PitJournal.com has been covering the American Le Mans Series for the past two years and will have very limited coverage in the future. Joe Martin has moved to the Last Turn Clubhouse and will be doing photography and occasional writing in 2007. Thank you for your support and visiting the link below.
Marino Franchitti is counting down the days to the biggest opportunity of his sports car career. The energetic Scot will make his return to prototype racing next week at the inaugural Acura Sports Car Challenge of St. Petersburg with Sebring LMP2 winner Andretti Green Racing.
Another win for Audi, the first for Acura and Andretti Green Racing, and the most exciting finish in race history marked the start of the 2007 American Le Mans Series on Saturday. Marco Werner, Emanuele Pirro and Frank Biela drove to victory at the 55th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring in one of the most thrilling editions of the Florida classic in its history.
“It was helpful really working with the setups this year,” Werner said. “The problem last year was working with the heavier car over the bumps so now we get more chances to work on the setup.”
The times at the top of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring results sheet are starting to get closer and closer. As was the case Tuesday and in Wednesday’s morning practice, Audi Sport North America’s R10 TDI led the way. But the German marque, unbeaten at Sebring since 2000, doesn’t have to look very far to find its closest rivals.
Audi Sport North America’s Emanuele Pirro set his first fast lap of the 55th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring on Wednesday as practice continued for the 2007 American Le Mans Series season opener. Pirro, in one of Audi’s two R10 TDIs, turned in a best time of 1:46.759 to lead all drivers in Wednesday’s first practice.
After 1,184 miles of racing over 12 hours, negotiating 5,440 turns and making more than 7,000 gear shifts, the GT2 class at last year’s Sebring 12-hour classic was decided by a margin of just five seconds. The 55th running of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring on Saturday, March 17th, will add yet another chapter in the history of this legendary event, second only to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in international prestige.
Eager to step up and face a new challenge in the American Le Mans Series, Intersport Racing has officially announced its move to the LMP1 class for 2007. The Dublin, Ohio-based team will field a Judd-powered Creation CA06H prototype for all 12 rounds starting at next month’s Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.
Van der Steur Racing has signed young Adam Pecorari to contest the 2007 American Le Mans Series season in LMP2 competition. The team will campaign a Radical chassis powered by an AER engine against the factory-supported Porsche, Mazda and Acura efforts.
The American Le Mans Series continues its tradition of excellence and leading edge technology with its decision to use ethanol-enriched fuel for the 2007 racing season. The organization has partnered with the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC) to make E10, “the official ethanol-enriched fuel” of the Series.