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[Nissan looks back at the DeltaWing's first year]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/12/10/nissan-looks-back-at-the-deltawings-first-year/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/12/10/nissan-looks-back-at-the-deltawings-first-year/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/12/10/nissan-looks-back-at-the-deltawings-first-year/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Nissan DeltaWing in the paddock

It was a tumultuous year for the Nissan DeltaWing. After garnering the support of sponsors and fielding one of the most unique race cars in recent history, the team suffered an early crash at the 24 Hours of Le Mans that saw them sidelined during the remainder of the car's debut race. Likewise, a collision during qualifying at Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta put the team at the back of the pack for the race. Even so, the car managed to fight its way through the field of competitors to place fifth overall.

Needless to say, the car, its drivers and its team have learned some serious lessons in its first year. To commemorate the DeltaWing's first season on the world's race tracks, Nissan has worked up a quick retrospective video documenting the car's trials and triumphs in 2012. You can check it out by scrolling below.

Continue reading Nissan looks back at the DeltaWing's first year

Nissan looks back at the DeltaWing's first year originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 10 Dec 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>24 hours of le mans24 hours of lemansdeltawingnissannissan deltawingpetit le mansvideoMon, 10 Dec 2012 19:30:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20398959/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/12/10/nissan-looks-back-at-the-deltawings-first-year/20398959/article-detail.xml 20398959 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/12/deltawing-video-628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/12/deltawing-video-628.jpg <![CDATA[The sights and sounds of the Nissan DeltaWing at Petit Le Mans [w/video]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/24/the-sights-and-sounds-of-the-nissan-deltawing-at-petit-le-mans/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/24/the-sights-and-sounds-of-the-nissan-deltawing-at-petit-le-mans/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/24/the-sights-and-sounds-of-the-nissan-deltawing-at-petit-le-mans/#commentsFiled under: ,

Nissan DeltaWing at Petit Le Mans

After being sideswiped at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June and suffering a a similar accident during a practice session last week, the Nissan DeltaWing was in danger of becoming known for its crashes more than its racing prowess or unique appearance. That's why we hoped the racecar, competing in only its second race, would finish the 1,000-mile endurance madness of Petit Le Mans.

Thankfully, the Nissan/Highcroft Racing team did more than just that on Saturday, running a flawless race at Road Atlanta and finishing in fifth place overall. The result could have been even higher if pass-around periods during full course cautions would have gone the team's way.

Despite finishing in the top 10 in qualifying, the DeltaWing was relegated to the back of the grid for the start of the race thanks to its unclassified status, but that changed quickly as the car went from 42nd to 8th in its first stint.

Drivers Lucas Ordonez and Gunnar Jeannette drove a smooth and steady race up to fifth place, the car's speed and efficiency helping greatly here. The DeltaWing has just half the weight and half the aerodynamic drag of a typical ALMS prototype, meaning the team could go further between pit stops and change tires less often.

Scroll down below to watch a video detailing the DeltaWing's historic finish at Petit Le Mans or check out our photos from the race in the gallery above.

Continue reading The sights and sounds of the Nissan DeltaWing at Petit Le Mans [w/video]

The sights and sounds of the Nissan DeltaWing at Petit Le Mans [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Oct 2012 12:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>deltawingnissannissan deltawingpetit le mansvideosWed, 24 Oct 2012 12:46:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20356106/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/10/24/the-sights-and-sounds-of-the-nissan-deltawing-at-petit-le-mans/20356106/article-detail.xml 20356106 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/10/nissan-deltawing-petit-le-mans_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/10/nissan-deltawing-petit-le-mans.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 repaired and ready for action at Petit Le Mans]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/18/nissan-deltawing-repaired-and-ready-for-action-at-petit-le-mans/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/18/nissan-deltawing-repaired-and-ready-for-action-at-petit-le-mans/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/18/nissan-deltawing-repaired-and-ready-for-action-at-petit-le-mans/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Nissan DeltaWing at Petit Le Mans

After first watching the scary crash of the Nissan DeltaWing at Road Atlanta yesterday, we were worried that the one-off racecar wouldn't be ready for Petit Le Mans on Saturday. We needn't have worried, though, as the car has been quickly repaired by the Highcroft Racing Team in plenty of time. In fact, the car will be running in the night practice session later today and in the practice and qualifying sessions tomorrow.

The quick turnaround is due to the fact that the crash didn't cause as much damage to the car as initially thought. Ben Bowlby, the car's designer, tells us that while the accident looked severe it didn't compromise the integrity of the chassis.

"There was skin damage to an enormous number of parts - both sides of the nose, the side pods, the tail, one mirror - were all damaged, but the chassis wasn't other than a few scratches," he tells us.

The suspension system and engine have also been swapped out so as to have a fresh start before the race. In all the repairs took right around 24 hours.

You can see our photos of the fully repaired Nissan DeltaWing in the gallery above, and check back this weekend for more coverage of the car and Petit Le Mans.

Nissan DeltaWing repaired and ready for action at Petit Le Mans originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 18 Oct 2012 19:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>deltawingnissannissan deltawingpetit le manspetit le mans 2012Thu, 18 Oct 2012 19:19:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20354561/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/10/18/nissan-deltawing-repaired-and-ready-for-action-at-petit-le-mans/20354561/article-detail.xml 20354561 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/10/deltawing-petit-le-mans-pit_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/10/deltawing-petit-le-mans-pit.jpg <![CDATA[Watch Nissan DeltaWing's scary crash in Atlanta]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/18/watch-nissan-deltawings-scary-crash-in-atlanta/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/18/watch-nissan-deltawings-scary-crash-in-atlanta/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/18/watch-nissan-deltawings-scary-crash-in-atlanta/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Yesterday, we caught word on Twitter that the Nissan DeltaWing had crashed during testing for this weekend's Petit Le Mans. Now Nissan has provided us with some frightening footage of how the incident went down. The important thing is that driver Gunnar Jeannette is okay, but this is yet another setback for Nissan and its radically experimental prototype racecar.

Just like the DeltaWing's crash at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, this wreck was a result of the car being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Heading into Turn 11 at Road Atlanta, Jeannette was passing the Green Hornet Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car, competing in the GT-Challenge class, when the Porsche veered into the side of the DeltaWing right in front of the left rear wheel. This crash might bring in to question not just concerns over the racer's visibility to other drivers, it might also raise stability concerns for the wedge-shaped car since it appears the PIT-maneuver-like contact with the Porsche would have just sent most cars into a spin rather than flipping over.

The good news for the DeltaWing is that Nissan's Steve Yaeger, technology and motorsport communications manager, says the damage wasn't that severe, and it is hoping to have the car back on the track today.

Scroll down to watch the frightening crash.

Continue reading Watch Nissan DeltaWing's scary crash in Atlanta

Watch Nissan DeltaWing's scary crash in Atlanta originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 18 Oct 2012 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>crash videodeltawingdeltawing crashdeltawing racinggunnar jeannettenissannissan deltawingpetit le manspetit lemansvideoThu, 18 Oct 2012 10:15:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20353709/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/10/18/watch-nissan-deltawings-scary-crash-in-atlanta/20353709/article-detail.xml 20353709 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/10/deltawing-crash-628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/10/deltawing-crash-628.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 headed back into the fray, will race at Petit Le Mans [w/video]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/17/nissan-deltawing-headed-back-into-the-fray-will-race-at-petit-l/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/17/nissan-deltawing-headed-back-into-the-fray-will-race-at-petit-l/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/17/nissan-deltawing-headed-back-into-the-fray-will-race-at-petit-l/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Nissan DeltaWing race car - front dead-on view, studio image

The racing world has not seen the last of the DeltaWing. Nissan's dart-shaped moldbreaker was last seen at Le Mans in June, where the prototype racer was accidentally taken out of competition by a Toyota prototype. Driver Satoshi Motoyama famously tried in vain to resuscitate his damaged racer for 45 minutes, a struggle that has since been labeled by many as one of the most heroic and touching "agony of defeat" moments in motorsports history.

Addressing what it says is "unfinished business," Nissan has confirmed that GT Academy vet Lucas Ordonez and ALMS PC class champ Gunnar Jeannette will race the car at Petit Le Mans, the ALMS series finale, at Road Atlanta on October 17-20.

The Nismo team trio that fielded the DeltaWing at Le Mans - Satoshi Motoyama, Marino Franchitti and Michael Krumm - are apparently otherwise committed, so the driving duties for the 10-hour, 1,000-mile enduro will fall to Ordonez and Jeannette.

Better still, Nissan reports that the DeltaWing could return to race as part of the ALMS in 2013. As we previously reported, the ALMS and Grand-Am racing series are merging for 2014, and Nissan says "provision will be made" for the DeltaWing in the combined series new regulations, opening the door for it to compete for points.

To watch a video of Nissan talking about the DeltaWing's return to competition and check out the official press release, scroll down.

Continue reading Nissan DeltaWing headed back into the fray, will race at Petit Le Mans [w/video]

Nissan DeltaWing headed back into the fray, will race at Petit Le Mans [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 17 Sep 2012 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingdelta wingdeltawingnissanpetit le manspetit lemanssatoshi motoyamavideoMon, 17 Sep 2012 14:59:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20325420/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/09/17/nissan-deltawing-headed-back-into-the-fray-will-race-at-petit-l/20325420/article-detail.xml 20325420 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/09/nissan-deltawing-studio-nose_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/09/nissan-deltawing-studio-nose.jpg <![CDATA[European Le Mans Series cancels last two races, will join ALMS at Petit Le Mans]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/07/27/european-le-mans-series-cancels-last-two-races-will-join-alms-a/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/07/27/european-le-mans-series-cancels-last-two-races-will-join-alms-a/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/07/27/european-le-mans-series-cancels-last-two-races-will-join-alms-a/#commentsFiled under: , ,



In a recent announcement, the Automobile Club de l'Ouest informed endurance racing fans that the two remaining races of the 2012 European Le Mans Series will be canceled. Citing too few cars to fill the grid, the September 7-9 race in Brno, and the November 2-4 race in Algarve will not be held.

In a statement from the ACO, the recent news is a "result of the current economic climate and a very competitive GT market with numerous championships that have led to the disposal of cars of this type in Europe."

In a spot of good news, ALMS has invited full-season competitors to Petit Le Mans in October. As many as 14 registered full season teams will get help from ALMS to Road Atlanta, a 1,000-mile/ ten hour endurance race. These 14 teams will join a grid of up to 40 cars from ALMS.

The remainder of the ELMS schedule is the latest casualty in road racing, as the FIA GT1 World and GT3 European Championships have also been axed.

Petit Le Mans is set to feature double-points scoring for teams. ELMS is still expected to award entries to 2013 Le Mans 24 Hours for LMP2, GTE-Am and GTE-Pro.

At the Six Hours of Donington, a season-low of only 13 cars entered, promoting a series of internal meetings at ACO. Hopefully, a long-term plan will be hatched that can allow one of the top road-racing series to continue for next year.

European Le Mans Series cancels last two races, will join ALMS at Petit Le Mans originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Jul 2012 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>almschampionshipelmseuropeanfiagt1gt2petit le mansroad atlantasroFri, 27 Jul 2012 08:28:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20283094/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/07/27/european-le-mans-series-cancels-last-two-races-will-join-alms-a/20283094/article-detail.xml 20283094 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/alms-laguna-seca-2012_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/alms-laguna-seca-2012.jpg <![CDATA[Panoz Abruzzi makes on-track appearance, gearing up for competition]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/10/21/panoz-abruzzi-makes-on-track-appearance-gearing-up-for-competit/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/10/21/panoz-abruzzi-makes-on-track-appearance-gearing-up-for-competit/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/10/21/panoz-abruzzi-makes-on-track-appearance-gearing-up-for-competit/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Panoz Abruzzi on the track at Petit Le Mans - Click above for high-res image gallery

Panoz recently revealed its long-awaited new sports car, the Abruzzi, at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France. We finally have a better look at the Abruzzi on our own home soil thanks to a surprise on-track appearance at Petit Le Mans a few weeks ago.

The Panoz Abruzzi is powered by a front-mounted V8 engine producing 640 horsepower and over 600 pound-feet of torque, while it's styling is derived from pre-war classics such as the 1935 Delahaye.

It has been five years since Don Panoz and his racing team have experienced a win in the American Le Mans series. They plan to change that next year when they enter the Panoz Abruzzi into the 12 hours of Sebring using the race-prepped version, which also got some track time at Road Atlanta. While the race version didn't compete in the Petit Le Mans, it was shown off during the parade lap as well as in the Panoz Motorsports booth.


Gallery: Panoz Abruzzi on the track at Petit Le Mans

[Source: American Le Mans]

Continue reading Panoz Abruzzi makes on-track appearance, gearing up for competition

Panoz Abruzzi makes on-track appearance, gearing up for competition originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 21 Oct 2010 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>12 hours of sebringabruzziamerican le mansle mansPanozpanoz abruzzipetit le mansThu, 21 Oct 2010 14:28:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19683601/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/10/21/panoz-abruzzi-makes-on-track-appearance-gearing-up-for-competit/19683601/article-detail.xml 19683601 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/10/panozabruzzisam05opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/10/panozabruzzisam05opt.jpg <![CDATA[Porsche 911 GT3R Hybrid to run at Petit Le Mans]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/21/porsche-911-gt3r-hybrid-to-run-at-peti/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/21/porsche-911-gt3r-hybrid-to-run-at-peti/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/21/porsche-911-gt3r-hybrid-to-run-at-peti/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Porsche911 GT3R hybrid - Click above for high-res image gallery

As expected, Porsche announced today in New York that the 911 GT3R hybrid will be coming to North America later this year to race in the Petit Le Mans (PLM). When the new flywheel hybrid race car was first announced this past spring, Porsche told us that it would make a decision about running in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) after evaluating the new car's performance during its early races in Europe. After coming within two hours of winning the 24 Hours of Nurburgring in May, it was clear that the 25-percent fuel economy boost and extra power was more than enough to make up for the added weight of the hybrid drive.

Since the Automobile Club de l'Ouest has yet to finalize the technical rules for hybrid GT cars, the Porsche will run unclassified at Road Atlanta on October 2. The Georgia race will be the North American round for the inaugural Le Mans Intercontinental Cup. Following the PLM, Porsche will take the car to Zuhai, China for the Asian round on November 7. No announcement has been made yet about running in the European round at Silverstone in the UK in September.

The 911 GT3R hybrid has a 480-horsepower flat-six driving the rear wheels and a pair of 60-kilowatt electric motors for the front wheels. The motors recapture kinetic energy during braking and store it in an electromechanical flywheel mechanism. The flywheel can release energy back to the motors automatically during cruising or the driver can press a boost button on the steering wheel for extra power on demand for passing.


Gallery: 24 Hours of Nurburgring: Porsche 911 GT3 R hybrid


[Source: Porsche]

Continue reading Porsche 911 GT3R Hybrid to run at Petit Le Mans

Porsche 911 GT3R Hybrid to run at Petit Le Mans originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 21 Jul 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>almsalms green challengeAlmsGreenChallengeamerican le mansamerican le mans ser...american le mans seriesamerican le mans series 2010american le mans series green challengeamerican lemans seriesAmericanLeMansAmericanLeMansSer...AmericanLeMansSeriesAmericanLeMansSeries2010AmericanLeMansSeriesGreenChallengeLe Mans intercontinental cupLeMansIntercontinentalCupPetit Le MansPetitLeMansPorscheporsche 911porsche 911 gt3 hybridPorsche 911 GT3 R HybridPorsche911Porsche911Gt3HybridPorsche911Gt3RHybridZhuhaiWed, 21 Jul 2010 11:00:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19562523/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/07/21/porsche-911-gt3r-hybrid-to-run-at-peti/19562523/article-detail.xml 19562523 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/07/m101013fine-630op_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/07/m101013fine-630op.jpg <![CDATA[Mini reveals track for Porsche challenge, not really Road Atlanta]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/20/mini-reveals-track-for-porsche-challenge-not-really-road-atlant/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/20/mini-reveals-track-for-porsche-challenge-not-really-road-atlant/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/20/mini-reveals-track-for-porsche-challenge-not-really-road-atlant/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



Last we checked, Road Atlanta was a famed professional 2.54-mile racetrack, not an oversized autocross layout on a training skidpad. Somebody may need to remind Mini USA, as the maker of famously small cars has just announced the "track" (their word, not ours) for its overly-publicized "Rumble on the Racetrack" (their title, not ours) challenge pitting the Mini Cooper S against the race-bred Porsche 911 Carrera S.

While Mini promises "No tricks. No gimmicks. No jokes" in its latest Facebook post, the map of the so-called challenge track autocross is nothing more than a few hundred cones dropped on the "School Course & Training Area" located in the infield of Road Atlanta by turns 6 and 7 (this is hardly the same asphalt that hosts cars like the Corvette C6.R, Porsche RS Spyder, Ferrari 430GT and Audi R10 TDI at the Petit Le Mans).

With the big shindig scheduled for Monday (with or without an official Porsche showing), this event has gone from entertaining to mildly disappointing. We don't need to explain to any of our readers that a Mini Cooper S is as comfortable on a loop-de-doo autocross course as Porsche is, well... on the winner's podium at Road Atlanta.

Mini has yet to answer the challenge from Hyundai (the Koreans were kind enough to offer to take Porsche's vacant spot on the grid), but they had better get on it. With a track autocross this tight, they should be expecting a call from Smart first thing Monday morning.


Gallery: Mini Challenges Porsche


[Source: Facebook]

Mini reveals track for Porsche challenge, not really Road Atlanta originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 20 Jun 2010 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingCarreraCarrera SCarreraSContestCooper SCooper vs. 911CooperSCooperVs.911EventFacebookMiniMini Cooper SMini vs PorscheMini vs. PorscheMiniCooperSMiniVs.PorscheMiniVsPorschePetit Le MansPetitLeMansPorscheRaceRoad AtlantaRoadAtlantaSun, 20 Jun 2010 09:29:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19523346/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/06/20/mini-reveals-track-for-porsche-challenge-not-really-road-atlant/19523346/article-detail.xml 19523346 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/06/minicourse630_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/06/minicourse630.jpg <![CDATA[Sebring and Petit Le Mans added to 2011 Intercontinental Le Mans Cup]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/11/sebring-and-petit-le-mans-added-to-2011-intercontinental-le-mans/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/11/sebring-and-petit-le-mans-added-to-2011-intercontinental-le-mans/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/11/sebring-and-petit-le-mans-added-to-2011-intercontinental-le-mans/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

12 Hours of Sebring
2010 12 Hours of Sebring - Click above for high-res image gallery

Earlier this year, the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) announced the formation of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup that would feature races in Europe, North America and Asia for what is essentially a sports car racing world championship. For this year, the cup includes only three races, with the North American round being the Petit Le Mans in October.

Come 2011, the cup expands to seven races and will include the 24 Hours of Le Mans and both the Sebring and Petit Le Mans events in the U.S. Peugeot has already committed itself to competing for the 2010 cup and Audi has said it is considering participating. The other 2011 races will be at Spa in Belgium, Silverstone in England, Fuji in Japan and a circuit in China.

The ACO also announced that it would follow the American Le Mans Series and eliminate the GT1 class in 2011 in favor of GT2 as well as bringing in a new generation of LMP cars.


Gallery: 2010 12 Hours of Sebring


[Source: American Le Mans Series]

Continue reading Sebring and Petit Le Mans added to 2011 Intercontinental Le Mans Cup

Sebring and Petit Le Mans added to 2011 Intercontinental Le Mans Cup originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 11 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>12 Hours of Sebring12HoursOfSebring24 hours24 Hours of Le Mans24 hours of lemans24Hours24HoursOfLeMansLe Mansle mans 2010Le Mans 24 HoursLe Mans intercontinental cupLe Mans SeriesLeMansLeMans2010LeMans24HoursLeMansIntercontinentalCupLeMansSeriesPetit Le MansPetitLeManssebringFri, 11 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19511709/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/06/11/sebring-and-petit-le-mans-added-to-2011-intercontinental-le-mans/19511709/article-detail.xml 19511709 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/03/4ba579bed9648fullscreenmediatheque-copy_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/03/4ba579bed9648fullscreenmediatheque-copy.jpg <![CDATA[Audi R15+ shows off its new duds ahead of race debut]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/05/audi-r15-shows-off-its-new-duds-ahead-of-race-debut/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/05/audi-r15-shows-off-its-new-duds-ahead-of-race-debut/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/05/audi-r15-shows-off-its-new-duds-ahead-of-race-debut/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

2010 Audi R15+ - Click above for high-res image gallery

Audi has just dropped a bunch of photos of the new livery that its R15+ TDI race cars will wear for 2010 beginning with their competition debut this weekend in France. The heavily revised R15+ features a completely new aerodynamic treatment up front and along the sides, a change which Audi hopes will allow the car to have both better grip and lower drag than than last year's model. In fact, it looks like almost nothing but the cockpit area has been carried over, with the racer's side-pods and even the rear wing being heavily re-worked.

The 2009 car was something of a disappointment and for the first time in a decade (aside from 2003 when Audi stepped aside in favor of sister brand Bentley) was handily beaten at Le Mans. Audi opted to skip last month's American Le Mans Series opener at Sebring to spend the time testing. Only one R15+ will run at Le Castellet this weekend for the opener of the Le Mans Series, and we don't expect to see the R15+ racing in North America until the Petit Le Mans in September.


Gallery: 2010 Audi R15+ TDI


Gallery: Audi R15 TDI - studio images


[Source: Audi]

Continue reading Audi R15+ shows off its new duds ahead of race debut

Audi R15+ shows off its new duds ahead of race debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Apr 2010 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2010 audi2010 audi r152010 audi r15+2010Audi2010AudiR152010AudiR15+ALMSaudiaudi r15audi r15 plusAudi R15 plus TDIaudi r15 TDIAudi R15 TDI Le Mansaudi R15+ tdiAudiR15AudiR15+TdiAudiR15PlusAudiR15PlusTdiAudiR15TdiAudiR15TdiLeMansPetit Le MansPetitLeMansR15SebringMon, 05 Apr 2010 10:29:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19426391/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/04/05/audi-r15-shows-off-its-new-duds-ahead-of-race-debut/19426391/article-detail.xml 19426391 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/04/audimotorsport-100405-0295-1270465913_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/04/audimotorsport-100405-0295-1270465913.jpg <![CDATA[VIDEO: Audi posts more than two dozen clips from Petit Le Mans]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/29/video-audi-posts-more-than-two-dozen-clips-from-petit-le-mans/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/29/video-audi-posts-more-than-two-dozen-clips-from-petit-le-mans/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/29/video-audi-posts-more-than-two-dozen-clips-from-petit-le-mans/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Audi does Petit Le Mans - Click above to watch the video after the jump

Over the past weekend, while the Joest Racing crew was working away preparing the two Audi R15 TDIs for the extra-Petit Le Mans, reserve driver Mike Rockenfeller and a camera crew were out and about shooting a series of videos. Audi has now posted more than two dozen videos on its YouTube page that include driver and crew interviews, tours of the garage, pits and a tour of Road Atlanta. There's plenty of up-close action as everyone gets ready for what proved to be a rain shortened race.

During the track tour, Rockenfeller (a.k.a. Rocky) describes some of the physical attributes required to get through certain corners at maximum speed. For those unfamiliar with Road Atlanta - or what goes on behind the scenes with a team like Audi - it's worth checking out the vid posted after the jump.

[Source: Audi]

Continue reading VIDEO: Audi posts more than two dozen clips from Petit Le Mans

VIDEO: Audi posts more than two dozen clips from Petit Le Mans originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi R15 TDI leading Petit Le Mans - click above for high-res gallery

The American Le Mans Series ran half of its annual flagship race this past weekend at a rain-saturated Road Atlanta track in Georgia. The race marked the first anniversary of the inauguration of the ALMS Green Challenge, and in spite of the truncated race length, organizers announced winners in both the prototype and GT categories and the winners all came from the Volkswagen Group.

Among the prototypes, the No. 1 Audi R15 TDI led for more than four hours until shortly before the race was red flagged. However, the combination of the diesel's fuel efficiency and performance gave the Audi sufficient points to be declared the Michelin GreenX Challenge winner. Among the GT cars, several problems hurt the performance of the cellulosic E85-fueled Chevrolet Corvettes. Thus, the Flying Lizard team's Porsche 911s had the best combination of carbon footprint and performance. With only one race remaining at Laguna Seca, the Porsches look like strong contenders to win the season-long Green Challenge championship. Galleries below, official press releases after the jump.


Gallery: Audi R15 TDI at Petit Le Mans 2009


Gallery: Flying Lizard Porsche at Petit Le Mans 2009


[Sources: Audi, Porsche]

Continue reading Audi and Porsche win Michelin GreenX Challenge at Petit Le Mans

Audi and Porsche win Michelin GreenX Challenge at Petit Le Mans originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>almsalms green challengeAlmsGreenChallengeamerican le mans seriesamerican le mans series green challengeAmericanLeMansSeriesAmericanLeMansSeriesGreenChallengeaudiaudi r15 tdiAudiR15Tdiflying lizardFlyingLizardmichelin greenx challengeMichelinGreenxChallengepetit le mansPetitLeMansporsche 911 gt3Porsche911Gt3Mon, 28 Sep 2009 18:58:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19176256/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/09/28/audi-and-porsche-win-michelin-greenx-challenge-at-petit-le-mans/19176256/article-detail.xml 19176256 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2009/09/audi_motorsport-090926-2274-copy_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2009/09/audi_motorsport-090926-2274-copy.jpg <![CDATA[Spoiler Alert: Rain, Rain Go Away! Downpour makes Petit Le Mans even more so]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/28/spoiler-alert-rain-rain-go-away-downpour-makes-petit-le-mans/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/28/spoiler-alert-rain-rain-go-away-downpour-makes-petit-le-mans/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/28/spoiler-alert-rain-rain-go-away-downpour-makes-petit-le-mans/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


2009 Petit Le Mans - Click above for high-res image gallery

The American Le Mans Series held its flagship race, the Petit Le Mans over the weekend at Road Atlanta, and it was more petit than normal. The race is scheduled to run for 10 hours or 1,000 miles - whichever comes first. However, the rains that have plagued the Atlanta region for the past two weeks just couldn't hold off any longer Saturday afternoon. After relatively clear running Thursday and Friday for practice and qualifying, the clouds returned Saturday for race time. After sporadic showers and drizzle throughout the first several hours, the clouds really opened up in the fifth hour.

The safety car came out for a full course yellow for a while, but the ground around the track was already waterlogged, making proper drainage impossible. With cars aquaplaning everywhere even on full rain tires, continued running became impossible and the race was red-flagged at 4 hours and 52 minutes in hopes the rain would subside. Unfortunately, it never did and the race was called at 9:30pm. Click on the jump to find out what happened while the cars were still running.


Gallery: 2009 Petit Le Mans


[Images: Chris Graythen/Darrell Ingham/Getty]

Continue reading Spoiler Alert: Rain, Rain Go Away! Downpour makes Petit Le Mans even more so

Spoiler Alert: Rain, Rain Go Away! Downpour makes Petit Le Mans even more so originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>almsamerican le mansamerican le mans ser...american le mans seriesamerican lemans seriesAmericanLeMansAmericanLeMansSer...AmericanLeMansSeriesAudidiesel racingDieselRacingpetit le mansPetit LemansPetitLeMansPeugeotplmMon, 28 Sep 2009 15:28:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19176685/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/09/28/spoiler-alert-rain-rain-go-away-downpour-makes-petit-le-mans/19176685/article-detail.xml 19176685 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/09/2009-petit-le-mans-getty_630-lead_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/09/2009-petit-le-mans-getty_630-lead.jpg <![CDATA[VIDEO: Scott Sharp's Acura prototype completely destroyed during Petit Le Mans practice]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/27/video-scott-sharps-acura-prototype-completely-destroyed-at-pet/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/27/video-scott-sharps-acura-prototype-completely-destroyed-at-pet/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/27/video-scott-sharps-acura-prototype-completely-destroyed-at-pet/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Scott Sharp's accident at the Petit Le Mans Thursday practice session - click above to watch the video after the jump

Earlier, we told you about the Patron Highcroft racing team's marathon 20 hour build of a brand new Acura ARX-02a the day before the Petit Le Mans. The reason the crew had to work even harder than normal on a race weekend was a crash during Thursday's afternoon practice that left many observers astonished as Scott Sharp walked away unharmed.

Sharp's LMP1 Acura was heading into turn 3 at Road Atlanta when it apparently made contact with another racer exiting the pit lane. This caused the Acura's front end to lift, and that's never a good thing in one of these high-powered prototypes. Into the air the car went. After makng 3.5 revolutions, Sharp managed to crawl out of the car's remains with just a clump of mud stuck to the top of his helmet.


"I really don't know what happened," Sharp said. "I was heading up the hill in sixth gear and felt a hit in the right rear. The wheel arches are very high with the wide front tires on the Acura - I didn't see a thing - only felt the contact. I knew it was a big one and I am just really grateful to Acura and all the boys at Patrón Highcroft Racing for building such a strong car. I'm shattered for Duncan, all the guys, Brabs and Dario (Franchitti). We went through this last year and I can't believe it's happened again. I was just thinking to myself how much I like this place when next thing I'm headed upside down with a mouth full of Georgia clay."

Heading into Atlanta, Sharp and co-driver David Brabham were tied at 142 points and leading the LMP1 drivers championship race, a position they maintained by finishing sixth in yesterday's rain-shortened Petit Le Mans. The video of the crash is available after the jump. Thanks for the tip, Ryan.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading VIDEO: Scott Sharp's Acura prototype completely destroyed during Petit Le Mans practice

VIDEO: Scott Sharp's Acura prototype completely destroyed during Petit Le Mans practice originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 27 Sep 2009 19:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2009 Petit Le Mans2009PetitLeMansAcuraALMSAmerican Le Mans SeriesAmericanLeMansSerieshighcroft acurahighcroft acura arx-02ahighcroft racingHighcroftAcuraHighcroftAcuraArx-02aHighcroftRacingpatron highcroft racingPatronHighcroftRacingPetit Le MansPetitLeMansRoad AtlantaRoadAtlantaScott SharpScott Sharp crashScottSharpScottSharpCrashvideoSun, 27 Sep 2009 19:06:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19174516/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/09/27/video-scott-sharps-acura-prototype-completely-destroyed-at-pet/19174516/article-detail.xml 19174516 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/09/scottsharpcrashpetit_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/09/scottsharpcrashpetit.jpg <![CDATA[REPORT: Patron Highcroft team builds new Acura prototype in just over 20 hours [w/VIDEO]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/27/patron-highcroft-team-builds-new-acura-prototype-in-just-over-20/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/27/patron-highcroft-team-builds-new-acura-prototype-in-just-over-20/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/27/patron-highcroft-team-builds-new-acura-prototype-in-just-over-20/#commentsFiled under: ,

Scott Sharp driving the Highcroft Acura ARX-02a at Mid-Ohio 2009 - click above for high-res image gallery

A mere 42 hours after Scott Sharp walked away from a horrific 3.5-revolution crash during practice for the Petit Le Mans, a freshly-built Acura ARX-02a was rolled out for the morning warmup on Saturday. The Highcroft crew put in marathon sessions Thursday and Friday to ensure that their pre-race work did not go in vain. Unlike Formula One teams, ALMS teams don't typically bring a spare car along with them, even to a big race like Petit Le Mans.

Sharp's crash happened at 3:43 PM EDT on Thursday, and by 6 pm a spare carbon fiber tub was picked up from the Honda Performance Development shop in California. As the tub was being shipped across the continent, the crew at Road Atlanta set about stripping down what was left of the crashed car. In the end, only 10 percent of the old parts were re-used on the new car.

The new tub arrived at the track at 9:30 AM Friday morning and the team went to work; a whole new race car had to be built up from thousands of parts. 15.5 hours after they started, the engine was fired at 1 AM. By 5:45 AM, setup was complete and at 9:45 AM Saturday morning the car hit the track. SPOILER ALERT: Petit Le Mans was ended early due to heavy rains, with the Highcroft Acura finishing sixth overall, 4 laps down from the winning Peugueot.

Update: Time lapse video of the build is embedded after the jump.

Gallery: Highcroft Racing Acura ARX-02a at Mid-Ohio 2009


[Source: American Le Mans Series]
Photos Copyright (C)2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading REPORT: Patron Highcroft team builds new Acura prototype in just over 20 hours [w/VIDEO]

REPORT: Patron Highcroft team builds new Acura prototype in just over 20 hours [w/VIDEO] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 27 Sep 2009 12:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>almsamerican le mansamerican le mans ser...american le mans seriesamerican lemans seriesAmericanLeMansAmericanLeMansSer...AmericanLeMansSeriesfalsehighcroft acurahighcroft acura arx-02ahighcroft racingHighcroftAcuraHighcroftAcuraArx-02aHighcroftRacingpatron highcroft racingPatronHighcroftRacingpetit le mansPetitLeMansscott sharpscott sharp crashScottSharpScottSharpCrashSun, 27 Sep 2009 12:50:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19175070/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/09/27/patron-highcroft-team-builds-new-acura-prototype-in-just-over-20/19175070/article-detail.xml 19175070 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/09/highcroft-acura-arx-02a_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/09/highcroft-acura-arx-02a.jpg <![CDATA[Dyson Racing debuts ethanol-biobutanol blend at Petit Le Mans]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/26/dyson-racing-debuts-ethanol-biobutanol-blend-at-petit-le-mans/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/26/dyson-racing-debuts-ethanol-biobutanol-blend-at-petit-le-mans/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/26/dyson-racing-debuts-ethanol-biobutanol-blend-at-petit-le-mans/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Dyson Racing B09/96 running at Mid-Ohio - click above for high-res image gallery

When we spoke with American Le Mans Series CEO Scott Atherton at the Detroit Auto Show last January, he revealed that discussions were being held between the series and parties interested in racing with a new fuel. At the time, he declined to reveal the nature of the fuel but expected to announce something during the 2009 season. We're now down to the second to last race of 2009 and a fourth series fuel has finally arrived.

Dyson Racing's LMP2 #16 Lola-Mazda is running unclassified at this weekend's Petit Le Mans because its fuel tank will be filled with a blend of biobutanol and ethanol. This is the first use of butanol in an ALMS car. Dyson has been working with its primary sponsor BP and engine supplier Mazda to develop the new fuel which is currently produced from sugar cane but can also be produced from cellulosic sources. Butanol has several advantages over ethanol including higher energy density allowing mileage and power closer to that of gasoline. What's more, because it doesn't have the same tendency to absorb water (which causes corrosion), it can be blended with gasoline in higher concentrations without modifying the engines. Hopefully, we'll see cars running for points fueled by butanol all season long in 2010. Check out our high-res gallery below and the official press release after the jump.


Gallery: Dyson Racing Mazda-Lola at Mid-Ohio


[Source: American Le Mans Series]
All photos Copyright (C)2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading Dyson Racing debuts ethanol-biobutanol blend at Petit Le Mans

Dyson Racing debuts ethanol-biobutanol blend at Petit Le Mans originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 26 Sep 2009 16:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>almsamerican le mansamerican le mans ser...american le mans seriesamerican le mans series green challengeamerican lemans seriesAmericanLeMansAmericanLeMansSer...AmericanLeMansSeriesAmericanLeMansSeriesGreenChallengebiobutanolbutanolbutanolfueldysondyson racingdyson racing lola mazdaDysonRacingDysonRacingLolaMazdaethanolethanol-butanol blendEthanol-butanolBlendfalselola-mazdapetit le mansPetitLeMansSat, 26 Sep 2009 16:03:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19174935/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/09/26/dyson-racing-debuts-ethanol-biobutanol-blend-at-petit-le-mans/19174935/article-detail.xml 19174935 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2009/09/16-dyson-630_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2009/09/16-dyson-630.jpg -1 2