ALMS: Series Teams, Drivers Prepare for Le Mans :: Victory Muscle Cars

Plenty of recognizable faces, cars on show at petroleum existence Test Day

The go back of the Test Day for the Le Mans 24 Hours proved helpful for teams and drivers affiliated by means of the American Le Mans Series obtainable by Tequila Patrón. The 79th organization of the worlds the majority well-known auto contest is set for June 11-12.

A figure of drivers and teams as of ALMS quick benefit of the knowledge frequently of path occasion on the filled 8.3-mile circuit " a mix of purpose-built path and community roads. Level 5 Motorsports and Robertson Racing every had two cars there Sunday by means of every at Le Mans for the primary time. In addition, Corvette Racing healthy its full-season ALMS drivers to the Test Day, and a host of additional drivers now there as well.

Christophe Bouchut set the best occasion of the Level 5 cars " a 3:48.147 in the four-hour afternoon sitting " in one of its two Lola-Honda coupes construct ranked sixth in the center of the LMP2 runners. Team proprietor Scott Tucker drove the sister Level 5 car to a best lap of 4:00.382 in his next occasion at Le Mans.

The guide Robertson Ford GT, organization in the GTE-Pro class, set a the majority excellent lap of 4:06.748 in the four-hour morning session. David Murry, Anthony Lazzaro and Colin Braun are sharing the entry. The next Robertson Ford " at present the primary alternate in the center of GT reserves for the contest " of David Robertson, Andrea Robertson and Boris Said set a lap of 4:12.971 " too in the primary session. This day determination mark the primary occasion at Le Mans for the GTE account of the car.

BMW Motorsport, winner in GT at the season-opening Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring obtainable by Fresh as of Florida, stood come into view and site in GTE Pro by means of completely BMW M3 GTs. The No. 55 car, by means of Augusto Farfus, Jörg Müller and Dirk Werner at the wheel, set a the majority excellent lap of 4:01.631. The Sebring-winning trio of Andy Priaulx, Dirk Müller and Joey Hand " creation his Le Mans debut " shared heavy duties in the next car, construct stopped the clock at 4:03.856.

Although Corvette Racing determination compete in the 24-hour contest in the GTE-Pro collection of students " reserved for expert teams " it second-hand Larbre Competitions No. 50 Corvette C6.R so as to is entered in the GTE-Am collection of students " for one-year-old cars by means of at smallest amount one gentleman-driver " and came absent best in the category. Tommy Milner, creation his primary Le Mans run as,because 2007, set the cars best occasion at 4:04.222 close to the end of the afternoon session.

Most of the notice on the Test Day focused on Audis new R18 TDI factory prototype. Making its debut the coupe sat first, next and site as eight-time Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen set the best lap of the day " 3:27.687 " in the No. 3 car so as to he determination drive by means of fellow former ALMS LMP1 champions Allan McNish and Dindo Capello.

The top four cars now fewer supposed 0.191 place apart. Fans preparation to attend Road Atlantas Petit Le Mans in the drop be hypothetical to get become aware of as it determination be the R18s primary contest in North America as fraction of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup.

Two of the new 2011-spec factory Peugeot 908s now in the top-five " the No. 8 Peugeot of Stephane Sarrazin at 3:27.876 on his final lap of the day and the No. 9 of Sebastien Bourdais at 3:28.304.

Source: American Le Mans Series

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