Speed hinders Paul Miller Racing at Long Beach

Co-drivers Bryce Miller and Sascha Maassen unofficially retained their top-five position in the 2012 American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón GT point standings after two races, and the No. 48 Dunlop/Chopard/TOTAL Porsche 911 GT3 RSR was right on pace throughout the Patrón American Le Mans Series at Long Beach, giving the Paul Miller Racing team reason for optimism after two of 10 races.

Miller and Maassen co-drove the No. 48 Porsche to an eighth-place result in the GT class and all involved believed a fifth-place run might have been within reach. The die was cast for the team on its lone pit stop of the two-hour timed event when Miller turned the car over to Maassen near the halfway point of the race. Somewhere in the process, ALMS officials determined that the No. 48 was guilty of speeding on pit lane, which brought Maassen back on to pit road for a costly drive-through penalty.

Maassen rejoined the race in seventh position after the penalty. His lap times over the second half of the race were similar to many other top GT contenders but the loss of track position and the lack of any full-course cautions over the second half made any positions gains impossible. Then, with five minutes remaining, Maassen lost seventh spot to the Flying Lizard Porsche of Jorg Bergmeister. Nevertheless, Miller and Maassen unofficially maintained fifth place in the point standings.

"The positive thing is that we found some speed in our car," Maassen said. "I think we were pretty good also compared to our Porsche colleagues and this is something we are also looking at, because we have to measure ourselves first compared to the Porsches and that was good. This time we had some bad race luck. We got a pit speed violation. I don't know how or when it happened. Also, I made a mistake at the end of the race. I missed a brake marker and that's when the 45 car came by us. It happens. Still, we did a good race. I think we can be happy and we see progress."

The starting grid for the race was established based on championship points due to a rainout of qualifying on Friday so Miller started the unseasonably chilly race from fifth place. He ran his entire stint in positions five through seven, and was sixth when he pitted to give way to Maassen.

"I'm really pleased with the team," said Bryce Miller. "They gave us a good car today that was consistent and held a really good pace. It was quite competitive. We're the only team in the field that has a new car and a new tire combination, so this is a challenge for us, and for the team to come out swinging and throw a setup on it like this with the conditions we've had the last couple days, I'm really pleased about it. Dunlop also gave us some good dry pressures on a tire combination that we hadn't run in the dry here as well on this car, so hats off to the crew and Dunlop for that."

"Otherwise, we had a couple mistakes today that cost us. I think we definitely would have had a sixth place today if not a fifth place. I think a fifth place was possible. We had a pit speed violation and we're not really sure how this happened yet, but we'll go to work and figure out how it happened, why it happened and fix it. I'm just really happy we were able to score points here this year, because last year it didn't end well for us, so it's nice to collect these points and carry it with us into the remainder of the season."

Team owner Paul Miller echoed his son's post-race sentiments saying "We were really encouraged by our pace today. Even though it was a frustrating result, we're very much in the game and able to run with the pack. We actually surprised ourselves with our pace relative to several other cars that we look to for an indication of our performance. From a pace point of view, we're very pleased. We just had one little mistake and it cost us dearly. We really think this was a fifth-place car today, which would have been very rewarding under the circumstances. The guys really did a great job with the car."

Next up for the No. 48 Dunlop/Chopard/TOTAL Porsche team is the American Le Mans Series Monterey presented by Patrón at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca on May 12. That race will see the debut of a new, Porsche-specific Dunlop tire, which the team eagerly awaits.

"I'm really quite optimistic," Bryce said. "I think the team has really continued to deliver a reliable car to us that can finish races over a period of time now stretching back to last season. The reliability is really good here and that's important in an overall average when it comes to collecting points throughout a championship, so I'm really pleased with that. There's improvement ahead for us, because we're only going to learn the car more and figure out how to make it faster. Also, the tire is only going to get better as we continue to develop it.

"Laguna is an exciting event that I think we're all looking forward to because it'll be the first event that we see a purpose-built Porsche RSR Dunlop tire on our car. It's going to be progress for us going forward. To have these two results under the conditions that we're working with is really strong for our team. Hopefully it gets better and we can start to change our approach and get more aggressive and compete more towards the sharp end of the pack."

Porsche Cayenne GTS

The new Porsche Cayenne GTS builds on the Cayenne model’s reputation as the most sporting SUV, offering a more powerful engine, increased dynamic power development and a tauter chassis with lower ride height. While the Cayenne GTS sits between the Cayenne S and the Cayenne Turbo in the range, its own special character enables it to be differentiated clearly from its siblings.
Beneath the bonnet of the Cayenne GTS lies an uprated 4.8-litre V8 engine, with 420 hp (309 kW), based on the Cayenne S power unit. Power transmission is via the eight-speed Tiptronic S with integrated auto start/stop function. The engine and gearbox have each been tuned to deliver particularly sporting levels of responsiveness, with the consequence that the Cayenne GTS sprints from a standing start to 62mph in 5.7 seconds, reaching 100 mph in 13.3 seconds. The top speed is 162mph and the Combined fuel consumption on the NEDC is 26.4mpg.
The chassis settings have been modified to further raise the dynamic ability of the Cayenne. The suspension is more tautly tuned and equipped with Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) as standard, while the body is lowered by 24mm relative to the Cayenne S. As a result, the GTS is even closer to the road and handles with trademark composure and agility.
The appearance of the Cayenne GTS clearly proclaims its pronounced sportiness with eye-catching features including the front-end styling inspired by the Cayenne Turbo. Further design details include window surrounds and trims in a high-gloss black finish, prominent side skirts and wider wheel arches plus a distinctive roof spoiler with twin-wing profile.
From behind the wheel, the GTS offers a sporting interior ambience courtesy of a bespoke interior finished in leather and Alcantara, and front sports seats with eight-way adjustment. Further standard features include a SportDesign steering wheel with paddle-shift, sports exhaust system and Bi-Xenon headlights.
Making its debut at the Beijing Motor Show on April 23, the Cayenne GTS goes on sale in the UK in July 2012, priced from £67,147.
Fitted to every Cayenne GTS is a Porsche Vehicle Tracking System (VTS), a sophisticated vehicle security package approved to Thatcham Category 5 standard, and customers will also be able to explore the potential of their new car by participating in a complimentary course at the Porsche Experience Centre, Silverstone.

Volkswagen up! is 2012 World Car of the Year

Volkswagen is proud to announce that the up! has been honoured as the 2012 World Car of the Year.  With 66 of the top automotive journalists from around the globe judging, the up! surpassed a total of 33 other nominees.  Announced this morning at the New York International Auto Show in New York City's Jacob Javits Center, the annual World Car of the Year awards recognise the year's most outstanding vehicles based on merit, value, safety, environmental impact, significance, and emotional appeal.
This award shows once again that in the up! our designers and engineers have created a vehicle that has been thought through in minute detail. A vehicle that sets standards in its class for efficient use of space, safety, motoring fun and environmental compatibility,’ said Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG.
The new Volkswagen city car has won numerous accolades since its launch in late 2011, winning special praise for its combination of small footprint, big interior space and innovative City Emergency Braking system.
Now in its ninth year, the World Car of the Year award has become one of the most credible and significant programmes of its kind.  The World Car jurors hail from 25 countries, and are appointed by the World Car Steering Committee on the basis of their expertise, experience, credibility, and influence.  Each juror drives and evaluates new vehicles on a regular basis as part of their ongoing, full-time professional work, and, collectively with all the jurors, reaches millions of consumers and automotive enthusiasts across the globe.
For more on the ninth annual World Car of the Year awards, please visit www.WCoTY.com.
For more information on the Volkswagen range visit www.volkswagen.co.uk.

Ogier takes fourth class victory for Volkswagen in Portugal

With another strong performance Sébastien Ogier and his co-driver Julien Ingrassia took victory for Volkswagen in the S2000 class at Rally Portugal. In the overall classification, the French duo that had won the WRC class in Portugal in the past two years again managed the leap into the top ten – in eighth place – and scored four championship points. Turbulent weather changes caused extreme track conditions on the 368.43 kilometres of special stages. After the rally, the Volkswagen team is staying in Portugal for tests with the Polo R WRC. 

Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen: “In view of the chaotic weather conditions and the large field with 19 WRC cars eighth place is an optimum result. Sébastien and Julien did a perfect job. It was also good to see how calm and professional the team was in performing its work in such difficult conditions.”

After the ceremonial start on Thursday, Ogier had lost time on the first night stages due to clutch problems. In torrential rain on Friday, Ogier and his co-driver Ingrassia were struck by misfortune in a major way. On the fifth special stage a competitor, who had started just before them, stopped in the middle of the track and blocked the way. As a result, the Volkswagen factory driver lost 1m 19s through no fault of his own. Ogier: “We lost a lot of time behind Craig Breen, who stopped at the end of a water passage. There were spectators on track to help him and as we didn’t want to jeopardise anyone we patiently waited. Unfortunately, we weren’t credited for this time.”
 In chaotic weather conditions with fog, deep mud and flooding, special stages 8 to 10 were even cancelled. “Considering the extreme conditions I’m happy to have safely reached the finish. Without the time loss we would have even clinched sixth place in the end, which would have marked the best result of an S2000 car in WRC history. So, now it’ll remain a goal for the current season,” said Sébastien Ogier. Overall winner of Rally Portugal was the Finn Mikko Hirvonen.
The second Skoda S2000 with Volkswagen junior driver Kevin Abbring and co-driver Fréderic Miclotte was unfortunately prevented from competing in the rally on the Atlantic coast. After an accident in qualifying on Wednesday, the roll cage was so heavily damaged that the FIA prohibited the start for safety reasons according to the regulations. At Rally Argentina from 27 to 29 April, Volkswagen junior Andreas Mikkelsen will run together with co-driver Ola Fløene.

Carlos Sainz and Sébastien Ogier test Polo R WRC on gravel in Portugal 

On Monday and Tuesday, former World Rally Champion and Volkswagen adviser Carlos Sainz and Sébastien Ogier will subject the Polo R WRC to a performance test in order to gather valuable measurement results on the way towards the WRC entry in 2013.

Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Chinese Grand Prix preview

Shanghai International Circuit facts & stats

The scale of the Shanghai International Circuit is breathtaking. Built on marshland in 2003, the track sits on more than 40,000 stabilising concrete pillars and its infrastructure is bigger and bolder than at any other circuit on the Formula 1 calendar.

The track is a good technical challenge for the teams and drivers with some high-speed changes of direction and a 1km back straight offering a challenge to find the least compromised set-up. One of the most demanding corners on the lap is Turn One, a tightening right-hander entered at speeds in excess of 300km/h with an apex speed or 70km/h. It places the left-front tyre under prolonged stress, which has an impact on wear rates and race strategy.

Vodafone McLaren Mercedes has a strong record in the Chinese Grand Prix. The team has won the race three times and finished on the podium on seven further occasions.

Race distance               56 Laps (189.568 miles/305.066km)

Start time                     15:00 (local)/07:00 (GMT)

Circuit length               3.387 miles/5.451km

2011 winner                 Lewis Hamilton (Vodafone McLaren Mercedes) 56 laps in 1hr 36m58.226s (188.758km/h)

2011 pole                     Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing) 1m33.706s (209.416km/h)

Lap record                   Michael Schumacher (Ferrari 2004) 1m32.238s (212.749km/h)

McLaren at the Chinese Grand Prix

Wins                3 (2008, 2010, 2011)

Poles               2 (2007, 2008)

Fastest laps      3 (2005, 2008, 2010)

Car 3: Jenson Button

Age      32 (January 19 1980)

GPs      210

Wins    13

Poles   7

FLs      7

You called the Malaysian Grand Prix a “bad day in the office” – does that change your preparations for this weekend’s race in Shanghai?

“Not really, it makes you a little keener to get back in the cockpit as you’re always a bit more determined to be looking ahead rather than looking back. But, like I say, it doesn’t really make any difference. In fact, the three-week break has been extremely relaxing – I was able to get away, relax and keep training. It’s still the start of a very long season, so it’s good to keep fit and refreshed. I’ve usually gone well in Shanghai, it’s a circuit I really enjoy and I’m looking forward to the race weekend.”

You memorably won here in 2010 – what is it about the circuit that makes it special?

“Well, the facilities are amazing, but it’s a very good, modern circuit – the first two sectors are pretty technical, there are some interesting combinations of corners and you need a good, responsive car to go well. Then the track opens up, the straight is one of the longest in Formula 1 – it just keeps going – then you’re into the hairpin and the final turn, both of which offer good opportunities for overtaking. There’s no one particular corner that stands out, but that’s good, because it means they’ve done a good job with the whole track.

“And if it rains, then it’s going to be another extremely unpredictable race as we’re all still learning about the cars and tyres in damp conditions. Whatever happens, it should be interesting.”

What will be the key to a good race performance in 2012?

“There will be the usual set-up compromises: setting the car up to offer good downforce through some of the faster corners, but without sacrificing too much speed along the straights. We saw different teams address that balance in different ways over the first two races, so it will be interesting to see if things start to converge this weekend after a few weeks back in Europe.

“Tyre wear will also be very important – last year we saw a real disparity between the compounds – so getting the preparation right will be crucial.”

Car 4: Lewis Hamilton

Age      27 (January 7 1985)

GPs      92

Wins    17

Poles   21

FLs      11

You opened your winning account in China last year, are you hoping for the same this season?

“I’m looking at the championship as a whole – although, of course, I’d love to win every race, it’s more important to be in a good points-scoring position at every race. I think the first two races have shown that, as a team, we’re definitely in positions to win.

“I think Malaysia was a good example of how to pick up points when you’re looking at the championship – and that was something I really took away as a positive from that race. But yeah, I’ll be heading to China looking to win – but it’s just as important to pick up some good points if, for whatever reason, a win isn’t on the cards.”

What do you like about the Shanghai International Circuit?

“I have some vivid memories of racing in China – some good, some not so good! I’ve won there twice – both were victories I’m really proud of: in 2008, it was a very important race, and I really needed a good result for the championship – we had a pretty much perfect weekend with pole position, fastest lap and the race win. Then in 2011, coming off the back of a difficult weekend in Malaysia, I had a great race, kept pushing every lap and managed to take the lead right at the end. It was a very important win because it showed that we could be a force in the championship that year.”

Your two third positions have consolidated your position in the championship – is that the key to a good season? 

“I won’t deny that I’m disappointed to have had two pole positions and not to have been able to convert either of them into victories, but I prefer to think of it that luck just hasn’t been on my side, and that it will swing my way sooner or later.

“I also think last year taught me the value of consistency: it’s no use chasing a great result if you can't back it up with another strong finish the following week. So maybe I’m just playing myself in gently: after all, in 2007, I didn’t win a race until the sixth round, and I was in the hunt for the title all through the year. I still don’t think the pecking order has settled down yet, so it’s important to get some good results in the bag while we can. It will be very interesting to see how the order has shaken itself out over the last three weeks – it’s going to be an interesting weekend.”

Martin Whitmarsh

Team principal, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes

“The Chinese Grand Prix is a race in which we’ve traditionally gone very well – we’ve won three of the past four races here, all of which have come through faultless performances from Jenson and Lewis – and we head to Shanghai this year keen to add to that tally.

“While there are mixed feelings to have only been able to convert two all-front-row starting positions into one race win, everybody here at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes feels extremely encouraged by our pace in the first two grands prix of the season.

“Make no mistake, however: we’re acutely aware that our rivals won’t have stood still during the past three weeks. We’ve certainly been extremely busy, too, and we don’t take anything for granted: if the overall competitive order was a little hard to read in the first two races, I have no doubt that it will start to become clearer next weekend, and I strongly believe that, once again, it will be closely fought at the front.”

BMW at Auto China 2012

World premiere – the new BMW 3 Series sedan in the long wheelbase version.
Developed at BMW head office in Germany, it will be rolling off the production line in the new Shenyang production plant and celebrating its world premiere at Auto China 2012 in Beijing – the new BMW 3 Series sedan in the long wheelbase version. With its wheelbase extended by 11 cm, a conspicuously elegant design, and the best rear seat travel comfort among the competition, this new model fulfils precisely the expectations of Chinese automobile customers. They can choose from the BMW 335Li, the BMW 328Li, or the BMW 320Li, each fitted with a powerful and efficient engine featuring BMW TwinPower Turbo Technology. Also presented at Auto China will be the new BMW 3 Series sedan with the normal wheelbase and the full hybrid model BMW ActiveHybrid 3.
Asian premiere – the BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe.
Fascinating aesthetics and thrilling driving pleasure are the hallmarks of the BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe, which at Auto China 2012 will be announcing the advance of German premium automobile manufacturers on a new vehicle segment. The brand’s first four-door coupe combines the sporty, elegant styling of the BMW 6 Series with a luxurious interior ambience and a high level of seating comfort in the rear. The offer in China will include the BMW 640i Gran Coupe with its inline six-cylinder engine and the BMW 650i Gran Coupe whose new V8 drive can also be combined with the intelligent all-wheel-drive system BMW xDrive. The BMW Individual programme available for the launch will boost the exclusive appeal of the BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe
Asian premiere – the new BMW M6 Coupe.
The new BMW M6 Coupe embodies high performance in its purest form. The high-revving V8 engine with M TwinPower Turbo Technology and 412 kW / 560 bhp, the seven-speed M dual transmission Drivelogic, the Active M Differential, the M specific suspension technology, extensive body reinforcements, and the optionally available M Carbon ceramic brake represent an advance into a whole new dimension of driving dynamics. The sporty, elegant lines of the two-door model are supplemented with hallmark M design features. One highlight is the strikingly contoured roof of carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic.
Asian premiere – the new BMW X3 xDrive28i.
Yet another variant of the BMW X3 now features BMW TwinPower Turbo Technology for intensified driving pleasure and reduced fuel consumption. The new BMW X3 Drive28i is powered by a 180 kW / 245 bhp four-cylinder engine that not only develops optimised pulling power, but also enhances greatly the efficiency of this Sports Activity Vehicle by interacting with the eight-speed automatic transmission, the automatic engine start-stop function, brake energy regeneration, and ECO PRO mode activated at the drive experience switch.
Asian premiere – the new BMW X6.
The BMW X6 is the world’s first and only Sports Activity Coupe and now presents specific design modifications and innovative equipment features serving to underscore its exclusive status. Among other things, the new BMW X6 has a particularly strikingly designed radiator grille, higher fog lights, and rear lights featuring LED technology. The new BMW X6 is the only vehicle in its segment to be optionally available with adaptive LED headlights.
Asian premiere – new BMW ConnectedDrive services.
The BMW ConnectedDrive range on the Chinese automobile market will be supplemented with new functions for optimising infotainment access, comfort, and safety. These optional apps allow, for instance, access to webradio stations and social networks in the vehicle. Moreover, BMW models can now be fitted with the BMW Head-Up Display and the Surround View system.
Attraction: the BMW i3 Concept.
With individually tailored vehicle concepts, sustainability throughout the entire supply chain, and supplementary mobility services, BMW i has created a whole new understanding of individual mobility. The central focus is on groundbreaking models which set new milestones along the road to CO₂-free motoring by means of innovative drivetrain technology and consistent lightweight construction. At Auto China 2012, visitors will be presented with the BMW i3 Concept, whose powerful electric drive and innovative passenger cell of carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic provide the ideal conditions for zero-emissions driving in local urban traffic. This BMW i study provides a look ahead to the very first electrically powered premium vehicle, due to go on the market as early as 2013 as the BMW i3.

FERDINAND ALEXANDER PORSCHE 1935 – 2012

Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, is mourning Professor Ferdinand Alexander Porsche. The Honorary President of the Supervisory Board died on 5 April 2012 in Salzburg, aged 76. Matthias Müller, President and Chief Executive Officer of Porsche AG, paid tribute to Ferdinand Alexander Porsche’s services to the sports car manufacturer: “We mourn the death of our partner, Ferdinand Alexander Porsche. As the creator of the Porsche 911, he established a design culture in our company that has shaped our sports cars to this very day. His philosophy of good design is a legacy to us that we will honour for all time.”
Ferdinand Alexander Porsche was born on 11 December 1935 in Stuttgart and was the eldest son of Dorothea and Ferry Porsche. Even his childhood was dominated by automobiles, he spent much time in the construction areas and development workshops of his grandfather Ferdinand Porsche. In 1943 the family moved, along with the Porsche brand, to Austria, where he attended the school in Zell am See. After returning to Stuttgart in 1950, he attended the Free Waldorf School. After leaving school, he enrolled at the prestigious College of Design in Ulm.
In 1958, F.A. Porsche, as he was called by his colleagues, started in the design office of the former Dr. Ing hc F. Porsche KG. His great artistic talent was soon demonstrated, as he modelled the first plasticine model of a successor to the 356 series. In 1962 he became head of the Porsche Design Studio and a year later made a worldwide sensation with the Porsche 901 (or 911). F.A. Porsche created a sports car icon, as the timeless and classic design continues to live on the seventh generation 911 model today. F.A. Porsche also designed other iconic models -  among his most famous designs include the Formula 1 race car type 804 and the Porsche 904 Carrera GTS, which today is considered one of the most beautiful racing cars ever.
When Porsche KG was made into a limited company in 1971/72, Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, along with all other family members retired from the business operations of the company. In 1972 he founded the "Porsche Design Studio" in Stuttgart, the headquarters relocated in 1974 to Zell am See in Austria. In the following decades, he designed a number of classic men's accessories such as watches, eyewear and writing instruments under the brand name "Porsche Design" gaining worldwide notoriety. In parallel, he designed with his team under the brand "Design by FA Porsche" a variety of industrial products, household appliances and consumer goods for internationally known clients. F.A. Porsche enjoyed a reputation as a designer, to be a functionalist. A strong and clear line is typical of all product designs that have emerged from his design studio. "Design must be functional, and functionality must be translated into visual aesthetics, without gimmicks that have to be explained," was the credo for his design work. F.A. Porsche: "A formally coherent product needs no embellishment, it should be increased by a mere formality." The form should be presented to understand and not distract from the product and its function. "Good design should be honest," was his conviction.
Ferdinand Alexander Porsche received numerous honours and awards both for his work as a car designer as well as for individual designs.  The "Comité International de Promotion et de Prestige" was honoured  to him in 1968 for outstanding aesthetic design of the Porsche 911, while he was chosen as the Industrie Forum Design Hannover (iF) 1992 "award winners". He earned the title of professor from the Austrian Federal President in 1999.
Ferdinand Alexander Porsche was a Porsche AG shareholder and board member. From 1990 to 1993, F.A. Porsche held the role of supervisory board chairman and thus had large share of the economic turnaround of Porsche AG. In 2005 he handed over his mandate to his son Ferdinand Oliver and took the position of honorary chairman of the supervisory board.
An official memorial service will be held in Stuttgart at a later date.

Race Epic / Murillo Racing Team survives the Barber 200

The RACE EPIC/Murillo Racing team escaped the second round of Grand-Am’s Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge (CTSCC) Barber 200 at Barber Motorsports Park with a top-20 finish and a damaged car after running among the lead group. Jeff Mosing qualified the #56 Coolgas / Frank’s International BMW 328i in the 17^th position and used an early pit strategy to gain track position for his teammate, Jesse Combs. While the result wasn’t as strong as the team’s 3rd place finish here last year, the duo took away from the weekend some positive highlights.

"We finished in the top-10 for each session all week,” said Mosing. “Ken Murillo and our entire crew did a great job in preparing the car.  I believe our qualifying position would have been much better as a black flag was thrown for debris on the track. I was forced to slow down to avoid it and it certainly cost us a top-10 starting position. My stint in the car was a bit surreal as we were under caution laps almost the whole time. ”

The RaceEpic BMW made an early pit-stop hoping to be able to capitalize on caution laps later in the race and returned to the track in the 20^th position. Now with Combs in the car to finish, he began to work his way through traffic in a five-car dice, making his way up to 12^th before getting hit in the left-rear in turn 11. The incident left the rear wheel “toed out” and put the team in survival mode running many seconds off the pace.

“I had my hands full for the last 45-minutes of the race,” said Combs.  “I just continued to pray for double yellows and rain knowing that nothing could make the car any harder to driver after the damage.”

The team is already preparing for the next round of the series, the KIA 200, on April 28 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. They hope to improve on their 23^rd place result in 2011.

For more information about Race Epic/Murillo Racing, visit www.raceepic.com. For information regarding Grand Am’s Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge, including schedules, visit www.Grand-Am.com.

Brumos Racing at Barber Motorsports Park

Brumos Racing {link} always enjoys returning to Birmingham’s scenic Barber Motorsports Park, but the Porsche 250 offers added incentive. The first GRAND-AM Rolex Series event at Barber that was sponsored by Porsche was in 2004, but a Porsche has yet to claim the victory there. Brumos was hoping to reverse that trend, but well aware of the challenges they would face in doing so. Although they did not reach the top step of the podium this year, Brumos did put their #59 Porsche GT3 in Victory Lane with a hard-fought 3rd place finish.
In a weekend shared with the IndyCar Series, track time was limited and conditions were less than optimal. Warm temperatures, a rough track surface, and rubber buildup from the IndyCars all made for low grip. Struggles continued as the #59 ended qualifying in 8th place following a session cut short by a yellow flag. Starting driver Andrew Davis is very familiar with the challenges of Barber, given his role as a Porsche Sport Driving School instructor, and found the result particularly meaningful. “I am thrilled with our podium here at Barber,” he said. “Many of my family members are here, so it’s nice to be able to spray some champagne and have them here to enjoy the podium with me. I am so proud of Brumos Racing – the race was a tough one, but the strategy calls and the pit stops really made the difference. I’m not sure we had the car that was going to win this race, but we obviously have a winning team. I do have to give special thanks to our driving mentor, Hurley Haywood. When we qualified poorly, he told us what he wanted us to do and what he expected from us. I also have to thank Leh Keen for another superb job. To be able to drive a car that was handling the way it was and hold on to the podium, despite the fierce competition, was quite an accomplishment. I am really
proud of his effort and to have Leh as my teammate.” 

For Leh Keen, the weekend was all about never giving up. “I can’t say enough about the Brumos guys,” he said. “When we came off the truck, the car was actually pretty decent, we just didn’t realize it at the time, since we were slipping and sliding around due to low grip. We made a lot of changes and got closer to where we needed to be, but the guys never quit. They kept working hard and kept a good attitude. We all came to the track on race day with smiles on our faces and ready to do a good job, all the way through the last lap. Andrew did a great job in the opening stint and drove a smart race. We had good strategy and the crew delivered clean, fast pit stops that put us where we needed to be leaving the pits. In the end, it all paid off with a podium. Now, Brumos has two podiums in a row for the first two races of the season, so we are off to a great start for 2012.” 

The third place finish moves Brumos into a tie for 2nd place in the GT standings, just three points out of the lead. Action resumes on April 29th, as the Rolex Series heads south to Homestead-Miami Speedway for Round 3 of the 2012 season.

BimmerWorld Returns To GRAND-AM Victory Lane At Barber Motorsports Park

Drivers tend to get all of the credit when they win a race, but as the BMW experts at BimmerWorld reminded its rivals on Saturday, it also takes teamwork, strategy, and an incredible amount of talent amongst the pit crew to earn a trip to victory lane.

BimmerWorld’s three-car fleet of BMW 328is not only survived the crash-filled Continental Tire Series race at the sprawling Barber Motorsports Park facility in Leeds, Alabama, but left with the Street Tuner class win, a pair of top 5 finishes, and the lead in the drivers’ and the teams’ points standings.

At the end of the 2.5-hour event, Gregory Liefooghe and David Levine, drivers of the No. 81 BimmerWorld BMW 328i, were celebrating their first series win, the No. 82 CRC BRAKLEEN® BMW 328i driven by Seth Thomas and Dan Rogers secured a solid fifth-place finish while playing the role of tail gunners and the team’s pit crew was credited by team owner/driver James Clay for their peerless efforts.

“Daytona was a solid start to our 2012 season and we knew we had a great program - the win and strong showing at Barber confirms that,” he said. “We have done a lot of development work over the winter to shore up any sagging performance areas of the car and really left no stone unturned for improvement for this season.  The guys in the shop have been hard at work perfecting the car we put on the track and I think it is starting to really show.”  

Clay also recognized the unique position his team was placed in when a few competitors ahead of the No. 81 fell afoul of the rulebook during a caution period, but knowing those rules paid off for BimmerWorld at Barber.

“This win was made easier for us to some degree by a couple of cars that got caught out with the on-track procedures, and having been on the other side of that in 2010, I know that was a bad deal,” he explained.  “But even without the pure speed to win on this tighter track, the full team executed on this performance, from crew to drivers, to race engineers and we were there to take the opportunity that was given.”

For Liefooghe, one of the most respected veterans in the paddock, his breakthrough win was both emotional and long overdue.

“I have to say this win feels like an accomplishment,” he remarked.  “There is indeed a lot more involved than it shows in our win today. It was a team effort, where the strategy called by our engineer, Dave Wagener, was an integral part of the result.  We managed to stay out of trouble and not make mistakes, and it shows that we have a rock solid program.  This win rewards all the efforts made during the off-season and the hard work that has been put in during the whole race. Although the season is just starting, this result puts us in a great spot for the championship and I think it reinforces the fact that David and I are working well together.”

Liefooghe also had a special message for the man who helped get him to where he is today.

“It is my first win in the CTSCC and it is a big stepping-stone,” he continued. “I would like to dedicate it to my father who supported me and pushed me to follow my passion throughout all these years. Dad, this one is for you!”

With so many cautions happening during his opening stint, Levine didn’t get the opportunity to do much wheel-to-wheel racing, but says the chance to spray champagne as a GRAND-AM race winner was everything he thought it would be.

“I cannot describe the feeling of being a winner in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge series in only my third start.  The start of the race was quite frustrating as I only got about seven feet of green flag racing before the GS-class crashes started.  Putting the frustration aside, spraying champagne as a winner has been a highlight in my life and I hope I can keep doing that for the rest of the season. This win is also the first win in a while for our crew chief, David Wagener, so I made it a point to spray him first.  This weekend was truly incredible! Thanks again to the crew and everyone involved.”

The road to fifth was just as exciting for Thomas and Rogers, and when presented with the opportunity to try a high-risk pass for the lead, Thomas says supporting the sister No. 81’s charge to the checkered flag took precedence.

“As a racer, when you see an opening that you think you can squeeze your car into on the last couple of laps you want to take it, but after seeing the No. 81 BimmerWorld BMW in front of me, I had to think about the team and the season’s results.  I thought about the points situation of Greg and David during the caution, and the only way I would go for the spot is if Greg made a mistake.  He didn't, and my job was to protect him as much as possible to give BimmerWorld and BMW a shot at winning the championship at the end of the year.” 

Rogers also supported the “team first” move by Thomas. “Seth and I have known all along that the No. 82 will be a regular visitor to the podium; it's just a matter of when,” he said. “It was going that direction at Daytona until Seth got hit, and on the last lap restart at Barber, we were P2, behind Greg, before we were then shuffled back a bit. A fifth-place finish is great, but it's just a step to the podium for the No. 82 CRC BRAKLEEN® BMW 328i. Congratulations to David and Greg for a second great finish. Bring on Miami!”

The third BimmerWorld entry, the No. 80 BMW 328i piloted by Clay and John Capestro-Dubets, wasn’t as fortunate in the race, encountering contact which dropped the duo well down the finishing order.

“Our run in the No. 80 car was geared up to be a good one, but there were a lot of cars on track and unfortunately, John was one of many that suffered from the close quarters,” said Clay.  “As a driver you are always learning and improving and even bad races teach lessons.  I have a lot of faith in our driving team and as the season progresses, we will continue to tweak and improve.”

Clay also recognized the many layers of support that enabled BimmerWorld to return to its winning ways.

“We had some great support this weekend from the folks at CRC BRAKLEEN® and NAPA, and I was happy with our result with our sponsors watching,” he said. “I am also really proud of all the guys on the team who picked up extra responsibility as our crew chief Jason Marks was at home with his wife preparing to have their first baby.  They did a great job and produced a strong result.”

With eight races left on the calendar, Clay admitted that he and the team will enjoy their results at Barber in the short-term, but won’t let the victory or their place in the championship distract BimmerWorld from its season-long goals.

“It is great to be leading the Championship at this or any point, but all it means is we have had a couple of good races,” he said.  “There is a long season ahead of us and certainly we will put our heads down and continue to produce results.  I'll start getting excited a lot closer to the checker flag at Lime Rock in September.”

Next up for BimmerWorld is Round 3 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on April 27-28. Follow the team’s progress as they prepare for the event at www.BimmerWorldRacing.com

Mercedes-Benz Euro 5 Vito Taxi

Mercedes-Benz UK is promoting the Mercedes-Benz Euro 5 Vito Taxi as a solution for London taxi drivers looking to change their tired Hackney carriages.
Steve Bridge, Van Sales and Marketing Director at Mercedes-Benz, said: “Mercedes-Benz has long been associated with public transport; in 1898 the world’s first bus was launched by Daimler – a milestone for passenger travel. Fast-forward to today and we are still pioneering and leading the way in terms of comfort and efficiency for both driver and customer with the new Euro 5 Vito Taxi. We are delighted to be offering the special London initiative programme and look forward to welcoming more drivers to become part of Mercedes-Benz public transport story.”
The new Euro 5 Mercedes-Benz Vito Taxi is setting the standard for taxis in London and other cities. Offering remarkable versatility and unprecedented levels of comfort, including six seats for fares, the Vito Taxi delivers significant improvements in fuel economy, lower emissions and a stress-free ride for both taxi driver and passenger.
The Vito Taxi also boasts a highly promising array of technical merits: the state-of-the-art 4-cylinder CDI engines and BlueEFFICIENCY models set standards in terms of economy and sustainability.
All four CDI diesel engines meet the requirements of the Euro 5 emissions standard and consume far less fuel than the predecessor engines, while also reducing exhaust gas emissions. One thing that hasn’t been reduced, of course, is the high level of ride comfort. Quite the opposite, in fact, as refinement has actually been enhanced thanks to in-engine measures.
In addition, the Euro 5 Vito Taxi enjoys a three year/150,000 mile warranty and up to 24,000 mile service intervals to help reduce whole life costs. In addition, each vehicle comes with Service24h included as standard, which entitles drivers to free roadside assistance for three years.
For more information, please visit www.vitotaxi.co.uk

Audi at the 24-hour race, Nürburgring on May 19th and 20th

 

For the first time, Audi Sport Team Phoenix will be representing Audi’s colours at the 24-hour race in the Eifel as the only factory team. Ernst Moser’s squad based in Meuspath in the immediate vicinity of the Nürburgring is fielding two new Audi R8 LMS ultra cars. One of the vehicles will be driven by the Germans Marc Basseng, Christopher Haase, Frank Stippler and Markus Winkelhock. The second GT3 sports car will be shared by the Le Mans winner and Audi factory driver Marcel Fässler (CH), and the two Germans Christopher Mies and René Rast plus Frank Stippler, who has been nominated for both cars.

"2012 is marked by numerous conflicting events for Audi Sport," says Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. "They include the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring, which coincides with the DTM round at Brands Hatch in Great Britain. We were looking for the best way to simultaneously contest both events and believe that we’ve found it. Due to its successful history at this race and the fact that it’s at home at the Nürburgring Audi Sport Team Phoenix was a logical choice for us. In combination with the customer teams, Audi is again showing a strong presence at the Nürburgring 24 Hours this year."

Beyond the factory commitment, the Audi R8 LMS ultra is proving its attractiveness as a customer sport race car in fierce competition yet again. Four teams are placing their trust in a total of five of the race cars from Audi Sport customer racing: Mamerow Racing, Raeder Motorsport, Team WRT and Audi race experience.

As long-standing Nordschleife experts, Mamerow Racing and Raeder Motorsport are bringing valuable experience to the track. Peter Mamerow’s team has clinched numerous class and overall victories at the Nürburgring endurance race. The successes achieved by the team of Martin and Nicolas Raeder last year included class victory at the Nürburgring 24 Hours and a VLN overall victory with the Audi TT RS. This year, both teams are relying on the powerful GT3 sports car with the four rings for the first time. The car’s final performance rating by the regulations is still pending. 

Team WRT is a newcomer to the Nürburgring, but the team of Vincent Vosse has been intimately familiar with the Audi R8 LMS for two years. Last year, it won the Spa 24 Hours and the Blancpain Endurance Series with it. In the Belgian team, Oliver Jarvis (GB) is sharing the cockpit with Andrea Piccini (I), Edward Sandström (S) and Allan Simonsen (DK).

Audi race experience is competing at the Nürburgring 24 Hours for the second time and fielding two R8 LMS ultra cars. For the first time, the team will be putting a separate line-up on the grid. One vehicle will be driven by the four international professional racers Warren Luff (AUS)/Alex Yoong (MAL)/Florian Gruber (D)/Luca Cappellari (I). In the second car, three customers of Audi race experience will be taking turns at the wheel with the three-time Le Mans winner Marco Werner.

"With Audi Sport Team Phoenix as the spearheading squad and the four customer teams Audi should be very well set for the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring this year," says Romolo Liebchen, Head of Audi Sport customer racing. "I’m convinced that our customers, as well, will have perfect chances of being in contention for victory with the R8 LMS ultra. At Audi Customer Sport, we will do everything to provide optimum support to the customers."

The Audi teams planning to race at 24 hours are as follows:~
Audi Sport Team Phoenix {link}
Marc Basseng/Christopher Haase/Frank Stippler/Markus Winkelhock (all D)
Marcel Fässler (CH)/Christopher Mies (D)/René Rast (D)
 

Mamerow Racing {link}
Michael Ammermüller/Christer Jöns/Armin Hahne/Christian Mamerow (all D)
 

Raeder Motorsport {link}
Frank Biela/Christian Hohenadel/Luca Ludwig/Thomas Mutsch (all D)
 

W Racing Team {link}
Oliver Jarvis (GB)/Andrea Piccini (I)/Edward Sandström (S)/Allan Simonsen (DK)
 

Audi Race Experience / Team Joest {link}
Warren Luff (AUS)/Alex Yoong (MAL)/Florian Gruber (D)/Luca Cappellari (I)
Marco Werner/Christian Bollrath/Pierre Ehret/Peter Venn (all D) 

BimmerWorld Ready for Round 2 at Barber After Strong Run in Season Opener

Give the BMW experts at BimmerWorld time to tinker and test its trio of 328i GRAND-AM Continental Tire Street Tuner cars, and the hard-working team from Virginia will fill every possible moment with new ideas and innovations to try.

With a two-month gap between Round 1 of the Continental Championship, held at the famed Daytona International Speedway in Florida, and this weekend’s Round 2 set for Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama, team owner/driver James Clay says he’s confident in the overall package BimmerWorld has continued to develop during the recent downtime.

“The BimmerWorld Daytona performance proved to us that our renewed focus on the team is going to produce results, but unfortunately it also showed that some of the other marques in the field are quicker than the BMWs at this point, and we will need some luck to capture the championship we are aiming for. 

“In my experience, the best luck is made, so we have been focusing on both refining the car package with on-track testing, as well as putting a significant amount of effort toward the team and equipment, which I feel is our biggest strength already.  Having all the procedures and pieces in place to overcome adversity will pay dividends and keep our results consistent and will be a good countermeasure to the sporadic, blazing speed of other marques.”

Teamed with John Capestro-Dubets in the No. 80 BimmerWorld BMW 328i, Clay anticipates the handling and braking attributes that helped to steer the No. 81 BimmerWorld car of Gregory Liefooghe and David Levine to the podium at Daytona will play to the team’s favor at the notoriously tough 17-turns, 2.3-mile Alabama road course.

“Our Barber setup is very good, as confirmed by our strong run there last year,” he said. “From a track layout standpoint it doesn't seem like Barber should be good to us, but we will arrive dialed in and that goes a long way.  We just need a little help from the field to limit the yellows and get some long runs, where our effort in consistency will start to pay off.”

Coming off a third-place finish with Levine, Liefooghe says maintaining his edge during such an extended period between GRAND-AM races hasn’t been a challenge.

“Away from the GRAND-AM circuit, I’m working at the Simraceway Racing School, which includes the Audi Sports Car Experience and Mitsubishi Driving School, and I have been doing a lot of private coaching since race season started in early February here in California. Between instructing, coaching and car development for my clients, it adds up to quite a bit of driving each week, which helps me to stay sharp. This second ‘offseason’ has been quite long, and we will need to bring the same focus that we brought to Daytona as Barber is shaping up to be an intense race.”

The third BimmerWorld team car, the No. 82 CRC BRAKLEEN® BMW 328i driven by Seth Thomas and Dan Rogers, was poised to join the Nos. 80 and 81 inside the top 10 at Daytona, but those chances were lost after taking a hard hit by a competitor.

With just 10 races in the championship, losing out on a solid finish—and the points that come with it—can have a dire impact at the end of the season, but Rogers says he and Thomas won’t take extra risks at Barber or any other event to try and make up the points needed to earn a title.

“If we focus on the season long goal of a championship, the unfortunate hit we took at Daytona put us in a deep hole in the championship points race. If we approach the Barber race with a ‘performance mentality,’ and focus on driving the race, we still believe the results will come. 

“Seth and I had only one goal this season – a championship.  The way you win a championship is to perform at your highest level and drive every race, and every lap in each race, consistently and to the best of our abilities.  The results will take care of themselves. I'm really looking forward to Barber. It's a classic road course, which is where I feel most at home.”

Follow the team’s progress this weekend at www.BimmerWorldRacing.com

Brumos Racing ready for next challenge

Following months of intense preparation for the challenging Rolex 24 at Daytona,
GRAND-AM Rolex Series competitors appreciate a post-race break in the action to regroup and ready
themselves for the season ahead. Now, nearly two months since their podium finish at the 2012
Daytona classic, Brumos is eager to return to action in the Porsche 250 at Barber Motorsports Park.
The scenic Birmingham venue has long been a favorite of Brumos, but last season Barber marked a
critical milestone for the Brumos GT effort, as noted by Andrew Davis. "The Barber Motorsports Park
event was very special, as it was the first time our squad worked together as a single unit. Each
member of the team brought a wealth of experience, but it was not known at the time how quickly
everything would come together. We were on our way to a solid top five until a Daytona Prototype
made contact with us, but the strong showing was certainly a sign of things to come. Now we are
returning to the circuit as champions, having the confidence necessary to challenge for the race win."
Davis, who enjoys the track and its amenities often in his role as instructor for the Porsche Sport
Driving School, is especially looking forward to seeing many of his friends and family in attendance –
particularly his wife and young son, Layne, who attended his very first race at Barber last season.
Leh Keen has plenty of reasons of his own to anticipate returning to Barber, including scoring one of
his first podiums there in 2004 and taking a pole position in 2009. This year, Keen welcomes what he
calls the true start to the 2012 season at Barber, saying, “It’s time for us to hunker down now for the
typical Rolex Series sprint race format. Last year we had a great run at this track as a brand new team.
This year we are back as race winners and as champions, so we expect even better results. The
competition is going to be fierce – we have some new teams, and some familiar teams that have
stepped up their game with even better drivers, so everyone has turned it up a notch. Every team will
be digging to get more out of the car and their crew, but we have stepped up our game as well. I can’t
think of anything better than kicking off this part of the season driving the #59 Brumos Porsche GT3
in the Porsche 250 at Barber Motorsports Park.”
Skip Schinsing looks back at Barber, his first race in the role of Brumos Team Manager, with pride.
“We went in to Barber as a new group working together for the first time. We came out knowing what
we were capable of after that first weekend, and we built on that all season,” he said. “Barber gave a
lot of confidence to the entire team. We carried that confidence on to the next race and soon we were
on our way to the championship. Barber was definitely a turning point for Brumos as a team. We’ve
continued that momentum with our podium at Daytona and have taken advantage of the break to get a
lot done. We got our spares together, made steady improvements to the car, tested a bit, and have
done all we can to prepare for the extremely busy season that lies ahead. Brumos is ready to race.”
Andrew Davis summed it up well on behalf of the entire Brumos team when he said, “The Porsche
250 draws a large crowd, and the Rolex Series always puts on a great show around the twists and turns
of Barber Motorsports Park. I can’t wait for the 2012 season to get back into full swing!”