Home
Mazda Dyson Racing
25 Years on the grid is a long time and the Dyson Team has seen it all. Teamed with Mazda this year, they added style and grace to the American Le Mans Series and their cars looked fantastic.
play videoTrackFix: Mosport's back 40
It's a long hike to the back straight at Mosport but it offers a view unlike any other. Over the hill and through the woods, dipping and climbing on your way back around. Spectacular.
play videoPetit Le Mans: Ferrari wins GT2
This year's Petit Le Mans offered up not only great amounts of rain but also equal amounts of drama. GT2 continues to be one of the most competitive categories and Risi Competizione used excellent strategy and teamwork to complete its sweep of endurance victories. Enjoy this video as the Corsa Rosso F430GT works its way from back to front.
play videoBMW M5 Taxi Ride with Mike Renner
BMW's Performance Driving Center's Mike Renner may not have learned his driving in New York City but his SCCA background makes him uniquely qualified to treat passengers to a thrilling ride in the 500hp M5. Don't forget to tip for those extra bags!
play video-
Track Fix Petit Le Mans Curb
Endurance racing is about saving the car but to go fast sometimes you have to take the shortest route. Take a look at how the cars handle the curbs.
play video
-
- Classics
- Competition
- Features
- News
Lime Rock Vintage Ferrari 250 SWB
There's no classic like the Ferrari 250 SWB and this example is one of a rare 18 aluminum bodied versions whose pedigree includes many famous races in bygone days. Hear from driver and Ferrari expert Nick Soprano as he talks about the car of his childhood dreams.
play video
Newport Concours d'Elegance
Newport, Rhode Island, sailing capital of the US is also the home to the Newport Concours d'Elegance. The event is hosted the week prior to the Greenwich Concours and as such usually has a wide variety of cars that come early. Great atmosphere and great cars make for a great combination.
play video
Alfa Romeo 6c 2500 SS
You wouldn't want to travel the route of the Mille Miglia in discomfort, would you? Sporting not just great comfort and style it also features good sport - enough to win it Road & Track's award for the car they most wanted to drive at Pebble Beach.
play video
Greenwich Concours d'Elegance
With two days of amazing cars, the Greenwich Concours d'Elegance is one of the premier automotive events in the country. Take a look at some of the fine automobiles and the atmosphere on day one with the American Cars.
play video
Track Fix - Lime Rock ALMS
Lime Rock's short course is a twisty, curvey path that requires you get each bit right or risk damaging a good lap time. On the plus side, if you do get it wrong the chance to do it again comes up quick!
play video 1play video 2
Track Fix Petit Le Mans Bump
Missing the track already? Here's a view near the top of the hill where a small dip makes those suspensions compress and the left sides bottom out. Look for the sparks coming from the GT cars.
play video
Corvettes On Track
Corvettes are back and now have their first win in the ultra-competitive GT2 Under their belt. The Pratt and Miller guys will make sure they are up to speed and endurance should be their strength. Sandbagging? Not these guys!
play video
Jan Magnussen Proud Father
Proud Papa recently became a father again and while he may look calm and controlled on the race track he admits to driving like a madman. I'm sure the Danish police would forgive him.
play video
RISI Competizione Ferrari 430GT
With one of the winningest Ferraris in GT2 history, Risi Competizione's Ferrari F430 has had tremendous success. Here's a short look at their car and their team.
play video
BMW Rahal Letterman M3 ALMS
BMW takes to the track after a short absence. Take an inside look at a top-notch team's top-notch car as it starts to chip away at podium finishes.
play video
ALMS TrackFix:Petit Le Mans
If you've been to a track you know that the excitement from TV is replaced by the beauty of the cars passing before you. Here's a glimpse to remind you of that beauty from Petit Le Mans on the back side just before they go down the hill.
play video
ENDURANCE CHAMPIONS READY FOR SEASON FINALE
Fresh from their GT victory at a rain-soaked Petit Le Mans – the team’s fifth consecutive endurance win – Risi Competizione heads to the popular Californian track for the tenth and final round of the 2009 American Le Mans Series hoping for all-out success.
Jaime Melo and Pierre Kaffer are currently lying in second place in the Drivers’ Championship and, although the mountain is steep, there is still a chance of climbing onto the top if they score a win or a second place at Laguna Seca and their rivals, Jörg Bergmeister and Pat Long of Flying Lizard Motorsports, finish lower than 10th in class.
Built on a former US Army base, the 2.238 mile Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is challenging for drivers and engineers alike, with its 11 turns and many ups and downs. The famous Corkscrew turn, a steep drop away over a blind 90-degree left-hand bend that immediately sweeps away to the right, is one of the highlights here and is an awesome place to watch the drivers in action. The track is also notoriously slippery due to the sand surrounding the asphalt, which is often either blown on or brought onto the track by another car. A fast lap here takes every ounce of skill that a driver possesses.
Risi’s Technical Director, Rick Mayer, acknowledges that a further championship title for the team is a long shot, but points out, “It’s a long race (4 hours) and it will be tight on fuel for a three-stop strategy. Last year there were numerous yellows, making strategy a bit of a crap shoot, and the same could easily happen in 2009.
“The Corvettes, BMWs and Porsches will all be competitive here. The lack of long straits and several long corners play to the Ferrari’s handling advantage, and our lack of top end power shouldn’t hurt us as much here as at other tracks. We ran well here the last three years, with two wins and a second so we’re hoping the trend continues.”
Approaching the end of his first full season in the ALMS, Pierre Kaffer is keen to follow up on his recent run of good race outings and to sign off the season in style: “It’s unfortunately the last race of season; unfortunate because I had so much fun with the Risi team and my team mate this year. It would be nice to put everything together again for next year!
“As far as the Championship is concerned, you never know what will happen in motorsport. We will try our best of course and we’ll have to see where Jörg and Pat finish. If they finish better than 10th, then they deserve to be champions. We have no influence on this point. I think we’ve done a really good job in the last few races, and it’s just a shame that our non-finish [due to suspension failure] at St Petersburg hurt us so bad in the points’ tables.”
David Brabham is setting his sights on finishing off a sensational 2009 season in style by adding the American Le Mans Series title to his Le Mans 24 Hours victory, in the final round at Laguna Seca, California, on 10 October.
Brabham and Patrón Highcroft Racing made a mighty comeback, building a new Acura ARX-02a from the ground up following Scott Sharp’s horrendous accident in Thursday practice which destroyed the car, to extend their championship lead at Petit Le Mans last time out.
Brabham’s penultimate round efforts ensured that the LMP1 title fight runs to the wire, to the delight of ALMS fans who have been entertained with the season-long battle against the sister de Ferran Acura. The 44 year-old’s healthy 21 point lead means the Patrón Highcroft car needs to complete 70% of the four-hour race distance at Laguna Seca to secure the spoils.
Regardless of that fact, Brabham explains why the Patrón Highcroft crew will be aiming for its fourth season victory around the challenging 2.238-mile 11-turn circuit, home to the world-famous Corkscrew — the toughest turn on the Series schedule.
“To head to the final race of the season with a 21 point lead is a nice situation to be in but in some ways, when the fight is closer, it makes it easier. With only having to finish 70% of the race to take the championship, the risk can be that the mind relaxes a little bit, which could be potentially dangerous.
“We’re heading into the final round with the same attitude as any race — we’re out there to win. When you concentrate on winning, your focus and concentration levels are high and you know exactly what you want to achieve.
“Laguna Seca is one of the most challenging circuits on the calendar and reliability will be a major factor, especially for us to ensure we get to 70% distance. We have good knowledge of what’s needed in terms of set-up as we were strong here last year when I took outright pole in the P2 car.
“Although the P1 is very different from the 2008 P2, it’s great that we have a brand new car after a fantastic effort by the Patrón Highcroft team to get us racing at Petit Le Mans. The car was competitive and reliable but obviously the guys will strip it all down and make sure everything is ok for the last race.”
With victory at Le Mans at his 16th attempt with Team Peugeot Total already achieved, plus an impressive inaugural LMP1 campaign with Patrón Highcroft Racing and Acura, scoring three wins and an array of podium finishes in the ALMS, 2009 is shaping up to be one of Brabham’s best years in the business.
Brabham continues: “Obviously hopes are high for the last race of the season and it’s already been an incredible year for me, but adding the ALMS title to my Le Mans win would certainly be a great bonus.”
The action at Laguna Seca for the Monterey Sports Car Championships presented by Patrón kicks off with practice sessions on Thursday afternoon and Friday morning. Qualifying takes place on Friday at 3.35pm local time and the ALMS championship showdown starts at 2.45pm on Saturday.
