Backstretch Motorsports

The start of the American Le Mans Series’ second half has an uncanny similarity to the way the first ended…with Simon Pagenaud on pole position. The young Frenchman won his second straight pole position in the Series and third of the season for de Ferran Motorsports and Acura with a record qualifying run for the American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix at Lime Rock Park on Friday.

Pagenaud set a LMP1 record with a lap of 46.971 (114.965 mph) in de Ferran’s XM Acura. His time was just good enough to edge out Patrón Highcroft Racing’s David Brabham by 0.374 seconds. [read more...]

Pairing scores overall victory in return to debut venue

A year ago, Gil de Ferran and Simon Pagenaud were elated with a third-place finish in their American Le Mans Series debut at Miller Motorsports Park. Oh, how times have changed. The de Ferran Motorsports pairing dominated the Larry H. Miller Dealerships Utah Grand Prix on Sunday for their second overall victory in a row.

Pagenaud took the checkered flag in the team’s Acura ARX-02a by a comfortable 73.693 seconds over Patrón Highcroft Racing’s David Brabham and Scott Sharp. The winning duo led all but two laps as Pagenaud qualified on pole position and posted the fastest race lap for the second year in a row. The Frenchman and his Brazilian mentor also won the previous round at Long Beach. [read more...]

Simon Pagenaud captured pole position for de Ferran Motorsports with a new track record at the Larry H. Miller Dealerships Utah Grand Prix on Saturday, a year after the team’s debut in the American Le Mans Series. Pagenaud qualified his Acura ARX-02a with a time of 1:30.645 (121.052 mph) to best David Brabham by 0.736 seconds.

Pagenaud and team owner Gil de Ferran will drive the XM Acura after placing third overall and in the LMP2 class last season. The de Ferran team moved up to LMP1 for 2009 and took its first victory in the last Series round at Long Beach. Pagenaud earned his second Series pole position after qualifying first at St. Petersburg. [read more...]

Gavin, Beretta win in Series farewell for Corvette in GT1; Long, Bergmeister win for Lizards in GT2

Gil de Ferran finally got his win at Long Beach, and de Ferran Motorsports took victory in the American Le Mans Series on Saturday as de Ferran and Simon Pagenaud won at the Tequila Patrón American Le Mans Series at Long Beach. de Ferran and his Acura ARX-02a beat Patrón Highcroft Racing’s David Brabham across the finish line on Shoreline Drive under yellow. [read more...]

Fernandez Wins 2nd LMP2 Pole, Completing Acura 1-2-3 Overall Sweep

LONG BEACH, Calif. — David Brabham recorded his 11th career American Le Mans Series pole position Friday in a spectacular duel with fellow Acura racer Gil de Ferran during Tequila Patrón Grand Prix qualifying on the streets of Long Beach.

Brabham, winner at St. Petersburg two weeks ago with co-driver Scott Sharp, posted a sensational one minute, 11.627 second lap time for an average speed of 98.912 miles per hour in the No. 9 Patrón Highcroft Acura ARX-02a prototype early in the 25-minute qualifying round on the 1.96-mile, 11-turn temporary circuit near the Long Beach harbor. Then, de Ferran, driving the two-time 2009 pole-winning No. 66 XM Radio de Ferran Acura ARX-02a, closed Brabham’s margin with a sensational last-lap charge. [read more...]

LONG BEACH, California (April 17, 2009) – New team, new look, new car, new brand – that was what was unveiled during a press conference today at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. Rocketsports Racing, Inc. (RSR) establishes a new entity, formed to build and race Jaguar XKR’s in the ALMS GT2 category and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Rocketsports Racing officially announced a GT2 program for the American Le Mans Series that will see the East Lansing, Michigan-based team reunite with the Jaguar brand by entering a Jaguar XKRfor a partial season in 2009 with a full-season championship effort in 2010. [read more...]

David Brabham and Scott Sharp scored an overall victory for Acura at the aptly named Acura Sports Car Challenge of St. Petersburg on Saturday as the auto manufacturer swept both prototype classes in the second round of the 2009 American Le Mans Series.

Brabham and his Acura ARX-02a finished 32.150 seconds ahead of Adrian Fernandez as Acura took the top two overall positions. Fernandez was the LMP2 winner for the second straight race with Luis Diaz in Lowe’s Fernandez Racing’s Acura ARX-01b. [read more...]

Pagenaud, Diaz on prototype poles; Risi’s Melo fastest in GT2 for Ferrari

Four rear tires plus a brand new car equaled pole position for Simon Pagenaud on Friday. The young French star was the fastest qualifier Friday for de Ferran Motorsports at the Acura Sports Car Challenge of St. Petersburg with a lap of 1:03.776 (101.606 mph) in the team’s Acura ARX-02a. Pagenaud earned his first American Le Mans Series pole and the team’s second straight to open the season. [read more...]

Curren / Gigliotti Together Again With Whelen Engineering On Board

Bonita Springs, Fla. March 30, 2009 - The flaming paint scheme of the
#28 LG Pro Long Tube Headers GT2 Corvette will be taking it to the
streets this week when the American Le Mans Series makes its annual
return to St. Petersburg, Florida for the 2009 Acura Sports Car
Challenge. Sporting a new partner on the rear quarter panel, Whelen
Engineering’s ace pilot, Eric Curran will team up with three-time
World Challenge Champion and team owner Lou Gigliotti. This will be
Curran’s third outing in the #28 Corvette.

[read more...]

Audi scored a debut victory for its new Audi R15 TDI as Allan McNish, Dindo Capello and Tom Kristensen teamed to win the 57th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida on Saturday night. McNish crossed the finish line 22.279 ahead of Peugeot’s Franck Montagny in an epic battle between sports car racing’s two diesel powers.

McNish took the lead at the 42-minute mark when Montagny made his final fuel-only stop. McNish clicked off fast lap after fast lap to build up enough of a gap to make a late splash for fuel with 14 minutes remaining and maintain his lead.

[read more...]