RACING SERIES REPORT CENTER

GRAND-AM Cooldown Lap: Detroit

paul — Sun, 03 Jun 2012 13:41:52 +0000

GRAND-AM Cooldown Lap: Detroit

Chevrolet GRAND-AM Detroit 200

Rolex Sports Car Series

Saturday, June 2, 2012

The Recap

Running in the shadow of General Motors world headquarters, Chevrolet teams celebrated GRAND-AM’s first visit to the Motor City by winning both classes in Saturday’s Chevrolet GRAND-AM Detroit 200 at Belle Isle.

Joao Barbosa beat Action Express Racing teammate David Donohue to the checkered flag by .440 seconds, giving Barbosa and Darren Law their first Daytona Prototype victory of the season in the No. 9 Corvette DP. Donohue led 16 laps in the No. 5 Corvette DP started by Terry Borcheller, but was passed by Barbosa in Turn 1 while he was attempting to pass a GT competitor on Lap 54.

It was the fourth consecutive victory for the Corvette DP, which padded its lead in the Rolex Series Manufacturers’ Championship to 17 points over Ford, 166-149.

In GT, Jordan Taylor and Paul Edwards combined to win in the No. 88 Autohaus Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro. Taylor passed Charles Espenlaub’s No. 41 Bass2Billfish/Visit Florida Mazda RX-8 on Lap 45 and paced the final 35 circuits. Jonathan Bomarito followed Taylor around Espenlaub in the No. 70 SpeedSource Mazda RX-8 started by Sylvain Tremblay, finishing 3.481 seconds behind Taylor.

A pair of two-race winning streaks ended in both classes. Ricky Taylor led 12 laps in the No. 10 SunTrust Corvette DP started by Max Angelelli but tagged the pit wall following a stop, resulting in eight laps behind the wall to repair suspension damage and a 10th-place finish. Jeff Segal and Emil Assentato finished fourth in GT in the No. 69 AIM Autosport Team FXDD Ferrari 458 Italia. Ferrari continued to lead the GT Manufacturers’ Championship, although Chevrolet advanced two positions and now trails by six points, 156-150.

Ryan Dalziel and Enzo Potolicchio finished sixth in the No. 8 Starworks Motorsport Ford/Riley to maintain their lead in the DP standings by one point over Law, 152-141.

The Stats

DP 1st: Darren Law and Joao Barbosa, No. 9 Action Express Racing Corvette DP

DP 2nd: Terry Borcheller and David Donohue, No. 5 Action Express Racing Corvette DP

DP 3rd: Memo Rojas and Scott Pruett, No. 01 TELMEX BMW/Riley

GT 1st: Paul Edwards and Jordan Taylor, No. 88 Autohaus Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro

GT 2nd: Sylvain Tremblay and Jonathan Bomarito, No. 70 Mazdaspeed/ModSpace/Castrol Mazda RX-8

GT 3rd: Robin Liddell and John Edwards, No. 57 Stevenson Auto Group Chevrolet Camaro

Margin of Victory: .440 seconds (DP); 3.481 seconds (GT)

Average Speed: 74.807 mph (DP); 72.120 mph (GT)

Cautions: Four for 14 laps

The Points (Unofficial)

DP: Enzo Potolicchio/Ryan Dalziel, 142; Darren Law, 141; Ozz Negri/John Pew, 138; Scott Pruett/Memo Rojas, 138; David Donohue, 138.

GT: Jeff Segal/Emil Assentato, 153; Robin Liddell, 144; Andy Lally/John Potter, 142; Sylvain Tremblay/Jonathan Bomarito, 135; Jordan Taylor/Paul Edwards, 130.

Noteworthy

Action Express Racing scored a one-two finish in its first race since shuffling its driver lineup. Joao Barbosa was part of the team’s winning lineup at Virginia International Raceway in 2011; Barbosa also won in the team’s debut at the 2010 Rolex 24 At Daytona. This was the team’s third Rolex Series victory. Darren Law won his second DP race; he won the 2009 Rolex 24 with Brumos Racing.

Autohaus Motorsports also won for the first time since the 2011 event at Virginia International Raceway, when Jordan Taylor and Bill Lester scored the team’s first victory.

Richard Westbrook had contact with the GT Mazda of Joe Foster shortly after taking the lead on lap 49. The incident led to a ninth-place finish for the team that won earlier this year at Barber Motorsports Park.

Guy Cosmo won the pole and recorded the fastest race lap in the No. 03 Tequila Patron Ferrari 458 Italia. Cosmo led 19 laps before an unscheduled pit stop for a stripped wheel nut, and was later black flagged for jumping a restart. Scott Sharp took over and finished seventh.

Jim Norman led a Friday practice session and Dion von Moltke led four laps in the No. 51 APR Tuned/Motul Audi R8. Von Moltke impacted a tire barrier while leading midway through the race, resulting in four lost laps and an 11th-place finish.

Starworks Motorsport added a third DP for Detroit, the No. 7 Ford/Riley driven by Colin Braun and Scott Mayer. The team also plans to run the car at Road America and the Sahlen’s Six Hours of Watkins Glen.

Mazda Motorsports announced on Friday it will supply racing versions of its new SKYACTIV-D clean diesel to customer teams competing in the recently announced Rolex Series GX class, beginning with the 2013 season. The actual Mazda model in which the 2.2-liter four-cylinder, dual-stage turbocharger powerplants will be installed will be announced after the conclusion of the current season.

New rules regarding the allocation of Continental Tires for the remaining Rolex Series sprint events took effect at Detroit. DP and GT teams are now allowed a maximum of six sets of tires per event, with one additional set for teams with eligible Trueman/Akin Award (Pro-Am) drivers. Promoter’s test days for the remainder of the season will be limited to teams with Pro-Am drivers. Pro drivers on teams with Trueman/Akin Award candidates will only be allowed to run minimal set-up laps at promoter’s test days, with the bulk of the testing limited to Pro-Am competitors.

Friday morning’s opening practice began in a torrential downpour that resulted in standing water on the race track and pit road. The biggest casualty of the session was the No. 70 SpeedSource Mazda RX-8, after Jonathan Bomarito hit a large puddle in the pits and hydrolocked the engine.

The Numbers:

Ø 8 – DP lead changes among seven drivers and six cars
Ø 15 – Career Rolex Series GT victories for Paul Edwards
Ø 35 – Race-high GT laps led by Jordan Taylor
Ø 85.490 mph – Speed of fastest GT race lap for Guy Cosmo
Ø 91.819 mph – Speed of fastest DP race lap for Joao Barbosa

The Quotes:

“It was an interesting race. We had a great car and had been very close to winning in previous races. For whatever reason, it just didn’t happen. … We were really motivated to get a good result for Chevy here in Detroit. Just a fantastic job all we finally I took advantage of it.” Joao Barbosa, No. 9 Action Express Racing Corvette DP

“Obviously everyone came into the race a little bit blind. We only got a limited time running in the dry so I think whoever off-loaded the truck the best was going to have a good shot at it, and we definitely had that tonight.” Jordan Taylor, No. 88 Autohaus Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro GT.R

“I live in Birmingham (Mich,) – about 15 miles from Detroit – and I’ve seen every race here at Belle Isle and downtown, even back in the Formula One days. But I’ve never raced here before. It’s been very exciting, and I’ve picked up quite a bit. I hope to do additional races this year, possibly Indianapolis and Watkins Glen.” Jeff Nowicki, No 46 Michael Baughman Racing Matick Chevrolet/Hub Garage Chevrolet Corvette

“This course has been reconfigured a little – they took away an overtaking zone – but the nature of the track really hasn’t changed. It’s a circuit with high-speed corners – with high consequences. You’ve got to be a little cautious around here. It’s still got a lot of surface changes. Hopefully, we’ll be able to relive the last decade’s glory.” Jon Fogarty, No. 99 GAINSCO Auto Insurance Corvette DP, winner of the 2000 Barber Dodge Pro Series race at Belle Isle

“This is my first time here. So on my first time out, I followed a (GT class) Porsche around for a few laps so I could learn the turns and braking zones. I got quicker and quicker. Then I passed him and started making it on my own.” Alex Popow, No. 2 Starworks Motorsport Ford/Riley, talking about leading the opening Trueman/Akin Award practice session.

Coming Up:

Round 6 of the 2012 Rolex Series season will be the EMCO Gears Classic on Saturday, June 9, at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.

Filed under: ROLEX RESULTS Tagged: GRAND-AM Cooldown Lap: Detroit

Joao Barbosa, Darren Law Lead Action Express 1-2 In Chevrolet GRAND-AM Detroit 200

paul — Sun, 03 Jun 2012 01:26:13 +0000

Joao Barbosa, Darren Law Lead Action Express 1-2 In Chevrolet GRAND-AM Detroit 200

Jordan Taylor, Paul Edwards Win in GT To Give Chevrolet Double Victory in Motor City

DETROIT (June 2, 2012) — Joao Barbosa avoided the pitfalls that sidelined his chief competitors, then completed a nifty pass of Action Express Racing teammate David Donohue with 19 laps left to win Saturday’s Chevrolet GRAND-AM Detroit 200 at Belle Isle.
The Portuguese driver landed his first win of the season and eighth of his GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series career, co-driving the No. 9 Action Express Racing Corvette DP with Darren Law. Once in front, he survived a restart with 10 minutes left in the two-hour race and pressure from Donohue to seal a 1-2 sweep by Action Express Racing Corvette DPs.
“It was an interesting race,” Barbosa said. “We had a great car and had been very close to winning in previous races. For whatever reason, it just didn’t happen. … We were really motivated to get a good result for Chevy here in Detroit. It was just a fantastic job all week.”
Donohue was second in the No. 5 Action Express Racing Corvette DP he co-drove with Terry Borcheller, just .440 seconds behind at the finish. Scott Pruett, who led for two of the 72 laps in the first half of the race, finished third in the No. 01 TELMEX BMW/Riley co-driven by Memo Rojas.
Jordan Taylor – co-driving the No. 88 Autohaus Motorsports Camaro GT.R with Paul Edwards — prevailed in the Grand Touring (GT) class, taking command after Dion von Moltke crashed the No. 51 APR Tuned/Motul/Parathyroid.com Audi R8 GRAND-AM while leading in the 39th minute and pole-starter Guy Cosmo was black-flagged for jumping a restart near the midway point in the No. 03 Tequila Patron Ferrari 458. Taylor was a comfortable 3.481 seconds ahead at the end of the series’ first appearance on the 2.1-mile temporary street course.
“Obviously everyone came into the race a little bit blind,” said Taylor, who led a race-high 35 laps. “We only got a limited time running in the dry so I think whoever off-loaded the truck the best was going to have a good shot at it, and we definitely had that.”
Jonathan Bomarito finished second with co-driver in the No. 70 Mazdaspeed/ModSpace/Castrol Mazda RX-8 with Robin Liddell third in the No. 57 Stevenson Auto Group Chevrolet Camaro GT.R. Liddell’s co-driver was John Edwards.
No. 8 Duncan Ford/Riley co-drivers Enzo Potolicchio and Ryan Dalziel finished sixth to retain the points lead in the featured Daytona Prototype class, just one point ahead of Law. Jeff Segal and Emil Assentato – who finished fourth in class Saturday in the No. 69 FXDD Ferrari 458 – added one point to their lead in GT.

It was the fourth straight victory for the Corvette DP, which stretched its lead in the Daytona Prototype manufacturer standings to 17 points over Ford. Ferrari leads the GT manufacturer standings six points over Chevrolet.
The series resumes June 9 in at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.

Alex Bowman Wins Third Pole in Six Races in 2012

paul — Sun, 03 Jun 2012 01:10:07 +0000

Alex Bowman Wins Third Pole in Six Races in 2012

(ELKO NEW MARKET, Minn. – June 2, 2012) – With crew chief Paul Andrews sidelined at a local hospital and on the mend, Alex Bowman delivered in a way that would certainly make Andrews proud.

Bowman (No. 22 St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Dodge) drove a lap of 14.316 seconds (94.3 mph) to win the Menards Pole Award presented by Ansell at Elko Speedway, his third in six races this year. Bowman also won the pole at Mobile in March and Toledo two weeks ago. Tonight, he will start just ahead of Matt Lofton in the Akona 200 presented by Federated Car Care, ARCA’s first race at Elko Speedway and first in Minnesota.

While poles are satisfying, Bowman wants to add to the lone victory he earned at Salem in April.

“We’ve got to get some race wins here,” he said. “We’ve won three poles, but we’ve only won one race. I’m thinking of my crew chief Paul Andrews, who’s actually in the hospital right now. He wasn’t feeling too good so I hope he’s better before the race. Everybody at Cunningham Motorsports really pulled together with the situation we’ve got today, and we have a really, really good race car. That Penske power made a difference in qualifying, and hopefully we’ll be better in the race.”

At just 0.375 mile, Elko Speedway is the shortest track on the ARCA schedule. The unknown surface presented challenges to many ARCA drivers who saw the facility for the first time this morning, and it appears Bowman has adjusted most easily.

“It’s different, that’s for sure,” he said. “It’s like a couple places we ran in the (NASCAR K&N Pro) East Series last year. It’s pretty much a circle with very little grip.

“Our car’s really set up for long runs, and to keep the right rear on it and stay turning. We should be pretty good.”

Erik Jones, who turned 16 this week, will start third, ahead of Chris Buescher and Brennan Poole, who are second and third, respectively, in the point standings.

Points leader Tom Hessert will start the race sixth, ahead of 18-year-old Jared Marks. Joey Miller, who led the first practice and hails from nearby Lakeville, Minn. will start eighth. Chad Hackenbracht, who earned a national legends championship at Elko in 2008, will start just ahead of Fort Frances, Ont. native and former Minnesota resident Steve Arpin to round out the top 10. Arpin’s start will be his first since driving at Daytona International Speedway in 2011.

ARCARacing.com will feature live timing and scoring coverage of the 200-lap, 75-mile Akona 200 at 9 p.m. ET, along with live streaming audio coverage as presented by Charlie Krall and Tim Clagg of the ARCA Racing Network. The race will be the sixth of ARCA’s 60th Anniversary Season.

Tagged: ARCA NEWS

Barbosa, Law Rally For Detroit DP Win; Taylor, Edwards Win in GT

paul — Sun, 03 Jun 2012 00:52:32 +0000

Barbosa, Law Rally For Detroit DP Win; Taylor, Edwards Win in GT

Action Express Teammates Go 1-2 in Corvette DPs While Jordan Taylor and Paul Edwards Bring Chevrolet Double Victory in Motor City

6/2/2012

1 1

DETROIT (June 2, 2012) — Joao Barbosa avoided the pitfalls that sidelined his chief competitors, then completed a nifty pass of teammate David Donohue with 18 laps left to win Saturday’s GRAND-AM Detroit 200 at Belle Isle.

The Portuguese driver landed his first win of the season and eighth of his career in the series, co-driving the No. 9 Action Express Racing Corvette DP with Darren Law. Once in front, he survived a restart with 10 minutes left in the two-hour race and pressure from Donohue to seal a 1-2 sweep by Action Express Racing Corvette DPs.

Donohue was second with co-driver Terry Borcheller in the No. 5 Action Express Corvette DP, just .440 seconds behind at the finish. Scott Pruett, who led for two of the 72 laps in the first half of the race, finished third in the No. 01 TELMEX BMW/Riley co-driven by Memo Rojas.

Jordan Taylor — co-driving the No. 88 Autohaus Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro GT.R with Paul Edwards — prevailed in the Grand Touring (GT) class, taking command after pole-starter Guy Cosmo was black-flagged for jumping a restart near the midway point in the No. 03 Tequila Patron Ferrari 458. Jonathan Bomarito finished second with Sylvain Tremblay in the No. 70 Mazdaspeed/ModSpace/Castrol Mazda RX-8 with Robin Liddell third alongside co-driver John Edwards in the No. 57 Stevenson Auto Group Chevrolet Camaro GT.R.

Saturday, June 2, 2012
Race Report 5:15 to 7:15 p.m.

Daytona Prototype Top 3:
* Joao Barbosa and Darren Law – No. 9 Action Express Racing Corvette DP
* David Donohue and Terry Borcheller – No. 5 Action Express Racing Corvette DP
* Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas – No. 01 TELMEX BMW/Riley

GT Top 3:
* Jordan Taylor and Paul Edwards – No. 88 Autohaus Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro
* Jonathan Bomarito and Sylvain Tremblay – No. 70 Mazdaspeed/Mazda/ModSpace/Castrol Mazda RX-8
* Robin Liddell and John Edwards – No. 57 Stevenson Auto Group Chevrolet Camaro GT.R

Overall Lap Leaders:
Jon Fogarty (1-19), Max Angelelli (20), Scott Pruett (21-22), Ricky Taylor (23-34), Joao Barbosa (35-36), David Donohue (37-48), Richard Westbrook (49), David Donohue (50-53), Joao Barbosa (54-72).

Lead Changes:
8 between 7 drivers, 6 cars

Caution Periods:
4 for 14 laps

Notes:
* There are 20 mile per hour winds as the inaugural Rolex Series race on Belle Isle approaches, but it is 74 degrees Fahrenheit and the rains have stayed away throughout the day thus far. There remains a 30 percent chance of rain for the remainder of the afternoon and evening.

* 5:14 p.m. – Lap 1 – GREEN FLAG. Polesitter Jon Fogarty (No. 99 Corvette DP) moves out into the lead heading into Turn 1. GT polesitter Guy Cosmo (No. 03 Ferrari) takes the class lead.

* 5:16 p.m. – Lap 2 – DP Top 3: 1) Jon Fogarty (No. 99 Corvette DP), 2) Max Angelelli (No. 10 Corvette DP), 3) Terry Borcheller (No. 5 Corvette DP). GT Top 3: 1) Guy Cosmo (No. 03 Ferrari), 2) John Edwards (No. 57 Camaro), 3) Andrew Davis (No. 59 Porsche).

* 5:18 p.m. (Lap 3) – Jon Fogarty (No. 99 Corvette DP) leads Max Angelelli (No. 10 Corvette DP) by 0.668 sec. In GT, Guy Cosmo (No. 03 Ferrari) leads John Edwards (No. 57 Camaro) by 0.417 sec.

* 5:24 p.m. (Lap 7) – Steve Bertheau (No. 67 Porsche) spins into the tires at Turn 13 after side-to-side contact with Terry Borcheller (No. 5 Corvette DP) heading into the turn.

* 5:26 p.m. (Lap 8) – Terry Borcheller (No. 5 Corvette DP) is given a drive-through penalty for avoidable contact.

* 5:28 p.m. (Lap 10) – Terry Borcheller (No. 5 Corvette DP) serves his penalty, moving Darren Law (No. 9 Corvette DP) into third place. Borcheller rejoins in seventh place.

* 5:31 p.m. (Lap 12) – Terry Borcheller (No. 5 Corvette DP) pits and David Donohue gets in.

* 5:31 p.m. (Lap 12) – Michael Valiante (No. 90 Corvette DP) pits and Richard Westbrook takes over, moving Darren Law (No. 9 Corvette DP) into third. Westbrook is now ninth.

* 5:36 p.m. (Lap 16) – Michael Baughman (No. 46 Corvette) pits.

* 5:38 (Lap 18) – Dion von Moltke (No. 51 Audi) spins and continues. Steve Bertheau (No. 67 Porsche) spins and continues in Turn 7. Enzo Potolicchio (No. 8 Ford/Riley) spins and continues in Turn 12.

* 5:40 p.m. (Lap 19) – Memo Rojas (No. 01 BMW/Riley) pits and Scott Pruett gets in. Jeff Nowicki (No. 46 Corvette) spins and is stopped against the wall in Turn 11.

* 5:41 p.m. (Lap 19) – FULL-COURSE CAUTION to retrieve Jeff Nowicki (No. 46 Corvette).

* 5:43 p.m. (Lap 20) – DP Top 3 before pits open: 1) Jon Fogarty (No. 99 Corvette DP), 2) Max Angelelli (No. 10 Corvette DP), 3) Darren Law (No. 9 Corvette DP).

* 5:44 p.m. (Lap 20) – DP PIT STOPS/DRIVER CHANGES: Jon Fogarty (No. 99 Corvette DP) and Alex Gurney gets in. Max Angelelli (No. 10 Corvette DP)/Ricky Taylor in, Darren Law (No. 9 Corvette DP)/Joao Barbosa in.

* 5:47 p.m. (Lap 21) – GT PIT STOPS: Guy Cosmo (No. 03 Ferrari), John Edwards (No. 57 Camaro)/Robin Liddell in.

* 5:48 p.m. (Lap 22) – DP Top 3: 1) Scott Pruett (No. 01 BMW/Riley), 2) Ricky Taylor (No. 10 Corvette DP), Joao Barbosa (No. 9 Corvette DP). GT Top 3: 1) Dion von Moltke (No. 51 Audi), 2) John Edwards (No. 57 Camaro), 2) Andrew Davis (No. 59 Porsche).

* 5:50 p.m. (Lap 23) – GREEN FLAG. Andrew Davis (No. 59 Porsche) pits with broken suspension and damaged left-rear bodywork.

* 5:51 p.m. (Lap 23) – DP LEAD CHANGE – Ricky Taylor (No. 10 Corvette DP) takes the lead in Turn 13 from Scott Pruett (No. 01 BMW/Riley).

* 5:52 p.m. (Lap 24) – Course observers report light rain in Turn 14.

* 5:53 p.m. (Lap 25) – GT LEAD CHANGE – Dion von Moltke (No. 51 Audi) is in the tire barrier at Turn 1 and Patrick Lindsey (No. 73 Porsche) takes the class lead.

* 5:54 p.m. (Lap 25) – FULL-COURSE CAUTION to retrieve Dion von Moltke (No. 51 Audi).

* 5:53 p.m. (Lap 26) – DP Top 3: 1) Ricky Taylor (No. 10 Corvette DP), 2) Joao Barbosa (No. 9 Corvette DP), 3) Scott Pruett (No. 01 BMW/Riley). GT Top 3: 1) Patrick Lindsey (No. 73 Porsche), 2) Jordan Taylor (No. 88 Camaro), 3) Jonathan Bomarito (No. 70 Mazda).

* 6:03 p.m. (Lap 28) – GREEN FLAG. GT LEAD CHANGE – Jordan Taylor (No. 88 Camaro) takes the class lead from Patrick Lindsey (No. 73 Porsche).

* 6:04 p.m. (Lap 30) – Guy Cosmo (No. 03 Ferrari) is given a stop-and-go penalty for initiating a pass before the start/finish line.

* 6:06 p.m. (Lap 31) – DP Top 3: 1) Ricky Taylor (No. 10 Corvette DP), 2) Joao Barbosa (No. 9 Corvette DP), 3) Scott Pruett (No. 01 BMW/Riley). GT Top 3: 1) Jordan Taylor (No. 88 Corvette DP), 2) Patrick Lindsey (No. 73 Porsche), 3) Jonathan Bomarito (No. 70 Mazda).

* 6:08 p.m. (Lap 32) – Guy Cosmo (No. 03 Ferrari) serves his penalty. Ozz Negri (No. 60 Ford/Riley) pits for two tires and fuel.

* 6:09 p.m. (Lap 33) – John Edwards (No. 57 Camaro) takes second in GT from Patrick Lindsey (No. 73 Porsche).

* 6:12 p.m. (Lap 35) – DP LEAD CHANGE – David Donohue (No. 5 Corvette DP) pits for tires and fuel. Joe Nonnamaker (No. 43 Mazda) makes contact with the barrier at Turn 1. Ricky Taylor (No. 10 Corvette DP) pits and Joao Barbosa (No. 9 Corvette DP) takes the lead.

* 6:13 p.m. (Lap 36) FULL-COURSE CAUTION for Joe Nonnamaker (No. 43 Mazda). Ricky Taylor (No. 10 Corvette DP) hits the wall exiting the pits, damaging the left side of the car.

* 6:16 p.m. – Lap 36 – Scott Pruett (No. 01 BMW/Riley) pits for fuel under caution. … Ricky Taylor (No. 10 Corvette DP) pushed behind the wall, suspension damaged from contact with pit wall during pit exit.

* 6:18 p.m. – Lap 37 – Race leader Joao Barbosa (No. 9 Corvette DP) and Alex Gurney (No. 99 Corvette DP) pit, joined by GT leader Jordan Taylor (No. 88 Camaro) and majority of GT field.

* 6:20 p.m. – Lap 38 – Caution extended while barrier work continues from earlier von Moltke incident. … Joao Barbosa (No. 9 Corvette DP) pits, was running second. … DP leaders are David Donohue (No. 5 Corvette DP), Ozz Negri (No. 60 Ford/Riley), Scott Pruett (No. 01 BMW/Riley), Lucas Luhr (No. 2 Ford/Riley) and Richard Westbrook (No. 90 Corvette DP). … GT leaders are Charles Espenlaub (No. 41 Mazda), Jordan Taylor (No. 88 Camaro), Jonathan Bomarito (No. 70 Mazda), Robin Liddell (No. 57 Camaro) and Jeff Segal (No. 69 Ferrari). … Scott Sharp now driving No. 03 Ferrari, running 11th. Eric Foss in No. 73 Porsche, running 10th.

* 6:27 p.m. – Lap 40 – GREEN FLAG with 47 minutes remaining. … David Donohue (No. 5 Corvette) pulls away from Ozz Negri (No. 60 Ford/Riley). … Richard Westbrook (No. 90 Corvette) goes from fifth to take second, has contact with Negri.

* 6:30 p.m. – Lap 42 – Joao Barbosa (No. 9 Corvette DP) passes Alex Gurney (No. 99 Corvette DP) and Scott Pruett (No. 01 BMW/Riley) to take fourth. … Barbosa passes Ozz Negri (No. 60 Ford/Riley) on Lap 43 to take third.

* 6:34 p.m. – Lap 45 – Ricky Taylor (No. 10 Corvette DP) returns to the race from the paddock after suspension repairs. … Jordan Taylor (No. 88 Camaro) pressuring GT leader Charles Espenlaub (No. 41 Mazda). … Eric Foss (No. 73 Porsche) pits.

* 6:36 p.m. – Lap 47 – GT lead change, Jordan Taylor (No. 88 Camaro) and Jonathan Bomarito (No. 70 Mazda) pass Charles Espenlaub (No. 41 Mazda). … Robin Liddell (No. 57 Camaro) rear bodywork damaged while trying to get around Espenlaub. … Ricky Taylor (No. 10 Corvette DP) returns behind the wall.

* 6:38 p.m. – Robin Liddell (No. 57 Camaro) takes fourth in GT; Jeff Segal (No. 69 Ferrari) passes Charles Espenlaub (No. 41 Mazda) for fifth. … Espenlaub spins on his own; had just lost sixth to Eric Curran (No. 31 Corvette).

* 6:40 p.m. – Lap 48 – LEAD CHANGE Richard Westbrook (No. 90 Corvette DP) passes David Donohue (No. 5 Corvette DP).

* 6:42 p.m. – Lap 40 – LEAD CHANGE – Richard Westbrook (No. 90 Corvette DP) has contact with Joe Foster (No. 40 Mazda), both cars spin. … Westbrook has suspension damage, continues slowly to pits. … David Donohue (No. 5 Corvette DP) regains lead, followed by Joao Barbosa (No. 9 Corvette DP).

* 6:44 p.m. – Lap 45 – LEAD CHANGE – Joao Barbosa (No. 9 Corvette DP) passes David Donohue (No. 5 Corvette DP) or lead heading into Turn 1. Donohue was setting up to pass Scott Sharp (No. 03 Ferrari). … Wayne Nonnamaker (No. 43 Mazda) contact tire barrier but continues.
* 6:51 p.m. – Lap 57 – Joao Barbosa (No. 9 Corvette DP) leads David Donohue (No. 5 Corvette DP) by 3.01 seconds. … Jordan Taylor (No. 88 Camaro) leads Jonathan Bomarito (No. 70 Mazda) in GT by 2.52 seconds…. Ricky Taylor (No. 10 Corvette DP) returns to race.

* 6:55 p.m. – Lap 60 – 20 minutes remaining. … Joao Barbosa (No. 9 Corvette DP) lead cut to 2.3 seconds over David Donohue (No. 5 Corvette DP), Scott Pruett (No. 01 BMW/Riley) is 18.2 seconds back in third. … In GT, Jordan Taylor (No. 88 Camaro) leads by 3.2 seconds.

* 6:57 p.m. – Lap 61 – YELLOW FLAG – Debris between Turns 13 and 14.

* 7:01 p.m. – Lap 62 – Under caution … Alex Gurney (No. 99 Corvette) pits, was running fifth. Has some RF bodywork damage.

* 7:03 p.m. – Lap 64 – GREEN FLAG with 10:18 remaining. … Rain threatening and winds picking up.

* 7:05 p.m. – Lap 65 – Barbosa lead .372 seconds. … Jordan Taylor (No. 88 Camaro) leads Jonathan Bomarito (No. 70 Mazda) by .307 seconds. … Charles Espenlaub (No. 41 Mazda) has contact, damages right-front bodywork but is able to pull off course. … Teammate Joe Foster (No. 40 Mazda) also pulls off.

* 7:08 p.m. – Lap 66 – Best battle is for fourth, Ozz Negri (No. 60 Ford/Riley) holding off Alex Gurney (No. 99 Corvette DP). …Spencer Pumpelly (No. 67 Porsche) cuts left-rear tire, pits.

* 7:11 p.m. – Lap 68 – Joao Barbosa (No. 9 Corvette DP) leads David Donohue (No. 5 Corvette DP) by 1.54 seconds, Scott Pruett (No. 01 BMW/Riley) third, 1.8 seconds back.

* 7:13 p.m. – Lap 70 – Alex Gurney (No. 99 Corvette DP) passes Ozz Negri (No. 60 Ford/Riley) for fourth, Ryan Dalziel (No. 8 Ford/Riley) now pressuring Ozz Negri.

* 7:14 p.m. – Lap 71 – WHITE FLAG for Joao Barbosa (No. 9 Corvette DP), who leads David Donohue (No. 5 Corvette DP) by .494 seconds, Pruett 2.970 seconds behind. … In GT, Jordan Taylor (No. 88 Camaro) leads Jonathan Bomarito (No. 70 Mazda) by 1.962 seconds.

* 7:16 p.m. – Lap 72 – CHECKERED FLAG for Joao Barbosa (No. 9 Corvette DP), who wins with new Action Express Racing co-driver Darren Law. … Teammates David Donohue (No. 5 Corvette DP) and Terry Borcheller second, .440 seconds back. … This is Barbosa’s first DP victory since winning at VIR in 2011, which was also the last victory for Action. Barbosa now has four DP victories, eight in the Rolex Series … This was Law’s second DP victory (2009 Rolex 24), 10th in Rolex Series.

* Jordan Taylor (No. 88 Camaro) and Paul Edwards win in GT … Second GT victory for Autohaus Motorsports and Taylor, who also won at VIR in 2011 (with Bill Lester). … It was Paul Edwards 15th GT victory.

* Heavy rain began shortly after the checkered flag waved.

Filed under: ARCA RESULTS Tagged: detriot 200

Belle Isle Final Practice

paul — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 16:40:16 +0000

Gurney, Cosmo Continue Show Of Speed In Belle Isle Final Practice

Cosmo quickest again in GT in No. 03 Ferrari 458.

6/2/2012

1 0

DETROIT (June 2, 2012) – Alex Gurney backed up his team’s status as pole starter for Saturday’s Chevrolet GRAND-AM Detroit 200 at Belle Isle, leading the final practice in sunny but breezy conditions.

Gurney logged a fast lap of 1:21.521 (91.854 mph) with a little over three minutes left in session. Co-driver Jon Fogarty will start first in the No. 99 GAINSCO Auto Insurance Corvette DP of Bob Stallings Racing, which led Friday’s qualifying and two of the four practice sessions for the Daytona Prototype class.

Richard Westbook was second fastest in the No. 90 Spirit of Daytona Corvette DP with Joao Barbosa third in the No. 9 Action Express Racing entry, part of a top-five sweep of the speed chart by Corvette DPs.

Scott Sharp led the morning warm-up in the Grand Touring (GT) class, guiding the pole-sitting No. 03 Tequila Patron Ferrari 458 of Extreme Speed Motorsports to a lap of 1:27.601 (85.478 mph). Sharp’s co-driver, Guy Cosmo, will start the race in the No. 03.

The half-hour practice was interrupted at the 10-minute mark when Patrick Lindsey nosed his Horton Autosport No. 73 Angels for Atticus Porsche GT3 into the Turn 3 tire barrier.

Saturday’s race, the first for the series on the 2.1-mile Belle Isle layout, is scheduled for 5:05 p.m. ET and will be broadcast live by both SPEED and MRN Radio.

Friday, June 1, 2012 – Final Practice Report
11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Daytona Prototype Top 3:
* Alex Gurney – No. 99 GAINSCO Auto Insurance Corvette DP – 1:21.521 (91.854 mph)
* Richard Westbrook – No. 90 Spirit of Daytona Racing Corvette DP – 1:21.843 (91.492 mph)
* Joao Barbosa – No. 9 Action Express Racing Corvette DP – 1:21.959 (91.383 mph)

GT Top 3:
* Guy Cosmo – No. 03 Tequila Patron Ferrari 458 – 1:27.601 (85.478 mph)
* Robin Liddell – No. 57 Stevenson Auto Group Chevrolet Camaro GT.R – 1:27.780 (85.304 mph)
* Spencer Pumpelly – No. 67 Sargent & Lundy Porsche GT3 – 1:28.689 (84.430 mph)

Notes:
* After a gray and rainy Friday, the sun is brightly shining over Detroit’s Belle Isle Park as final practice gets underway this morning. It is 62 degrees Fahrenheit and windy. There is a 30 percent chance of rain later this afternoon.

* 11:00 a.m. – GREEN FLAG.

* 11:09 a.m. – Patrick Lindsey (No. 73 Porsche) is in the runoff area at Turn 3.

* 11:10 a.m. – DP Top 3: 1) Alex Gurney (No. 99 Corvette DP) – 1:22.309, 2) Max Angelelli (No. 10 Corvette DP) – 1:22.589, 3) Richard Westbrook (No. 90 Corvette DP) – 1:22.850. GT Top 3: 1) Guy Cosmo (No. 03 Ferrari) – 1:27.601, 2) Spencer Pumpelly (No. 67 Porsche) – 1:28.904, 3) Bill Auberlen (No. 94 BMW) – 1:29.118.

* 11:11 a.m. – Richard Westbrook (No. 90 Corvette DP) moves to second at 1:22.443.

* 11:11 a.m. – Jim Norman (No. 51 Audi) spins and continues at Turn 1.

* 11:12 a.m. – BLACK FLAG ALL to retrieve Patrick Lindsey (No. 73 Porsche) who is nosed into the tire barrier at Turn 3.

* 11:17 a.m. – GREEN FLAG.

* 11:20 a.m. – Joao Barbosa (No. 9 Corvette DP) is now quickest at 1:21.959.

* 11:21 a.m. – Robin Liddell (No. 57 Camaro) moves to second in GT at 1:28.210 and Leh Keen (No. 59 Porsche) moves into third in GT at 1:28.767.

* 11:22 a.m. – Richard Westbrook (No. 90 Corvette DP) is now quickest at 1:21.843.

* 11:23 a.m. – Alex Gurney (No. 99 Corvette DP) moves to second at 1:21.934.

* 11:24 a.m. – Spencer Pumpelly (No. 67 Porsche) is slow on course and race control reports possible contact with one of the barriers.

* 11:28 a.m. – Wayne Nonnamaker (No. 42 Mazda) goes into the runoff area at Turn 8 and continues.

* 11:30 a.m. – CHECKERED FLAG.

* 11:32 a.m. – Wayne Nonnamaker (No. 42 Mazda) is stopped on course between Turns 9 and 10 and will be towed

Filed under: GRANDAM NEWS Tagged: Belle Isle Final Practice

Jon Fogarty Drives Corvette DP To Pole At Chevrolet GRAND-AM Detroit 200

paul — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 01:40:22 +0000

Jon Fogarty Drives Corvette DP To Pole At Chevrolet GRAND-AM Detroit 200

Guy Cosmo Scores First Rolex Series GT Pole In No. 03 Tequila Patron Ferrari

DETROIT (June 1, 2012) - Jon Fogarty made the most of the first dry track conditions of the day Friday, padding his GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series record by earning the top starting spot for Saturday’s Chevrolet GRAND-AM Detroit 200 at Belle Isle and the TOTAL Pole Award.

Fogarty, the Rolex Series’ all-time leader in poles, notched his first top qualifying spot of the season and the 20th of his career. His fast lap of 1:22.369 (90.908 mph) in the No. 99 GAINSCO Auto Insurance Corvette DP was just enough to edge Max Angelelli, winner of the last two races in the Daytona Prototype class. It also backed up co-driver Alex Gurney’s chart- topping lap in a soggy first practice Friday morning.

“It’s great that the weather cleared,” said Fogarty. “We felt like we had a pretty good car in the wet and just kind of figured it would be a good car in the dry, and it was. “I’m just really pleased. It’s good to be back on the pole.”

Angelelli, whose top lap was just .076 seconds behind Fogarty’s, will start second in the No. 10 SunTrust Corvette DP he shares with Ricky Taylor. Action Express Racing claimed the second row with Terry Borcheller third in the No. 5 Corvette DP and Darren Law fourth in the No. 9 Corvette DP completing a top-four sweep for Chevrolet in its hometown. Borcheller’s co-driver is Darren Law, while Law is sharing the No. 9 machine with Joao Barbosa.

Guy Cosmo paced qualifying for the Grand Touring (GT) class, driving the No. 03 Tequila Patron Ferrari 458 from Extreme Speed Motorsports. He’ll start 11th overall with co-driver Scott Sharp in Saturday’s two-hour event, GRAND AM’s first on the 2.1-mile Detroit Belle Isle street course. Cosmo’s fast lap of 1:22.369 (90.908 mph) marked a pair of firsts — the first pole for both the driver and the Italian model, which made its series debut this season.

“Certainly a great day,” Cosmo said. “It’s fun to finally have an opportunity to be in a nice, competitive car and show up at a race like this. Detroit is a place that I have always heard is a fantastic race, incredible course … everybody raves about the event here.”

John Edwards was second in GT qualifying in the No. 57 Stevenson Auto Group Chevrolet Camaro GT.R he will co-drive with Robin Liddell with Andrew Davis third in the No. 59 The Brumos Companies Porsche GT3 he shares with Leh Keen.

The race is scheduled for 5:05 p.m. ET and will be broadcast live on SPEED and MRN Radio.

Filed under: GRANDAM NEWS Tagged: GRAND-AM Detroit 200

Fogarty Drives Corvette DP to Detroit Pole, Cosmo Scores First GT Pole

paul — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 23:35:36 +0000

Fogarty Drives Corvette DP to Detroit Pole, Cosmo Scores First GT Pole

Corvette DPs Sweep Top-Four Spots in Qualifying for Chevrolet GRAND-AM Detroit 200, Cosmo Brings New Ferrari its First GT Pole in No. 03 Tequila Patron Machine

6/1/2012

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DETROIT (June 1, 2012) - Jon Fogarty made the most of the first dry track conditions of the day Friday, padding his GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series record by earning the pole position for Saturday’s Chevrolet GRAND-AM Detroit 200 at Belle Isle.

Fogarty, the Rolex Series’ all-time leader in poles, notched his first top qualifying spot of the season and the 20th of his career. His fast lap of 1:22.369 (90.908 mph) in the No. 99 GAINSCO Auto Insurance Corvette DP was just enough to edge Max Angelelli, winner of the last two races in the Daytona Prototype class. It also backed up co-driver Alex Gurney’s chart-topping lap in a soggy first practice Friday morning.

Guy Cosmo paced qualifying for the Grand Touring (GT) class, driving the No. 03 Tequila Patron Ferrari 458 from Extreme Speed Motorsports. He’ll start 10th overall with co-driver Scott Sharp in Saturday’s two-hour event, GRAND AM’s first on the 2.1-mile Detroit Belle Isle street course. Cosmo’s fast lap of 1:22.369 (90.908 mph) marked a pair of firsts — the first pole for both the driver and the Italian model, which made its series debut this season.

Saturday’s race is scheduled for 5:05 p.m. ET with live TV coverage on SPEED.

Tagged: GRANDAM BELLE ISLE QUALIFYING WRAP UP

Grand -am Practice 2 at Detroit

paul — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 19:18:38 +0000

Popow, Norman Top Speed Charts in Practice 2 at Detroit as Conditions Improve

Conditions improved steadily throughout practice 2, leading to quick times at the end of the hour-long session

6/1/2012

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DETROIT (June 1, 2012) — Alex Popow led the way in the second practice session Friday as speeds picked up on an ever-shuffling leaderboard for the Chevrolet GRAND-AM Detroit 200 at Belle Isle.

Ford/Riley cars dominated the practice chart with a sweep of the first four positions, a reversal of the opening session when Corvette DPs went 1-2-3. Popow’s best lap of 1:32.774 (80.712 mph) was aided by a rapidly drying track as the driving rain of the morning tapered off to yield faster speeds.

Enzo Potolicchio, Popow’s Starworks Motorsports teammate, was second-fastest in the featured Daytona Prototype class with John Pew third in the No. 60 Michael Shank Racing Ford/Riley.

Jim Norman was fastest in the Grand Touring (GT) class, driving the NO. 51 APR Motorsport Audi R8 GRAND-AM. The division-topping lap atoned for the team’s spin early in the day’s first practice. Andy Lally was second-fastest in a Porsche GT3, with Dane Cameron third in a Porsche GT3.

In the first half of the hour-long session, Eric Foss smacked the tire barrier in Turn 7 on the 2.1-mile street course, ending the full-field portion of practice seven minutes early. His Porsche GT3 was brought back to the garage with a broken radiator.

Qualifying is scheduled Friday at 5:05 ET.

Friday, June 1, 2012 – Practice 2 Report 1:20 p.m. – 2:20 p.m

Daytona Prototype Top 3:
* Alex Popow – No. 2 Soloson Ford/Riley– 1:32.774 (80.712 mph)
* Enzo Potolicchio – No. 8 Duncan Ford/Riley – 1:33.365 (80.201 mph)
* John Pew – No. 60 LiveOn Ford/Riley – 1:33.627 (79.977 mph)

GT Top 3:
* Jim Norman – No. 51 APR Tuned/Motul/Parathyroid.com Audi R8 GRAND-AM – 1:35.747 (78.206 mph)
* John Potter – No. 44 Magnus Racing Porsche GT3 – 1:35.801 (78.162 mph)
* Wayne Nonnamaker – No. 42 TheRaceSite.com Mazda RX-8 – 1:36.112 (77.909 mph)

Notes:
* The skies are overcast as the second practice approaches, but the rain has stopped for the most part. There is still a threat of rain for the remainder of the day.
* 1:20 p.m. – GREEN FLAG.
* 1:24 p.m. – Corners report the right-side door open on the No. 2 Ford/Riley driven by Lucas Luhr.
* 1:26 p.m. – Wayne Nonnamaker (No. 43 Mazda) is stopped off course in a safe location at Turn 3 and will remain there until the end of the session.
* 1:25 p.m. – Max Angelelli (No. 10 Corvette DP) leads DP at 1:39.948. Bill Auberlen (No. 94 BMW) is quickest in GT at 1:44.567.
* 1:26 p.m. – Scott Pruett (No. 01 BMW/Riley) now leads DP at 1:37.540. Bill Auberlen (No. 94 BMW) improves his GT-leading time to 1:41.502.
* 1:29 p.m. – Jon Fogarty (No. 99 Corvette DP) moves to the top at 1:37.364. Bill Auberlen (No. 94 BMW) again improves his GT-leading time to 1:40.138.
* 1:31 p.m. – Richard Westbrook (No. 90 Corvette DP) now leads at 1:36.840.
* 1:35 p.m. – DP Top 3: 1) Richard Westbrook (No. 90 Corvette DP) – 1:36.467, 2) Max Angelelli (No. 10 Corvette DP) – 1:36.712, 3) Ozz Negri (No. 60 Ford/Riley) – 1:37.177. GT Top 3: 1) Bill Auberlen (No. 94 BMW) – 1:38.924, 2) Spencer Pumpelly (No. 67 Porsche) – 1:41.184, 3) Jeff Segal (No. 69 Ferrari) – 1:41.463.
* 1:38 p.m. – Ozz Negri (No. 60 Ford/Riley) is now quickest at 1:36.188. Bill Auberlen (No. 94 BMW) continues to lead GT and has posted a best lap at 1:38.924.
* 1:39 p.m. – Jon Fogarty (No. 99 Corvette DP) momentarily takes the DP session lead with a lap at 1:35.738, but Ozz Negri (No. 60 Ford/Riley) retakes the top spot a few seconds later at 1:35.322.
* 1:42 p.m. – Eric Foss (No. 73 Porsche) goes into the tire barrier at Turn 7. Race control reports the car has a broken radiator.
* 1:43 p.m. – BLACK FLAG ALL to retrieve the No. 73 Porsche from Turn 7 and the No. 43 Mazda from Turn 3. This ends the session for all but the drivers eligible for the Jim Trueman and Bob Akin Awards.
* 1:57 p.m. – GREEN FLAG.
* 2:01 p.m. – Enzo Potolicchio (No. 8 Ford/Riley) is stopped in the runoff at Turn 8. He resumes after a brief delay.
* 2:10 p.m. – Scott Mayer (No. 7 Ford/Riley) is stopped on course and continues after a brief delay.
* 2:13 p.m. – Enzo Potolicchio (No. 8 Ford/Riley) moves to the top of the chart with a lap at 1:33.878.
* 2:16 p.m. – John Pew (No. 70 Ford/Riley) is now quickest at 1:33.709. John Potter (No. 44 Porsche) moves to second in GT at 1:39.197.
* 2:17 p.m. – As a dry line develops in the closing minutes, Alex Popow (No. 2 Ford/Riley) moves to third in DP at 1:33.992. John Potter (No. 44 Porsche) is now quickest in GT at 1:36.282 and Jim Norman (No. 51 Audi) is second in GT at 1:35.820.
* 2:19 p.m. – Alex Popow (No. 2 Ford/Riley) moves to the top in DP at 1:32.807. John Potter (No. 44 Porsche) improves his GT-leading time to 1:35.801.
* 2:20 p.m. – CHECKERED FLAG. On his last lap in the session, Jim Norman (No. 51 Audi) is quickest in GT at 1:35.747.

Filed under: GRANDAM NEWS Tagged: Grand -am Practice 2 at Detroit

GRAND-AM BELLE ISLE PRCT 1

paul — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 15:39:42 +0000

DETROIT (June 1, 2012) — Alex Gurney set the pace Friday morning in a rainy first practice session for the Chevrolet GRAND-AM Detroit 200 at Belle Isle.

Gurney turned a fast lap of 75.41 mph (1 minute, 39.3 seconds) in a Corvette DP on the extremely wet 2.1-mile street course to lead the Daytona Prototype class. Richard Westbrook was second with Joao Barbosa third in a 1-2-3 sweep by Corvette DPs.

Robin Liddell was fastest in the Grand Touring (GT) class and eighth-fastest overall, driving a Stevenson Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro GT.R.

Drivers tiptoed through driving rain on the Belle Isle layout early in the first session, abandoning the preferred racing line at certain points to avoid puddles.

Despite the severe conditions, incidents were relatively scarce. Dion von Moltke spun the APR Motorsport Audi R8 on the main straightaway 10 minutes into the session but managed to continue. The No. 70 Mazda RX-8 SpeedSource entry of Sylvain Tremblay and Jonathan Bomarito stalled after sloshing through standing water on pit road.

Qualifying for both classes is scheduled later Friday at 5:05 p.m. ET. Saturday’s race is also scheduled for a 5:05 p.m. ET start.

Friday, June 1, 2012 – Practice 1 Report
8:35 a.m. – 10:35 a.m

Daytona Prototype Top 3:
* Alex Gurney – No. 99 GAINSCO Auto Insurance Corvette DP – 1:39.300 (75.408 mph)
* Richard Westbrook – No. 90 Spirit of Daytona Racing Corvette DP – 1:40.063 (74.833 mph)
* Joao Barbosa – No. 9 Action Express Racing Corvette DP – 1:40.473 (74.527 mph)

GT Top 3:
* Robin Liddell – No. 57 Stevenson Auto Group Chevrolet Camaro GT.R – 1:43.145 (72.597 mph)
* Bill Auberlen – No. 94 Turner Motorsport BMW M3 – 1:45.163 (71.204 mph)
* Jordan Taylor – No. 88 Autohaus Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro GT.R – 1:48.535 (68.992 mph)

Notes:
* It has been steadily raining throughout the morning in Detroit and the forecast calls for rain throughout Friday at Belle Isle Park.

* 8:35 a.m. – GREEN FLAG on GT-only practice.

* 8:41 a.m. – The No. 51 Audi spins on the front straight and continues slowly on course before stopping on course in Turn 1. The car continues on course after a brief delay. The driver is not identified on timing & scoring but Jim Norman and Dion von Moltke

* 8:45 a.m. – GT Top 3: 1) Spencer Pumpelly (No. 67 Porsche) – 2:09.178, 2) Leh Keen (No. 59 Porsche) – 2:10.649, 3) Bill Auberlen (No. 94 BMW) – 2:17.809.

* 8:50 a.m. – Spencer Pumpelly (No. 67 Porsche) improves his session-leading time to 2:01.795.

* 8:52 a.m. – Eric Foss (No. 73 Porsche) is now second at 2:07.047.

* 8:59 a.m. – Robin Liddell (No. 57 Camaro) moves to second at 2:05.383.

* 9:01 a.m. – Robin Liddell (No. 57 Camaro) is now quickest at 1:59.174.

* 9:05 a.m. – The track is now open for all cars.

* 9:05 a.m. – GT Top 3: 1) Robin Liddell (No. 57 Camaro) – 1:57.321, 2) Andrew Davis (No. 59 Porsche) – 2:00.055, 3) Spencer Pumpelly (No. 67 Porsche) – 2:01.795.

* 9:07 a.m. – The No. 51 Audi goes behind the pit wall.

* 9:10 a.m. – Charles Putman (No. 51 Mazda) goes into the runoff at Turn 8. The No. 59 Porsche goes behind the pit wall.

* 9:19 a.m. – Andy Lally (No. 44 Porsche) is now second in GT at 1:58.891. The No. 90 Corvette DP is the first Daytona Prototype to join the session.

* 9:20 a.m. – John Edwards (No. 57 Camaro) is quickest in GT at 1:56.252.

* 9:33 a.m. – DP Top 3: 1) Alex Gurney (No. 99 Corvette DP) – 2:07.905, Richard Westbrook (No. 90 Corvette DP) – 2:09.824, 2) Max Angelelli (No. 10 Corvette DP) – 2:11.774.

* 9:35 a.m. – Alex Gurney (No. 99 Corvette DP) improves his DP-leading time to 1:56.685. Richard Westbrook (No. 90 Corvette DP) is second at 2:00.018.

* 9:39 a.m. – The No. 73 Porsche and the No. 31 Corvette are behind the pit wall.

* 9:40 a.m. – Jeff Segal (No. 69 Ferrari) moves to the top in GT at 1:54.724.

* 9:42 a.m. – Guy Cosmo (No. 03 Ferrari) goes into the runoff at Turn 8 and continues.

* 9:42 a.m. – Richard Westbrook (No. 90 Corvette DP) is now quickest at 1:53.719.

* 9:43 a.m. – Alex Gurney (No. 99 Corvette DP) moves back to the top in DP at 1:52.035.

* 9:45 a.m. – Robin Liddell (No. 57 Camaro) is quickest in GT at 1:49.979.

* 9:47 a.m. – Alex Gurney (No. 99 Corvette DP) improves his class-leading time to 1:50.061.

* 9:55 a.m. – Robin Liddell (No. 57 Camaro) improves his GT-leading time to 1:46.123.

* 9:59 a.m. – Max Angelelli (No. 10 Corvette DP) is now quickest in DP at 1:49.654. Robin Liddell (No. 57 Camaro) leads GT at 1:44.645.

* 10:02 a.m. – Robin Liddell (No. 57 Camaro) again improves his GT-leading time to 1:43.145. Alex Gurney is back on top in DP at 1:45.012.
* 10:04 a.m. – Alex Gurney (No. 99 Corvette DP) improves his DP-leading time to 1:42.105.

* 10:05 a.m. – GT practice ends. Officials report the engine in the No. 70 Mazda shut down after the car went through a deep puddle earlier in the session. The car is co-driven by Sylvain Tremblay and Jonathan Bomarito.

* 10:08 a.m. – Alex Gurney (No. 99 Corvette DP) now leads DP at 1:39.300.

* 10:17 a.m. – DP Top 3: 1) Alex Gurney (No. 99 Corvette DP) – 1:39.300, 2) Memo Rojas (No. 01 BMW/Riley) – 1:41.971, 3) Ozz Negri (No. 60 Ford/Riley) – 1:42.770.

* 10:30 a.m. – Max Angelelli (No. 10 Corvette DP) is now second at 1:40.766.

* 10:32 a.m. – Richard Westbrook (No. 90 Corvette DP) moves to second at 1:40.063.

* 10:33 a.m. – Joao Barbosa (No. 9 Corvette DP) is third in DP at 1:40.473.

* 10:35 a.m. – CHECKERED FLAG.

Filed under: GRANDAM NEWS

Scott Pruett Enjoyed Success At Detroit, Belle Isle

paul — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 13:55:17 +0000

Scott Pruett Enjoyed Success At Detroit, Belle Isle

Scott Pruett has fond memories of racing in Detroit – both at the original street course near the Renaissance Center and the current Raceway at Belle Isle Park.

5/31/2012

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Scott Pruett has fond memories of racing in Detroit – both at the original street course near the Renaissance Center and the current Raceway at Belle Isle Park.

“Belle Isle was real big for me,” Pruett said. “I won my first CART pole position there back in 1996. I also had some big races downtown, winning for Jack Roush in 1987.”

Pruett tangled with Willy T. Ribbs on the last lap while fighting for the lead in 1988. Hurley Haywood went on to win, with Pruett finishing second.

Pruett also finished second in the 1989 CART event – his career best in open wheel racing at the time – and took third in the 1995 race at Belle Isle. He recorded five top-10 CART finishes on the Detroit circuits.

The Californian also had his best open wheel moment in the Wolverine State, winning the 1995 Marlboro 500 at Michigan International Speedway.

This weekend, Pruett is looking for another strong race in Michigan to get back into the battle for the 2012 Daytona Prototype championship. He and Memo Rojas – looking for their fourth title in five years co-driving the No. 01 TELMEX BMW/Riley, entered the recent race at New Jersey Motorsports Park. Midway through the event, Pruett tangled with Alex Gurney while battling for second, with the resulting 10th-place finish dropping the TELMEX Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates duo from first to sixth in the DP standings – nine points behind the leaders.

Entering Detroit, it’s been seven races since the Ganassi duo last won – tying the second longest stretch without a victory since Pruett and Rojas teamed up in 2007.

Filed under: GRANDAM NEWS Tagged: Scott Pruett Belle Isle Park