CORVETTE RACING AT ROAD ATLANTA: Seeking to Close the Season Strong
09-30-2015, 10:44 AM
#1
Melting Slicks
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CORVETTE RACING AT ROAD ATLANTA: Seeking to Close the Season Strong
Press Release:
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!”
Corvette Racing at Road Atlanta
Year Class Drivers Result Car Notes
1999 GTS Fellows/Kneifel/Paul Jr. 5th Corvette C5-R
GTS Pilgrim/Collins/Sharp 4th Corvette C5-R
2000 GTS Fellows/Kneifel/Bell 3rd Corvette C5-R Fellows pole
GTS Pilgrim/Collins/Freon 1st Corvette C5-R
2001 GTS Fellows/O'Connell 9th Corvette C5-R
GTS Collins/Pilgrim/Freon 1st Corvette C5-R Pilgrim pole
2002 GTS Fellows/O'Connell/Gavin 1st Corvette C5-R
GTS Collins/Pilgrim/Freon 3rd Corvette C5-R Pilgrim fastest race lap
2003* GTS Fellows/O'Connell 3rd Corvette C5-R
GTS Collins/Gavin 1st Corvette C5-R
2003 GTS Fellows/O'Connell/Freon 5th Corvette C5-R
GTS Collins/Gavin/Pilgrim 3rd Corvette C5-R
2004 GTS Fellows/O'Connell/Papis 2nd Corvette C5-R
GTS Beretta/Gavin/Magnussen 1st Corvette C5-R Gavin pole, fastest race lap
2005* GT1 Fellows/O'Connell 1st Corvette C6.R O'Connell pole, fastest race lap
GT1 Beretta/Gavin 2nd Corvette C6.R
2005 GT1 Fellows/O'Connell/Papis 6th Corvette C6.R
GT1 Beretta/Gavin/Magnussen 1st Corvette C6.R Beretta pole, Gavin fastest race lap
2006 GT1 Fellows/O'Connell/Papis 4th Corvette C6.R O'Connell pole
GT1 Beretta/Gavin/Magnussen 3rd Corvette C6.R Gavin fastest race lap
2007 GT1 Magnussen/O'Connell/Fellows 3rd Corvette C6.R
GT1 Beretta/Gavin/Papis 1st Corvette C6.R Gavin fastest race lap
2008 GT1 Magnussen/O'Connell/Fellows 1st Corvette C6.R O'Connell pole, Magnussen fastest race lap
GT1 Beretta/Gavin/Papis 2nd Corvette C6.R
2009 GT2 Magnussen/O'Connell/Garcia 6th Corvette C6.R
GT2 Beretta/Gavin/Fassler 4th Corvette C6.R
2010 GT Beretta/O'Connell/Garcia 6th Corvette C6.R
GT Gavin/Magnussen/Collard 1st Corvette C6.R Magnussen fastest race lap
2011 GT Beretta/Milner/Garcia 17th Corvette C6.R
GT Gavin/Magnussen/Westbrook 4th Corvette C6.R
2012 GT Garcia/Magnussen/Taylor 2nd Corvette C6.R
GT Gavin/Milner/Westbrook 12th Corvette C6.R
2013 GT Garcia/Magnussen/Taylor 6th Corvette C6.R
GT Gavin/Milner/Westbrook 10th Corvette C6.R
2014 GTLM Garcia/Magnussen/Briscoe 8th Corvette C7.R
GTLM Gavin/Milner/Briscoe 4th Corvette C7.R
TUDOR Championship – GTLM Standings (After nine events)
Driver Standings Team Standings Manufacturer Standings
1. Patrick Pilet – 279
2. Bill Auberlen/Dirk Werner – 276
3. Antonio Garcia/Jan Magnussen – 269
4. Giancarlo Fisischella/Pierre Kaffer – 266
5. John Edwards/Lucas Luhr – 258
7. Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 230 1. No. 911 Porsche N. America – 279
2. No. 25 BMW Team RLL – 276
3. No. 3 Corvette Racing – 269
4. No. 62 Risi Competizione – 266
5. No. 24 BMW Team RLL – 258
8. No. 4 Corvette Racing – 230 1. Porsche – 290
2. BMW – 287
3. Chevrolet – 274
4. Ferrari – 274
Petit Le Mans – GT Le Mans (all times ET)
TUDOR Practice 1: 11:10 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 1
TUDOR Practice 2: 3:25 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 1
TUDOR Practice 3: 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 1
TUDOR Practice 4: 10:05 a.m., Friday, Oct. 2
TUDOR GTLM Qualifying: 4 p.m., Friday, Oct. 2 (IMSA.com)
TUDOR Warmup: 9 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 3
Race: 11:15 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 3
TV Schedule
11 a.m.-noon: FOX Sports 2, Saturday, Oct. 3
Noon-2:30 p.m.: IMSA.com, Saturday, Oct. 3
2:30-7 p.m.: FOX Sports 2, Saturday, Oct. 3
7-8:30 p.m.: IMSA.com, Saturday, Oct. 3
8:30-9:30 p.m.: FOX Sports 2, Saturday, Oct. 3
Replay: 1:30-4:30 p.m.: FOX Sports 1, Sunday, Oct. 4
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!”
Corvette Racing at Road Atlanta
Year Class Drivers Result Car Notes
1999 GTS Fellows/Kneifel/Paul Jr. 5th Corvette C5-R
GTS Pilgrim/Collins/Sharp 4th Corvette C5-R
2000 GTS Fellows/Kneifel/Bell 3rd Corvette C5-R Fellows pole
GTS Pilgrim/Collins/Freon 1st Corvette C5-R
2001 GTS Fellows/O'Connell 9th Corvette C5-R
GTS Collins/Pilgrim/Freon 1st Corvette C5-R Pilgrim pole
2002 GTS Fellows/O'Connell/Gavin 1st Corvette C5-R
GTS Collins/Pilgrim/Freon 3rd Corvette C5-R Pilgrim fastest race lap
2003* GTS Fellows/O'Connell 3rd Corvette C5-R
GTS Collins/Gavin 1st Corvette C5-R
2003 GTS Fellows/O'Connell/Freon 5th Corvette C5-R
GTS Collins/Gavin/Pilgrim 3rd Corvette C5-R
2004 GTS Fellows/O'Connell/Papis 2nd Corvette C5-R
GTS Beretta/Gavin/Magnussen 1st Corvette C5-R Gavin pole, fastest race lap
2005* GT1 Fellows/O'Connell 1st Corvette C6.R O'Connell pole, fastest race lap
GT1 Beretta/Gavin 2nd Corvette C6.R
2005 GT1 Fellows/O'Connell/Papis 6th Corvette C6.R
GT1 Beretta/Gavin/Magnussen 1st Corvette C6.R Beretta pole, Gavin fastest race lap
2006 GT1 Fellows/O'Connell/Papis 4th Corvette C6.R O'Connell pole
GT1 Beretta/Gavin/Magnussen 3rd Corvette C6.R Gavin fastest race lap
2007 GT1 Magnussen/O'Connell/Fellows 3rd Corvette C6.R
GT1 Beretta/Gavin/Papis 1st Corvette C6.R Gavin fastest race lap
2008 GT1 Magnussen/O'Connell/Fellows 1st Corvette C6.R O'Connell pole, Magnussen fastest race lap
GT1 Beretta/Gavin/Papis 2nd Corvette C6.R
2009 GT2 Magnussen/O'Connell/Garcia 6th Corvette C6.R
GT2 Beretta/Gavin/Fassler 4th Corvette C6.R
2010 GT Beretta/O'Connell/Garcia 6th Corvette C6.R
GT Gavin/Magnussen/Collard 1st Corvette C6.R Magnussen fastest race lap
2011 GT Beretta/Milner/Garcia 17th Corvette C6.R
GT Gavin/Magnussen/Westbrook 4th Corvette C6.R
2012 GT Garcia/Magnussen/Taylor 2nd Corvette C6.R
GT Gavin/Milner/Westbrook 12th Corvette C6.R
2013 GT Garcia/Magnussen/Taylor 6th Corvette C6.R
GT Gavin/Milner/Westbrook 10th Corvette C6.R
2014 GTLM Garcia/Magnussen/Briscoe 8th Corvette C7.R
GTLM Gavin/Milner/Briscoe 4th Corvette C7.R
TUDOR Championship – GTLM Standings (After nine events)
Driver Standings Team Standings Manufacturer Standings
1. Patrick Pilet – 279
2. Bill Auberlen/Dirk Werner – 276
3. Antonio Garcia/Jan Magnussen – 269
4. Giancarlo Fisischella/Pierre Kaffer – 266
5. John Edwards/Lucas Luhr – 258
7. Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 230 1. No. 911 Porsche N. America – 279
2. No. 25 BMW Team RLL – 276
3. No. 3 Corvette Racing – 269
4. No. 62 Risi Competizione – 266
5. No. 24 BMW Team RLL – 258
8. No. 4 Corvette Racing – 230 1. Porsche – 290
2. BMW – 287
3. Chevrolet – 274
4. Ferrari – 274
Petit Le Mans – GT Le Mans (all times ET)
TUDOR Practice 1: 11:10 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 1
TUDOR Practice 2: 3:25 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 1
TUDOR Practice 3: 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 1
TUDOR Practice 4: 10:05 a.m., Friday, Oct. 2
TUDOR GTLM Qualifying: 4 p.m., Friday, Oct. 2 (IMSA.com)
TUDOR Warmup: 9 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 3
Race: 11:15 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 3
TV Schedule
11 a.m.-noon: FOX Sports 2, Saturday, Oct. 3
Noon-2:30 p.m.: IMSA.com, Saturday, Oct. 3
2:30-7 p.m.: FOX Sports 2, Saturday, Oct. 3
7-8:30 p.m.: IMSA.com, Saturday, Oct. 3
8:30-9:30 p.m.: FOX Sports 2, Saturday, Oct. 3
Replay: 1:30-4:30 p.m.: FOX Sports 1, Sunday, Oct. 4
10-02-2015, 01:23 AM
#3
Oops, my bad. Just saw it on the Sticky. Guess I'm just discombobulated over driving my "new" C7 Velocity Yellow Z51 from NH. We left Wolfeboro, NH at 5:00 PM Wednesday and just checked into the Hotel at midnight. Hope CORVETTE RACING does well!
10-03-2015, 09:51 PM
#5
Drifting
Hey lets red flag the race when corvettes are #1 and #2....then restart and stop 45 minutes later and end the race when corvette is #5 and #7 or whatever. The best weather of the day is when they ended the race. Ridiculous.
10-03-2015, 10:34 PM
#6
Le Mans Master
Jim
10-04-2015, 01:02 AM
#7
I was there and you Sir are 100% correctamundo! Remember Watkins Glen? I was there too. IMSA has no shame. In Europe we don't expect a home court advantage and we sure don't get it here. Simply pathetic.
The following users liked this post:
Painrace (10-05-2015)
10-04-2015, 01:07 AM
#8
Hmmm, want to try that again? Ferrari never had a prayer the entire race and Corvette was right on Porsche the entire race. Take IMSA BOP and end of race games out of the equation and it would have been a Corvette sweep.
10-04-2015, 09:50 AM
#9
Team Owner
It's getting to the point that it's not worth trying to follow the convoluted schedule because,as they did in the ALMS series,they rig the results. Different name,same tactics.Horrible.CORVETTE RACING should quit the series and find another, more raceer friendly venue.
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Painrace (10-05-2015)
10-04-2015, 03:57 PM
#10
POSSE ZR-1 Driver
On the other hand, IMSA screwed Fox Sports by waving the checkered flag just after FS2 switched to NASCAR Truck qualifying. FS2 missed the end of the race....
Fox Sports racing coverage sucks as usual.
Lucky for me, I was watching on IMSA.com at the same time as FS2 coverage.
Maybe next year's rules won't screw Corvette Racing as badly as this year. Time will tell.
Fox Sports racing coverage sucks as usual.
Lucky for me, I was watching on IMSA.com at the same time as FS2 coverage.
Maybe next year's rules won't screw Corvette Racing as badly as this year. Time will tell.
Last edited by Subfixer; 10-04-2015 at 04:03 PM.
10-04-2015, 07:52 PM
#11
Le Mans Master
It's getting to the point that it's not worth trying to follow the convoluted schedule because,as they did in the ALMS series,they rig the results. Different name,same tactics.Horrible.CORVETTE RACING should quit the series and find another, more raceer friendly venue.
10-04-2015, 07:56 PM
#12
Le Mans Master
Corvette was strong at the beginning. Then got screwed. It continues to be that way for them and I don't know why. Srt only won last year because they were just allowed to do whatever they wanted. Getting halfass wins Here and there. It seems the only way to win is to sandbag in the beginning of the year...lose all the races...get a huge bop, then run the show in the last 5 races. This is the first year I've showed about 50% attention as I used to. Next year will be even less. Especially with the new Porsche and 488. Corvette will be shooting for 7th place with falken.
#2
10-05-2015, 04:25 PM
#15
Melting Slicks
I've been as critical of IMSA and the BOP as anyone. That said, I think some people are going a little too far this time. It is a little difficult on a longer race to call the race, because the pit stops are all off cycle. The 911 car was clearly the class of the race in the wet. After the last BoP they might be a little faster in the dry, but they were clearly that car is great in the wet and Tandy was driving flawlessly.
When the Corvette's were 1 and 2 it was because the 911 had done its pit stop and the off pit cycle Corvette's hadn't. While as Corvette fans it might be nice to think that was the time to stop the race, the truth of the matter is, the Corvettes were fast, but not as fast or as trouble free as the 911. The #4 car spun, and the #3 had to come in for longer than normal stops to change the alternator belt twice. This was a very good, but not great showing. They unfortunately got caught in the pit cycle the wrong was as the race was called not too long after they pitted but before the others would, so you could make an argument that their finish should be hire than the 3rd and 6th they got, but the 911 deserved to win, as much as I hate to say it.
To think with 4 classes on track and 3 championships up in the air (with the Corvette very unlikely to win as they were far back) that the race was called when it was simply so Corvette didn't win the championship is silly.
The BoP issues remain. IMSA is bad at it. But this grand conspiracy is a little silly.
Also, I should note that the other teams have made giant strides trying to catch up to the Corvettes in terms of pit stops and reliability. This also makes it harder to win. At COTA, the #3 car was in 4th place with the top 4 cars running nose to tail for the second round of pit stops. They came out of that sequence in last. To be fair, the #4 only needed fuel and not tires, and one of the BMWs was off cycle and stayout out, but the Corvette lost 4 places in the pits -- 2 by just getting out slower-- and never could get those back. This makes it harder to win if the car isn't competitive speed wise OR if you aren't flawless with pits, reliability and driving.
Having the Corvette team race elsewhere is bad for us fans. This is the best series for them to be in with regards to being able to attend a race or watch the race on TV/online. We can hope they fix the BoP next year, although with problems 2 years in a row, and a slew of new cars I'm not overly optimistic it will be a smooth season. With the BMW, Ford, Porsche and Ferrari all running entirely new designs, and the Corvettes running a new car, and rules needed to increase the speeds of the class, it won't be easy. What I'm really hoping for next year is the adjustments don't over correct and make the cars at the back of the pack (not necessarily slower) way faster than everyone us. If that doesn't occur, we'll have to be a little patient at the start of the year.
Sorry for the long post. I know people are frustrated and I have been as well, I just hope people come back to earth with the conspiracy and leave the series type of talk.
When the Corvette's were 1 and 2 it was because the 911 had done its pit stop and the off pit cycle Corvette's hadn't. While as Corvette fans it might be nice to think that was the time to stop the race, the truth of the matter is, the Corvettes were fast, but not as fast or as trouble free as the 911. The #4 car spun, and the #3 had to come in for longer than normal stops to change the alternator belt twice. This was a very good, but not great showing. They unfortunately got caught in the pit cycle the wrong was as the race was called not too long after they pitted but before the others would, so you could make an argument that their finish should be hire than the 3rd and 6th they got, but the 911 deserved to win, as much as I hate to say it.
To think with 4 classes on track and 3 championships up in the air (with the Corvette very unlikely to win as they were far back) that the race was called when it was simply so Corvette didn't win the championship is silly.
The BoP issues remain. IMSA is bad at it. But this grand conspiracy is a little silly.
Also, I should note that the other teams have made giant strides trying to catch up to the Corvettes in terms of pit stops and reliability. This also makes it harder to win. At COTA, the #3 car was in 4th place with the top 4 cars running nose to tail for the second round of pit stops. They came out of that sequence in last. To be fair, the #4 only needed fuel and not tires, and one of the BMWs was off cycle and stayout out, but the Corvette lost 4 places in the pits -- 2 by just getting out slower-- and never could get those back. This makes it harder to win if the car isn't competitive speed wise OR if you aren't flawless with pits, reliability and driving.
Having the Corvette team race elsewhere is bad for us fans. This is the best series for them to be in with regards to being able to attend a race or watch the race on TV/online. We can hope they fix the BoP next year, although with problems 2 years in a row, and a slew of new cars I'm not overly optimistic it will be a smooth season. With the BMW, Ford, Porsche and Ferrari all running entirely new designs, and the Corvettes running a new car, and rules needed to increase the speeds of the class, it won't be easy. What I'm really hoping for next year is the adjustments don't over correct and make the cars at the back of the pack (not necessarily slower) way faster than everyone us. If that doesn't occur, we'll have to be a little patient at the start of the year.
Sorry for the long post. I know people are frustrated and I have been as well, I just hope people come back to earth with the conspiracy and leave the series type of talk.
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raff (10-05-2015)
10-05-2015, 08:34 PM
#17
Burning Brakes
Member Since: Nov 2011
Location: Valdosta GA
Posts: 1,145
Received 126 Likes
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98 Posts
St. Jude Donor '15-'16-'17-‘18-'19-'20-'21-'22
Part of the previously mentioned link --
but from the drivers' point of view on the early checker.
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/tusc/ba...le-mans-early/
but from the drivers' point of view on the early checker.
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/tusc/ba...le-mans-early/
10-05-2015, 09:30 PM
#18
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
Petit Le Mans Wrap
Udgivet den 4. oktober 2015 af Paul Ryan
“Winning the Tequila Patrón North American Endurance Championship is 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.
“When the conditions were just a normal wet track yesterday, 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.
“Thanks again to Antonio, Ryan everyone at Corvette Racing and all the fans for an awesome year. I’m really looking forward to next year – the cars will be faster, the competition tougher – bring it on”
Thanks
Jan
http://janmagnussen.dk/
Udgivet den 4. oktober 2015 af Paul Ryan
“Winning the Tequila Patrón North American Endurance Championship is 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.
“When the conditions were just a normal wet track yesterday, 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.
“Thanks again to Antonio, Ryan everyone at Corvette Racing and all the fans for an awesome year. I’m really looking forward to next year – the cars will be faster, the competition tougher – bring it on”
Thanks
Jan
http://janmagnussen.dk/
10-05-2015, 09:31 PM
#19
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
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.”
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.”
10-05-2015, 09:45 PM
#20
Le Mans Master
I've been as critical of IMSA and the BOP as anyone. That said, I think some people are going a little too far this time. It is a little difficult on a longer race to call the race, because the pit stops are all off cycle. The 911 car was clearly the class of the race in the wet. After the last BoP they might be a little faster in the dry, but they were clearly that car is great in the wet and Tandy was driving flawlessly.
When the Corvette's were 1 and 2 it was because the 911 had done its pit stop and the off pit cycle Corvette's hadn't. While as Corvette fans it might be nice to think that was the time to stop the race, the truth of the matter is, the Corvettes were fast, but not as fast or as trouble free as the 911. The #4 car spun, and the #3 had to come in for longer than normal stops to change the alternator belt twice. This was a very good, but not great showing. They unfortunately got caught in the pit cycle the wrong was as the race was called not too long after they pitted but before the others would, so you could make an argument that their finish should be hire than the 3rd and 6th they got, but the 911 deserved to win, as much as I hate to say it.
To think with 4 classes on track and 3 championships up in the air (with the Corvette very unlikely to win as they were far back) that the race was called when it was simply so Corvette didn't win the championship is silly.
The BoP issues remain. IMSA is bad at it. But this grand conspiracy is a little silly.
Also, I should note that the other teams have made giant strides trying to catch up to the Corvettes in terms of pit stops and reliability. This also makes it harder to win. At COTA, the #3 car was in 4th place with the top 4 cars running nose to tail for the second round of pit stops. They came out of that sequence in last. To be fair, the #4 only needed fuel and not tires, and one of the BMWs was off cycle and stayout out, but the Corvette lost 4 places in the pits -- 2 by just getting out slower-- and never could get those back. This makes it harder to win if the car isn't competitive speed wise OR if you aren't flawless with pits, reliability and driving.
Having the Corvette team race elsewhere is bad for us fans. This is the best series for them to be in with regards to being able to attend a race or watch the race on TV/online. We can hope they fix the BoP next year, although with problems 2 years in a row, and a slew of new cars I'm not overly optimistic it will be a smooth season. With the BMW, Ford, Porsche and Ferrari all running entirely new designs, and the Corvettes running a new car, and rules needed to increase the speeds of the class, it won't be easy. What I'm really hoping for next year is the adjustments don't over correct and make the cars at the back of the pack (not necessarily slower) way faster than everyone us. If that doesn't occur, we'll have to be a little patient at the start of the year.
Sorry for the long post. I know people are frustrated and I have been as well, I just hope people come back to earth with the conspiracy and leave the series type of talk.
When the Corvette's were 1 and 2 it was because the 911 had done its pit stop and the off pit cycle Corvette's hadn't. While as Corvette fans it might be nice to think that was the time to stop the race, the truth of the matter is, the Corvettes were fast, but not as fast or as trouble free as the 911. The #4 car spun, and the #3 had to come in for longer than normal stops to change the alternator belt twice. This was a very good, but not great showing. They unfortunately got caught in the pit cycle the wrong was as the race was called not too long after they pitted but before the others would, so you could make an argument that their finish should be hire than the 3rd and 6th they got, but the 911 deserved to win, as much as I hate to say it.
To think with 4 classes on track and 3 championships up in the air (with the Corvette very unlikely to win as they were far back) that the race was called when it was simply so Corvette didn't win the championship is silly.
The BoP issues remain. IMSA is bad at it. But this grand conspiracy is a little silly.
Also, I should note that the other teams have made giant strides trying to catch up to the Corvettes in terms of pit stops and reliability. This also makes it harder to win. At COTA, the #3 car was in 4th place with the top 4 cars running nose to tail for the second round of pit stops. They came out of that sequence in last. To be fair, the #4 only needed fuel and not tires, and one of the BMWs was off cycle and stayout out, but the Corvette lost 4 places in the pits -- 2 by just getting out slower-- and never could get those back. This makes it harder to win if the car isn't competitive speed wise OR if you aren't flawless with pits, reliability and driving.
Having the Corvette team race elsewhere is bad for us fans. This is the best series for them to be in with regards to being able to attend a race or watch the race on TV/online. We can hope they fix the BoP next year, although with problems 2 years in a row, and a slew of new cars I'm not overly optimistic it will be a smooth season. With the BMW, Ford, Porsche and Ferrari all running entirely new designs, and the Corvettes running a new car, and rules needed to increase the speeds of the class, it won't be easy. What I'm really hoping for next year is the adjustments don't over correct and make the cars at the back of the pack (not necessarily slower) way faster than everyone us. If that doesn't occur, we'll have to be a little patient at the start of the year.
Sorry for the long post. I know people are frustrated and I have been as well, I just hope people come back to earth with the conspiracy and leave the series type of talk.
I think the wet was an advantage to the Corvettes and the Porsches due to the teams ability to adjust to it.
IMSA required reduced fuel capacity in the Corvettes killed them.
Just my 1 cent!
Jim