-
Home
- TV Shows
-
TV Schedule
-
SPEED Showcase
-
- NASCAR
-
Latest Headlines: NASCAR
-
-
Formula 1
- Auto Racing
- Moto Racing
-
Latest Headlines: Moto-Racing
-
- Cars
- Bikes
- Store
- Social
- Games
- Mobile
- Deals
- Videos
- Photos
- Home
- TV Shows
-
TV Schedule
-
SPEED Showcase
-
- NASCAR
- Formula 1
- Auto Racing
- Moto Racing
- Cars
- Bikes
- Store
- Social
- Mobile
- Deals
- Videos
- Photos
Le Mans / ALMS
ALMS: Petit Le Mans Preview
John Dagys previews this weekend’s 15th annual Petit Le Mans powered by Mazda...
The American Le Mans Series closes out its 2012 season this weekend at Road Atlanta for the 15th annual Petit Le Mans. (Photo: John Dagys)
While not boasting the same level of international entries as seen in recent years, this weekend’s 15th annual Petit Le Mans powered by Mazda still sees a stellar field of cars from the American Le Mans Series set to end its season in style.
Forty-three cars are set to do battle in Saturday’s 1,000-mile/10-hour enduro at Road Atlanta, including a half-dozen entries from the European Le Mans Series, which will also crown class champions in its shortened season.
Coupled with ALMS championships in P1 and P2 still to be decided, along with the North American race debut of the Nissan DeltaWing, there are still plenty of storylines heading into the much-anticipate event.
Following its sixth class victory of the season at VIR, Muscle Milk Pickett Racing is on the brink of the P1 class title. Klaus Graf and Lucas Luhr, joined by Romain Dumas, only need to get their HPD ARX-03a to the 70 percent race distance mark in order to take the championship.
But given reliability woes for the Wirth Research-built contender over the summer months, that task could be easier said than done, especially with competition in ALMS P1 at a season-high this weekend.
In addition to the ever-improving No, 16 Dyson Racing Lola B12/60 Mazda of Chris Dyson, Guy Smith and the returning Steven Kane, Rebellion Racing makes a one-off appearance with its similar Lola B12/60 Toyota. The Anglo-Swiss squad, boasting a strong lineup of Nicolas Prost, Neel Jani and Andrea Belicchi, has only come with one goal and that’s to win.
The P1 class is completed with Dyson’s year-old Lola-Mazda for Tony Burgess, Mark Patterson and Chris McMurry, which is not expected to factor for the overall win.
While the P2 class sees a total of eight entries, four each are from the ALMS and ELMS, with both categories also still to decide their respective class champions.
Like Muscle Milk in P1, Level 5 Motorsports’ Scott Tucker and Christophe Bouchut can wrap up the class title if its No. 055 HPD ARX-03b reaches the 70 percent mark, no matter where they finish.
While Luis Diaz joins the No. 055 this weekend, most eyes will be on Level 5’s sister No. 95 HPD, which sees Dario and Marino Franchitti join Tucker in what could be the lead horse this weekend.
The only team that can deny Level 5 of its third consecutive ALMS class championship is Conquest Endurance, with Martin Plowman and David Heinemeier Hansson looking for a bit of luck as they trail Tucker and Bouchut by a considerable 16 points. Erix Lux completes the lineup in the team’s Morgan-Nissan for the season-finale.
After missing the last two races, Dempsey Racing’s Lola B12/80 Judd returns to action, completing the ALMS P2 field. It should be the final race for the car under Judd powered before a planned switch to Mazda’s SKYACTIV-D powerplant in 2013 for team principals Patrick Dempsey and Joe Foster as well as hot shoe Dane Cameron.
In the ELMS LMP2 category, which will run invisible to the ALMS entries from a point-scoring perspective, the championship remains wide open between the four teams taking part, especially with double points at stake.
Thiriet by TDS Racing’s Mathias Beche and Pierre Thiriet effectively hold a 19-point lead in the drivers’ championship over OAK Racing’s Olivier Pla, although the two teams are only separated by 10 points in the teams’ title race.
TDS’s Oreca 03 Nissan is bolstered by the driving services of Christophe Tinseau this weekend, while Pla will be joined by Bertrand Baguette and team principal Jacques Nicolet, arguably making up the strongest lineup in the ELMS class.
Defending champions Greaves Motorsport, however, also shouldn’t be counted out, with Tom Kimber-Smith and Alex Brundle being joined by Alex Buncombe, who fills in for the DeltaWing-bound Lucas Ordonez this weekend in the British team’s Zytek Z11SN Nissan.
Finally, Murphy Prototypes completes the four-car ELMS LMP2 field with its Oreca 03 Nissan for Warren Hughes, Jody Firth and open-wheel rising star Brendon Hartley, who has impressed all season long. Recently crowned FIA WEC LMP2 champions Starworks Motorsport will be assisting the Irish team this weekend.
Forty-three cars are set to do battle in Saturday’s 1,000-mile/10-hour enduro at Road Atlanta, including a half-dozen entries from the European Le Mans Series, which will also crown class champions in its shortened season.
Coupled with ALMS championships in P1 and P2 still to be decided, along with the North American race debut of the Nissan DeltaWing, there are still plenty of storylines heading into the much-anticipate event.
Following its sixth class victory of the season at VIR, Muscle Milk Pickett Racing is on the brink of the P1 class title. Klaus Graf and Lucas Luhr, joined by Romain Dumas, only need to get their HPD ARX-03a to the 70 percent race distance mark in order to take the championship.
But given reliability woes for the Wirth Research-built contender over the summer months, that task could be easier said than done, especially with competition in ALMS P1 at a season-high this weekend.
In addition to the ever-improving No, 16 Dyson Racing Lola B12/60 Mazda of Chris Dyson, Guy Smith and the returning Steven Kane, Rebellion Racing makes a one-off appearance with its similar Lola B12/60 Toyota. The Anglo-Swiss squad, boasting a strong lineup of Nicolas Prost, Neel Jani and Andrea Belicchi, has only come with one goal and that’s to win.
The P1 class is completed with Dyson’s year-old Lola-Mazda for Tony Burgess, Mark Patterson and Chris McMurry, which is not expected to factor for the overall win.
While the P2 class sees a total of eight entries, four each are from the ALMS and ELMS, with both categories also still to decide their respective class champions.
Like Muscle Milk in P1, Level 5 Motorsports’ Scott Tucker and Christophe Bouchut can wrap up the class title if its No. 055 HPD ARX-03b reaches the 70 percent mark, no matter where they finish.
While Luis Diaz joins the No. 055 this weekend, most eyes will be on Level 5’s sister No. 95 HPD, which sees Dario and Marino Franchitti join Tucker in what could be the lead horse this weekend.
The only team that can deny Level 5 of its third consecutive ALMS class championship is Conquest Endurance, with Martin Plowman and David Heinemeier Hansson looking for a bit of luck as they trail Tucker and Bouchut by a considerable 16 points. Erix Lux completes the lineup in the team’s Morgan-Nissan for the season-finale.
After missing the last two races, Dempsey Racing’s Lola B12/80 Judd returns to action, completing the ALMS P2 field. It should be the final race for the car under Judd powered before a planned switch to Mazda’s SKYACTIV-D powerplant in 2013 for team principals Patrick Dempsey and Joe Foster as well as hot shoe Dane Cameron.
In the ELMS LMP2 category, which will run invisible to the ALMS entries from a point-scoring perspective, the championship remains wide open between the four teams taking part, especially with double points at stake.
Thiriet by TDS Racing’s Mathias Beche and Pierre Thiriet effectively hold a 19-point lead in the drivers’ championship over OAK Racing’s Olivier Pla, although the two teams are only separated by 10 points in the teams’ title race.
TDS’s Oreca 03 Nissan is bolstered by the driving services of Christophe Tinseau this weekend, while Pla will be joined by Bertrand Baguette and team principal Jacques Nicolet, arguably making up the strongest lineup in the ELMS class.
Defending champions Greaves Motorsport, however, also shouldn’t be counted out, with Tom Kimber-Smith and Alex Brundle being joined by Alex Buncombe, who fills in for the DeltaWing-bound Lucas Ordonez this weekend in the British team’s Zytek Z11SN Nissan.
Finally, Murphy Prototypes completes the four-car ELMS LMP2 field with its Oreca 03 Nissan for Warren Hughes, Jody Firth and open-wheel rising star Brendon Hartley, who has impressed all season long. Recently crowned FIA WEC LMP2 champions Starworks Motorsport will be assisting the Irish team this weekend.
Monterey
LATEST HEADLINES: AUTO-RACING
-
VIDEO: Amazing 4-Wide Finish To Indy Lights Freedom 100
Ireland's Peter Dempsey came from fourth at Turn 3 on the last lap… -
INDYCAR: Pagenaud Leads Indy 500 Carb Day Practice
After getting whooped in qualifying, Honda turns up the wick for… -
INDYCAR: Miller's Mailbag, 5.24
It's time for SPEED.com's weekly IndyCar Q&A with Robin Miller's… -
USAC: Honda To Sponsor National Midget Championship
Honda announced it would be the title sponsor for USAC’s National… -
GRAND-AM: Valiante Joins 8Star For Mid-Ohio
Daytona Prototype ace to sub for Stephane Sarrazin in next month's… -
MILLER: My Annual Indy 500 Quiz
It’s time for Robin Miller's annual Indy 500 quiz. -
INDYCAR: Miller's Mailbag, 5.23
It's time for SPEED.com's weekly IndyCar Q&A with Robin Miller's… - More News
