2009 American Le Mans Series Thread

  • Thread starter RACECAR
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Come and get it! Here's your look at the cars that will compete at Lime Rock Park:

http://www.spotterguides.com/images/stories/guides/alms_09_limerock.jpg

Five P1s, four P2's, ten GT2's (can we just call it GT now?), and five of the ALMS GT3 challenge Porsches. Teams like van der Steur, Dyson Racing, Highcroft, Risi Competizione, Flying Lizard, and Primetime Race Group all among others to compete at Lime Rock this Saturday. Hope all of you in Connecticut or going to Connecticut enjoy this race! That also includes the rest of us who'll follow this race on TV or elsewhere.
 
Wow no Corvettes? Are they still transferring everything to a smaller car? And are the Cup cars racing with them all too or are they separate? The Snow Racing car looks a lot like the old Martinis cars doesn't it.
 
John, that link doesn't show the list, look like that site is really uptight about their pictures.
NISM0_SKYLINE
Wow no Corvettes? Are they still transferring everything to a smaller car? And are the Cup cars racing with them all too or are they separate? The Snow Racing car looks a lot like the old Martinis cars doesn't it.
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They are coming at Lime Rock Park so they are most likely putting the finishing touches on them.
 
Ok that makes sense I guess I jumped to a conclusion to fast. If the link doesn't work I got it off the website so here it is.


alms_09_limerock.jpg
 
I was out with my parents, so I wasn't able to see this race. Here are your winners (I'm sorry if I spoiled it):

P1 and overall: #66 Acura ARX 02a (de Ferran/Pagenaud)
P2: #20 Lola B09 86 Mazda, 12 laps down overall (Leitzinger/Franchitti)
GT2: #45 Porsche 911 RSR (Bergmeister/Long) <<< I'm friended to Bergmeister on Facebook, and maybe Patrick Long too.
GT3 Challenge: #36 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (Hoaglund/Faieta)



Up next is the race at Mid-Ohio. This race will serve as the debut of the GT2-spec Corvettes by Corvette Racing. That race is three weeks away.
 
nissan tuner
here's my photo stream. I will be picking through my near 500 photos of the Northeast Grand Prix
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Great photos nissan tuner, you really captured some great action.

I was there and what a great day of racing.

I have a few photos from years past and will be putting some here at gtplanet in the next few days from this year. Check my signature for photos, if you like.
 
I'm going to be at Mid-Ohio this weekend for the race. I'll get some real pictures to go along with press pictures.
 
Speaking of the new GT2 Corvette, I think I heard on Fast Lane Daily about Corvette becoming the most powerful GT2 car ever. I beg to differ with the Risi Ferraris and the garden variety of Porsche teams. I think Corvette will be big time contenders and not faulting the 'Vettes at all. But do you really think Corvette will run away with GT2, no matter what the Ferrari and Porsche teams think?
 
JohnBM01
Speaking of the new GT2 Corvette, I think I heard on Fast Lane Daily about Corvette becoming the most powerful GT2 car ever. I beg to differ with the Risi Ferraris and the garden variety of Porsche teams. I think Corvette will be big time contenders and not faulting the 'Vettes at all. But do you really think Corvette will run away with GT2, no matter what the Ferrari and Porsche teams think?
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i think with the way P&M ran there GT1 team i think the GT2 teams are going to have alot to contend with.flying lizrard and risi may be able to contend but i doubt the other teams will stand much of a chance once they get the GT2 car into full swing and past the testing phase the first few races will be.
 
2007-corvette-c6r-rear-view.jpg

412b_img.jpg


Aside the diffuser, wing and front splitter, there isn't that much visual difference. Interesting to see they based it on the ZR1, judging by the fenders...
 
I still wished GM would entirely do away with yellow as a primary color. Nothing was more classic than those black and silver Goodwrench 'Vettes from the 1999 season (give or take the retractable headlights). Still, welcome to GT2, Corvette!
 
i think yellow suits the vettes. my next door neighbor since i was little always had a yellow vette so anything other then yellow or black seems odd to me. though i do like the vette in the le mans blue.

but dont forget the other visual difference is the widened fenders to fit the racing tires.
 
Yeah, THAT'S the one (Post #591)! I actually have a Road & Track Magazine picture of this car in a two-page spread. I think I even have a picture in another magazine. But yeah, that 'Vette from ten years ago is classic to me.
 
Yay, I finally get to see them. I wished they would have had the Black blue with the "Take no prisoners" on it, but still great.
 
My hope for the Corvettes is that with similar support as they had in GT1 they will do well. I was very saddened to see the Viper go from GT1 to GT2 and suffer in the hands of small privateer teams. With GM's financial struggles lately I have been worried that this move would cause what I consider to be the last competitive American car to fall out.

When Team Oreca had GT1 Vipers they were my favorite ALMS cars. Even though I am not a fan of GM I have been pulling for the Corvettes ever since the Vipers faded into obscurity.


Anyway, here is the official ALMS story form their site:

http://www.americanlemans.com/index_news.php?n=13449

CORVETTE RACING INTRODUCES NEW GT2 CORVETTE
Next-Generation C6.R Strengthens Links Between Race, Road Cars


Corvette0804-1.jpg

Corvette Racing's new Corvette C6.Rs for GT2 will debut at Mid-Ohio. Photo: Richard Prince

Corvette Racing will open a new chapter with the competition debut of the next-generation Corvette C6.R at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on August 6-8. In anticipation of a single GT class in 2010, Corvette Racing will test and develop the latest Corvette C6.R in the GT2 category in the final five rounds of the 2009 American Le Mans Series. With the upcoming move to a unified GT category, the twin Compuware Corvette C6.R race cars will compete against rivals representing Ferrari, Porsche, BMW, Aston Martin, Jaguar, Viper, Panoz and Ford.

Based on the Corvette ZR1 supercar, the next-generation Corvette C6.R has even stronger links to the production version of America's performance icon than its predecessors. The GT2 rules require the use of many production-based components, expanding the opportunities for the two-way transfer of technology between the race track and the showroom. The updated Corvette C6.R utilizes the ZR1's body design, aerodynamic package, aluminum frame and chassis structure, steering system, windshield, and other components. The race team has prepared the cars for the rigors of endurance racing with safety and performance modifications as permitted by the GT2 rules.

“One of the many benefits of the Corvette Racing program has been the opportunity to demonstrate the technology transfer between the race car and the production car,” said Mark Kent, GM Racing manager. “The global movement toward a single GT class will allow us to compete head-to-head with more marketplace competitors while increasing both the production content of the Corvette C6.R race cars and the relevance of racing to our customers. This is a step that positions Corvette for the future of production-based sports car racing worldwide, and a move that is perfectly aligned with GM's marketing and business objectives in racing.”

Previous versions of the Corvette C5-R and C6.R race cars have dominated the GTS and GT1 categories in the last decade, winning 77 races and eight consecutive ALMS championships. The GT1 Corvettes were retired following Corvette Racing's sixth victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans on June 14, 2009.

“In our decade in GT1, our primary focus has been on racing victories and the validation of the Corvette as a world-class sports car,” said Tadge Juechter, Corvette chief engineer. “As an authentic way to communicate to knowledgeable customers, nothing beats racing. As a cost-effective means to improve vehicle performance, nothing beats racing. These are the reasons racing is in Corvette's DNA.

“Behind the scenes, the race team and the production car team have grown closer together, finding numerous ways to support each other and to make both cars better,” Juechter said. "Most automotive companies give lip service to claims like ‘racing improves the breed’ or ‘race on Sunday, sell on Monday’. For team Corvette, it is a daily reality. It is now impossible to imagine one team without the other.”

The upcoming GT regulations required a comprehensive redesign of the Corvette C6.R package. In place of the GT1 Corvette's steel frame, the GT2 version utilizes the production ZR1's hydroformed aluminum frame as the foundation for a fully integrated tubular steel safety cage. The GT1 version's wide, louvered fenders are replaced by production-based ZR1 fenders with wheel flares. In accordance with the aerodynamic regulations, the rear wing is reduced 25 percent in width, the diffuser is a flat panel without fences or strakes, and the splitter extends only as far as its production ZR1 counterpart. Steel brake rotors have replaced the carbon discs used previously, and the wheels are aluminum instead of magnesium. The adjustable steering column and steering rack are sourced from the street Corvette.


“Integrating a steel safety cage that meets GM Racing's stringent standards as well as the strength and durability targets required in racing is a challenge with an aluminum frame,” explained Corvette Racing engineering director Doug Louth. “Working in conjunction with the structure and chassis engineers in the Corvette production group, we designed, built and tested numerous examples before we finalized the configuration. We went through a similar process with the production Corvette group on the body design and aero components. It was truly a collaborative effort between the production engineers and the race team.”

In the remaining races in 2009, the Corvette race cars will be powered by 6.0-liter GM small-block V8s that are based on the 7.0-liter LS7.R that powered the GT1 version. This reduction in displacement was achieved by shortening the crankshaft stroke from 3.875-inch to 3.32-inch. The diameter of the series-mandated intake air restrictors was decreased from 30.6 mm to 28.6 mm, with a corresponding reduction in engine output from 590 to 470 horsepower. A 5.5-liter, production-based, GM small-block V8 is currently under development and will be introduced at the start of the 2010 season. The Corvette Racing team is continuing its commitment to green racing with the use of E85R ethanol racing fuel.

While much of the hardware has changed, Corvette Racing's roster of championship-winning drivers remains the same. Johnny O'Connell and Jan Magnussen will share the No. 3 Compuware Corvette C6.R, and Oliver Gavin and Olivier Beretta will drive the No. 4 Compuware Corvette C6. R. They will be joined by Antonio Garcia and Marcel Fässler at Petit Le Mans.

Corvette Racing also has the continued support of its long-time sponsors and technical partners. Compuware is the team's primary sponsor, with Mobil 1 supplying low-friction lubricants and Michelin providing its world-class racing tires. Corvette Racing's sponsors also include XM Satellite Radio, UAW-GM, Genuine Corvette Accessories, Bose, Motorola, PRS Guitars, and BBS.

“Compuware leads the world in application performance solutions, and partnering with Corvette Racing gives us another high-tech, high-performance and high-impact platform for communicating to our customers and prospects,” said Compuware Chairman and CEO Peter Karmanos, Jr. “The launch of the Corvette C6.R in GT2 is a great extension to our relationship with General Motors, Chevy and Corvette. We look forward to even more victories in the months ahead.”

The GT2-spec Corvettes were designed, built and tested on a compressed schedule. The program was approved and announced in September 2008, and construction of the first chassis began in early December. The first track test was conducted at Road Atlanta on April 8-9, followed by single-car tests in Elkhart Lake, Wis., and Sebring, Fla.

“The Corvette Racing team had to take on several challenges simultaneously to execute this program,” said Doug Fehan, Corvette Racing program manager. “We were preparing for our regular race season with the GT1 cars while designing the GT2 version. The cars were being built and tested in the midst of our preparations for Le Mans. The team was multi-tasking to the extreme, operating on a leaner budget and a faster timeline. It was a monumental effort to have these cars ready for the Mid-Ohio race.”

Advanced technology tools enabled Corvette Racing to meet the challenge. “With the short development schedule, we relied on ‘virtual’ design and computer simulation more than ever before,” said team manager Gary Pratt. “We made design, engineering and manufacturing simultaneous processes as much as possible. For example, while the first chassis was being built, we continued to run computer simulations on suspension geometry and refined the aerodynamics using CFD (computational fluid dynamics) because these areas didn't have to be finalized until later in the production timeline. We have developed the capabilities to do finite element analysis and composite fabrication in-house, which has accelerated our design and production cycle.

“We're not running for a championship this year, so we’re looking at the upcoming races as preparation for 2010,” Pratt said. “Our only testing from this point on will be at the races, and we'll be doing it in the public eye. Certainly we hope to achieve the same level of success that we did in GT1, but the caliber of the competition we will face in GT2 is very high. When we started in GT1 in 1999, it took a while to win; now we have 10 years of experience that should help us to become competitive in a new category. Everyone at Corvette Racing is looking forward to the challenge.”

Fehan is confident but cautious about Corvette Racing's prospects in the GT2 category: “In the limited testing we’ve done so far, we’ve been very impressed with the car's durability, reliability and performance,” he said. “We'll continue to focus on those three factors in the upcoming races. We view the rest of this year as a development cycle, and we believe that our experience as a team in preparation, race strategy, and pit stop execution should allow us to be competitive even if there is a slight performance disparity.”

The Acura Sports Car Challenge is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. EDT on Saturday, August 8 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio. The race will air at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, August 9 on NBC. American Le Mans Radio presented by Porsche and Live Timing & Scoring will be available at Racehub on americanlemans.com. You also can follow the Series on Twitter (almsnotes).
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With the amount of races remaining in the ALMS, how many races do you think Corvette will win in GT2? There are five races, by the way.
 
JohnBM01
With the amount of races remaining in the ALMS, how many races do you think Corvette will win in GT2? There are five races, by the way.
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If I had to guess I would say one. But it really depends on exactly how much, and what type of testing has been done before now.

Its hard to say, but until I see them at Mid-Ohio (aka watch the few online videos I can) I believe there are too many ifs in the early stages of a new car that can lead to problems.

I just don't see them putting up wins against the Risi and Flying Lizard teams this season. Next season I think they will likely prove to be tough competitors though.

I can give a much more intelligent response to that question after seeing the results from tomorrow and Friday.
 
Brabs best after Test Session. Graf has done a good job. 2nd in P2 even though hes A SECOND off the Fernandez Acura. And the Corvettes are Dead in the Middle in GT2, sandbagging maybe? Too bad Primetime isn't at the Mid-Ohio race, maybe there working on something secret?
 
i dont think they where sand bagging probably just getting comfortable with the car. you can see as they went from testing to practice 1 and 2 they got quicker and quicker. and in qualifying they managed to land 3 and 6 in class. looks like they are going to hit the ground running in the first race and are already giving the Porsche's and Ferrari's a run for there money.
 
Well, I'm off to the race. It's pouring where I am so hopefully the race will be a little better. Oh well, should be good either way.
 
Corvette Racing took 2nd behind Flying Lizard (their only competition through the race), and beating Risi Comp. And this is just practice.

I give them one year tops before they start dominating GT2 as well...Go CR!
 

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