)
Peter Cunningham (No. 42 Acura/HPD/RealTime Racing Acura TSX), of Milwaukee, Wis., captured the first win for the new V-6 powered Acura in Pirelli World Challenge GTS competition at Laguna Seca. Jack Baldwin (No. 68 Voodoo Ride-Invoice Prep/Hot Wheels Porsche Cayman S) was second and Aaron Povoledo (No. 26 CapaldiRacing.com Ford Mustang Boss 302S), of Toronto, Canada, finished third.
(Mark Weber/SCCA)
Todd Lamb (No. 71 National Karting News/HPD), of Atlanta, Ga., won in Touring Car at Laguna. Jeff Altenburg (No. 43 HPA/RennGruppe Brimtek/SG Racing Volkswagen Jetta GLI), of Ellicott City, Md., was second, and Ryan Winchester (No. 72 Ligon Industries/HPD) finished third.
(Chevrolet)
Chevrolet has announced the return of a V-8 powered, rear-wheel-drive performance sedan to its U.S. lineup, the Chevrolet SS. The SS will also be Chevrolet’s next NASCAR Sprint Cup race car and will debut in its race configuration at the 2013 Daytona 500. The limited production version of the Chevrolet SS will be a 2014 model and will arrive in dealer showrooms in late 2013. It is the first time in 17 years that Chevrolet will offer a rear-wheel-drive sedan for sale in the United States. The Chevrolet SS will be a derivative of the global rear-wheel-drive architecture shared by performance vehicles like the Chevrolet Camaro and Holden’s upcoming VF Commodore. GM suggests that the Australian-built car will benefit from significant technology advances which enhance overall performance. “As a passionate race fan and performance enthusiast, I am thrilled that Chevrolet will deliver a true rear-wheel-drive NASCAR racecar in the SS that is closely linked to the performance sedan that will be available for sale,” said Mark Reuss, president of GM North America. “The Chevrolet SS is a great example of how GM is able to leverage its global product portfolio to deliver a unique performance experience that extends beyond the track. I am personally looking forward to driving it.”
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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