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American LeMans
ALMS: Petit Le Mans GT Preview
SPEED.com's in-depth car-by-car preview of the 13th annual Petit Le Mans begins with the GT2 and GTC runners...
John Dagys  |  Posted September 27, 2010   Braselton, GA
Road Atlanta plays host to the final ALMS GT battle of the year. (John Dagys)
GT2

The most competitive category in the American Le Mans Series goes from strength to strength for the 13th annual Petit Le Mans powered by MAZDA2. Despite the lack of European entrants, GT2 sees a sharp increase in its car count, thanks to an influx of new and returning U.S.-based teams making their season debut.

PHOTOS: Petit Le Mans Testing Photo Gallery

Seventeen entries representing seven manufacturers - Porsche, Ferrari, Chevrolet, BMW, Ford, Jaguar and Panoz - and four tire partners - Michelin, Dunlop, Yokohama and Falken - makes this year’s 1,000-mile/10-hour enduro the most diverse yet.

While much of the focus is on the closely contested championship, especially in the teams’ and manufacturers’ standings, a class win on Saturday would also guarantee a place on the grid for next year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans. There’s certainly a lot up for grabs.

Car No.: 3
Team: Corvette Racing
Car: Corvette C6.R
Drivers: Johnny O’Connell - Olivier Beretta - Antonio Garcia

Dagys says:

It’s been an eye-opener of a year for Corvette Racing. Entering its first full-season with its GT2-spec Corvette C6.R, many would have thought the Doug Fehan-led crew would be in the thick of the championship chase. Instead, the Pratt & Miller squad is still searching for its first victory of the year.
Can Corvette Racing score its first victory of the season in the last round of 2010? (John Dagys)

For various reasons, Corvette Racing hasn’t been its usual selves in 2010. A switch to a new 5.5-liter V8 power plant developed in-house appeared to be one of the early struggles, especially at Le Mans, where both entries succumbed to engine failures. But even uncharacteristic moments such as the pit collision at Sebring could have put the team on edge.

Down but not out, Fehan and company have been determined to make things right, with a recent reshuffling of the driver lineup likely the first step to help evaluate the program heading into next year. Olivier Beretta moves over to the No. 3 machine, now paired with Johnny O’Connell, with Antonio Garcia climbing aboard this weekend as the third driver.

Endurance races have typically been Corvette’s strong suit, and there’s no better time than now to put the car in victory lane to help erase the most challenging season yet for the boys in yellow and black.

Car No.: 4
Team: Corvette Racing
Car: Corvette C6.R
Drivers: Oliver Gavin - Jan Magnussen - Emmanuel Collard

Dagys says:

With Corvette out of the championship, the team made the decision to evaluate new driver pairings at Mosport. Those same combinations will continue this weekend, with Jan Magnussen teaming with Oliver Gavin in the No. 4. Frenchman Emmanuel Collard rounds out the driving force. It’s tough to say which Corvette could be stronger, but there’s no doubt the collective goal will be to win, no matter which car.

Car No.: 10
Team: ACS Express Racing
Car: Doran Ford GT-R
Drivers: Brandon Davis - Boris Said - Townsend Bell

Dagys says:

One of two new teams making its ALMS debut this weekend, California-based ACS Express has a long and successful history racing Fords. From its triumph in Trans-Am to championships in World Challenge, the Mike Davis-owned effort shouldn’t be taken lightly, even though it will likely be a tough hill to climb in the highly competitive category.

Utilizing the Doran-built Ford GT chassis campaigned by Black Swan Racing in 2008, it will be interesting to see how this Michelin-shod entry will stack up against the newly increased effort of Robertson Racing.

With 2009 World Challenge champion Brandon Davis behind the wheel and paired with road racing standout Boris Said and open-wheel ace Townsend Bell, ACS’ lineup is touted as one of the strongest in the field. The question will be if the car can deliver the goods or will take further development on the team’s part to turn into a podium finisher and race winner.

Car No.: 17
Team: Team Falken Tire
Car: Porsche 911 GT3 RSR
Drivers: Bryan Sellers - Martin Ragginger

Dagys says:
Team Falken Tire is without regular pilot Wolf Henzler this weekend. (John Dagys)

Starting the year off strong with impressive runs, Team Falken Tire seems to have faded a bit mid-season. It particularly came at or around Miller Motorsports Park in July when the Porsche 911 GT3 RSR suffered a massive fire. But as with every development program, it usually takes time to see the fruits of the labor to shine through.

The Rod Everett-led team, however, will be without the driving services of Wolf Henzler, as the German is recovering from a back injury. Porsche Junior driver Martin Ragginger takes his place alongside team leader Bryan Sellers in the team’s Porsche.

Car No.: 33
Team: Jaguar RSR
Car: Jaguar XKRS
Drivers: Andy Wallace - Butch Leitzinger - Tomy Drissi

Dagys says:

Paul Gentilozzi promised two cars for Petit Le Mans and he didn’t fail to deliver. After a troubled first-half of the year, things are starting to look up for Jaguar RSR. The car’s reliability issues appear to be be sorted, with much of the focus now turned to getting additional speed out of the V8-engined beast.

A second car will likely help speed up the development process, too. After sitting on the sidelines following the pull-out of the two Gonzalez-owned Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars, Butch Leitzinger has landed a ride for this weekend, teamed together again with Andy Wallace, who makes his return to the famed British marque. Trans-Am veteran Tomy Drissi completes the lineup that could actually surprise a few.

Car No.: 40
Team: Robertson Racing
Car: Doran Ford GT-R
Drivers: David Robertson - Andrea Robertson - Craig Stanton

Dagys says:

Robertson Racing expands to two cars this weekend, resulting in David Murry moving over to the No. 04 entry and Craig Stanton coming aboard the No. 40 to pair with co-owners David and Andrea Robertson. Despite further gains made this season, a repeat of last year’s shock pole for the No. 40 car is unlikely, but a top-10 finish could be in the cards if attrition plays a factor and the husband-and-wife pair stay out of trouble.

Car No.: 44
Team: Flying Lizard Motorsports
Car: Porsche 911 GT3 RSR
Drivers: Darren Law - Seth Neiman - Marco Holzer

Dagys says:

With one round to go, the focus for the Flying Lizards is the championship. Not only the drivers’ title, but also the teams’ championship, as the Sonoma, Calif.-based squad holds a slim one-point lead over BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team.
Flying Lizard's Jorg Bergmeister and Patrick Long have impressed this season at the wheel of their Porsche 911 GT3 RSR. (John Dagys)

The Lizard’s No. 44 entry is likely to play a determining role on the teams’ title. Coupled with representing Porsche in the ILMC this weekend, there’s pressure to preform for full-season drivers Seth Neiman and Darren Law. The duo is joined by Porsche Junior Marco Holzer, who makes his ALMS debut.

Car No.: 45
Team: Flying Lizard Motorsports
Car: Porsche 911 GT3 RSR
Drivers: Jorg Bergmeister - Patrick Long - Marc Lieb

Dagys says:

For Jorg Bergmeister and Patrick Long, the objective is quite simple: finish in the top-10. If the Flying Lizard Motorsports duo can accomplish that, they’ll be GT champions. But don’t think Bergmeister, Long and Marc Lieb will be peddling around mid-pack just to score points. The trio will likely need to take a competitive, yet calculated approach.

It’s impressive how competitive the Porsche has been this year, despite the 911 GT3 RSR receiving no major off-season changes. Bergmeister and Long have been regular contenders for wins, with four already on the board. There’s no doubt the team has the potential to add to that tally this weekend. The question will be if they are prepared to take that kind of risk, especially with the championship virtually in sight.

Car No.: 50
Team: Panoz Team
Car: Panoz Abruzzi Spirit of Le Mans
Drivers: Ian James - Benjamin Leuenberger

Dagys says:

While the Panoz Abruzzi ‘Spirit of Le Mans’ is slated to make its debut this weekend, there’s no real level of expectation of how this GT2 contender will perform. With the final touches being put on the Chevrolet-powered car late last week, the Abruzzi has received zero testing miles ahead of practice on Wednesday. With high hopes for success next year, it may have been a bit early to push out the car for its competition debut.



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