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Good news! IMSA amended rules to allow another BOP adjustment. Hopefully one coming soon.
IMSA: Series adjusts BoP rules ahead of COTA
Wednesday, 09 September 2015
By: Marshall Pruett
IMSA, the sanctioning body for the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, amended its rulebook with two rounds left to run, and has modified its allowances for Balance of Performance (BoP) changes.
Under the previous version of Rule 2.2 in IMSA's BoP documentation, the guideline stating "IMSA may make an initial change within thirty (30) days from the completion of the first Event and then up to three (3) additional adjustments, which may occur at any time during the season," has been updated to allow four total adjustments.
Final BoP added weight to the Porsche, should bring them back to the pack (and maybe then some). Ferrari will be clearly the fastest car, but at least the 3 championship contenders should be somewhat close now.
Final BoP added weight to the Porsche, should bring them back to the pack (and maybe then some). Ferrari will be clearly the fastest car, but at least the 3 championship contenders should be somewhat close now.
I still see 2 races running in the GTLM class. Ferrari will probably take the win. Porsche will either still battle Porsche or it will be in the race with Corvette and BMW.
I still see 2 races running in the GTLM class. Ferrari will probably take the win. Porsche will either still battle Porsche or it will be in the race with Corvette and BMW.
I agree with the Ferrari being far ahead. One of the things I'm hating about the BoP....It's Ferrari's time to win.
We'll have to see, butt he Porsche was given 20kgs, so I'm guessing they will come right back to the pack. IMSA admiting their mistake, because I think they were only given a 10kg break last time (with some aero changes) so this brings them the other direction before the last round. Unfortunately, with the lead the Porsche's have, will need the #4 car or the BMWs to get between the #3 and the Porsche to try to win the season team and/or manufacturers title.
Either way, I'm excited that this will hopefully allow at least the 3 non-Ferrari makes to have a competitive chance at the podium.
I feel terrible for the Falken Porsche, who has had the same advantages and couldn't do anything with it and will now get the same weight penalty and will probably be way behind if the track stays dry.
IMSA Adds Weight to Porsche 911 RSR in Final Round of BoP
By John Dagys
Porsche’s quest for a fifth consecutive win in GT Le Mans next weekend at Circuit of The Americas has been made tougher, following the release of the final round of Balance of Performance adjustments for the GT cars on Thursday.
The Porsche 911 RSR has been given a 20kg minimum weight increase for the final two TUDOR United SportsCar Championship rounds of the season.
No other adjustments have been made in the GTLM class, although the GTD-spec Viper GT3-R has been given a 15kg weight increase and 3mm larger air restrictor.
The changes come in the wake of a bulletin issued by IMSA on Wednesday, confirming a change in the Supplementary Regulations allowing for one additional BoP adjustment to be made this season.
IMSA had previously reached the maximum number of BoP adjustments for GTLM and GTD prior to its change in the rulebook, which it has now done for the second consecutive year, per the regulations.
The Lone Star Le Mans event at COTA is set for Sept. 17-19
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I feel terrible for the Falken Porsche, who has had the same advantages and couldn't do anything with it and will now get the same weight penalty and will probably be way behind if the track stays dry.
Yes, I'm quoting myself
Read that Michelin will not be providing the single stint tires for the last two races, so this should bring the Falken car closer to the pack as they are all back to multi-stint tires. Not sure why that change occurred, but I'm glad that the cars will be mostly on equal footing again.
CORVETTE RACING AT COTA: Aiming for On-Track Success in Lone Star State
Press Release:
CORVETTE RACING AT COTA: Aiming for On-Track Success in Lone Star State
Two Corvette C7.Rs hoping to replicate past victory in Austin
· Garcia, Magnussen victors for Corvette Racing at COTA in 2013
· Corvette Racing remains in running for GTLM Team Championship
· Doubleheader weekend with FIA World Endurance Championship
DETROIT (Sept.16, 2015) – Corvette Racing returns to one of sports car racing’s biggest stages this weekend for the Lone Star Le Mans weekend at Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas. The team and its two Chevrolet Corvette C7.Rs will race in Saturday’s two-hour, 40-minute event for the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, which shares the stage at COTA with the FIA World Endurance Championship.
Just two events remain on the TUDOR Championship schedule – the Lone Star Le Mans and the 10-hour Petit Le Mans in two weeks at Road Atlanta. Corvette Racing remains in the thick of the GT Le Mans (GTLM) Championship with Antonio Garcia and Jan Magnussen second in points heading to Austin with their No. 3 Corvette C7.R.
The pairing won Corvette Racing’s first race at COTA in 2013 as part of the American Le Mans Series’ GT class. Garcia drove nearly a full hour under heavy pressure from multiple cars to propel he and Magnussen to the ALMS GT title.
This year, the pairing scored victories in the Rolex 24 At Daytona and Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring to open the TUDOR Championship schedule.
Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner in the No. 4 Corvette C7.R may be seeking their first victory in the TUDOR Championship, but the pairing won arguably the biggest race of the season when they teamed with Jordan Taylor to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June. It was the eighth time that Corvette Racing won Le Mans since 2001.
That also was the last time Corvette Racing competed with the FIA World Endurance Championship, which races at COTA following the TUDOR Championship event. Both series will compete on the same 3.4-mile, 20-turn layout.
The Lone Star Le Mans race for the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship is set for 11:35 a.m. CT on Saturday, Sept. 19 and is the ninth race of the 2015 season for Corvette Racing. It will air live on FOX Sports 2 and again at 1:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 20 on FOX Sports 1. Flag-to-flag radio coverage also will be available via IMSA Radio.
ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “I can’t think about Circuit of The Americas without remembering the 2013 win for Jan and I. It was a very difficult weekend and race. The fight during the last hour was one of the toughest I’ve had. That is the kind of race that a circuit like COTA can promote. You can afford to be aggressive because there is a lot of concrete runoff. The danger risk isn’t as high as other places we race. As a result it likely will be a green race the entire way, so good pace and strategy will be important. We need a good result to stay in the GTLM championship heading to Road Atlanta, and I know the Corvette Racing team will do all it can to give Jan and I the best Corvette C7.R we can have.”
JAN MAGNUSSEN, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “Circuit of The Americas is a very different type of circuit than what we have raced on recently in the TUDOR Championship. It’s a very nice facility and up to Formula One specification. We had a very good test in Austin last week where we evaluated some different setup options and tire choices. We feel like we found a pretty good direction to start with for this week’s first practice. This is a big weekend in the championship, and we need every advantage we can get.”
OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “We’re really coming down to the business end of the season. Every point matters. Any decision you make in any session and any race is vital. We’re very much playing a supporting role to our sister Corvette in the TUDOR Championship. Things haven’t really run our way once our season kind of snowballed at Sebring. It was a bad event for us with mechanical issues and other things. The No. 3 car with those two wins has put itself front-and-center in the championship. We’ll continue to push and work through everything we have. Tommy and I are very much buoyed by our efforts at Le Mans and what it means to our season and Corvette Racing’s season as a whole. It will be nice to be back with the WEC and be with them for the weekend. I’m sure there will be some reminders of our Le Mans victory!”
TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “It’s a track that lends itself to good racing. As we saw with Antonio a couple years ago - even without one of the fastest cars - you can with good pit strategy get a win. That makes a big difference in how you can approach this event. We know that if we don’t have the fastest car, we can make something happen. The track has a nice blend of everything. It’s not too busy or drawn out during the lap. You have a nice, fast section in places and some slow corners in others. It’s a fun track to drive by yourself but also provides some great passing opportunities during the race.”
DOUG FEHAN, CORVETTE RACING PROGRAM MANAGER: “It’s always a thrill for us to compete at such a sterling venue as Circuit of The Americas. It’s one of sports car racing’s biggest weekends with IMSA and our friends from the FIA World Endurance Championship. From our standpoint, the TUDOR Championship race is critical as we are winding down to the end of the season. Every lap and every position is important for GTLM points. The current BoP isn’t favorable but that doesn’t lessen our efforts and expectations to put on a great show for all the Corvette Racing fans in Austin!”
CORVETTE RACING AT COTA: Garcia Fourth in GTLM Qualifying in Corvette C7.R
Christian Fittipaldi best of Corvette DP qualifiers with third-place showing
2015-09-18
Garcia, Magnussen seek to regain GTLM points lead
· Corvette DPs fill second and third rows of Prototype grid
· Chevrolet aims to extend Prototype Engine Manufacturer points advantage
AUSTIN, Texas (Sept.18, 2015) – Antonio Garcia led Corvette Racing’s qualifying effort at Circuit of The Americas on Friday as the No. 3 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R will start on the second row of the GT Le Mans (GTLM) grid for Saturday’s Lone Star Le Mans race in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship.
Garcia, who drives with Jan Magnussen, set a time of 2:04.651 (98.194 mph) to qualify fourth in class. Garcia and Magnussen stand second in GTLM points and won at the track in 2013 as part of the American Le Mans Series GT class.
In the TUDOR Championship’s Prototype category, Christian Fittipaldi was the quickest Corvette Daytona Prototype driver and qualified third in Action Express Racing’s No. 5 Mustang Sampling Corvette DP.
Garcia and Magnussen are five points out of the championship lead, having opened the season with victories at the Rolex 24 At Daytona and the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh from Florida. Garcia was 0.255 seconds off Patrick Pilet’s pole-winning time.
Tommy Milner set a best lap of 2:05.245 (97.728 mph) in the No. 4 Corvette C7.R he drives with Oliver Gavin. The duo won their class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans this year with Jordan Taylor; with the FIA World Endurance Championship racing on the weekend with the TUDOR Championship, there are frequent reminders of Corvette Racing’s eighth class victory at Le Mans.
Fittipaldi, who posted a lap of 1:59.008 (102.850 mph) and teammate Joao Barbosa are part of a three-team fight for the Prototype Driver’s Championship. Six Corvette DP drivers are within two points of each other with two races to go, including the Sebring-winning Fittipaldi/Barbosa duo, which won there with Sebastien Bourdais.
Fittipaldi will start Saturday alongside Jordan Taylor in Wayne Taylor Racing’s No. 10 Konica Minolta Corvette DP after a best lap of 1:59.033 (102.829 mph). Action Express Racing’s Eric Curran qualified the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Corvette DP fifth at 2:00.011 (101.991 mph), followed by championship co-leader Michael Valiante in VisitFlorida.com Racing’s No. 90 Corvette DP. His best lap was 2:00.111 (101.906 mph).
In the Prototype Engine Manufacturer standings, Chevrolet holds a 26-point lead with 70 points available in the final two races.
The Lone Star Le Mans race for the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship is set for 11:35 a.m. CT on Saturday. It will air live on FOX Sports 2 and again at 1:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 20 on FOX Sports 1. Flag-to-flag radio coverage also will be available via IMSA Radio.
CORVETTE RACING GTLM QUOTES
ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “It’s hard to know what kind of pace we really have. At Road America, we qualified toward the front but in race pace we were nowhere close to our competitors. I don’t know if that will happen to do. But for sure we are doing as much as we can and learning as much as we can. There is the tire, the car and temperature - all things to consider. There had to be an enormous change in temperature from the morning. The car didn’t feel that great compared to this morning considering the grip we had. But apparently we weren’t that slow. We just need to keep focusing and get the most out of it.”
TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R – QUALIFIED SEVENTH: “We’ve definitely improved the car over the weekend. These are the worst track conditions we’ve had, and you could feel that in the grip level. Balance-wise, the car was the best it’s been. We came from a place that wasn’t very good to place where our Corvette is nicer to drive. We’re still obviously down a bit. Antonio had a good lap. I think because we’ve been making changes quite a bit, we left some on the race track. I didn’t get the best out of the tire for sure. It’s frustrating that we’ve been off the pace this weekend, but our guys have been working as hard as they can to improve things. I’m feeling better about the race now.”
CORVETTE DAYTONA PROTOTYPE QUOTES
CHRISTIAN FITTIPALDI, ACTION EXPRESS RACING NO. 5 MUSTANG SAMPLING CORVETTE DP – QUALIFIED THIRD: “I can’t complain. I think it was a very good day. We thought from the beginning that we would have a good car for the race. We definitely didn’t lose as much as the other guys did from this morning. I’m pretty happy with it. Action Express Racing and Chevrolet did a great job. Let’s go at it tomorrow. There are two races: the championship with the 31 and 90, and the other is to win the actual race. After qualifying today in the heat we saw, I think we have a great chance tomorrow.”
JORDAN TAYLOR, WAYNE TAYLOR RACING NO. 10 KONICA MINOLTA CORVETTE DP – QUALIFIED FOURTH: “It was a decent qualifying run. I think the best we could have done was third so fourth isn’t terrible. I didn’t love the car for qualifying, but the balance we had is promising for what the race will have. It felt like a more consistent car than a car for lap time. For what it was, it was decent. A lot is going to happen and I’m sure strategy will be part of the game. It’s definitely our hottest race of the year; that with a pretty physical track will make for a long race. We’ll stay hydrated tonight and as cool as possible tomorrow.”
ERIC CURRAN, ACTION EXPRESS RACING NO. 31 WHELEN ENGINGEERING/TEAM FOX CORVETTE DP – QUALIFIED FIFTH: “It was a decent run but not quite what I wanted out of my lap time. I was quicker this morning than what we showed this afternoon. Of course it was extremely hot. We made some changes to the car - maybe a little more than I wanted to. But we’re happy with fifth. It’s a long race. We’re where we need to be with the lead cars and in front of the No. 90, which is a good thing. We’ll keep charging forward and make it a good race.”
CORVETTE RACING AT ROAD ATLANTA: Seeking to Close the Season Strong
Eleven class wins at Road Atlanta – nine in Petit Le Mans – since 1999
· Corvette Racing stands 1-2 in Tequila Patrón North American Endurace Cup for GT Le Mans
· Garcia, Magnussen ready for final push toward GTLM Driver’s Championship
· Corvette Racing looking to add fourth endurance race win to Triple Crown season
DETROIT (Sept. 29, 2015) – Corvette Racing looks to close its season of sports car racing in the same fashion as it started – with a victory.
The team’s two Chevrolet Corvette C7.Rs and five drivers are set for Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta and the final race of the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship. Petit Le Mans is a 10-hour enduro and has been one of sports car racing’s premier events since its first running in 1998.
Corvette Racing has fared well at Road Atlanta over the years with 11 class victories – nine of those coming in Petit Le Mans. Of the five drivers entered for Road Atlanta three have won at Road Atlanta in their sports car careers: Oliver Gavin (six), Jan Magnussen (four) and Ryan Briscoe (two).
Corvette Racing opened its season by winning the two biggest races in the TUDOR Championship – the Rolex 24 Daytona and the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. The team added its eighth class win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans later in the year to claim endurance racing’s Triple Crown.
No team since 2000 had laid claim to that feat. Winning Petit Le Mans would give Corvette Racing endurance racing’s proverbial “Grand Slam” – something no team has accomplished.
Magnussen, Briscoe and Antonio Garcia reunite this week in the No. 3 Corvette C7.R. The trio were winners at Daytona and Sebring. Garcia and Magnussen stand third in the GT Le Mans (GTLM) Driver’s Championship and stand 10 points out of first place; there are 36 points available at Petit Le Mans.
The pair also holds the lead in the Tequila Patrón North American Endurance Cup. It is a competition made up of the TUDOR Championship’s four endurance races: Daytona, Sebring, the Sahlen’s Six Hours at The Glen and Petit Le Mans. Points are awarded at the four-, eight- and 10-hour marks at Road Atlanta; five points go to the leading car, four to second place, three for third place, and two points for fourth place on back.
Garcia and Magnussen lead Gavin and Tommy Milner in the No. 4 Corvette C7.R in the Endurance Cup standings by four points. Coincidentally, Gavin and Milner are tied with Briscoe in Tequila Patrón North American Endurance Cup points.
It was Gavin and Milner who teamed with Jordan Taylor to win at Le Mans this year to cement Corvette Racing as one of endurance racing’s top squads.
Corvette Racing’s last victory at Petit Le Mans came in the 2010 American Le Mans Series season with Gavin, Magnussen and Emmanuel Collard winning the GT class on the final lap.
The 18th annual Petit Le Mans is set for 11:15 a.m. ET for Road Atlanta in Braselton, Ga. It is the 10th and final race of the 2015 TUDOR United SportsCar Championship for Corvette Racing. It will air live on FOX Sports 2, FOX Sports Go and IMSA.comthroughout the day beginning at 11 a.m. Flag-to-flag radio coverage also will be available via IMSA Radio.
ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “Road Atlanta is a track I enjoy very much. It is one of the classic circuit that we go to each year and it is a big challenge, especially in a 10-hour race. You have to be mindful how the track changes from the start of the race in the late morning to the end of the race at night. Traffic plays a big role too with some of the the elevation changes. Some of the rises and drops can affect your ability to pass. Personally, I’d very much like to win at Road Atlanta for the first time. It would be great to add that to our wins this year at Daytona and Sebring. Jan and I also are leading the Tequila Patron North American Endurance Cup, and winning that would help salvage our season.”
JAN MAGNUSSEN, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “I’ve raced at Road Atlanta more times than any other on our schedule. It’s a track that is great fun - lots of fast corners and high speeds. The first corner and the last corner are two of the best on the schedule. You really have to a car that is well-balanced to go quick at Atlanta. The thing is that the conditions can swing back and forth depending on things like time of day and traffic. We are all eager for a good result to close the season. Winning the Tequila Patron North American Endurance Cup would be a fantastic end to 2015.”
RYAN BRISCOE, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “I’m looking forward to this weekend with Corvette Racing and getting back in the Corvette C7.R. Jan, Antonio and I started off the season with two massive victories and I’m hoping we can end the year in the same way. Petit Le Mans is a race I’ve won before. Road Atlanta is a unique track and very old-school. There is no room for error in a lot of areas, especially in some of the key areas. Turn 1, for example, is really quick. There is no run-off area. If you run wide, you’re in the grass and likely to go to the fence. It’s a track where you have to be concentrating 100 percent. Daytona and Sebring are very forgiving in a lot of places like that, whereas Road Atlanta isn’t. You have to be on your game and it’s what makes Road Atlanta special.”
OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “I won my fifth Le Mans 24 Hours this year, and I’d very much like to win Petit Le Mans for the sixth time to close the 2015 season. This race is never easy. A lot of that is down to the layout of the track, which is very fast and very daunting. There are a number of places where the elevation rises and falls, and the camber of the track falls away in certain spots. The considerable traffic and racing into night only adds to the challenge. Traditionally Corvette Racing has excelled at endurance events - our record this year at Daytona, Sebring and Le Mans is an example. The Tequila Patron North American Endurance Cup is still very much in play for Tommy and I. It’s an important championship and an achievement we would gladly take.”
TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “The season championship is pretty much out of reach for us. Oliver and I still have a chance to win the Tequila Patron North American Endurance Cup. That is definitely something I’d like to win, as it would help us win both the Team and Manufacturer championships in that competition. Corvette Racing historically has been strong in endurance races, as we’ve shown this year. We’ve won the three biggest races we could win. Petit Le Mans has been one that has been challenging the last couple of years for the team, but our strength lies in endurance races. The Corvette C7.R has been a durable car and well-suited for these longer races. While the last few races haven’t turned out how we would have wanted, we definitely head into this weekend with high hopes.”
DOUG FEHAN, CORVETTE RACING PROGRAM MANAGER: “Petit Le Mans has been a fixture on our schedule since the beginning of the Corvette Racing program. It’s an extreme test of endurance that puts a strain on personnel and equipment - partly because of the distance and partly because of Road Atlanta’s nature. Everything has to work together to have a chance at success. Fortunately, we have excelled in long-distance events and expect to do so again this week. We’ll have one of the largest Corvette Corrals we’ve seen cheering us on, and we don’t want to disappoint them!”
Anyone who has ever been to Long Beach care to comment on how it is from a spectator standpoint? Since next year is the last year for the Corvette prototypes, my son is asking to go to a race with the prototypes (our "local" race, VIR, is GT only). I'm debating Long Beach as it coincides with a school holiday, and I have family in the area so no hotel costs. I'm concerned about spectating at a street race, and also the short duration of the race (compared to a long flight to get there). Looking for reviews/opinions from anyone who has attended.
CORVETTE RACING AT ROAD ATLANTA: Great Finishes on Challenging Day
Press Release:
CORVETTE RACING AT ROAD ATLANTA: Great Finishes on Challenging Day
Action Express Racing wins Prototype race and titles; Gavin/Milner third in GTLM
· Barbosa, Fittipaldi take second straight Prototype Driver’s Championship and Tequila Patrón Endurance Cup; win Prototype race with Sebastien Bourdais
· Garcia, Magnussen claim Tequila Patrón North American Endurance Cup in GT Le Mans
· Gavin, Milner bookend season with GTLM podium finishes in No. 4 Corvette C7.R
BRASELTON, Ga. (Oct. 3, 2015) – A damp Petit Le Mans ended Saturday with Corvette Racing and the Corvette Daytona Prototype program claiming titles in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship.
Action Express Racing’s Joao Barbosa, Christian Fittipaldi and Sebastien Bourdais won the Prototype class of the rain-shortened race – it ran just shy of eight hours of its 10-hour duration. Driving the No. 5 Mustang Sampling Corvette DP, Barbosπa and Fittipaldi also captured their second straight Prototype Driver’s Championship as well as their second straight title in the Tequila Patrón North American Endurance Cup.
“Congratulations to Joao, Christian, Sebastien and the Action Express Racing No. 5 Corvette DP on their second consecutive championship," said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet U.S. Vice President, Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. "The drivers and crew demonstrated an absolute ‘Never-Give-Up’ approach throughout today's rain-soaked conditions. Their perseverance and consistent performance resulted in the team also winning the Tequila Patron North American Endurance Cup.
“Thank you to all the Corvette Daytona Prototype teams for their efforts to secure the Manufacturer and North American Endurance Cup championships once again for Chevrolet,” Campbell added.
Corvette Racing’s Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner placed third in GT Le Mans after leading the race overall on multiple occasions. The No. 4 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R started the season with a podium at the Rolex 24 At Daytona and ended it in like fashion.
Antonio Garcia and Jan Magnussen in the No. 3 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R also ended the season in championship style by winning the Tequila Patrón North American Endurance Cup in GT Le Mans. The competition consists of the TUDOR Championship’s four endurance races: Rolex 24 At Daytona, Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, the Sahlen’s Six Hours at The Glen and Petit Le Mans. Garcia and Magnussen won at Daytona and Sebring with Ryan Briscoe to put themselves in control of the championship.
"For the Corvette Racing Corvette C7.R teams, the 2015 season was filled with incredible successes and a few challenges along the way," Campbell said. "The season started strong with the class win at the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona and Sebring 12 Hours, and it continued with the eighth class win in the Le Mans 24 Hours - sports car racing's Triple Crown. And after some challenging races, it was great to have the No. 3 Corvette C7.R team clinch the GTLM title in the Tequila Patron North American Endurance Cup championship. Having the No. 4 Corvette C7.R on the podium adds to a great close to our season.”
Gavin began from pole position in class and ran among the leaders for most of his double-stint. He recovered from a minor off in his second stint before handing off to Milner. He drove a storming double-stint to move into the class lead nearly the halfway mark and then the overall lead a couple laps later before handing back over to Gavin.
Not long after the pit stop, race officials threw a red flag to halt the race due to the deteriorating conditions. The stoppage lasted about 30 minutes before the race resumed under full-course yellow conditions. Two more yellows came out over the final hour before the race was called.
Garcia and Magnussen challenged for the class and overall lead at different points, as well. Magnussen led for two laps after the No. 4 Corvette pitted near the 4:15 mark. However a pair of unscheduled pit stops – one early and one with an hour to go hampered their chances.
The Prototype race was a back-and-forth affair with all four Corvette DPs battling for the lead throughout. Action Express Racing ended with two cars on the Prototype podium – the No. 5 Mustang Sampling Corvette DP in first and the No. 31 Whelen Engineering/Team Fox Corvette Daytona Prototype of Dane Cameron, Eric Curran and Max Papis placing third.
In addition the results netting another title for Barbosa and Fittipaldi, VisitFlorida.com Racing’s Richard Westbrook and Michael Valiante unofficially placed second in the Driver’s Championship with their No. 90 Corvette DP. Cameron and Curran, in their first season together in Prototypes, placed third in Driver’s points.
Barbosa and Fittipaldi also won the Prototype championship in the Tequila Patrón North American Endurance Cup for the second straight season, as well.
The VisitFlorida.com Racing No. 90 Corvette DP and pole-winner Westbrook led early and were out front for most of the first two hours. The treacherous track conditions induced a pair of spins for the VisitFlorida.com Racing Corvette DP.
The element of rain added extra drama for the other three Corvette DPs, as well. The Prototype race turned into mostly three-way battle between the two Action Express Corvette DPs and defending race winners Ricky Taylor, Jordan Taylor and Max Angelelli in the Wayne Taylor Racing No. 10 Konica Minolta Corvette DP. They eventually placed fifth in class.
The 2016 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship opens with the Rolex 24 At Daytona on Jan. 30-31 from Daytona International Raceway.
CORVETTE RACING QUOTES
OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R – THIRD IN GTLM: "Finishing on the podium really bookends our season. We started off the year at Daytona with pole position and finishing third. We got pole position here and ended up finishing third. About 25 minutes ago before they decided to checker the race, we were in the lead. With strategy and such, it was going to come around to us again that we were going to be in the top two. The Porsche was quick. Were we going to beat them in these conditions? Unlikely. But it was all about survival today. When I had my off early on in the race I was thinking that maybe had blown it for us and I was thinking about what I said to people before I got in the car about being smart and surviving and not doing something crazy. Then I just got into turn one a little bit too deep and just ran a little bit wide and once it was on the grass, I was a passenger. That was frustrating. But Tommy (Milner) drove really well. We had a good strategy. The guys worked really well in the pits and we marched ourselves back to the front and then we were there genuinely on pace which was nice. You can take a lot of positives from the results we had here today. We had a strong start to the season, we are having a strong finish. We can carry that over to 2016 and look forward."
TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTTE C7.R – THIRD IN GTLM: “The end result is good. There were good fights when the track conditions were good. I’m glad we’re on the podium because I think we earned it and deserved it. Our Corvette C7.R was great, and the Michelin tires were good. Our pit stops were great all day. We did everything we needed to do to have a good race. It would have been a shame to not get a podium after the pace we showed. I’m a little unhappy with how the race ended - staying out in track conditions that were pretty much undriveable. But we made it through and here we are in third.”
ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R – SIXTH IN GTLM, TEQUILA PATRÓN NORTH AMERICAN ENDURANCE CUP GTLM CHAMPION: “My approach wasn’t quite like surviving; I was going. The car worked really good. All that I couldn’t do in qualifying yesterday I was able to do today. I had good rhythm, and everything seemed to be very good. I took every opportunity I had to pass the 25 BMW, the 62 BMW, and then closed up on Oliver (Gavin) in the 4 Corvette and the 24 BMW. Halfway through that stint, I felt something funny on the rear of the car, and I asked the team if there was something wrong with the pressures. We found out that the nut was loose and we lost track position. Thankfully it didn’t come all the way loose. I went all the way to the back again but was on the move again under green. That’s how good the car was.”
JAN MAGNUSSEN, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R – SIXTH IN GTLM, TEQUILA PATRÓN NORTH AMERICAN ENDURANCE CUP GTLM CHAMPION (Winning the Tequila Patrón North American Endurance Cup): "That's definitely something. I am glad we came away with a championship this year. The way things were going it didn't look like it. I’m so very happy and super proud for the whole crew to win that one."
(On the race): "When the conditions were just a normal wet track, the car was really good and we were competitive. That's a little bit new for us. But the conditions sometimes got so, so bad, and I don't understand why they didn't call a red flag or call the race earlier. At the end there I was screaming on the radio that they needed to stop this right now, it was so dangerous. They stopped the race and that was a good decision."
DOUG FEHAN, CORVETTE RACING PROGRAM MANAGER: “Sanctioning bodies can control most everything in a racing event. What they can’t control is a team’s enthusiasm, passion and drive. Today, Corvette Racing once again demonstrated against insurmountable odds their ability to get the job done. Winning at Daytona, Sebring and Le Mans, plus the Tequila Patron North American Endurance Cup, shows why Corvette Racing is renowned as the world’s best endurance team.”
CORVETTE DAYTONA PROTOTYPE QUOTES
JOAO BARBODA, ACTION EXPRESS RACING NO. 5 MUSTANG SAMPLING CORVETTE DP – PROTOTYPE RACE WINNER AND DRIVER CHAMPION: "It was just an unbelievable way to end the championship. Obviously we are super happy to win two championships in a row. This one was definitely really, really tough. It came down to checkered flag last lap. Conditions were really tough out there and very dangerous to be out there at the end. But overall it was a great effort to win the championship. Our goal in the beginning was to defend the championship, and we did it in kind of a dramatic way. It came right there at the end. I’m so proud to be a part of the Action Express guys and the commitment and passion they have for the sport. I think that is making all the difference."
SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS, ACTION EXPRESS RACING NO. 5 MUSTANG SAMPLING CORVETTE DP – PROTOTYPE RACE WINNER: “These were very tricky conditions today for the No. 5 Mustang Sampling Corvette DP. We did the job. There were different strategies out there, but when the second part of my time in the car, we were leading the race. The good thing is once the No. 90 fell back farther than a podium, it was an Action Express that was going to win the championship. We have something to celebrate tonight."
ERIC CURRAN, ACTION EXPRESS RACING NO. 31 WHELEN ENGINEERING/TEAM FOX CORVETTE DP – THIRD IN PROTOTYPE: “Overall it was quite a day here at Road Atlanta. The weather conditions were absolutely insane. But as usual, the Action Express guys gave us a phenomenal Whelen Corvette Daytona Prototype. We were good all day and fought through the conditions. I'm just so happy that the No. 5 guys won a championship and Chevrolet won another manufacturer championship. It is a really big deal. Obviously on the No. 31 side, we would have loved to have won the championship, but it is give and take and it was such a successful season the first year out. To be fighting for a championship at the end of the year makes us all happy. I’m just really proud for Chevrolet, Action Express and our Whelen Engineering Corvette DP team."
MAX ANGELELLI, WAYNE TAYLOR RACING NO. 10 CORVETTE DP – FOURTH IN PROTOTYPE: “It was very, very bizarre and very unfortunate for our racing team. We race with rain, that is not a problem, we always do. What was weird were some calls that were made today, like dropping the yellows only because of crashes even though the track was bad well before the crashes occurred, and then go green well before the track was good to go green again. That’s the only thing I would have a problem with about today. Otherwise, it was a very unsatisfying way to end the race and the season after all of the hard work we did to get to the front. The way the checkered flag came out before any kind of normal procedure was followed, as far as opening the pits according to the rulebook and giving other teams the chance to execute the strategy decisions they made to pit or not during that yellow. It was all just very, very strange – very, very bizarre.”
JIM LUTZ, CORVETTE DAYTONA PROTOTYPE PROGRAM MANAGER: “To say it was a challenging day today at Road Atlanta is an understatement. But our Corvette Daytona Prototype teams performed and executed to the best of their abilities. Congratulations go to Joao Barbosa, Christian Fittipaldi, team owner Bob Johnson and everyone at Action Express Racing on another Prototype championship and class victory. It’s a great way to end the 2015 season.”
UPDATE! Friday night ticket deadline is October 21, 2015!
Save the Date: 10/23/15: Corvette Racing Party
A special evening with Program Manager Doug Fehan & Driver Tommy Milner
Join the National Corvette Museum at the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum's annual Corvette Racing Event to be held on October 23 - 24, 2015. Joining Doug this year will be Le Mans winning driver Tommy Milner. The weekend's events will kick-off with a Corvette Racing Party on Friday evening and continue on Saturday with a Demo Day featuring the 1963 Grand Sport and something new for this event - an auction of Corvette Racing memorabilia provided by Doug and Corvette Racing.
Friday evening will commence with a reception at 6:30pm with Doug and Tommy and the two will recap the 2015 Corvette Racing season and the huge win at this year's Le Mans during a buffet dinner which will start at 7:00pm. The evening will close with an autograph session. Doug and Tommy will return on Saturday to host an auction of Corvette Racing memorabilia to benefit the Simeone Foundation and to share stories about the history of Corvette Racing and their own racing careers.
Friday 10/23 Schedule of Events:
6:30 Reception with Doug Fehan and Tommy Milner
7:00 Buffet Dinner (menu is attached)
9:00 Autograph Session
Saturday 10/24 Schedule of Events:
11:00 AM Michelin Presentation
11:30 AM Mobil 1 Presentation
12:00 PM Demo Day with 1963 Corvette Grand Sport #GS002
12:30 Corvette Racing Memorabilia Auction
1:30 Doug and Tommy Presentation and Autograph Session
4:00 Simeone Museum closes
2016 Corvette Z06 C7.R Edition joins Corvette Racing weekend at the Simeone Museum
Our Corvette Racing weekend on October 23-24 keeps getting better and better. We’ll have a brand new 2016 Corvette Z06 C7.R Edition on display, courtesy of a friend of the Museum. The car is currently in production at the Corvette plant in Bowling Green, Kentucky and will be joining us fresh off the assembly line. This special edition car features the Z06 package with the 650-hp engine, Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes, a Performance Data Recorder, adjustable aerodynamic bodywork, and cosmetic upgrades. Only 500 copies of this car were produced and they are all spoken for, having quickly sold out. This street-legal monster is the closest thing you can get to a Le Mans winning thoroughbred race car.
Click here to purchase Friday and Saturday tickets: (purchase separately)
Fassler, Rockenfeller Bolster Corvette Racing U.S. Endurance Lineup
Championship-winning drivers join for defense of Rolex 24, Sebring GTLM victories
DETROIT (Nov. 16, 2015) – Already one of endurance sports car racing’s most prominent teams, Corvette Racing is adding even more championship-winning talent to its roster for the first two rounds of the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Marcel Fassler and Mike Rockenfeller will complete the team’s lineup for the Rolex 24 At Daytona and Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring in the pair of Chevrolet Corvette C7.R race cars.
Corvette Racing is the defending GT Le Mans (GTLM) winner of both premier events. Adding two drivers who have won major endurance races around the world – including a combined five victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans – augments the experienced Corvette Racing driver lineup as it prepares for the first two endurance races of 2016.
“As we’ve learned over the years, winning at Daytona and Sebring requires a Corvette race car that demonstrates the proper balance of performance, reliability and efficiency. Winning also requires flawless execution by the team and drivers,” said Mark Kent, Director, Chevrolet Racing. “We feel very confident that adding Marcel and Rocky to our lineup in these two key races will maximize our chances of success. Their collective accomplishments speak for themselves, and they will add a tremendous amount to our endurance program at Corvette Racing.”
Fassler is readying for his second stint with Corvette Racing. The Swiss native was part of the team’s endurance lineup in 2009. He was part of the runner-up trio at Sebring and also contested Le Mans and Petit Le Mans in a Corvette C6.R. He has not raced at Daytona but Fassler won overall at Sebring in 2013.
Fassler is a past World Champion in the FIA World Endurance Championship and won Le Mans overall in 2011, 2012 and 2014. His exploits in a Corvette also include a win at the 24 Hours of Spa in 2007.
Rockenfeller is a past overall winner at the Rolex 24 and Le Mans – both in 2010. In each of the last three years, he has driven Corvette Daytona Prototypes at the Rolex 24 with a third-place finish with VisitFlorida.com Racing in 2015; he and VisitFlorida.com also were third at Sebring.
Rockenfeller has a pair of additional podium finishes at Daytona. He won the 2013 DTM championship and is a past GT2 winner in the American Le Mans Series and at Le Mans.
Corvette Racing continues its preparation for the 2016 season in an open IMSA test Nov. 17-18 at Daytona International Speedway. Corvette Racing’s first race of the season is the 54th Rolex 24 At Daytona on Jan. 30-31.
MARCEL FÄSSLER, CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R – DAYTONA AND SEBRING: “It’s really great that I have the chance to drive again for Corvette Racing at Daytona and Sebring. It’s a fantastic opportunity to do those first two races in America. I already have raced three times for Corvette Racing in 2009 and have really good memories of working with the team. It’s always good to see them at Le Mans and other races where we cross paths. This is a great feeling. It’s the first time I’ve done the Rolex 24 At Daytona, so I’m a rookie but very highly motivated. I always have wanted to be a part of this race in a competitive car. Being with Corvette Racing gives me a chance to go for a class win. This is our main goal and the same for Sebring.”
MIKE ROCKENFELLER, CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R – DAYTONA AND SEBRING: “I’m very happy to join Corvette Racing for Daytona and Sebring. The team is one of the best in endurance racing and one I’ve always watched at major races. As a driver, you always want to be part of winning organizations. Corvette Racing is one of those. It will be great to get back in a GT car for two of the biggest events of the year – including the Rolex 24 which I won in 2010. I’m hoping I can help Corvette Racing win there again in 2016. I’m excited to get started and get my first laps in the Corvette C7.R.”
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Taylor Brothers to Tackle Le Mans as Third Drivers for Corvette Racing
Preparations well under way for attempt at ninth class victory at 24 Hours
Jordan Taylor part of winning Le Mans lineup in 2015 and returns for fifth straight year
First start for Corvette Racing at Le Mans for Ricky Taylor
Corvette Racing full-season drivers to lead charge again at Le Mans
DETROIT (Nov. 17, 2015) – Corvette Racing has confirmed its lineup for next year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans with brothers Jordan and Ricky Taylor as third drivers in the team’s two Chevrolet Corvette C7.Rs. They will join full-time Corvette Racing teammates Antonio Garcia, Jan Magnussen, Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner in the 84th running of the 24 Hours race in France.
Corvette Racing is the defending race winner in the GTE Pro class. In addition to going for a second straight victory, Corvette Racing will try for a ninth class win since 2001. Gavin, Milner and Jordan Taylor scored a victory in the No. 64 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R in June.
“The 24 Hours of Le Mans is a key part of Corvette Racing’s schedule,” said Mark Kent, Director, Chevrolet Racing. “Racing against the best teams, drivers and manufacturers in the world on the demanding 8.47-mile circuit is something that we look forward to each year. It allows us to demonstrate, on a global stage, the performance, reliability and efficiency of the Chevrolet Corvette. Corvette Racing has eight class championships at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and our goal is to repeat as champions in 2016. We hope that the addition of Ricky and the return of Jordan help us achieve our goal of a ninth class victory.”
Jordan Taylor is part of Corvette Racing’s Le Mans lineup for the fifth consecutive year. In addition to this year’s victory, he finished second with Garcia and Magnussen in 2014. Ricky Taylor will race at Le Mans with Corvette Racing for the first time; he will make his third start in the race and last competed there in 2014.
The Taylors have raced together the last two years in Wayne Taylor Racing’s No. 10 Konica Minolta Corvette Daytona Prototype. The pairing have played key roles in the development of the Corvette DP and won four races the past two years in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship – including a pair of victories this season.
Ricky Taylor claimed two pole positions in the 2015 TUDOR Championship, and Jordan Taylor is a past Driver’s Champion in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series. They will drive the Wayne Taylor Racing Corvette DP again in the 2016 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
Corvette Racing continues its preparation for the 2016 season in an open IMSA test today and Wednesday at Daytona International Speedway. Corvette Racing’s first race of the season is the 54th Rolex 24 At Daytona on Jan. 30-31.
JORDAN TAYLOR, CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R – LE MANS: “It’s always great to go back to Le Mans, especially with Corvette Racing. This time we go back looking to defend our victory from last year after one of the most mentally draining weeks that I’ve experienced. Looking back on the race, it’s amazing what the entire Corvette Racing team accomplished. I will never forget the feeling of being on the top step of the podium and I know we all are going for the same result this year. The updated Corvette C7.R looks stunning and I can’t wait to get my first laps in it. Having Ricky be part of the team also is great, and I’m confident he will fit in and perform well. We’ve been a part of many big moments racing a Corvette DP in IMSA. Hopefully we can carry that over to Le Mans.”
RICKY TAYLOR, CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R – LE MANS: “I’m honored to be chosen to represent Chevrolet and Corvette Racing at Le Mans. I’ve raced there twice but nothing compares to going there as part of this team. It means a lot to me to have this opportunity, and I fully intend to support my teammates to the best of my abilities. Getting time in the Corvette C7.R this far ahead of the race is a huge benefit. This is a great car and it’s easy to see why it has had so much success. Le Mans is like no other race in the world. It was special to see Jordan, Oliver and Tommy stand on the podium after winning last year’s race. I hope we can join them there this time around.”
09-09-2015, 07:03 PM
