MC12 to race in ALMS GT1 @ Road America

There were quite a few running at Spa last weekend. They are awesome to see and hear in person. Too bad the ACO doesn't recognize them.

Carol

 

wow. Is there a lot of disparity between the lap times? hate too see the MC12's too badly hadicapped.

 

A privateer team doesn't stand a chance against Corvette Racing. The MC12 has raced in ALMS before, without great success.

 

The MC12 is a pig of a race car. i know, i have raced one!

 

Doran Racing will run the car.

pics

http://www.the-paddock.net/content/view/241885/49/

http://www.doranracing.com/

IMO, GT1 will die before the end of 2010.

 

http://www.endurance-info.com/2007_ALMS/08_Maserati_Doran.jpg

 

True, but then again, it's kind of easy to dominate the opponent when your car's manufacturer stands behind you while they're on their own. GT1 is a boring class though in ALMS. I only continue to watch ALMS for the LMPs and GT2s. If I want to see some die-hard GT1 racing, it's the FIA. The FIA GT is undoubted proof that the MC12 is an amazing machine. 2007 continues to be dominated by 2 Maserati teams.

 

I'll be there, I'm just happy to hear and see it again. Absolutely gorgeous!

 

Vitaphone (Germany) and Sara Free (Italy). JBM also ran an MC-12 - Marino Franchitti was one of the drivers.

Carol
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An MC12 didn't win the Total 24 Hours of Spa.

 

I'm with you on this. FIA GT rules exclude manufacturer teams. This makes for a more even playing field and close racing. A privateer team with limited testing and a relatively small budget won't trouble the might of Corvette Racing.

 

It lost the race. I'm sure Vitaphone are heart broken after the 2005 and 2006 championship results and are about ready to do the same this year.

Call me next year when that Corvette wins the 24 Hours of Spa 2 times in a row, and makes a Hat Trick with the FIA GT Championship.

EDIT*
As far as I'm concerned, the Maserati MC12 is the toughest opponent in the series, and I wouldn't be surprised if Vitaphone and JMB ever decided to run an ALMS version, that they'd be just as fierce as they are in Europe.

 

Test session today:

Allan was fastest overall 1:49.172; Pirro second with 1:49.579; third Briscoe (P2) with 1:50.212.

GT1 - Corvette 1 & 2 - 2:02.240; 2:03.242 and the privateer MC-12 at 2:04.499. At least there's something out there in GT1 other than two Corvettes.

GT2 - PWL first (Dumbreck) with 2:09.494; Mika (#62 Risi) second with 2:09.585; third Bruni (#61 Risi) with a 2:09.651

I'm hoping for an Audi #1 overall win and a Risi #62 GT2 win. We'll be there tomorrow in plenty of time for qualifying - we're doing the Audi Experience there this weekend.

Carol

 

Melo set the GT2 pole

http://www.imsaracing.net/2007/events/road%20america/ALMS_ProvGrid.pdf

Bill Auberlen and Joey Hand are 6th in GT2 in their # 22 Panoz Esperante GTLM.

 

Vitaphone is a strong team.

 

The car is one Lienhard purchased from Risi Competizione but not the one that competed in the Series during the 2005 season. The rear wing is narrower than in that configuration with the width stretching to and from the outside edges of the back wheels. The wing does have a shallower profile to reduce some of the downforce and increase speed.

http://www.americanlemans.com/news/Article.aspx?ID=3474

http://www.americanlemans.com/Gallery/141/141892007192111359.JPG

 

The only Ferraris racing in GT1 this year are some FIA GT round (Citation Cup http://fiagt.com/newsitem.php?key=1201 ), French GT, and the one in the Japanese Le Mans Challenge.

 

I took a sum total of about 5 photos max at the race! You can only take so many photos of each of the cars. The ones I took were of the MC-12 as they were working on the cool system.Theys is a very nice guy and very friendly, I asked him after the podium awards if they were running at Road Atlanta and his comment to me was yes. So there should be at least three GT1 and possibly another entry that I've spoken with a month or so back.

Their MC-12 is not the #35 that Risi ran a couple years back. The difference between the two they had was very obvious. #35 was very rough finished carbon fiber whereas this one at Road America was the smoother one that sat in the FoH showroom.

Audi #1 would have won the race from the get-go had the left rear not de-laminated. Allan had a nice lead going was was steadily increasing. Could not believe the side by side Audi racing after the rain let up. Word was that there was some bad drain areas on the track is why the pace car was out for such a long time - otherwise the racing would have continued.

Mosport is next and is a very fast track . . .Allan & Dindo won their championship there last year. I think the championship this year for overall and GT2 may very well come down to the line at Laguna Seca. Unfortunately, I'll miss Mosport this year due to the change in the mandated start date for school.

Carol

 

I'll have to get some pics up that I took too, yes I still use film so I'll have to develop and scan. Best pic imo is the ground level from the back, but I've always been a backside guy! I heard the crew say their racing at the Petit also, good times!

 

Good thing you watched it in person, cuz NBC coverage sucked.

 

I only saw Calvin Fish doing his tv work for NBC - don't know if there was anyone else. We were in the Audi hot pits when they went back to racing and Calvin was there waiting for Allan to pit to interview him. We had a great spot about 5 feet from the car when he came in and Dindo took his turn. Penske was in the pit next to Audi and when one of the cars came in just after Allan, I swear the driver was just about out of the car when it came to a stop. . . extremely fast driver change.

Here all my photos from Road America! We did the Audi Experience - fantastic.

Carol
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Carol,

What happened to the PWL Dumbreck 430?

According to Motorsport.com "DQ for failing to pass post race inspection"?!?!?