****GTLM/GTD Pro Racing Talk-NO SPOILERS PLEASE!
07-21-2011, 05:55 PM
#64
Le Mans Master
Member Since: Jul 2004
Location: Mississauga Ontario
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07-24-2011, 08:58 PM
#66
Mosport Race Results
Replay of the race is tonight:
ESPN2 TV Broadcast 9:00PM - 11:00 PM CST
Corvette Racing Wins Grand Prix of Mosport
Corvette Notches Ninth Win at Canadian Circuit, Scores First ALMS GT Victory of Season
BOWMANVILLE, Ontario, Canada, July 24, 2011 – Corvette Racing returned to the winner's circle today at the Mobil 1 presents the Grand Prix of Mosport as Oliver Gavin and Jan Magnussen scored the team's first American Le Mans Series victory of the season. Gavin and Magnussen won the GT class by 4.4 seconds in their No. 4 Compuware Corvette C6.R over the Ferrari 458 Italia of Jaime Melo and Toni Vilander. Tommy Milner and Olivier Beretta finished sixth in the No. 3 Compuware Corvette C6.R after contact with a backmarker cost them valuable time on the high-speed Canadian circuit.
After qualifying sixth and eighth on Saturday, Corvette Racing rebounded with a strong race day setup that ultimately broke BMW's three-race winning streak. The two-hour, 45-minute race was anything but predictable as spins, crashes, close calls and penalties added to the drama.
"We had a team meeting after qualifying and agreed that we all just needed to do our jobs because anything can happen," said team manager Gary Pratt. "The crew made great pit stops, the drivers made smart decisions, the engineers made good calls, and here we are with a victory. You have to be able to take advantage of opportunities, you have to be able to close the deal, and today we did."
Gavin and Milner were the starting drivers, and slotted into sixth and eighth respectively as the race began. The running order changed dramatically after the first round of pit stops under a full-course caution, as Gavin emerged in third after two cars were penalized. When the second-place Porsche went off track shortly after the one-hour mark, Gavin moved into second and began an extended battle with Vilander in the Risi Competizione Ferrari.
"We started coming on these big clumps of traffic, and things started getting crazy," Gavin said. "I had this mad battle with Toni, where he passed me going into Turn 2 and then he went around the outside of a GTC car. I managed to undercut them both and come back around the outside into Turn 3 – it was fantastic racing!"
Contact with the Ferrari in Moss Corner punctured a tire, and the crew scrambled as Gavin dove into the pits with one hour and four minutes to go. Magnussen took over the No. 4 Corvette and emerged in third. The Dane passed the Ferrari with 30 minutes to go, and then took the lead with 20 minutes remaining when the leading No. 55 BMW driven by Dirk Werner was assessed a stop-and-go penalty for avoidable contact.
"I knew that for us to get a good result out of this race, we had to be 100 percent focused every second," Magnussen said. "We could never relax, just push all the time. To pull a win from where we were after qualifying is just fantastic. These guys have done it before and they'll do it again – you can never count Corvette Racing out. The way this team pushes, I'm so proud to be part of it."
Gavin agreed: "The team won this race," said the Englishman. "We got our first win on the board and we've broken BMW's stranglehold on ALMS victories this year. I'm absolutely delighted!"
The No. 4 Corvette's second pit stop proved pivotal. "We had 10 seconds for everyone to get ready," said crew chief Brian Hoye. "The guys know what to do and they were ready to go. We knocked out a quick stop, kept the car in contention, and we ended up with a victory. We used every session to make the car the best it could be for the race, and it turned out be a spectacular result."
The No. 3 Corvette was less fortunate today as contact with the No. 11 Porsche GTC and a resulting spin took them out of contention. Milner had executed a series of passes to pull the No. 3 up to fourth place before the accident.
"The No. 3 Corvette was really, really good, the best I've driven all year long," said Milner. "My spot today was Turn 5, where a lot of people were getting held up in traffic and I was able to get underneath them entering 5B. It's a pretty safe spot to pass, and you can rub fenders there without it being an issue. I got a number of passes done there, but then we had that contact in Turn 10. Unfortunately we have a few drivers who need more seat time, especially running with other class cars. I gave him a lot of room going into 9, but he wanted to race me. The result was I got spun out."
The contact damaged the Corvette's left-rear suspension and an extended pit stop dropped the No. 3 off the lead lap. Beretta drove the last 62 minutes to secure sixth for the Le Mans-winning Corvette.
"It's a good win for the No. 4 Corvette and good for the whole team," Beretta said. "Tommy did a very good job, we were just unlucky to be touched by a gentleman driver and that was the end of our race. I was hoping for a yellow to close up the field, but it didn't come, so I just brought the car home."
Corvette Racing celebrated its ninth win at Mosport and captured the Michelin Green X Challenge as the fastest, cleanest, and most efficient entry in the GT class.
"As the inaugural winner of the Michelin Green X Challenge, it's always an honor when Corvette Racing collects one of these trophies," said Corvette Racing program manager Doug Fehan. "It's a testament to how hard our engine group, our chassis group, and our aero group have worked to maximize the efficiency of the Corvette. It's also a testament to Chevrolet's willingness to race with cellulosic E85, and as the world's largest producer of flex-fuel vehicles, it's only appropriate that the Chevrolet team won the Green X Challenge today."
ESPN2 will televise the Grand Prix of Mosport tonight at 10 p.m. ET. Corvette Racing’s next event is the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge in Lexington, Ohio, on Saturday, August 6, starting at 3:30 p.m. ET. Live video coverage will available on ESPN3.com in the US and americanlemans.com for international users. ESPN2 will televise the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge on Sunday, August 7, at 10 p.m. ET.
Mobil 1 presents the Grand Prix of Mosport GT Results (Top 10):
Pos./Car No./Drivers/Car/Laps
1. 4 Gavin/Magnussen, Corvette C6.R, 121
2. 62 Melo/Vilander, Ferrari F458 Italia, 121
3. 55 Auberlen/Werner, BMW M3 GT, 121
4. 56 Mueller/Hand, BMW M3 GT, 121
5. 17 Henzler/Sellers, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 120
6. 3 Beretta/Milner, Corvette C6.R, 119
7. 04 Murry/Lazzaro, Doran Ford GT, 119
8. 44 Neiman/Holzer, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 118
9. 01 Sharp/van Overbeek, Ferrari F458 Italia, 117
10. 48 Miller/Maasen, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 117
ESPN2 TV Broadcast 9:00PM - 11:00 PM CST
Corvette Racing Wins Grand Prix of Mosport
Corvette Notches Ninth Win at Canadian Circuit, Scores First ALMS GT Victory of Season
BOWMANVILLE, Ontario, Canada, July 24, 2011 – Corvette Racing returned to the winner's circle today at the Mobil 1 presents the Grand Prix of Mosport as Oliver Gavin and Jan Magnussen scored the team's first American Le Mans Series victory of the season. Gavin and Magnussen won the GT class by 4.4 seconds in their No. 4 Compuware Corvette C6.R over the Ferrari 458 Italia of Jaime Melo and Toni Vilander. Tommy Milner and Olivier Beretta finished sixth in the No. 3 Compuware Corvette C6.R after contact with a backmarker cost them valuable time on the high-speed Canadian circuit.
After qualifying sixth and eighth on Saturday, Corvette Racing rebounded with a strong race day setup that ultimately broke BMW's three-race winning streak. The two-hour, 45-minute race was anything but predictable as spins, crashes, close calls and penalties added to the drama.
"We had a team meeting after qualifying and agreed that we all just needed to do our jobs because anything can happen," said team manager Gary Pratt. "The crew made great pit stops, the drivers made smart decisions, the engineers made good calls, and here we are with a victory. You have to be able to take advantage of opportunities, you have to be able to close the deal, and today we did."
Gavin and Milner were the starting drivers, and slotted into sixth and eighth respectively as the race began. The running order changed dramatically after the first round of pit stops under a full-course caution, as Gavin emerged in third after two cars were penalized. When the second-place Porsche went off track shortly after the one-hour mark, Gavin moved into second and began an extended battle with Vilander in the Risi Competizione Ferrari.
"We started coming on these big clumps of traffic, and things started getting crazy," Gavin said. "I had this mad battle with Toni, where he passed me going into Turn 2 and then he went around the outside of a GTC car. I managed to undercut them both and come back around the outside into Turn 3 – it was fantastic racing!"
Contact with the Ferrari in Moss Corner punctured a tire, and the crew scrambled as Gavin dove into the pits with one hour and four minutes to go. Magnussen took over the No. 4 Corvette and emerged in third. The Dane passed the Ferrari with 30 minutes to go, and then took the lead with 20 minutes remaining when the leading No. 55 BMW driven by Dirk Werner was assessed a stop-and-go penalty for avoidable contact.
"I knew that for us to get a good result out of this race, we had to be 100 percent focused every second," Magnussen said. "We could never relax, just push all the time. To pull a win from where we were after qualifying is just fantastic. These guys have done it before and they'll do it again – you can never count Corvette Racing out. The way this team pushes, I'm so proud to be part of it."
Gavin agreed: "The team won this race," said the Englishman. "We got our first win on the board and we've broken BMW's stranglehold on ALMS victories this year. I'm absolutely delighted!"
The No. 4 Corvette's second pit stop proved pivotal. "We had 10 seconds for everyone to get ready," said crew chief Brian Hoye. "The guys know what to do and they were ready to go. We knocked out a quick stop, kept the car in contention, and we ended up with a victory. We used every session to make the car the best it could be for the race, and it turned out be a spectacular result."
The No. 3 Corvette was less fortunate today as contact with the No. 11 Porsche GTC and a resulting spin took them out of contention. Milner had executed a series of passes to pull the No. 3 up to fourth place before the accident.
"The No. 3 Corvette was really, really good, the best I've driven all year long," said Milner. "My spot today was Turn 5, where a lot of people were getting held up in traffic and I was able to get underneath them entering 5B. It's a pretty safe spot to pass, and you can rub fenders there without it being an issue. I got a number of passes done there, but then we had that contact in Turn 10. Unfortunately we have a few drivers who need more seat time, especially running with other class cars. I gave him a lot of room going into 9, but he wanted to race me. The result was I got spun out."
The contact damaged the Corvette's left-rear suspension and an extended pit stop dropped the No. 3 off the lead lap. Beretta drove the last 62 minutes to secure sixth for the Le Mans-winning Corvette.
"It's a good win for the No. 4 Corvette and good for the whole team," Beretta said. "Tommy did a very good job, we were just unlucky to be touched by a gentleman driver and that was the end of our race. I was hoping for a yellow to close up the field, but it didn't come, so I just brought the car home."
Corvette Racing celebrated its ninth win at Mosport and captured the Michelin Green X Challenge as the fastest, cleanest, and most efficient entry in the GT class.
"As the inaugural winner of the Michelin Green X Challenge, it's always an honor when Corvette Racing collects one of these trophies," said Corvette Racing program manager Doug Fehan. "It's a testament to how hard our engine group, our chassis group, and our aero group have worked to maximize the efficiency of the Corvette. It's also a testament to Chevrolet's willingness to race with cellulosic E85, and as the world's largest producer of flex-fuel vehicles, it's only appropriate that the Chevrolet team won the Green X Challenge today."
ESPN2 will televise the Grand Prix of Mosport tonight at 10 p.m. ET. Corvette Racing’s next event is the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge in Lexington, Ohio, on Saturday, August 6, starting at 3:30 p.m. ET. Live video coverage will available on ESPN3.com in the US and americanlemans.com for international users. ESPN2 will televise the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge on Sunday, August 7, at 10 p.m. ET.
Mobil 1 presents the Grand Prix of Mosport GT Results (Top 10):
Pos./Car No./Drivers/Car/Laps
1. 4 Gavin/Magnussen, Corvette C6.R, 121
2. 62 Melo/Vilander, Ferrari F458 Italia, 121
3. 55 Auberlen/Werner, BMW M3 GT, 121
4. 56 Mueller/Hand, BMW M3 GT, 121
5. 17 Henzler/Sellers, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 120
6. 3 Beretta/Milner, Corvette C6.R, 119
7. 04 Murry/Lazzaro, Doran Ford GT, 119
8. 44 Neiman/Holzer, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 118
9. 01 Sharp/van Overbeek, Ferrari F458 Italia, 117
10. 48 Miller/Maasen, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 117
08-08-2011, 09:15 PM
#68
Corvette Racing Finishes 2nd and 6th in Mid-Ohio Monsoon
Corvette Racing Finishes Second and Sixth in Mid-Ohio Monsoon
Gavin and Magnussen Come Through the Chaos for Podium Finish and Championship Points
LEXINGTON, Ohio, Aug. 6, 2011 – The Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge ended under a red flag when a downpour inundated the circuit with 11 minutes remaining in the two-hour, 45-minute race. Jan Magnussen and Oliver Gavin scored Corvette's third straight runner-up finish at Mid-Ohio after leading the GT category for the first two hours in the No. 4 Compuware Corvette C6.R. Tommy Milner and Olivier Beretta finished sixth after a spin in the treacherous conditions temporarily stranded the No. 3 Compuware Corvette before the race was stopped. Wolf Henzler and Bryan Sellers claimed the victory in the No. 17 Porsche 911 GT3 after advancing from sixth to first on the rain-soaked track in the final minutes.
"In the last two races, we've had a good race car and not such a good qualifying car – but I'll take a good race car any time," said team manager Gary Pratt. "In conditions like this, we're happy with second."
Magnussen made a fast start, moving from fifth on the grid to second in the first lap. He passed the class-leading BMW on the next lap and then held the lead through the remainder of his stint.
"I was on the outside for the first turn and had a good line," Magnussen said. "Everyone in front of me pulled in to protect their line, so I went to the outside and came out in second. I could see the BMW's tires weren't completely up to temperature and our Michelins were. In one of the practice sessions, I came out with a BMW and outbraked him at the end of the straight, so I knew he was going to be vulnerable there. Sure enough, he braked early and I made the pass."
Gavin took over the No. 4 Corvette shortly before the one-hour mark and held the point until he pitted for rain tires at 2:03. He was within striking distance of the leading No. 45 Porsche of Patrick Long when the deluge began.
"Those last four or five laps were absolutely insane," Gavin said. "I was driving down the straight with the steering wheel at full opposite lock, with the car just gliding and aquaplaning. Somehow my car straightened up and Pat Long's car went off into a gravel trap. When Wolf Henzler drove by me, I had no answer for him; he certainly had a good rain setup. I was relieved when they brought out the red flag because it was really tough.
"Before the rain came, it was great to be in the lead," the Englishman added. "The guys got me out in front after an excellent pit stop. I was slowly pulling away from Patrick, then a caution came out and we were driving around picking up loads of rubbish on the tires. Patrick was pressuring me, but eventually I got the tires clean and started to pull out a lead. Then the weather arrived, and everything changed."
Gavin and Magnussen's runner-up finish on the heels of a win in Mosport, combined with a fourth-place finish today for points leaders Joey Hand and Dirk Mueller, narrowed the GT championship race. Gavin and Magnussen are now 17 points behind the BMW duo in unofficial points, and Chevrolet cut BMW's lead in the manufacturer standings to 19 points.
Beretta, celebrating his milestone 100th ALMS race, started the No. 3 Corvette C6.R eighth on the GT grid, and pitted from P7 at 56 minutes into the race. Milner steadily worked his way to the front, running third with one hour remaining and second with 30 minutes to go. As the rain intensified, Milner had contact with another GT car and spun in Turn 8, rejoining the race in sixth.
"We had a phenomenal race car in the dry," said Milner. "In the wet, it's the same for everybody – really crazy. Unfortunately Mid-Ohio is one of those tracks that has zero grip in the rain. When you have monsoon conditions like this, it's a roll of the dice and we got snake eyes.
"When it started sprinkling, I thought about Le Mans, but once it started to pour, I said this is hurricane season," Milner reported. "Sixth is not where I wanted to finish after being on pace for second place, but it was really good to see that the team's hard work in practice and in the warm-up improved the car in the dry."
Corvette Racing won the Michelin Green X Challenge as the fastest, cleanest, and most efficient entry in the GT class for the second consecutive race.
"I think it was clear today we had the dominant cars," said Corvette Racing program manager Doug Fehan. "We were well positioned for a victory, and certainly we're satisfied with second when weather is such a factor. Most importantly, we've captured the Michelin Green X Challenge again, demonstrating durability, reliability, performance, and green thinking at Chevrolet and Corvette."
ESPN2 will televise the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge on Sunday, August 7, at 10 p.m. ET. Corvette Racing’s next event is the four-hour Time Warner Cable Road Race Showcase at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis., on Saturday, August 20, starting at 3:00 p.m. CT. Live video coverage will be available on ESPN3.com in the US and americanlemans.com for international users. ABC will televise the Time Warner Cable Road Race Showcase on Sunday, August 21, at 4:30 p.m. ET.
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge GT Results (Top 10):
Pos./Car No./Drivers/Car/Laps
1. 17 Henzler/Sellers, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 92
2. 4 Gavin/Magnussen, Corvette C6.R, 92
3. 55 Auberlen/Werner, BMW M3 GT, 92
4. 56 Mueller/Hand, BMW M3 GT, 92
5. 01 Sharp/van Overbeek, Ferrari F458 Italia, 92
6. 3 Beretta/Milner, Corvette C6.R, 92
7. 04 Murry/Lazzaro, Doran Ford GT, 91
8. 48 Miller/Maasen, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 91
9. 45 Bergmeister/Long, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 91
10. 44 Neiman/Law, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 91
Gavin and Magnussen Come Through the Chaos for Podium Finish and Championship Points
LEXINGTON, Ohio, Aug. 6, 2011 – The Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge ended under a red flag when a downpour inundated the circuit with 11 minutes remaining in the two-hour, 45-minute race. Jan Magnussen and Oliver Gavin scored Corvette's third straight runner-up finish at Mid-Ohio after leading the GT category for the first two hours in the No. 4 Compuware Corvette C6.R. Tommy Milner and Olivier Beretta finished sixth after a spin in the treacherous conditions temporarily stranded the No. 3 Compuware Corvette before the race was stopped. Wolf Henzler and Bryan Sellers claimed the victory in the No. 17 Porsche 911 GT3 after advancing from sixth to first on the rain-soaked track in the final minutes.
"In the last two races, we've had a good race car and not such a good qualifying car – but I'll take a good race car any time," said team manager Gary Pratt. "In conditions like this, we're happy with second."
Magnussen made a fast start, moving from fifth on the grid to second in the first lap. He passed the class-leading BMW on the next lap and then held the lead through the remainder of his stint.
"I was on the outside for the first turn and had a good line," Magnussen said. "Everyone in front of me pulled in to protect their line, so I went to the outside and came out in second. I could see the BMW's tires weren't completely up to temperature and our Michelins were. In one of the practice sessions, I came out with a BMW and outbraked him at the end of the straight, so I knew he was going to be vulnerable there. Sure enough, he braked early and I made the pass."
Gavin took over the No. 4 Corvette shortly before the one-hour mark and held the point until he pitted for rain tires at 2:03. He was within striking distance of the leading No. 45 Porsche of Patrick Long when the deluge began.
"Those last four or five laps were absolutely insane," Gavin said. "I was driving down the straight with the steering wheel at full opposite lock, with the car just gliding and aquaplaning. Somehow my car straightened up and Pat Long's car went off into a gravel trap. When Wolf Henzler drove by me, I had no answer for him; he certainly had a good rain setup. I was relieved when they brought out the red flag because it was really tough.
"Before the rain came, it was great to be in the lead," the Englishman added. "The guys got me out in front after an excellent pit stop. I was slowly pulling away from Patrick, then a caution came out and we were driving around picking up loads of rubbish on the tires. Patrick was pressuring me, but eventually I got the tires clean and started to pull out a lead. Then the weather arrived, and everything changed."
Gavin and Magnussen's runner-up finish on the heels of a win in Mosport, combined with a fourth-place finish today for points leaders Joey Hand and Dirk Mueller, narrowed the GT championship race. Gavin and Magnussen are now 17 points behind the BMW duo in unofficial points, and Chevrolet cut BMW's lead in the manufacturer standings to 19 points.
Beretta, celebrating his milestone 100th ALMS race, started the No. 3 Corvette C6.R eighth on the GT grid, and pitted from P7 at 56 minutes into the race. Milner steadily worked his way to the front, running third with one hour remaining and second with 30 minutes to go. As the rain intensified, Milner had contact with another GT car and spun in Turn 8, rejoining the race in sixth.
"We had a phenomenal race car in the dry," said Milner. "In the wet, it's the same for everybody – really crazy. Unfortunately Mid-Ohio is one of those tracks that has zero grip in the rain. When you have monsoon conditions like this, it's a roll of the dice and we got snake eyes.
"When it started sprinkling, I thought about Le Mans, but once it started to pour, I said this is hurricane season," Milner reported. "Sixth is not where I wanted to finish after being on pace for second place, but it was really good to see that the team's hard work in practice and in the warm-up improved the car in the dry."
Corvette Racing won the Michelin Green X Challenge as the fastest, cleanest, and most efficient entry in the GT class for the second consecutive race.
"I think it was clear today we had the dominant cars," said Corvette Racing program manager Doug Fehan. "We were well positioned for a victory, and certainly we're satisfied with second when weather is such a factor. Most importantly, we've captured the Michelin Green X Challenge again, demonstrating durability, reliability, performance, and green thinking at Chevrolet and Corvette."
ESPN2 will televise the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge on Sunday, August 7, at 10 p.m. ET. Corvette Racing’s next event is the four-hour Time Warner Cable Road Race Showcase at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis., on Saturday, August 20, starting at 3:00 p.m. CT. Live video coverage will be available on ESPN3.com in the US and americanlemans.com for international users. ABC will televise the Time Warner Cable Road Race Showcase on Sunday, August 21, at 4:30 p.m. ET.
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge GT Results (Top 10):
Pos./Car No./Drivers/Car/Laps
1. 17 Henzler/Sellers, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 92
2. 4 Gavin/Magnussen, Corvette C6.R, 92
3. 55 Auberlen/Werner, BMW M3 GT, 92
4. 56 Mueller/Hand, BMW M3 GT, 92
5. 01 Sharp/van Overbeek, Ferrari F458 Italia, 92
6. 3 Beretta/Milner, Corvette C6.R, 92
7. 04 Murry/Lazzaro, Doran Ford GT, 91
8. 48 Miller/Maasen, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 91
9. 45 Bergmeister/Long, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 91
10. 44 Neiman/Law, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 91
08-09-2011, 08:10 AM
#71
Burning Brakes
08-09-2011, 08:31 AM
#72
08-09-2011, 10:39 PM
#73
08-16-2011, 12:48 AM
#74
Instructor
i read through here and did not see anything on the in car for #4 at lemans. found the link looking for timing and scoring for the 24 hour race and ended up watching @ 20 hours. this was so cool and now gm is using some of the video in the zr1 commercial. at one point i had lemans timing #4 in car and formula one all running on my screen. short of being there i have to say it was a perfect weekend for me.
on a different note dear espn i like my racing live ! with like 5 channels i think you can manage that and how about some replays. i only pay for cable to watch racing so please just do it.
the sound of the #4 car running at lemans still rings in my ears thank you whoever was responsible for that and please please do it again!
on a different note dear espn i like my racing live ! with like 5 channels i think you can manage that and how about some replays. i only pay for cable to watch racing so please just do it.
the sound of the #4 car running at lemans still rings in my ears thank you whoever was responsible for that and please please do it again!
08-22-2011, 12:40 PM
#75
Road America Results
Corvette Racing Takes Fifth at Road America
Gavin and Magnussen Run at the Front in GT, Beretta and Milner Retire after Accident
ELKHART LAKE, Wis., Aug. 20, 2011 – The fans wanted a four-hour race at Road America, and the American Le Mans Series teams delivered four hours of nonstop action in the Time Warner Cable Road Race Showcase. The No. 4 Compuware Corvette C6.R driven by Oliver Gavin and Jan Magnussen finished fifth in the GT class after running in the lead pack throughout the race. The No. 3 Compuware Corvette C6.R of Tommy Milner and Olivier Beretta retired with suspension damage after an accident at the three-hour mark. The No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 458 Italia driven by Jaime Melo and Toni Vilander won the hard-fought GT category, and the No. 4 Corvette won the Michelin Green X Challenge competition.
After qualifying second and sixth, the yellow Corvettes were third and fourth when the first lap was completed. An early full-course caution opened the opportunity to split the race strategies, and Milner pitted the No.3 for fuel only at 20 minutes. After a spirited fight with the No. 56 BMW and the No. 62 Ferrari, Gavin took the lead at 54 minutes into the race. He held the point through the No. 4 Corvette's first pit stop, then had contact with the Ferrari as the two cars exited the pit lane simultaneously. After dropping to fifth, Gavin worked his way back to the front, passing the BMW again for the lead at 1:52. The Briton then handed off to Magnussen when the No. 4 pitted at 2:16.
"It was an action-packed stint," Gavin said. "I was tapped at the start, got sideways, and several cars screamed by on the inside. Then there was a big scrap as we went into Turn 5, with cars everywhere. Finally things settled down a little.
"On the first pass for the lead, the BMW was pushed wide by the Ferrari and they got bottled up in Carousel," he recalled. "I got around the BMW, and then passed the Ferrari as we came into Turn 14. After the pit stop, the Ferrari's door was open as we went down the pit lane, Vilander was trying to get himself secured, and he spun me around. On the next restart, I passed the Ferrari and was having a good battle with the leading BMW. When we came up behind a slower GTC car, he went left, I went right, and I managed to outdrag him on the front straight. It was great fun and great racing!"
Milner agreed. "The start was unbelievable," he said. "They've been trying to pack everybody up at the green flag, and they got that here at Road America. There was definitely some good action where I was sitting. After everything settled down, the No 3 Corvette was quick. The guys made the right call to switch strategy and pit us out of sequence."
That gamble nearly paid off as Beretta was running third in the No. 3 Corvette C6.R after taking over from Milner at 1:28 into the race. Milner was back in at 2:36, and stopped for fuel and two tires at 3:02. On the out-lap, he spun off in Turn 13 and damaged the right-side suspension.
"If I hadn't wrecked, that would have been the right call," Milner said. "It's frustrating because we had such a really good car today. We ran quick laps when I was by myself, but in traffic it's hard to run to the capabilities of the car. We put on two tires to go to the end, and the car was tough to drive with two sticker tires. I turned in for Turn 13, the rear was loose and I had to catch it. I was off the line, and there's a big bump at the exit. I tried to avoid it, but got the car sideways and into the wall."
"We got off sequence early and hoped that it would pay off," explained crew chief Dan Binks. "After that last pit stop, I think we had 'em smoked. The engineers made a great call, but with cold tires, Tommy just spun off. The rear suspension was too badly damaged to fix safely in 30 minutes, so we called it."
Magnussen was consistently in the top five in the No. 4 Corvette in the second half, and was attacking the No. 45 Porsche for third with 30 minutes remaining. In the closing minutes, however, he was passed by the No. 56 BMW, and then had to defend his position against the No. 17 Porsche.
"My first stint in the car was quite good," Magnussen said. "Then as the temperature cooled down, the balance of the car changed and I backed off to bring the car home. Fifth place is absolutely not satisfying in any way; it's not where I thought we were going to finish."
The No. 4 Corvette C6.R won the Michelin Green X Challenge competition as the fastest, cleanest, and most efficient entry in the GT class for the third consecutive race.
"Corvette Racing won the inaugural Michelin Green X Challenge in 2009, and to win for the ninth time in the milestone 25th competition shows Chevrolet's enduring commitment to efficiency, performance, and alternative fuels," said Corvette Racing program manager Doug Fehan. "The team did a masterful job of executing a two-car strategy, but unfortunately circumstances prevented us from reaching our goal."
ABC will televise the Time Warner Cable Road Race Showcase on Sunday, August 21, at 4:30 p.m. ET (2 p.m. PT). Corvette Racing’s next event is the two-hour Baltimore Grand Prix on Saturday, September 3, starting at 4:30 p.m. ET. Live video coverage will be available on ESPN3.com in the US and americanlemans.com for international users. ABC will televise the Baltimore Grand Prix on Sunday, September 4, at 4 p.m. ET.
Time Warner Cable Road Race Showcase GT Results (Top 10):
Pos./Car No./Drivers/Car/Laps
1. Melo/Vilander, Ferrari F458 Italia, 101
2. 55 Auberlen/Werner, BMW M3 GT, 101
3. 56 Mueller/Hand, BMW M3 GT, 101
4. 45 Bergmeister/Long, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 101
5. 4 Gavin/Magnussen, Corvette C6.R, 101
6. 17 Henzler/Sellers, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 101
7. 48 Miller/Maasen, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 101
8. 01 Sharp/van Overbeek, Ferrari F458 Italia, 101
9. 44 Neiman/Holzer, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 100
10. 04 Murry/Lazzaro, Doran Ford GT, 100
14. 3 Beretta/Milner, Corvette C6.R, 92
Gavin and Magnussen Run at the Front in GT, Beretta and Milner Retire after Accident
ELKHART LAKE, Wis., Aug. 20, 2011 – The fans wanted a four-hour race at Road America, and the American Le Mans Series teams delivered four hours of nonstop action in the Time Warner Cable Road Race Showcase. The No. 4 Compuware Corvette C6.R driven by Oliver Gavin and Jan Magnussen finished fifth in the GT class after running in the lead pack throughout the race. The No. 3 Compuware Corvette C6.R of Tommy Milner and Olivier Beretta retired with suspension damage after an accident at the three-hour mark. The No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 458 Italia driven by Jaime Melo and Toni Vilander won the hard-fought GT category, and the No. 4 Corvette won the Michelin Green X Challenge competition.
After qualifying second and sixth, the yellow Corvettes were third and fourth when the first lap was completed. An early full-course caution opened the opportunity to split the race strategies, and Milner pitted the No.3 for fuel only at 20 minutes. After a spirited fight with the No. 56 BMW and the No. 62 Ferrari, Gavin took the lead at 54 minutes into the race. He held the point through the No. 4 Corvette's first pit stop, then had contact with the Ferrari as the two cars exited the pit lane simultaneously. After dropping to fifth, Gavin worked his way back to the front, passing the BMW again for the lead at 1:52. The Briton then handed off to Magnussen when the No. 4 pitted at 2:16.
"It was an action-packed stint," Gavin said. "I was tapped at the start, got sideways, and several cars screamed by on the inside. Then there was a big scrap as we went into Turn 5, with cars everywhere. Finally things settled down a little.
"On the first pass for the lead, the BMW was pushed wide by the Ferrari and they got bottled up in Carousel," he recalled. "I got around the BMW, and then passed the Ferrari as we came into Turn 14. After the pit stop, the Ferrari's door was open as we went down the pit lane, Vilander was trying to get himself secured, and he spun me around. On the next restart, I passed the Ferrari and was having a good battle with the leading BMW. When we came up behind a slower GTC car, he went left, I went right, and I managed to outdrag him on the front straight. It was great fun and great racing!"
Milner agreed. "The start was unbelievable," he said. "They've been trying to pack everybody up at the green flag, and they got that here at Road America. There was definitely some good action where I was sitting. After everything settled down, the No 3 Corvette was quick. The guys made the right call to switch strategy and pit us out of sequence."
That gamble nearly paid off as Beretta was running third in the No. 3 Corvette C6.R after taking over from Milner at 1:28 into the race. Milner was back in at 2:36, and stopped for fuel and two tires at 3:02. On the out-lap, he spun off in Turn 13 and damaged the right-side suspension.
"If I hadn't wrecked, that would have been the right call," Milner said. "It's frustrating because we had such a really good car today. We ran quick laps when I was by myself, but in traffic it's hard to run to the capabilities of the car. We put on two tires to go to the end, and the car was tough to drive with two sticker tires. I turned in for Turn 13, the rear was loose and I had to catch it. I was off the line, and there's a big bump at the exit. I tried to avoid it, but got the car sideways and into the wall."
"We got off sequence early and hoped that it would pay off," explained crew chief Dan Binks. "After that last pit stop, I think we had 'em smoked. The engineers made a great call, but with cold tires, Tommy just spun off. The rear suspension was too badly damaged to fix safely in 30 minutes, so we called it."
Magnussen was consistently in the top five in the No. 4 Corvette in the second half, and was attacking the No. 45 Porsche for third with 30 minutes remaining. In the closing minutes, however, he was passed by the No. 56 BMW, and then had to defend his position against the No. 17 Porsche.
"My first stint in the car was quite good," Magnussen said. "Then as the temperature cooled down, the balance of the car changed and I backed off to bring the car home. Fifth place is absolutely not satisfying in any way; it's not where I thought we were going to finish."
The No. 4 Corvette C6.R won the Michelin Green X Challenge competition as the fastest, cleanest, and most efficient entry in the GT class for the third consecutive race.
"Corvette Racing won the inaugural Michelin Green X Challenge in 2009, and to win for the ninth time in the milestone 25th competition shows Chevrolet's enduring commitment to efficiency, performance, and alternative fuels," said Corvette Racing program manager Doug Fehan. "The team did a masterful job of executing a two-car strategy, but unfortunately circumstances prevented us from reaching our goal."
ABC will televise the Time Warner Cable Road Race Showcase on Sunday, August 21, at 4:30 p.m. ET (2 p.m. PT). Corvette Racing’s next event is the two-hour Baltimore Grand Prix on Saturday, September 3, starting at 4:30 p.m. ET. Live video coverage will be available on ESPN3.com in the US and americanlemans.com for international users. ABC will televise the Baltimore Grand Prix on Sunday, September 4, at 4 p.m. ET.
Time Warner Cable Road Race Showcase GT Results (Top 10):
Pos./Car No./Drivers/Car/Laps
1. Melo/Vilander, Ferrari F458 Italia, 101
2. 55 Auberlen/Werner, BMW M3 GT, 101
3. 56 Mueller/Hand, BMW M3 GT, 101
4. 45 Bergmeister/Long, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 101
5. 4 Gavin/Magnussen, Corvette C6.R, 101
6. 17 Henzler/Sellers, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 101
7. 48 Miller/Maasen, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 101
8. 01 Sharp/van Overbeek, Ferrari F458 Italia, 101
9. 44 Neiman/Holzer, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 100
10. 04 Murry/Lazzaro, Doran Ford GT, 100
14. 3 Beretta/Milner, Corvette C6.R, 92
10-02-2011, 06:36 PM
#76
Corvette Racing Petit Le Mans Results
Corvette Racing Finishes Fourth in ALMS Season Finale
Gavin and Magnussen Take Second in Driver Standings; Team Rallies Around No. 4 Corvette After No. 3 Corvette Sidelined
BRASELTON, Ga., Oct. 1, 2011 – After nine hours and 35 minutes of intense competition, Corvette Racing finished fourth in the GT class in Petit Le Mans, the season finale of the American Le Mans Series. The No. 4 Compuware Corvette C6.R driven by Oliver Gavin, Jan Magnussen, and Richard Westbrook completed 366 laps around the 2.54-mile Road Atlanta circuit en route to its fourth-place finish. The No. 3 Compuware Corvette C6.R of Olivier Beretta, Tommy Milner, and Antonio Garcia retired after 76 laps with a broken gearbox and finished 17th in the GT category. The No. 51 AF Corse Ferrari won the GT division by a 6.685-second margin of victory.
With a hint of autumn in the air, the ninth round of the ALMS championship produced the hard-fought racing that has been the hallmark of the GT class in 2011. Magnussen started the No. 4 Corvette C6.R seventh on the GT grid after the withdrawal of the No. 062 Ferrari. He was sixth after one lap, dropped to seventh on the third lap, and was fourth after the first full-course caution. The Dane made his first stop for fuel and tires at 57 minutes, but incurred a stop-and-go penalty for a pit lane infraction. Magnussen then ran his second stint to 80 laps and pitted at 2:11, handing off the car to Oliver Gavin.
"There was a lot of stuff going on at the start and traffic was crazy," Magnussen said. "I had a big moment at the beginning of the race – I hit a curb, bounced all over the place, and thought I was going to fall off. You've got to be so alert all the time; if it's not somebody in front of you, it's somebody behind you."
Gavin drove to the four-hour mark and then was replaced by Richard Westbrook.
"It was mayhem on every lap," said Gavin. "It was just insanity, people driving all over the track, sideways, on and off the grass. I have to say the traffic was by far the worst I've seen. Fifty-three cars on this track is just too many."
Third driver Richard Westbrook did his first stint in the Corvette C6.R since the 24 Hours of Le Mans, taking the No. 4 to P2 before pitting at 5:02 and giving the car to Magnussen.
"It's really good to be back in the Corvette," Westbrook remarked. "Conditions weren't ideal for our car, but in clean air it was great. Our competition seemed to have a bit of an advantage on the straight, and hopefully that will be addressed."
Magnussen drove a double stint, and as the GT frontrunners cycled through pit stops and two caution periods, Magnussen kept the No. 4 Corvette in contention. He pitted under caution at 7:20, and Gavin took over for the run to the checkered flag as darkness descended. Unfortunately the pit stop cycle and pass-around put the Corvette a lap down to the leaders. When two cars ahead of him pitted, Gavin was promoted to fourth, and he defended that position in the closing laps against Wolf Henzler's Porsche.
"There was one big incident when a prototype's engine blew up and a number of cars spun on that oil," Gavin recalled. "There were cars going everywhere, and I was nearly one of them, but I managed to get through. At one point Wolf was catching me quickly, but I stretched it out a bit, then we got a caution and that gave us the lead we needed. Fourth place was about all we could have really hoped for today."
That finish earned enough points to secure second place in the GT drivers championship for Gavin and Magnussen.
"It's been a really, really tough year with strong competition from BMW, Porsche and Ferrari," Magnussen said. "I think we've learned a lot, and we'll bring that forward to next year. We'll come back stronger and try to win the championship. We've had some hard races and we've had some bad luck, but all in all we got the best out of this season that we could."
The No. 3 Corvette C6.R encountered mechanical misfortune at Petit Le Mans. Tommy Milner qualified the No. 3 ninth on the GT grid, and the American powered his way to sixth by the third lap. A pit stop under caution at 27 minutes into the race split the two Corvettes' strategy and put the No. 3 in position to move to second. Milner brought the No. 3 to the pits at 1:25 and handed off to Olivier Beretta.
Shortly after the two-hour mark, Beretta radioed that the gearbox was smoking. Crew chief Dan Binks instructed him to take the car directly to the transporter. The crew removed the gearbox for repairs, but the damage was terminal and the car was retired.
"On the restart, some cars were accelerating, some were slowing down, it was just a mess," said Beretta. "After the traffic jam, the car was good, but in six or seven laps, the rear started to feel very strange. I thought that maybe I just needed to clean my tires, but the car was super loose. I think I had oil leaking onto the rear tires."
"The final drive failed and broke the gearbox case," explained Binks. "It's unfortunate, but that's the way it goes sometimes. Our year wasn't great, but we won Le Mans, and that was exciting."
The No. 4 Corvette won the Michelin Green X Challenge for the fourth time this season. The award recognized the fastest, cleanest, and most efficient entry in the GT class.
"Corvette Racing's fourth win in the Michelin Green X Challenge this year is a testament to the interest and dedication that Chevrolet has in finding innovative ways to improve the efficiency of its road-going vehicles, and we lead the way in racing," said Corvette Racing program manager Doug Fehan.
"Not every race goes exactly as you plan it, and this was one of those events," Fehan noted. "We had a very unfortunate and uncharacteristic gearbox failure in the No. 3 Corvette that knocked it out of competition. As so often happens, the team rallied around the No. 4 Corvette. Although the drivers were happy with the car, we couldn't maintain the pace with the leaders. The crew ran great pit stops, the engineers had great fuel strategy, and everyone executed well – but today we finished fourth. We'll happily take that as we move into winter testing."
ABC will televise Petit Le Mans on Sunday, October 2, at 4 p.m. ET. Corvette Racing’s next event is the 60th Anniversary Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring on Saturday, March 17, 2012.
Petit Le Mans GT Results (Top 10):
Pos./Car No./Drivers/Car/Laps
1. 51 Fisichella/Bruni/Kaffer, Ferrari 458 Italia, 367
2. 045 Bergmeister/Long/Pilet, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 367
3. 55 Auberlen/Werner/Farfus, BMW M3 GT, 367
4. 4 Gavin/Magnussen/Westbrook, Corvette C6.R, 366
5. 17 Henzler/Sellers/Ragginger, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 365
6. 01 Sharp/van Overbeek/Farnbacher, Ferrari F458 Italia, 365
7. 58 Firman/Jakubowski/Hallyday, Ferrari 458 Italia, 361
8. 044 Neiman/Law/Holzer, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 361
9. 56 Mueller/Hand/Priaulx, BMW M3 GT, 359
10. 02 Brown/Cosmo/Bell, Ferrari F458 Italia, 357
17. 3 Beretta/Milner/Garcia, Corvette C6.R, 76
Gavin and Magnussen Take Second in Driver Standings; Team Rallies Around No. 4 Corvette After No. 3 Corvette Sidelined
BRASELTON, Ga., Oct. 1, 2011 – After nine hours and 35 minutes of intense competition, Corvette Racing finished fourth in the GT class in Petit Le Mans, the season finale of the American Le Mans Series. The No. 4 Compuware Corvette C6.R driven by Oliver Gavin, Jan Magnussen, and Richard Westbrook completed 366 laps around the 2.54-mile Road Atlanta circuit en route to its fourth-place finish. The No. 3 Compuware Corvette C6.R of Olivier Beretta, Tommy Milner, and Antonio Garcia retired after 76 laps with a broken gearbox and finished 17th in the GT category. The No. 51 AF Corse Ferrari won the GT division by a 6.685-second margin of victory.
With a hint of autumn in the air, the ninth round of the ALMS championship produced the hard-fought racing that has been the hallmark of the GT class in 2011. Magnussen started the No. 4 Corvette C6.R seventh on the GT grid after the withdrawal of the No. 062 Ferrari. He was sixth after one lap, dropped to seventh on the third lap, and was fourth after the first full-course caution. The Dane made his first stop for fuel and tires at 57 minutes, but incurred a stop-and-go penalty for a pit lane infraction. Magnussen then ran his second stint to 80 laps and pitted at 2:11, handing off the car to Oliver Gavin.
"There was a lot of stuff going on at the start and traffic was crazy," Magnussen said. "I had a big moment at the beginning of the race – I hit a curb, bounced all over the place, and thought I was going to fall off. You've got to be so alert all the time; if it's not somebody in front of you, it's somebody behind you."
Gavin drove to the four-hour mark and then was replaced by Richard Westbrook.
"It was mayhem on every lap," said Gavin. "It was just insanity, people driving all over the track, sideways, on and off the grass. I have to say the traffic was by far the worst I've seen. Fifty-three cars on this track is just too many."
Third driver Richard Westbrook did his first stint in the Corvette C6.R since the 24 Hours of Le Mans, taking the No. 4 to P2 before pitting at 5:02 and giving the car to Magnussen.
"It's really good to be back in the Corvette," Westbrook remarked. "Conditions weren't ideal for our car, but in clean air it was great. Our competition seemed to have a bit of an advantage on the straight, and hopefully that will be addressed."
Magnussen drove a double stint, and as the GT frontrunners cycled through pit stops and two caution periods, Magnussen kept the No. 4 Corvette in contention. He pitted under caution at 7:20, and Gavin took over for the run to the checkered flag as darkness descended. Unfortunately the pit stop cycle and pass-around put the Corvette a lap down to the leaders. When two cars ahead of him pitted, Gavin was promoted to fourth, and he defended that position in the closing laps against Wolf Henzler's Porsche.
"There was one big incident when a prototype's engine blew up and a number of cars spun on that oil," Gavin recalled. "There were cars going everywhere, and I was nearly one of them, but I managed to get through. At one point Wolf was catching me quickly, but I stretched it out a bit, then we got a caution and that gave us the lead we needed. Fourth place was about all we could have really hoped for today."
That finish earned enough points to secure second place in the GT drivers championship for Gavin and Magnussen.
"It's been a really, really tough year with strong competition from BMW, Porsche and Ferrari," Magnussen said. "I think we've learned a lot, and we'll bring that forward to next year. We'll come back stronger and try to win the championship. We've had some hard races and we've had some bad luck, but all in all we got the best out of this season that we could."
The No. 3 Corvette C6.R encountered mechanical misfortune at Petit Le Mans. Tommy Milner qualified the No. 3 ninth on the GT grid, and the American powered his way to sixth by the third lap. A pit stop under caution at 27 minutes into the race split the two Corvettes' strategy and put the No. 3 in position to move to second. Milner brought the No. 3 to the pits at 1:25 and handed off to Olivier Beretta.
Shortly after the two-hour mark, Beretta radioed that the gearbox was smoking. Crew chief Dan Binks instructed him to take the car directly to the transporter. The crew removed the gearbox for repairs, but the damage was terminal and the car was retired.
"On the restart, some cars were accelerating, some were slowing down, it was just a mess," said Beretta. "After the traffic jam, the car was good, but in six or seven laps, the rear started to feel very strange. I thought that maybe I just needed to clean my tires, but the car was super loose. I think I had oil leaking onto the rear tires."
"The final drive failed and broke the gearbox case," explained Binks. "It's unfortunate, but that's the way it goes sometimes. Our year wasn't great, but we won Le Mans, and that was exciting."
The No. 4 Corvette won the Michelin Green X Challenge for the fourth time this season. The award recognized the fastest, cleanest, and most efficient entry in the GT class.
"Corvette Racing's fourth win in the Michelin Green X Challenge this year is a testament to the interest and dedication that Chevrolet has in finding innovative ways to improve the efficiency of its road-going vehicles, and we lead the way in racing," said Corvette Racing program manager Doug Fehan.
"Not every race goes exactly as you plan it, and this was one of those events," Fehan noted. "We had a very unfortunate and uncharacteristic gearbox failure in the No. 3 Corvette that knocked it out of competition. As so often happens, the team rallied around the No. 4 Corvette. Although the drivers were happy with the car, we couldn't maintain the pace with the leaders. The crew ran great pit stops, the engineers had great fuel strategy, and everyone executed well – but today we finished fourth. We'll happily take that as we move into winter testing."
ABC will televise Petit Le Mans on Sunday, October 2, at 4 p.m. ET. Corvette Racing’s next event is the 60th Anniversary Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring on Saturday, March 17, 2012.
Petit Le Mans GT Results (Top 10):
Pos./Car No./Drivers/Car/Laps
1. 51 Fisichella/Bruni/Kaffer, Ferrari 458 Italia, 367
2. 045 Bergmeister/Long/Pilet, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 367
3. 55 Auberlen/Werner/Farfus, BMW M3 GT, 367
4. 4 Gavin/Magnussen/Westbrook, Corvette C6.R, 366
5. 17 Henzler/Sellers/Ragginger, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 365
6. 01 Sharp/van Overbeek/Farnbacher, Ferrari F458 Italia, 365
7. 58 Firman/Jakubowski/Hallyday, Ferrari 458 Italia, 361
8. 044 Neiman/Law/Holzer, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 361
9. 56 Mueller/Hand/Priaulx, BMW M3 GT, 359
10. 02 Brown/Cosmo/Bell, Ferrari F458 Italia, 357
17. 3 Beretta/Milner/Garcia, Corvette C6.R, 76
10-24-2011, 06:55 PM
#78
Thoroughly chapped
Member Since: Oct 2006
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St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17
NCM Member '09
Anyone hear what the additional two venues will be for 2012? 