Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Viper GTS-R will have first full season chronicled in web series]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/07/viper-gts-r-will-have-first-full-season-chronicled-in-web-series/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/07/viper-gts-r-will-have-first-full-season-chronicled-in-web-series/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/07/viper-gts-r-will-have-first-full-season-chronicled-in-web-series/#commentsFiled under: , ,



SRT will be documenting its second season - and first full season - of Viper GTS-R racing in the American Le Mans Series with a new web series called Beyond the Checkered Flag. We don't know much yet, but the team has released a teaser video (below) and promises the series will run at least four episodes, if not more. The videos will feature all six drivers who are responsible for piloting the No. 93 and 91 Viper GTS-R cars that compete in each race, and each episode will be told from a different perspective of the action (drivers, the pits, the fans, etc.).

As we've mentioned before, the return of the Viper to motorsports is a big deal, and we're excited that SRT Motorsports has decided to document it. The car's first go around in racing began in the late '90s and peaked during the fledgling seasons of the then-new American Le Mans Series when the Viper GTS-R won 16 of 18 races during 1999 and 2000. The new Viper GTS-R hasn't been nearly as dominant as the original since returning to ALMS racing last August, the team having only just achieved its first podium finish a few weeks ago in Long Beach with one of its cars finishing third.

The first episode of Beyond the Checkered Flag, which should air in mid-May, will focus on preparations for the 2013 season, specifically the time leading up to the season-opening 12 Hours of Sebring in March. Spoiler alert: the team didn't win its class, though the No. 91 car did lead for much of the race and finished fifth, scoring valuable championship points to kick off the team's first competitive season back.

Scroll down to watch the trailer for Beyond the Checkered Flag.

Continue reading Viper GTS-R will have first full season chronicled in web series

Viper GTS-R will have first full season chronicled in web series originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 07 May 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>almsbeyond the checkered flagsrtsrt motorsportssrt vipersrt viper gts-rTue, 07 May 2013 15:00:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20560675/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/05/07/viper-gts-r-will-have-first-full-season-chronicled-in-web-series/20560675/article-detail.xml 20560675 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/viper-beyond-the-checkered-flag_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/05/viper-beyond-the-checkered-flag.jpg <![CDATA[Honda, BMW and Porsche win at ALMS Long Beach 2013]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/22/honda-bmw-and-porsche-win-at-alms-long-beach-2013/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/22/honda-bmw-and-porsche-win-at-alms-long-beach-2013/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/22/honda-bmw-and-porsche-win-at-alms-long-beach-2013/#commentsFiled under:

ALMS Long Beach 2013

Muscle Milk Pickett Racing's Honda Performance Development (HPD) ARX-03a, piloted by Klaus Graf and Lucas Luhr, took the checkered flag at the Tequila Patrón American Le Mans Series race at Long Beach this past weekend under Southern California's typical warm sunny skies. The P1 class team completed 80 laps during the two-hour race, of which 14 were run under caution for a variety of minor incidents.

In P2 class, Scott Sharp and Guy Cosmo won in their HPD ARX-03b run by Extreme Speed Motorsports. Cosmo took the team's first lead of the race just 14 minutes in, but it was Sharp who recaptured the front position with 47 minutes left on the clock.

The GT class started with the Fast & Furious 6 SRT Viper GTS-R, driven by Marc Goossens and Dominik Farnbacher, on the pole. With only minutes left in the race, leader Farnbacher overshot Turn One and Bill Auberlen, piloting a BMW Team RLL BMW Z4 GTE with Maxime Martin, took the opportunity to shoot ahead and take the win.

In Prototype Challenge, it was the Core Autosport ORECA FLM09, driven by Colin Braun and Jon Bennett, which earned the win. It was Braun, midway through the race following a restart, who led the pack for five minutes in the V8-powered carbon-fiber Oreca. Lastly, the GT Challenge class was won by a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (expected, as the class is nothing but GT3 Cup cars), owned by NGT Motorsport and driven by Sean Edwards and Henrique Cisneros.

Full race results have been posted below, and don't forget to check out our live gallery from the ALMS event this past weekend.

Continue reading Honda, BMW and Porsche win at ALMS Long Beach 2013

Honda, BMW and Porsche win at ALMS Long Beach 2013 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 22 Apr 2013 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>almsalms long beachlong beach 2013Mon, 22 Apr 2013 10:45:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20546336/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/04/22/honda-bmw-and-porsche-win-at-alms-long-beach-2013/20546336/article-detail.xml 20546336 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/04/alms-long-beach-2013_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/04/alms-long-beach-2013.jpg <![CDATA[GRAND-AM, IMSA announce deal to bring DTM racing to US]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/29/grand-am-imsa-announce-deal-to-bring-dtm-racing-to-us/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/29/grand-am-imsa-announce-deal-to-bring-dtm-racing-to-us/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/29/grand-am-imsa-announce-deal-to-bring-dtm-racing-to-us/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Audi A5 DTM racer - profile view

It won't be until 2015 at the earliest, but the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA), Grand-Am and the Internationale Tourenwagen-Rennen have agreed to a licensing and cooperation deal that could bring a version of Germany's DTM series to the US.

When the American Le Mans Series and Grand-Am are officially combined next year, the resulting body will be called United SportsCar Racing (USCR). IMSA will be the sanctioning body for that series, and DTM races could be run as support events. It was also suggested by an ALMS chief that DTM races could be standalone or join NASCAR and IndyCar weekends.

With the so-called DTM America finally agreed to, there is now a way for manufacturers to run the same DTM-type cars in Europe, the US and Japan - last year Japan's Super GT series agreed to adopt "the basic technical regulations" of DTM for the GT500 class, the top class in the series. That already puts six manufacturers in play: Mercedes-Benz, Audi and BMW that run in Germany's DTM and Honda, Nissan and Lexus that run in Super GT. The DTM oversight body has invited American brands to Germany for the opening round of the 2013 season, and will begin actively courting their participation in the US series. Check out the press release from Audi with comments on the deal below.

Continue reading GRAND-AM, IMSA announce deal to bring DTM racing to US

GRAND-AM, IMSA announce deal to bring DTM racing to US originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 29 Mar 2013 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>almsaudibmwdtmgrand-amimsamercedesmotorsportstouring carunited sportscar racinguscrFri, 29 Mar 2013 10:15:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20520541/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/03/29/grand-am-imsa-announce-deal-to-bring-dtm-racing-to-us/20520541/article-detail.xml 20520541 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/03/dtmamericadeal_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/03/dtmamericadeal.jpg <![CDATA[Lamborghini Super Trofeo one-make racing series coming to America]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/20/lamborghini-super-trofeo-one-make-racing-series-coming-to-americ/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/20/lamborghini-super-trofeo-one-make-racing-series-coming-to-americ/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/20/lamborghini-super-trofeo-one-make-racing-series-coming-to-americ/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Starting in June, racing fans in North America will have another way to get their fix. Lamborghini is bringing its Super Trofeo series to the US and Canada in a "long-term" deal that kicks off in a six-race season this year and should bring some extra excitement to the newly formed United SportCar Racing series in coming years.

The inaugural Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America race will be held at Mid-Ohio on June 15 and 16 with most of the rounds running alongside Grand-Am, International Motor Sport Association and American Le Mans Series races; the season finale will be held at the Indy Car event at Fontana, California on October 18 and 19. More importantly, the winners of each round will compete in a world final at a race in Italy against winner from the Super Trofeo races in Europe and Asia.

All competitors will be piloting specially prepared Gallardo LP 570-4 racecars featuring 570-horsepower V10 engines and paired with all-wheel drive. Scroll down for the Lamborghini press release, which gives the full six-race schedule.

Continue reading Lamborghini Super Trofeo one-make racing series coming to America

Lamborghini Super Trofeo one-make racing series coming to America originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Mar 2013 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>almsamerican le mans seriesgrand-amimsainternational motor sports associationlamborghinilamborghini gallardolamborghini squadra corseLamborghini super trofeolamborghini super trofeo north americaunited sportscar racingunited sportscar racing seriesWed, 20 Mar 2013 14:15:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20507289/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/03/20/lamborghini-super-trofeo-one-make-racing-series-coming-to-americ/20507289/article-detail.xml 20507289 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/03/lamborghini-super-trofeo_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/03/lamborghini-super-trofeo.jpg <![CDATA[Grand-Am, ALMS merger results in new United SportsCar Racing series]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/15/grand-am-alms-merger-results-in-new-united-sportscar-racing-ser/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/15/grand-am-alms-merger-results-in-new-united-sportscar-racing-ser/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/15/grand-am-alms-merger-results-in-new-united-sportscar-racing-ser/#commentsFiled under: ,



After the merger between Grand-Am and the American Le Mans Series was announced last year, a contest was held to name the new combined series, and that new name is now officially the United SportCar Racing series. This new branding will take place at the start of the 2014 season beginning with the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

Fans of the American Le Mans Series are probably losing the most in this new series. Not only is the ALMS name (along with the connection to the 24 Hours of Le Mans) going away, but the more exciting P1 prototype class is also being dropped. In the new United SportCar Racing series, the new Prototype class will consist of Daytona Prototypes, ALMS P2 cars and the DeltaWing (including a new closed-cockpit version). The ALMS GT class will be renamed GT Le Mans (GTLM), while GT Daytona (GTD) will combine the current Grand-Am GT class and the ALMS' GTC cars. The Prototype Challenge (PC) and GX classes will both carry over unchanged from Grand-Am and ALMS, respectively.

Grand-Am, ALMS merger results in new United SportsCar Racing series originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 Mar 2013 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>almsamerican le mans seriesauto racingcar racingdeltawinggrand-amgrand-am alms mergermotorsportsunited sportscar racing seriesFri, 15 Mar 2013 13:29:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20505780/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/03/15/grand-am-alms-merger-results-in-new-united-sportscar-racing-ser/20505780/article-detail.xml 20505780 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/03/united-sportscar-racing-logo_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/03/united-sportscar-racing-logo.jpg <![CDATA[DeltaWing coupe to debut at Sebring [UPDATE]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/14/deltawing-coupe-to-debut-at-sebring/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/14/deltawing-coupe-to-debut-at-sebring/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/14/deltawing-coupe-to-debut-at-sebring/#commentsFiled under:

DeltaWing Coupe chassis in garage, wheels off

Just when we thought the DeltaWing couldn't get any weirder, DeltaWing Racing Cars unveils a new enclosed version of the experimental racer. The coupe is set to bow at Sebring International Raceway this week, complete with an all-new tub to help it comply with 2014 LMP1 regulations. The new racer, to be campaigned without former sponsor Nissan, also features a new engine worked up by the minds at Elan Motorsports Technologies. The open-top machine will still get around the track thanks to a revised version of its old turbocharged 2.0-liter mill. So, why put a hardtop on the car?

Engineers say adding the roof offers up an obvious safety advantage, protecting the driver's head from debris, rollovers and the like. The design also moves the driving position to dead center instead of off to the left or right, also as a safety precaution. Drivers Andy Meyrick and Olivier Pla will helm the machine at its inaugural race this weekend which could be as soon as Laguna Seca.

UPDATE: A clarification - the DeltaWing coupe will not race at Sebring, it will merely be displayed. The open-top version of the car will be campaigned with a new, larger engine until the coupe is ready to race.

DeltaWing coupe to debut at Sebring [UPDATE] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 14 Mar 2013 15:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>almsandy meyrickdelta wingdeltawingdeltawing coupeelan motorsports technologieslmp1olivier plasebringsebring international racewayThu, 14 Mar 2013 15:44:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20502528/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/03/14/deltawing-coupe-to-debut-at-sebring/20502528/article-detail.xml 20502528 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/03/01-deltawing-coupe-628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/03/01-deltawing-coupe-628.jpg <![CDATA[DeltaWing shines up nice for 2013 ALMS season]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/04/deltawing-shines-up-nice-for-2013-alms-season/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/04/deltawing-shines-up-nice-for-2013-alms-season/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/04/deltawing-shines-up-nice-for-2013-alms-season/#commentsFiled under: ,



Returning for its sophomore season, numerous changes have been made to the DeltaWing racecar - not the least of which is the fact that it is no longer associated with Nissan - but the most significant update could be a remedy to one of the car's biggest criticisms, its color. In the car's inaugural season, it was reported that other drivers on the track simply couldn't see the racecar, which, due to a combination of its narrow, low-slung stance and its matte black paint scheme, resulted in an early departure from the 24 Hours of Le Mans and a spectacular crash at Petite Le Mans. Rather than redesigning the entire car, though, the DeltaWing team is hoping that a new livery, consisting of a flashy chrome body with red decals, will alleviate some of the visibility problems.

The bright, reflective surface is the polar opposite of the previous livery, and the red accents include the mirrors, trio of rear fins and the DeltaWing name along the side of the car, which replaces the Nissan logo. This chrome, Nissan-less DeltaWing will make it racing debut in less than two weeks at the 12 Hours of Sebring, and Speed TV is also reporting that the closed-cockpit version of the racecar will debut for the ALMS race at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in May.

DeltaWing shines up nice for 2013 ALMS season originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 04 Mar 2013 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>12 Hours of Sebring2013 deltawing liveryalmsamerican le mans serieschrome deltawingdeltawingdon panozMon, 04 Mar 2013 16:29:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20487784/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/03/04/deltawing-shines-up-nice-for-2013-alms-season/20487784/article-detail.xml 20487784 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/03/2013-deltawing-livery_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/03/2013-deltawing-livery.jpg <![CDATA[This is the BMW Z4 GTE that will wear the Roundel in ALMS]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/17/this-is-the-bmw-z4-gte-that-will-wear-the-roundel-in-alms/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/17/this-is-the-bmw-z4-gte-that-will-wear-the-roundel-in-alms/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/17/this-is-the-bmw-z4-gte-that-will-wear-the-roundel-in-alms/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



The Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway are a month of racing and reveals, with the season's metal going for the flag at races like the Rolex 24 at Daytona and other cars being introduced to the public. In the latter category is the BMW Z4 GTE (click the image above to enlarge) joining the American Le Mans Series GT class this year with BMW Team RLL (Rahal, Letterman and Lanigan). This machine replaces the M3 GT that completed four years of service and won the class title in 2010 and 2011. Naturally, the team is tempering expectations for the Z4 GTE by repeating the fact that it sees this season as a development year.

BMW Team RLL drivers for its two cars will be Bill Auberlen and series rookie Maxime Martin in the No. 55, aided by Jörg Müller for the endurance races at Sebring and Road Atlanta. The No. 56 car gets Dirk Müller on a full-time basis, Joey Hand when he's not competing in the DTM series, and John Edwards when Hand isn't available. Uwe Alzen will help out with driving duties in the No. 56 at endurance races.

Want to know more? Scroll down below for the complete press release.

Continue reading This is the BMW Z4 GTE that will wear the Roundel in ALMS

This is the BMW Z4 GTE that will wear the Roundel in ALMS originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 17 Feb 2013 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>almsamerican le mans seriesbmwbmw team rllbmw z4 gtemotorsportsz4 gteSun, 17 Feb 2013 10:58:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20459710/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/02/17/this-is-the-bmw-z4-gte-that-will-wear-the-roundel-in-alms/20459710/article-detail.xml 20459710 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/02/bmwz4gte_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/02/bmwz4gte.jpg <![CDATA[Audi commits two R18 E-Tron Quattros to final Sebring race for LMP1 cars]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/23/audi-commits-two-r18-e-tron-quattros-to-final-sebring-race-for-l/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/23/audi-commits-two-r18-e-tron-quattros-to-final-sebring-race-for-l/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/23/audi-commits-two-r18-e-tron-quattros-to-final-sebring-race-for-l/#commentsFiled under: ,

Audi R18 E-Tron Quattro racecar - front three-quarter view

We were baffled a few weeks back when the American Le Mans Series and Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series announced new classes that will make up their combined racing program in 2014. Gone from the list is the Le Mans Prototype class, otherwise known as LMP1. The LMP1 class has long been the top dog of endurance racing, both in Europe and the US, so we couldn't figure out why this newly minted racing series was jettisoning it like yesterday's donuts.

It appears as if Audi is confused by the move as well. The German brand has announced it will participate in this year's ALMS opening round, the famed 12 Hours of Sebring, as it does every year, and bringing two Audi R18 E-Tron Quattro hybrid race cars with which to compete. Unlike every other year, Audi is treating this year's race as its potential swan song in this famous Florida race.

There's a good reason that Audi is so fond of the 12 Hours of Sebring, as it debuted the gas-powered R8R there in 1999 that kicked off its participation in the upper echelon of endurance racing. The R8R preceded the R8, which debuted at Sebring in 2000 and won that race, starting an amazing career for that car that included five more wins at Sebring. The R8 was followed by the R10, then the R15 and R18, and finally we wind up at today's R18 E-Tron Quattro - all winners, all dominant, all exciting to watch.

Along with the two R18 E-Tron Quattros doing the actual racing, one of which will be a new updated version, Audi is bringing an R8 from the 2000-2005 era, an R10 TDI from the 2006-2008 era, an R15 TDI from 2009 and the R18 TDI that won there last year, all for the enjoyment of spectators who've watched Audi dominate this race, winning it outright in 10 of the last 12 years.

Though Audi has long since abandoned campaigning the whole ALMS season, it was still usually good for at least the season opener in Sebring, which provided a nicely timed testing opportunity ahead of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, if not a couple of other races on the calendar. Unfortunately, with the demise of LMP1 in American endurance racing, March 16 in Sebring, Florida may be the last time for a while that we see Audi dominate an endurance race on American soil. Let's hope ALMS and Grand-Am find a solution.

Continue reading Audi commits two R18 E-Tron Quattros to final Sebring race for LMP1 cars

Audi commits two R18 E-Tron Quattros to final Sebring race for LMP1 cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 Jan 2013 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>12 hours of sebringalmsamerican le mans seriesaudie-trongrand amgrand am rolexr10r15r18r18 e-tron quattror18 prototyper8sebringWed, 23 Jan 2013 15:45:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20435536/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/01/23/audi-commits-two-r18-e-tron-quattros-to-final-sebring-race-for-l/20435536/article-detail.xml 20435536 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/01/audimotorsport-130121-0419-opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/01/audimotorsport-130121-0419-opt.jpg <![CDATA[ALMS, Grand-Am announce combined class structure, LMP1 is out]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/04/alms-grand-am-announce-combined-class-structure-lmp1-is-out/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/04/alms-grand-am-announce-combined-class-structure-lmp1-is-out/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/04/alms-grand-am-announce-combined-class-structure-lmp1-is-out/#commentsFiled under: ,



Other than the announcement back in September that the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series and the American Le Mans Series were merging, there have been precious few details as to how the newly combined series would shake out. Today, both entities helped clear things up a bit by announcing some of the new classification changes that will go into effect for the 2014 Rolex 24, changes that are confirmed through the 2015 season.

The names for the new classes (or the new series as a whole) have yet to be released, but the breakdown goes like this:
  • The ALMS P1 prototype class (pictured above) has been eliminated
  • Grand-Am Daytona Prototype and ALMS P2 classes will be merged
  • Nissan Deltawing will compete in this merged class
  • ALMS Prototype Challenge will remain a separate class
  • Grand-Am and ALMS GT classes will continue to run separate cars and classes
  • The future of the Grand-Am's new GX class sounds unsure after this year, with it either becoming part of the ALMS GT class or becoming its own separate class
Right off the bat, this suggests we will no longer see LMP1 cars like the Audi R18 TDI or Lola racecars in the US, though we still don't know what sort of rule changes there will be for the Prototype and GT classes (and we wouldn't be surprised to see these competitors end up in a different class). Despite losing the LMP1 cars (which currently runs hybrid and diesel racecars), both organizations look to include more "green technologies." We already know the new ALMS GX class will feature 2014 Mazda6 with a Skyactiv-D diesel engine under the hood.

For more information about the newly combined road racing series, check out the press release by scrolling below.

Continue reading ALMS, Grand-Am announce combined class structure, LMP1 is out

ALMS, Grand-Am announce combined class structure, LMP1 is out originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Jan 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>almsamerican le mans seriesgrand amgrand-am alms mergerlmp1road racingrolex 24 at daytonaFri, 04 Jan 2013 19:00:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20417414/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/01/04/alms-grand-am-announce-combined-class-structure-lmp1-is-out/20417414/article-detail.xml 20417414 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/01/alms-lmp1-class_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/01/alms-lmp1-class.jpg <![CDATA[Petit Le Mans-winning team commits to full 2013 ALMS season]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/12/08/petit-le-mans-winning-team-commits-to-full-2013-alms-season/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/12/08/petit-le-mans-winning-team-commits-to-full-2013-alms-season/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/12/08/petit-le-mans-winning-team-commits-to-full-2013-alms-season/#commentsFiled under: ,



The LMP1 class in the American Le Mans Series has been a 'two's company' affair for the past few years, with only the Dyson Racing Team in its Mazda-powered Lola chassis and the Muscle Milk Pickett Racing Team in its Honda chassis and engine running in 2011 and 2012. The class will officially become a crowd in 2013, though, when it's joined by the Toyota-engined Lola chassis of Rebellion Racing. The Anglo-Swiss team only ran one race in the ALMS last year, the year's finale at Petit Le Mans, that it won.

The move appears to be about visibility. Rebellion invested most of its 2012 contesting the FIA's World Endurance Championship series, where it won the Endurance Trophy for Private LMP1 Teams. Yet six wins in eight races and a class win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans didn't result in the kind of attention or visibility that the team is after - it's said that the manufacturer teams still fill the spotlights. Rebellion team manager Bart Hayden said of the ALMS, "The visibility generated by overall wins is more in line with what our partners require and desire."

Rebellion wants to remain in the WEC and is looking for a way to run a parallel program alongside its ALMS entry next year. The team will bring two cars to next year's opening round at the 12 Hours of Sebring to get things started in the US. The full driver line-up for its US series entry haven't been announced, but Speed reports that 2012 European Le Mans Series champion Mathias Beche is already on the roster.

Petit Le Mans-winning team commits to full 2013 ALMS season originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 08 Dec 2012 17:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2013 almsalmsamerican le mans seriesrebellionrebellion racingSat, 08 Dec 2012 17:04:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20396746/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/12/08/petit-le-mans-winning-team-commits-to-full-2013-alms-season/20396746/article-detail.xml 20396746 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/12/rebellionalms2013_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/12/rebellionalms2013.jpg <![CDATA[ALMS, Grand-Am asking fans to help name new combined series]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/30/alms-grand-am-asking-fans-to-help-name-new-combined-series/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/30/alms-grand-am-asking-fans-to-help-name-new-combined-series/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/30/alms-grand-am-asking-fans-to-help-name-new-combined-series/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

ALMS Grand Am

Now that it is settled that the American Le Mans Series and the Grand-Am Rolex racing series are officially tying the knot, the next big thing needs to be settled: What are they going to call it? Organizers must be preoccupied with either determining race classes or figuring where they are going to put so many awesome GT-class racers and prototypes, because they are asking the fans to come up with a name for the combined entity.

Dubbed "Name the Future," the contest started on November 20, but fear not, as it runs through the end of December. Simply head over to www.namethefuture.com and take a shot at naming the series. Anyone who submits a name is automatically entered in a chance to win a VIP trip for two to either the Rolex 24 at Daytona (Jan 24-27, 2013) or the Twelve Hours of Sebring (Mar 13-16, 2013). In just one week of the contest, there have already been over 2,800 submissions.

The VIP trip up for grabs will include airfare, hotel, and the full race-weekend VIP treatment. That likely means pit access, a ride in the pace car, a behind-the-scenes tour, and more. The news of this contest comes quickly after word that SME Branding has been hired on to help create the brand identity of this new race series. So if you love sportscar racing and would like to have a hand in creating the new series' image, click the link here to enter.

ALMS, Grand-Am asking fans to help name new combined series originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Nov 2012 09:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>12 hours of sebring24 hours of daytonaalmsamerican le mans seriesgrand amgrand am rolexFri, 30 Nov 2012 09:45:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20389393/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/11/30/alms-grand-am-asking-fans-to-help-name-new-combined-series/20389393/article-detail.xml 20389393 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/11/alms-grand-am_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/11/alms-grand-am.jpg <![CDATA[Porsche moving on from 911 GT3 RSR Type 997, new 991-based racer will be ready by 2014]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/31/porsche-moving-on-from-911-gt3-rsr-type-997-new-991-based-racer/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/31/porsche-moving-on-from-911-gt3-rsr-type-997-new-991-based-racer/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/31/porsche-moving-on-from-911-gt3-rsr-type-997-new-991-based-racer/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



The 991 Porsche 911 is already on the streets, but we're going to have to wait until 2014 before we see the car in race form on the track. Porsche Motorsport recently announced that it is ending development of the current 997-based 911 GT3 RSR used in the American Le Mans Series in preparation of the new car. Porsche also revealed that its ALMS GT class partnership with Flying Lizard Motorsports is being discontinued as well. While there will be no more 997 cars built for 2013, Porsche will still be supplying teams with extra parts and tubs to compete.

Porsche's announcement, of course, coincides with the recent news that ALMS and Grand-Am are merging for the 2014 season. It isn't clear how the merger will play out between the ALMS and Rolex Series GT cars, but Andy Schupack of Porsche motorsports PR says the merger could get "complicated" since the RSR would be illegal under the current Grand-Am rules.

"It is possible that there will be two GT classes: one for the ALMS GT cars and second class that will probably combine the ALMS GT Challenge with the Rolex GT cars," said Schupack in a phone interview. "The big difference between the two classes now is that Grand-Am cars are tube-frame cars and ALMS GT uses a real chassis that has more in common with a road car."

Schupack also said that there is a possibility that the merger could bring the IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge - a one-make series currently running the 911 GT3 - to Daytona International Speedway for the first time.

Continue reading Porsche moving on from 911 GT3 RSR Type 997, new 991-based racer will be ready by 2014

Porsche moving on from 911 GT3 RSR Type 997, new 991-based racer will be ready by 2014 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 31 Oct 2012 09:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>911 gt3 rsralmsamerican le mans seriesgrand-amgt classgtc classporscheporsche motorsportWed, 31 Oct 2012 09:39:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20363704/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/10/31/porsche-moving-on-from-911-gt3-rsr-type-997-new-991-based-racer/20363704/article-detail.xml 20363704 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/11/webgt3-rsr_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/11/webgt3-rsr.jpg <![CDATA[2012 ALMS champions crowned at Petit Le Mans]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/22/2012-alms-champions-crowned-at-petit-le-mans/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/22/2012-alms-champions-crowned-at-petit-le-mans/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/22/2012-alms-champions-crowned-at-petit-le-mans/#commentsFiled under:

2012 Petit Le Mans

The American Le Mans Series headed to Braselton, GA this past weekend for the 15th annual Petit Le Mans and the conclusion of its 2012 season. While some of the championships had already been decided earlier in the season - the Corvette team had already captured the manufacturer, team and driver championships for the GT class prior to the race, for example - there were still several titles up for grabs. The Muscle Milk Pickett Racing team, having dominated much of the ALMS season in the fastest P1 class, needed to finish just 70 percent of the race distance to take home the crown, as did the Level 5 Motorsports team in P2.

While Petit Le Mans remains one of the most important events on the North American motorsports calendar, there were some big names absent from the field at Road Atlanta. Peugeot, having dropped funding for its Le Mans program, wouldn't be around to defend their overall wins from the past three years. Audi, with the World Endurance Championship dropping Petit Le Mans from their calendar and no Peugeot to battle, decided to forgo the trip across the Atlantic as well.

Even so, the field of cars for Petit Le Mans remained strong thanks to the European Le Mans series making the 1,000 mile endurance race their season finale as well. The Europeans proved to be quick, with the Rebellion Racing Lola-Toyota taking the overall pole position and the Morgan-Nissan of Oak Racing took the top qualifying spot in P2.

Adding some extra flair to this year's race was the addition of the Nissan DeltaWing, making its first competition appearance in North America. Despite having a scary crash on Wednesday and undergoing extensive repairs, the DeltaWing proved to have significant pace throughout practice and qualifying.

Scroll down for a full race report from the 2012 Petit Le Mans, and check out our exhaustive gallery of high-res images above.

Continue reading 2012 ALMS champions crowned at Petit Le Mans

2012 ALMS champions crowned at Petit Le Mans originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 22 Oct 2012 09:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2012 petit le mansalmsamerican le mans seriesdeltawinggt classlmp1lmp2nissannissan deltawingpetit le mansMon, 22 Oct 2012 09:15:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20356105/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/10/22/2012-alms-champions-crowned-at-petit-le-mans/20356105/article-detail.xml 20356105 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/10/petit-le-mans-2012_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/10/petit-le-mans-2012.jpg <![CDATA[Running order set for 2012 Petit Le Mans]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/19/running-order-set-for-2012-petit-le-mans/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/19/running-order-set-for-2012-petit-le-mans/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/19/running-order-set-for-2012-petit-le-mans/#commentsFiled under:

2012 Petit Le Mans Qualifying

The 15th running of Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta is slated for this weekend, and there promises to be plenty of exciting racing in the last event of the American Le Mans Series. Despite being dropped from the World Endurance Championship in favor of the 6 Hours of Bahrain, the field of cars remains bountiful thanks to the European Le Mans Series joining in and making the 10-hour endurance race its series finale as well.

To set the starting order for tomorrow's race, each of the teams ran a 15 minute qualifying session this afternoon split up by class.

In P1 the Rebellion Racing Lola-Toyota qualified on pole, just ahead of the Muscle Milk Racing HPD ARX-03a that has dominated the class in ALMS this year. Rebillion Racing finished 5th in last year's event and are looking to add a victory at Petit Le Mans to their extensive list of wins already achieved this year.

In the hotly contested GT class it was a pair of Extreme Speed Ferrari 458 Italias leading the way in a 1-2, followed by BMW and Corvette. The SRT Viper team, constantly improving since their debut at Mid-Ohio, qualified in 6th and 10th.

After being extensively repaired from Wednesday's crash, the Nissan DeltaWing posted a qualifying time on par with the P2 class, netting a fast lap of 1:12.850, eight-tenths off the quickest P2 car.

Check out the complete list of qualifying times here (PDF), and check out our photos from the practice and qualifying sessions in the gallery above.

Running order set for 2012 Petit Le Mans originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 19 Oct 2012 19:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>almsamerican le manspetit le manspetit le mans 2012road atlantaFri, 19 Oct 2012 19:28:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20355596/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/10/19/running-order-set-for-2012-petit-le-mans/20355596/article-detail.xml 20355596 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/10/petit-le-mans-2012-qualifying-1350686460_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/10/petit-le-mans-2012-qualifying-1350686460.jpg <![CDATA[Nissan DeltaWing crashes during practice for Petit Le Mans]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/17/nissan-deltawing-crashes-during-practice-for-petit-le-mans/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/17/nissan-deltawing-crashes-during-practice-for-petit-le-mans/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/17/nissan-deltawing-crashes-during-practice-for-petit-le-mans/#commentsFiled under: ,



Fate has been cruel to the unique little Nissan DeltaWing. Already an outcast because of its odd shape, the experimental prototype was unceremoniously ran off the road in its inaugural outing last June during the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It's followup to that unfinished effort is supposed to be this weekend's Petit Le Mans race, the season finale of the American Le Mans Series in which the DeltaWing will be participating next year. But word from the Twitterverse is that the DeltaWing has crashed again, this time during testing for the big race at Road Atlanta. The official tweet from the DeltaWing team reads as follows.

Incident at @RoadAtlanta. GTC Porsche made contact with @gunnarjeannette who got upside down. Gunnar is ok. Car report to follow. #ALMS


Gunnar Jeannette was behind the wheel at the time of contact with the unidentified GTC Porsche and, as the tweet indicates, is "ok." Fellow series driver Bruno Junqueira, however, tweeted the above pic of the damage, which, without the context of video, looks pretty severe.

There's been no official word yet from the DeltaWing team or Nissan about what happens next, specifically whether or not the car can be repaired in time for this weekend's race or there's another one waiting in the wings. We'll let you know when we know.

Nissan DeltaWing crashes during practice for Petit Le Mans originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 17 Oct 2012 16:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>almsamerican le mans seriescrashdeltawinggunnar jeannettenissanpetit le manswreckWed, 17 Oct 2012 16:23:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20353092/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/10/17/nissan-deltawing-crashes-during-practice-for-petit-le-mans/20353092/article-detail.xml 20353092 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/10/a5blbhyccaaiouj308916-opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/10/a5blbhyccaaiouj308916-opt.jpg <![CDATA[Nissan DeltaWing will compete for points in 2013 ALMS season]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/16/nissan-deltawing-will-compete-for-points-in-2013-alms-season/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/16/nissan-deltawing-will-compete-for-points-in-2013-alms-season/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/16/nissan-deltawing-will-compete-for-points-in-2013-alms-season/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Nissan DeltaWing

The Nissan DeltaWing is set to tackle the American Le Mans Series as a fully classified car for 2013. That means the odd-looking racer will be eligible for points starting next year, but we won't have to wait until the new season kicks off to see the machine on North American soil. As we've previously heard, the DeltaWing will run in this weekend's Petit Le Mans competition unclassified as a factory entry. Nissan campaigned its racer in a similar fashion at the 2012 24 Hours of Le Mans. IMSA plans to collect data on the DeltaWing at the upcoming race at Road Atlanta in order to craft a set of rules for the race car.

Organizers should have no shortage of information to analyze. Petit Le Mans is a 10-hour slog that covers 1,000 miles in 2.54-mile laps of Road Atlanta. This weekend's race kicks off at 11:30 AM EST on October 21.

Nissan DeltaWing will compete for points in 2013 ALMS season originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 16 Oct 2012 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>almsamerican le mans seriesdeltawingimsanissannissan deltawingroad atlantaTue, 16 Oct 2012 10:45:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20350065/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/10/16/nissan-deltawing-will-compete-for-points-in-2013-alms-season/20350065/article-detail.xml 20350065 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/10/nissan-deltawing_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/10/nissan-deltawing.jpg <![CDATA[ALMS and Grand-Am make merger official, first joint race named]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/05/alms-and-grand-am-make-merger-official-first-joint-race-named/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/05/alms-and-grand-am-make-merger-official-first-joint-race-named/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/05/alms-and-grand-am-make-merger-official-first-joint-race-named/#commentsFiled under:



Earlier reports of a merger between the American Le Mans Series and the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series have proven to be well founded today, as representatives from both series have confirmed that the merger is indeed taking place.

Grand-Am founder Jim France and ALMS founder Don Panoz stated jointly this afternoon that the new sports car racing series, as yet unnamed, will kick off with its first joint race at the Rolex 24 at Daytona in 2014. The new series is likely to present a schedule of some 12 races per year, though each series will continue on independently for the 2013 season.

While no confirmation of the exact racing-class structure has been given yet, a continuation of the popular Prototype and GT classes seems likely. Evidence for this came in the form of some Grand-Am and ALMS cars on display for the announcement: a Corvette Daytona Prototype, SRT Viper GTS-R and a Lola B12/80 Judd, amongst others.

France (the son of legendary NASCAR founder, Bill France Sr.) will take on the role of Chairman for the new series, with Panoz serving as Vice Chairman.

Some larger support from NASCAR is seemingly in evidence, too, with three members of that series' executive structure serving as board members for the new sports car racing tie-up.

For their part, early response to the announcement on the part of participating automakers seems bullish. Jamie Allison, Director of Ford Racing, called the event an "epic moment for sports car racing in America." Echoing those sentiments, Ralph Gilles, President and CEO of SRT, said in a press release, "Congratulations to both leadership teams for unifying their efforts to create what will certainly be an amazing new series featuring outstanding sports car competition at some of the most legendary race courses."

ALMS and Grand-Am make merger official, first joint race named originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 05 Sep 2012 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>almsamerican le mans seriesdon panozgrand-amgrand-am alms mergergrand-am seriesjim francemergernascarWed, 05 Sep 2012 16:58:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20316956/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/09/05/alms-and-grand-am-make-merger-official-first-joint-race-named/20316956/article-detail.xml 20316956 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/09/alms-grand-am-merger-628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/09/alms-grand-am-merger-628.jpg <![CDATA[ALMS, Grand Am finally getting hitched]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/02/alms-grand-am-finally-getting-hitched/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/02/alms-grand-am-finally-getting-hitched/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/02/alms-grand-am-finally-getting-hitched/#commentsFiled under: ,

SRT Viper ALMS Entry

SPEED reports the American Le Mans Series and the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series are merging. Rumors have swirled around the marriage of the two series for years, but fired up in earnest two weeks ago. Though details are still scarce, SPEED says Grand-Am will likely take on sanctioning duties. The news comes courtesy of unnamed sources, including manufacturers and race participants, who indicate the championship may very well combine classes from both ALMS and the Rolex Series. ALMS President and CEO Scott Atherton has denied the merger, and SPEED says a spokesperson for the Rolex Series declined to comment.

Traditionally, the two race series have been spirited rivals, and while both saw widespread support from manufacturers and privateer teams over the years, entries in key categories have recently declined.

The two won't officially combine until 2014 at the earliest. ALMS recently signed a one-year licensing deal with the sanctioning body behind the Le Mans series in Europe, which means we'll continue to see racing under the ALMS banner for at least one more season. Look for officials to make an official announcement on Wednesday in Daytona Beach, Florida.

ALMS, Grand Am finally getting hitched originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 02 Sep 2012 16:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>almsalms grand amamerican le mans seriesgrand amgrand am alms mergerSun, 02 Sep 2012 16:03:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20314808/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/09/02/alms-grand-am-finally-getting-hitched/20314808/article-detail.xml 20314808 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/09/viper-american-le-mans-series-628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/09/viper-american-le-mans-series-628.jpg <![CDATA[Watch SRT's Viper GTS-R return to professional racing at Mid-Ohio]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/07/watch-srts-viper-gts-r-return-to-professional-racing-at-mid-ohi/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/07/watch-srts-viper-gts-r-return-to-professional-racing-at-mid-ohi/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/07/watch-srts-viper-gts-r-return-to-professional-racing-at-mid-ohi/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

SRT Viper GTS-R returns to racing at Mid-Ohio

Spectators at this past weekend's ALMS race at Mid-Ohio made sure to pay special attention to the two Viper GTS-R racers with their video cameras, and Chrysler's cameras were out in full force as well. It was the first race for SRT Motorsport's Team Viper after a lenthy hiatus. Both V10 racers had to run their 8.0-liter engines with an air restrictor because the rest of the class runs with 5.5 liters. The 455-horsepower snakes finished the race in 10th and 12th place overall while gathering valuable data.

Oh, about that "thundering in your ears" that Autoblog Editor-in-chief John Neff mentioned in his race coverage? They've still got it. Big time. Have a watch and a listen of the videos below.

Team Viper and their thundering coupes head to Road America in two weeks.

Continue reading Watch SRT's Viper GTS-R return to professional racing at Mid-Ohio

Watch SRT's Viper GTS-R return to professional racing at Mid-Ohio originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 07 Aug 2012 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>almsamerican le mans seriesdodge viperdodge viper srt-10mid-ohioralph gillessrtsrt vipersrt viper gts-rvideoviperviper gts-rTue, 07 Aug 2012 12:31:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20294871/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/08/07/watch-srts-viper-gts-r-return-to-professional-racing-at-mid-ohi/20294871/article-detail.xml 20294871 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/08/vipergts-rmid-ohio_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/08/vipergts-rmid-ohio.jpg -1 2