Corvette Racing Faces Test at the ALMS Utah Grand Prix

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Corvette Racing Faces Test at the ALMS Utah Grand Prix

The race for the American Le Mans series championship will get underway in earnest with this weekend’s running of the Larry H. Miller Dealerships Utah Grand Prix at Miller Motorsports Park in Salt Lake City. This will be the first time the team has raced at MMP in the GT2 class and the crew and drivers are preparing for racing in 90-degree temperatures at the track’s 4,400-foot elevation. Racing for the series championships and down in the rankings, the team can’t be content with a podium finish, they need to start racking up some wins. Take no prisoners!

The series’ upcoming stint of five races in eight weeks will likely determine the champions in the production-based GT category. With three of nine rounds completed, Corvette Racing drivers Jan Magnussen and Johnny O’Connell are fifth in the drivers championship, 25 points behind the leaders (65-40), while Oliver Gavin and Olivier Beretta are sixth. Chevrolet is fourth in the manufacturer standings with an 18-point deficit to the frontrunner (65-47).

Drivers Rankings:

  1. Jorg Bergmeister / Patrick Long (65)
  2. Jaime Melo / Gianmaria Bruni (55)
  3. Dirk Müller / Joey Hand (52)
  4. Bill Auberlen / Tommy Milner (47)
  5. Jan Magnussen / Johnny O’Connell (40)
  6. Olivier Beretta / Oliver Gavin (32)

Manufacturer Rankings:

  1. Porsche (65)
  2. BMW (60)
  3. Ferrari (55)
  4. Chevrolet (47)
  5. Ford (18)

After a seven-week break in the ALMS schedule to accommodate the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the battle for the GT titles will be rejoined in the Larry H. Miller Dealerships Utah Grand Prix at Miller Motorsports Park near Salt Lake City on Sunday, July 11.

“With the 24 Hours of Le Mans now behind us, Corvette Racing is focused on the second half of our mission, which is our quest for an ALMS championship,” said Corvette Racing program manager Doug Fehan. “The entire team was heartened by the speed, handling and braking that the Compuware Corvettes demonstrated in Le Mans, and we are optimistic that will translate into improved performance throughout the rest of the ALMS season. To capture a championship, we have to focus on winning.

“Running five races in eight weeks is exactly the type of challenge that Corvette Racing relishes,” Fehan said. “It heightens the team’s intensity, drive, and passion. I’m confident that our race cars, parts, and people are fully prepared for the upcoming series of events. We know that we’ve done it before and we can do it again.”

Sunday’s race will be the debut of the GT2 Corvette C6.Rs at Miller Motorsports Park. The team competed in the GT1 category at MMP in 2006-08, and did not participate in last year’s Utah Grand Prix due to an abbreviated schedule. The track’s 4,400-foot elevation and the predicted 90-degree temperature on race day will make demands on the drivers, crew, and equipment.

“The high altitude affects engine horsepower, aerodynamic performance, and cooling,” said Corvette Racing team manager Gary Pratt. “The thin air reduces the overall downforce that the aerodynamic package can produce, although the aero balance is similar to sea level. The altitude will affect all of the naturally aspirated engines equally, and we’re prepared to increase airflow through the radiator to compensate for the reduced cooling.”

“With the heat and the altitude, this could be the most physical sprint race of the year,” said driver Jan Magnussen. “Hot weather will put a lot of emphasis on tires. It’s been two years since I raced at Miller Motorsports Park with the GT1 Corvette. It’s a great track, and it should suit the Corvettes in GT2 specification. I have great expectations.”

The Larry H. Miller Dealerships Utah Grand Prix at Miller Motorsports Park will be held Sunday, July 11th at 2:35 pm MT. SPEED will carry the 2 hour 45-minute race live at 4:30 pm ET.



Source:
Corvette Racing

Related:
[VIDEO] Fehan Gives Tour of Corvette Racing’s Command Center [VIDEO] Crew Chief Dan Binks Shows Off the Corvette Garage At Le Mans
[VIDEO] Corvette Racing: Six Questions with Doug Fehan

 



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1 COMMENT

  1. personally i think our drivers have been holding back. they looked more balls out last year. i say we set jan and johnny o loose to get after that flying loser porsche and have the ollies clean house with the rest of the field! take no prisoners jake!

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