Petite LeMans

Petite LeMans this Saturday. IMHO this is one of the best race events in the US. Indy F1 included. Road Atlanta. One of the most beautiful tracks in the US. The mountains of NE Georgia. 10 hrs. Day into the dark. Chance of scattered thunderstorms. Meeting Carol, John and some other F-Chat folks there. We have some very special passes with Audi. It's not too late.
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Thanks for starting the thread. Risi #62 has an excellent chance of winning the championship this weekend as well as Audi #1.
Total of 32 entries: P1 = 7 P2 = 9 GT1 = 3 GT2 = 13

I'm going for Audi #1 overall and P1. Highcroft Acura for P2. MC-12 for GT1 (hope so anyway). Risi #62 for GT2.

See you Friday Michael.

Carol

 

I thought Vitaphone Racing Team in the MC-12 had it pretty well sown up.. I haven't been watching so what's the scoop there?

 

Don't think so, they just started at RA in August. A privateer that was 2 secs/lap slower than the C-6.

 

http://www.fiagt.com/points.php

Vitaphone is clearly killing everyone else in the GT Series, that's probably not Lemans...

2007 FIA GT1 Teams Championship Rounds
Pos Name Nat. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Total
1 Vitaphone Racing Team 5 13 9 13 11 23 5 12 14 105
2 Scuderia Playteam Sarafree 5 10 1 13 11 8 9 5 62
3 Carsport Holland 4 8 6 18 4 10 50
Jetalliance Racing 5 5 12 5 11 8 4 50
4 PK Carsport 6 6 4 4 8.5 6 1 35.5
5 Aston Martin Racing BMS 5 2 2 3 9 1 8 5 35
6 All-Inkl.com Racing 10 8 4 3 25
7 PSI Experience 8 8
8 Luc Alphand Aventures 7 7
9 JMB Racing 2 2.5 4.5
10 Reiter Lamborghini 3 1 4
11 SRT 1 2 3
12 Barwell Motorsport 1 1

2007 GT1 Manufacturers Cup Rounds
Pos Name 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Total
1 Maserati 5 18 19 14 25 37.5 13 21 19 171.5
2 Corvette 18 14 5 10 34.5 4 6 11 102.5
3 Aston Martin 6 7 7 15 9 6 19 8 9 86
4 Lamborghini 10 8 4 3 4 29

 

Doran Racing is running the MC-12 in ALMS. Doran Racing drivers Fredy Lienhard and Didier Theys will try to repeat their GT1 podium finish at Road America Aug. 11 when they compete in the 10th running of the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta Motor Sports Center in Braselton, Ga. on Saturday, Oct. 6.

It will be only the second race ever for their blue Maserati MC12, a privateer entry that wasn't far behind the big-budget factory Corvette team in Wisconsin. The best lap recorded by the Michelin-shod Maserati, which is sponsored by Lista, Making Workspace Work and Lista Office, was just 0.877 of a second off the best lap posted by the winning Corvette in the car's first race, held on Road America's 4.048-mile circuit.

Eric van de Poele will be driving with Fredy and Didier. Eric drives for the Vitaphone MC-12 German based team.

Hoping they give the 'Vettes a good run for the money - I'd like to see them #1 on the podium.

Carol

 

I'm jealous hope you guys have a great time at the race. I had a lot of fun in Houston for the GP only was disappointed the MC-12's weren't running yet. Hopefully Risi can pull off the win.

 

Should be a great day, enjoy yourself!

Sports car racing is great. I had the good fortune to be a member of the pit crew for a team running a Ferrari 430 in the British GT3 championship recently - it was a fun few days. With ten hours of racing to enjoy, and your special passes, your weekend should be superb.

 

Carol,
many thanks for the information... I will start following this and I am sure Maserati will beat the Vettes, with a Ferrari heart there is no way Chevy can stay in the lead for long... Trying to do so nearly put Ford under...

 

Hey Folks, Those of you who are attending please come and check out the Ferrari of Atlanta, FNA, FCA, unofficial Ferrari Chat
corral... I think it will be by all the vendor booths... you should be alble to see some really nice cars... the Dealer usually brings his Enzo, F-50, F-40 & 288 GTO.... anyhow It would be great to meet up with all the racing fans on F chat...

I'm Tom Spiro, have a black 328 will be there Thurs night - Sat. check out the FCA events planned in the SE section. all are wlecome!!!

Cheers!

Tom

 

Thanks Kyle. John and I and our son and wife are doing the Audi Experience (hospitality package, etc) again and Michael is also doing same. You can catch the beginning of the race on Speed. I think they are covering the start and finish - just have to check their program sked. As low as the MC-12 is, the Houston street course could present problems with the bumps. BTW, the 2008 ALMS race is listed on the Houston GP site. Don't forget, there is always Hindy on the radio, the XM broadcast and live timing on www.imsaracing.net

Carol

 

Ian, definitely sounds like you enjoyed yourself. How did the 430 do in GT3? Rik's running a Lambo in GT3 - hoping they come to the FIA-GT 24 Hours of Spa next July. . . how about you??

Allan told folks on the grid at one of the races that I'm his American Mum (whilst receiving a big hug and kisses), so that being the case I always cheer for your fellow Scotsman. (OT - you going to Autosport International in January?? - did I already ask you??)

Carol

 

last year the Ferrari Corral was at the top of a hill at in intersection as I recall. They were allowing only folks with specific passes into corral with the cars.

Carol

 

Carol

It was a one-off thing. I was standing in for a regular team member who couldn't make that weekend so, sadly, I might not get an opportunity to do it again.

The team didn't do too well on that weekend. In Saturday's race the tyres went off and the car finished about sixth. So the team decided to change the rear tyres during the pit stop in the Sunday race. We practised a bit in advance and got pretty quick. We were running second in the race just behind the Aston Martin that was leading and with enough of a gap to the third placed car to get back out and still be in second place if we got the change right. We changed wheels in about 12 seconds; the car was dropped off the hydraulic jacks............and wouldn't start!! Managed to push start it down the pit lane (not easy with an F1 gearbox and no clutch!) but we'd lost too much time and finished down the field. It was a great experience though and I did get to see myself on television push starting a Ferrari race car.

There were Scots in the pit crew but the two drivers were Northern Irish and Danish!

Is Rik running the Lambo in the British GT3 series or the European one? There was nice looking Lambo at Thruxton that weekend, black with red wheels if I remember correctly.

 

JoTec will be there. Here's one of the Kelly-Moss cars he works with. I won't miss you this time Joe.
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I was a big fan of the ALMS a few years ago, when they would get 50-60 entries for Sebring and PLM, but today, when they only get 25 entries for most races, and maybe 35 for Sebring, I have lost a lot of interest.

I would love for the ELMS, ALMS and FIA GT to combine into one series for a true championship, as was the case years ago.

I wish the FIA and ACO would stop their fighting, and maybe the number of entries would go up.

Even Le Mans itself has gotten less intersting, IMO....

 

Qualifying at Mid-Ohio.
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The silent one. I know, I know. A racing car must be loud. I have some hearing loss from shotguns and racing cars. F1 cars are the best loud. But if you haven't stood by this thing at 185 mph while it goes WHOOSH past you.
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Get your butt on a plane and be there. I have extra Fri/Sat Super ticket and infield parking. They are yours and I'm buying.

 

Thanks for the offer, but I have to work...

 

This working thing really limits one. Hope the thundershowers stay away and that everyone attending gets another GT-2 Sebring style ending in all classes. You're right Micheal, those R-10's have the sound of muffled presence. It has to be intimidating when the competition qualifies P1 AND P2 and all the while sound as if they're barely above idle. Very 'Close Encounters'.....

 

Racing cars are best served close and running!

 

Tafel Racing
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Rik is running the Lambo in the British GT3 series and it was the one at Thruxton. His DBR9 is also very dark grey/black with the red/orange wheels and trim - it runs LMS GT1. Very nice guy.

Michael, thanks for showing the new paint (tape) job for Tafel - from what I read both cars are appearing different this weekend.

Read earlier that Chip Ganassi is announcing tomorrow at 10:30 that Dario will be joining his NASCAR team along with Montoya. It also said that Dario would be driving the ARCA race this weekend at Talladega and that he (Chip) was getting him out of the AGR contract. This could be interesting as I wonder who would occupy the third seat in the XM car at PLM.

Carol

 

Darn, we won't get to see Ashley. Don't tell me Danica. Marco maybe.