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08-04-2011, 07:57 PM
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#2
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Corvette Racing at Mid-Ohio: No Place Like Home
Corvette Racing at Mid-Ohio: No Place Like Home
Corvette Racing Celebrates Homecoming as Le Mans and Mosport Winner
LEXINGTON, Ohio, Aug. 2, 2011 – Situated between the Corvette assembly plant in Bowling Green, Ky., and Corvette Racing's headquarters in suburban Detroit, the historic 2.25-mile Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course is the spiritual home of the Compuware Corvettes. The Corvette Racing team is hoping for a homecoming celebration in the fifth round of the American Le Mans Series, the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge, on Saturday, August 6.
Corvette Racing returns to Mid-Ohio with momentum after a victory by Jan Magnussen and Oliver Gavin in the No. 4 Corvette C6.R at the preceding round at Mosport International Raceway on July 24. In June, teammates Tommy Milner, Olivier Beretta, and Antonio Garcia triumphed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Gavin and Magnussen's win in Mosport narrowed the ALMS GT championship race; the Corvette duo is second in the drivers' standings, 23 points behind BMW's Dirk Mueller and Joey Hand, and Chevrolet is second in the manufacturer standings by 22 markers. With a maximum of 120 points on the table in the next five races and series-mandated balance of performance adjustments taking effect at Mid-Ohio, the GT championship is wide open at the midpoint of the ALMS season.
After scoring seven wins in the GT1 category at Mid-Ohio, Corvette Racing debuted its GT class Corvettes at the Ohio circuit in August 2009 with a runner-up finish by Magnussen and Johnny O'Connell. Last year at Mid-Ohio, Gavin and Beretta finished second in the fiercely contested class. Now the team is focused on moving up one spot on the podium with a victory.
"Mid-Ohio is quite a good track for us, and we've been very strong there from the first race with the GT car," Magnussen said. "This year we've been a little behind because of the regulations, but this may change at Mid-Ohio. It could be our time to shine."
"Last year we were really, really close to a win at Mid-Ohio," Gavin recalled. "Our car came alive in the race and we had a great battle in GT. I managed to get past the BMW and Porsche, and then I had an excellent fight with Jamie Melo's Ferrari in the final minutes. I think we had a car that was fast enough to win, but didn't quite get the breaks to get a victory. I just hope we can continue on an upward trend.
"The Mid-Ohio circuit is rather narrow and it can be quite tricky to pass, but we proved last year that we could do it," Gavin explained. "Getting the car through the Keyhole is challenging because you're braking uphill and then the track falls away as the car goes over the crest. Coming into the corner at the end of the back straight is another challenge because the braking zone can be quite slippery. It's a track where you need to be precise with your lines, precise with your braking, and have a car that rotates well."
Tommy Milner will drive a Corvette for the first time at Mid-Ohio after finishing third there in 2009 and 2010. "I've had success at Mid-Ohio in the past, and combined with Corvette's previous success, I hope to get a good result this year," Milner said. "Mid-Ohio is a showcase for the GT class; there are areas where it's tough to pass, but there are enough opportunities for the prototypes to get by. The elevation changes and the variety of corners make it a great place to race."
The Mid-Ohio round is well attended by Corvette Racing’s friends and extended family, and the team is supported by hundreds of Corvette owners and enthusiasts in the Corvette Corral.
"It's not far from the team headquarters, and a lot of the people who design and build the cars come from the race shop," said Beretta, who is slated to make his milestone 100th ALMS start this weekend. "I hope we will have a good result with both cars. The track is quite interesting because the grip is not constant. The best strategy is to get out front and stay there!"
The Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge is scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, August 6. Live video coverage will available on ESPN3.com in the US and americanlemans.com for international users. ESPN2 will televise the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge on Sunday, August 7, at 10 p.m. ET.
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08-04-2011, 07:58 PM
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#3
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: Marianna
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A LAP OF MID-OHIO: TOMMY MILNER
http://americanlemans.com/primary1.php?cat=news|16028
Track to Street: Corvette Racing Series, Episode 7
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkM7mXjxeZA
Speed TV Report:
Last year’s GT race at Mid-Ohio was one for the ages as well, when Risi Competizione crossed the finish line a mere 0.582 seconds ahead of Corvette Racing. The roles were reversed two weeks ago at Mosport where Corvette’s Oliver Gavin and Jan Magnussen narrowly beat Risi’s Toni Vilander and Jaime Melo. Corvette’s Mosport win finally brought BMW Team RLL’s win streak to an end, but the crowd will most certainly be behind Bobby Rahal’s points-leading squad, which is based out of nearby Hillard, Ohio.
The Mid-Ohio race will be a special day for one Corvette driver regardless of where he finishes; Olivier Beretta is making his 100th Series start on Saturday. Beretta will become only the third driver to reach this milestone, joining Johnny O’Connell and David Brabham.
http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/artic...ohio-preview1/
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08-05-2011, 07:51 PM
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#5
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Corvettes Qualify Fifth and Eighth for Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge
Corvettes Qualify Fifth and Eighth for Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge
Corvettes Cope with Heat and Humidity in the Heartland
LEXINGTON, Ohio, Aug. 5, 2011 – On a steamy summer afternoon, Corvette Racing drivers Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner qualified their Compuware Corvette C6.R race cars fifth and eighth respectively for Saturday's Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge, the fifth round of the 2011 American Le Mans Series. Gavin will start the No. 4 Corvette C6.R fifth on the GT grid after lapping the 2.25-mile Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in 1:20.944 (100.425 mph). Milner was eighth quickest in the No. 3 Corvette with a 1:21.280 time (100.010 mph). Joey Hand won the GT pole in the No 56 BMW M3 GT with the fastest lap in the 15-minute session at 1:20.539 (100.930 mph).
The temperature was edging toward 90 degrees and the track was a toasty 130 degrees when GT qualifying began on the classic 13-turn circuit. Gavin was on top in GT after his fourth flying lap and set his quickest time on his sixth circuit, but the competition eclipsed his fast time in the closing minutes. Milner also posted his best time on his sixth lap.
"We won from sixth on the grid at Mosport, and I don't see why we can't do the same here," Gavin said. "Our race pace looks competitive, and I'm quietly confident about that.
"We went into the qualifying session thinking that the car would do one thing and then it started doing another," Gavin explained. "I felt we were close to our competition up to that point, but as sometimes happens in qualifying, all of the sandbags came out and our rivals ran faster laps. Our pace on long runs with older tires looks quite good, so we'll continue to work on the car and see if we can get a bit more speed. And who know? It could rain!"
Milner steadily improved his lap times throughout his qualifying run. "I turned down the traction control to try to squeak out a tenth or two, and I put it all on the line," he said. "No question that we have a good race car, and at the end of the day that's what matters most. We already know that we have a good setup, so we can try some more adjustments in tomorrow morning's warmup.
"Looking at our race pace, we're much closer than it looks in qualifying, which is encouraging," Milner noted. "Some of these guys can run one quick lap, but they can't do that consistently. We can't throw a super-fast lap on the scoreboard, but we're much closer to our qualifying pace on long runs. I'm optimistic for the race because I feel we have a better race car than a qualifying car."
The two-hour, 45-minute Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge is scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, August 6. Live video coverage will available on ESPN3.com in the US and americanlemans.com for international users. ESPN2 will televise the race on Sunday, August 7, at 10 p.m. ET.
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge GT Qualifying (Top 10):
Pos./Car No./Drivers/Car/Time
1. 56 Mueller/Hand, BMW M3 GT, 1:20.539
2. 55 Auberlen/Werner, BMW M3 GT, 1:20.655
3. 62 Melo/Vilander, Ferrari F458 Italia, 1:20.745
4. 45 Bergmeister/Long, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 1:20.917
5. 4 Gavin/Magnussen, Corvette C6.R, 1:20.944
6. 02 Brown/Cosmo, Ferrari F458 Italia, 1:21.068
7. 01 Sharp/van Overbeek, Ferrari F458 Italia, 1:21.256
8. 3 Beretta/Milner, Corvette C6.R, 1:21.280
9. 17 Henzler/Sellers, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 1:21.921
10. 04 Murry/Lazzaro, Doran Ford GT, 1:22.128
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08-08-2011, 09:11 PM
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#6
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Corvette Racing Finishes Second and Sixth in Mid-Ohio Monsoon
Corvette Racing Finishes Second and Sixth in Mid-Ohio Monsoon
Gavin and Magnussen Come Through the Chaos for Podium Finish and Championship Points
LEXINGTON, Ohio, Aug. 6, 2011 – The Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge ended under a red flag when a downpour inundated the circuit with 11 minutes remaining in the two-hour, 45-minute race. Jan Magnussen and Oliver Gavin scored Corvette's third straight runner-up finish at Mid-Ohio after leading the GT category for the first two hours in the No. 4 Compuware Corvette C6.R. Tommy Milner and Olivier Beretta finished sixth after a spin in the treacherous conditions temporarily stranded the No. 3 Compuware Corvette before the race was stopped. Wolf Henzler and Bryan Sellers claimed the victory in the No. 17 Porsche 911 GT3 after advancing from sixth to first on the rain-soaked track in the final minutes.
"In the last two races, we've had a good race car and not such a good qualifying car – but I'll take a good race car any time," said team manager Gary Pratt. "In conditions like this, we're happy with second."
Magnussen made a fast start, moving from fifth on the grid to second in the first lap. He passed the class-leading BMW on the next lap and then held the lead through the remainder of his stint.
"I was on the outside for the first turn and had a good line," Magnussen said. "Everyone in front of me pulled in to protect their line, so I went to the outside and came out in second. I could see the BMW's tires weren't completely up to temperature and our Michelins were. In one of the practice sessions, I came out with a BMW and outbraked him at the end of the straight, so I knew he was going to be vulnerable there. Sure enough, he braked early and I made the pass."
Gavin took over the No. 4 Corvette shortly before the one-hour mark and held the point until he pitted for rain tires at 2:03. He was within striking distance of the leading No. 45 Porsche of Patrick Long when the deluge began.
"Those last four or five laps were absolutely insane," Gavin said. "I was driving down the straight with the steering wheel at full opposite lock, with the car just gliding and aquaplaning. Somehow my car straightened up and Pat Long's car went off into a gravel trap. When Wolf Henzler drove by me, I had no answer for him; he certainly had a good rain setup. I was relieved when they brought out the red flag because it was really tough.
"Before the rain came, it was great to be in the lead," the Englishman added. "The guys got me out in front after an excellent pit stop. I was slowly pulling away from Patrick, then a caution came out and we were driving around picking up loads of rubbish on the tires. Patrick was pressuring me, but eventually I got the tires clean and started to pull out a lead. Then the weather arrived, and everything changed."
Gavin and Magnussen's runner-up finish on the heels of a win in Mosport, combined with a fourth-place finish today for points leaders Joey Hand and Dirk Mueller, narrowed the GT championship race. Gavin and Magnussen are now 17 points behind the BMW duo in unofficial points, and Chevrolet cut BMW's lead in the manufacturer standings to 19 points.
Beretta, celebrating his milestone 100th ALMS race, started the No. 3 Corvette C6.R eighth on the GT grid, and pitted from P7 at 56 minutes into the race. Milner steadily worked his way to the front, running third with one hour remaining and second with 30 minutes to go. As the rain intensified, Milner had contact with another GT car and spun in Turn 8, rejoining the race in sixth.
"We had a phenomenal race car in the dry," said Milner. "In the wet, it's the same for everybody – really crazy. Unfortunately Mid-Ohio is one of those tracks that has zero grip in the rain. When you have monsoon conditions like this, it's a roll of the dice and we got snake eyes.
"When it started sprinkling, I thought about Le Mans, but once it started to pour, I said this is hurricane season," Milner reported. "Sixth is not where I wanted to finish after being on pace for second place, but it was really good to see that the team's hard work in practice and in the warm-up improved the car in the dry."
Corvette Racing won the Michelin Green X Challenge as the fastest, cleanest, and most efficient entry in the GT class for the second consecutive race.
"I think it was clear today we had the dominant cars," said Corvette Racing program manager Doug Fehan. "We were well positioned for a victory, and certainly we're satisfied with second when weather is such a factor. Most importantly, we've captured the Michelin Green X Challenge again, demonstrating durability, reliability, performance, and green thinking at Chevrolet and Corvette."
ESPN2 will televise the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge on Sunday, August 7, at 10 p.m. ET. Corvette Racing’s next event is the four-hour Time Warner Cable Road Race Showcase at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis., on Saturday, August 20, starting at 3:00 p.m. CT. Live video coverage will be available on ESPN3.com in the US and americanlemans.com for international users. ABC will televise the Time Warner Cable Road Race Showcase on Sunday, August 21, at 4:30 p.m. ET.
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge GT Results (Top 10):
Pos./Car No./Drivers/Car/Laps
1. 17 Henzler/Sellers, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 92
2. 4 Gavin/Magnussen, Corvette C6.R, 92
3. 55 Auberlen/Werner, BMW M3 GT, 92
4. 56 Mueller/Hand, BMW M3 GT, 92
5. 01 Sharp/van Overbeek, Ferrari F458 Italia, 92
6. 3 Beretta/Milner, Corvette C6.R, 92
7. 04 Murry/Lazzaro, Doran Ford GT, 91
8. 48 Miller/Maasen, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 91
9. 45 Bergmeister/Long, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 91
10. 44 Neiman/Law, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 91
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