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GT Racing
GT: Dubai 24 Thursday Notebook
News & Notes from the seventh annual Dunlop 24 Hours of Dubai...
Nissan's four gamer-to-racers, which will share the wheel of a Nissan 370Z in this year's 24 Hours of Dubai. (Photo: Nissan)
NISSAN’S ALL-GAMER LINEUP — While Nissan is out in full force at this weekend’s Dunlop 24 Hours of Dubai, one of its factory supported entries features a unique driving lineup comprised entirely of Playstation GT Academy winners.
Lucas Ordonez, the first gamer-to-racer in Nissan’s innovative and highly successful program, is joined by 2009 winner Jordan Tresson and 2011 winners Jann Mardenborough and the inaugural GT Academy U.S. champion, Bryan Heikotter in a RJN Motorsport-run Nissan 370Z, which will be fighting for SP2-class honors.
For Ordonez, who enjoyed a breakout season in international sports car competition, earning SPEED.com’s 2011 Intercontinental Le Mans Cup Rookie of the Year honors, the Spaniard returns to Dubai as the veteran in the lineup for the first time.
“It's fantastic to be here, as the first GT Academy winner with all of the latest ones,” Ordonez said. “They've been doing a great job, having been training in the U.K. this past month and now we are here in Dubai to prove that they have the skills.
“It's been a fantastic 12 months. We achieved our target, which was winning the ILMC championship. Finishing second at Le Mans was a win to us. We're here in Dubai to get another good result for Nissan."
Heikotter, the inaugural GT Academy USA winner, made his professional U.S. racing debut in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge season-finale at Mid-Ohio last year and now steps up for his first-ever endurance race in the British squad’s 370Z.
“I still can't believe I'm here doing this,” he said. “A year ago I was unemployed, looking for work. To do this program and now be racing internationally... It's pretty unbelievable that somebody would take a gamer and turn him into a racer. I'm still pinching myself every time, it's totally amazing."
While both drivers' programs beyond this weekend have yet to be confirmed, Ordonez will likely continue racing in the LMP2 ranks, while Heikotter hopes to be following in Ordonez's footsteps in the years to come.
“My target is to get as high as I can in racing and prototypes are definitely high up there," Heikotter said. "I think Lucas has done really well for the program because he was the guinea pig; he was the first one to win. He's kind of legitimized the program.”
BLEEKEMOLEN, EDWARDS AIMING FOR VICTORY— Porsche aces Jeroen Bleekemolen and Sean Edwards finished fourth in last year’s 24 Hours of Dubai, nearly reaching the podium. This time around, the duo are targeting the overall win, but with a new car of choice.
The Porsche Supercup stars have switched to Abu Dhabi Black Falcon, joining Mercedes development driver Thomas Jager and Khaled Al Qubaisi in the team’s No. 3 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3. It’s touted as one of the strongest driver lineups in this year’s around-the-clock enduro.
“You never know what happens here, but I think we have a really good shot at it,” Bleekemolen said. “The SLS is a very easy car [to drive]. It will actually be more difficult to come back to Daytona and drive the Porsche because this is like a limousine.
“It's fantastic to drive. You have paddle shift, ABS, traction control. The first time I drove it, I thought it was almost a joke. It didn't feel like a race car, but the lap times are really quick. It's so easy and doesn't take too much energy out of you.”
While Bleekemolen and Edwards will shift back to Porsches later this month for the 50th Rolex 24 (Bleekemolen with TRG, Edwards with NGT Motorsport), both have their eyes set on victory in a totally different 24-hour race with the unique gull-winged Mercedes.
“We're definitely going for the overall win,” Edwards said. “That's all we're here for. There are a lot of things that can happen in a 24-hour race as we know. But I think the team is good, the drivers are good, the car is reliable and quick. We'll definitely want to keep it one piece and then at the end of the race be there for the win.”
2013 DUBAI 24 DATE SET — Despite the green flag on the Dunlop 24 Hours of Dubai having not yet been waved, the date for the eighth running of the Middle East’s premier endurance race has already been announced for Jan. 10-13, 2013.
“Of course, our main focus currently is on next year’s race,” said Creventic organizer Gerrie Willems. “However, we have already received some inquiries about future events, so we are pleased to announce that we have reached an agreement with the management of Dubai Autodrome concerning the eighth running of our race in 2013.”
PHOTOS: Dunlop 24 Hours of Dubai
John Dagys is SPEED.com’s Sportscar Racing Reporter, focusing on all major domestic and international championships. You can follow him on Twitter @johndagys or email him at
Lucas Ordonez, the first gamer-to-racer in Nissan’s innovative and highly successful program, is joined by 2009 winner Jordan Tresson and 2011 winners Jann Mardenborough and the inaugural GT Academy U.S. champion, Bryan Heikotter in a RJN Motorsport-run Nissan 370Z, which will be fighting for SP2-class honors.
For Ordonez, who enjoyed a breakout season in international sports car competition, earning SPEED.com’s 2011 Intercontinental Le Mans Cup Rookie of the Year honors, the Spaniard returns to Dubai as the veteran in the lineup for the first time.
“It's fantastic to be here, as the first GT Academy winner with all of the latest ones,” Ordonez said. “They've been doing a great job, having been training in the U.K. this past month and now we are here in Dubai to prove that they have the skills.
“It's been a fantastic 12 months. We achieved our target, which was winning the ILMC championship. Finishing second at Le Mans was a win to us. We're here in Dubai to get another good result for Nissan."
Heikotter, the inaugural GT Academy USA winner, made his professional U.S. racing debut in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge season-finale at Mid-Ohio last year and now steps up for his first-ever endurance race in the British squad’s 370Z.
“I still can't believe I'm here doing this,” he said. “A year ago I was unemployed, looking for work. To do this program and now be racing internationally... It's pretty unbelievable that somebody would take a gamer and turn him into a racer. I'm still pinching myself every time, it's totally amazing."
While both drivers' programs beyond this weekend have yet to be confirmed, Ordonez will likely continue racing in the LMP2 ranks, while Heikotter hopes to be following in Ordonez's footsteps in the years to come.
“My target is to get as high as I can in racing and prototypes are definitely high up there," Heikotter said. "I think Lucas has done really well for the program because he was the guinea pig; he was the first one to win. He's kind of legitimized the program.”
BLEEKEMOLEN, EDWARDS AIMING FOR VICTORY— Porsche aces Jeroen Bleekemolen and Sean Edwards finished fourth in last year’s 24 Hours of Dubai, nearly reaching the podium. This time around, the duo are targeting the overall win, but with a new car of choice.
The Porsche Supercup stars have switched to Abu Dhabi Black Falcon, joining Mercedes development driver Thomas Jager and Khaled Al Qubaisi in the team’s No. 3 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3. It’s touted as one of the strongest driver lineups in this year’s around-the-clock enduro.
“You never know what happens here, but I think we have a really good shot at it,” Bleekemolen said. “The SLS is a very easy car [to drive]. It will actually be more difficult to come back to Daytona and drive the Porsche because this is like a limousine.
“It's fantastic to drive. You have paddle shift, ABS, traction control. The first time I drove it, I thought it was almost a joke. It didn't feel like a race car, but the lap times are really quick. It's so easy and doesn't take too much energy out of you.”
While Bleekemolen and Edwards will shift back to Porsches later this month for the 50th Rolex 24 (Bleekemolen with TRG, Edwards with NGT Motorsport), both have their eyes set on victory in a totally different 24-hour race with the unique gull-winged Mercedes.
“We're definitely going for the overall win,” Edwards said. “That's all we're here for. There are a lot of things that can happen in a 24-hour race as we know. But I think the team is good, the drivers are good, the car is reliable and quick. We'll definitely want to keep it one piece and then at the end of the race be there for the win.”
2013 DUBAI 24 DATE SET — Despite the green flag on the Dunlop 24 Hours of Dubai having not yet been waved, the date for the eighth running of the Middle East’s premier endurance race has already been announced for Jan. 10-13, 2013.
“Of course, our main focus currently is on next year’s race,” said Creventic organizer Gerrie Willems. “However, we have already received some inquiries about future events, so we are pleased to announce that we have reached an agreement with the management of Dubai Autodrome concerning the eighth running of our race in 2013.”
PHOTOS: Dunlop 24 Hours of Dubai
John Dagys is SPEED.com’s Sportscar Racing Reporter, focusing on all major domestic and international championships. You can follow him on Twitter @johndagys or email him at
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