Acura LMP2 car to campaign at 2010 24 Hours of LeMans
Lowe's Fernandez Racing Acura ARX-01b - Click above for a high-res image gallery
Despite having a dominant year with a record-tying eight class wins in the LMP2 category, the Lowe's Fernandez Acura ARX-01b might not be back for the 2010 ALMS season. The Indianapolis-based race team, one of the three original announced by Acura back in 2006, has failed to secure a major sponsor for next year and will cancel its racing program if it fails to find one by the end of the month. As is often the case, however, misfortune can often lead to opportunity. England-based Strakka Racing has made plans to purchase the Acura ARX-01owned by Fernandez Racing and will compete with the car in the European Le Mans Series next year as well as the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The deal has yet to be finalized, but Strakka has already informed the LMS organizers of its intentions and has signed British driver Danny Watts, who previously drove a Panoz Esperante GT-LM in the series. You can see the Fernandez Racing Acura ARX-01b in the high-res gallery below, which features the car during its class win at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca earlier this month.
Photos copyright ©2009 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: AutoWeek]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Xa 4:52PM (10/17/2009)
return of honda to le mans? sounds cool.
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AZZO45b 12:03AM (10/18/2009)
So far this NOT an official Acura/ Honda backed LeMans effort. This team will run the ex-Adrian Fernandez Acura P2 car & most likely LEASE Acura power plants for the ELMS season. Adrian might also be involved with this team in the longer enduros.
rsquatre 4:54PM (10/17/2009)
does anybody know of any tracks in the boston area where i can track my car? i don't belong to any auto clubs in the area...
thanks
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Clavius 5:24PM (10/17/2009)
Best bet is to check out a website for SCCA. Renegade Miata Club and a BMW club hold auto-cross events most weekends. Other than that only track I know of is Lime Rock (in CT) and New England Drag Way where they hold Nascar (they have a road track) in New Hampshire.
JGuan 7:10PM (10/17/2009)
major international debut? cant wait
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Clavius 5:22PM (10/17/2009)
Shame that they can't find a sponsor (as of yet). Great team with allot of wins under its belt. I'm obviously unsure how much it cost to sponsor a team but couldn't they ask Acura if they could approach local Acura dealerships and see if they'd be willing to sponsor them when they are in that area? Have some livery on the side that says Acura Dealerships of America and on the front top of the nose have the local Acura dealerships logo on the top. I dunno tossing idea's out since I hate to see a team go under for something like no sponorship.
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AZZO45b 12:05AM (10/18/2009)
Not when this car will compete in Europe & the ELMS. Why would Acura (or America) spend money outside of N/A??? Just askin'... not hatin'.
Clavius 12:44AM (10/18/2009)
Attempt to have Acura of Europe sponsor the team then? lol
Again just a idea atleast in the states. Outside well they are on their own for idea's
Kip 11:58AM (10/18/2009)
Isn't Acura a US-only nameplate? I'm assuming that, if this deal goes through, all of the Acura badging will be stripped off and replaced by Honda badging.
Kiiks 1:59AM (10/19/2009)
Acura is pulling factory support from all three teams that ran Acuras in the ALMS. As demonstrated by the existence of major sponsors for those teams, Acura's financial role in the teams' budgets wasn't anywhere close to say, Audi and Champion Racing of years past.
Jonathan102 7:14PM (10/17/2009)
Acura has built one hell of a car. A petrol powered engine can keep up with the Diesel powered Audi
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Mike 12:15AM (10/18/2009)
Not at Le Mans it can't...
And this won't be a factory/factory supported effort in any way, so I wouldn't expect the same kind of performance we saw out of the cars in the ALMS.
Kiiks 3:35PM (10/19/2009)
If only Le Mans had more corners and no straights! On top of that, the ACO's more stringent LMP2 regulations will guarantee that the Acura is nowhere near competitive with the lead Diesels.
At least it will be one of the best-looking cars there!
I hope this doesn't go through. Though I would love to watch the ARX-01b battle it out at Le Mans, I'd rather see Adrian Fernandez and his crack squad back here next year for another season
Adrian 9:29PM (10/17/2009)
It's a shame because Adrian Fernandez is a great driver and the team are also.
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hondara 10:12PM (10/17/2009)
Is that you Adrian Fernandez?
Adrian 11:56PM (10/17/2009)
@hondara No, i'm another mexican, but I would love to be to handle that Acura
ToroQ3000 6:25PM (10/19/2009)
Hahaha that's so funny. Mexican racecar drivers FTW!
gadvrules9000 2:02AM (10/18/2009)
Before they race, they should replace that head lamp there...
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