Backstretch Motorsports

Head of Audi Motorsport, Dr Wolfgang Ullrich, Audi R10 TDI driver Lucas Luhr (Audi Communication Motorsport)

Prototype pilots Lucas Luhr and Chris McMurry are looking forward to the speed and exhilaration of racing at Mosport.
The only thing American Le Mans Series drivers love more than a fast circuit are two consecutive ones. That’s what the field is in for this weekend in Mobil 1 presents the Grand Prix of Mosport at historic Mosport International Raceway. The 2.459-mile, 10-turn circuit rivals Road America - the previous Series stop - as the fastest on the schedule, and the enthusiasm of the Mosport fans makes the Series’ only annual Canadian stop one of the highlights of the season.

Lucas Luhr, Audi Sport North America
Audi R10 TDI (LMP1)
“Mosport is one of the most challenging tracks there is because you have a lot of uphill and downhill, blind corners, and also some long straights. Overall the average speed is very high. It’s very challenging at Mosport for every sports car driver.”

Chris McMurry, Autocon Motorsports
Creation CA06H-Judd (LMP1)
“It’s always great to go to a different country for a race, that’s number one. The Canadian people are wonderful people. They’re happy, they’re knowledgeable about racing. And just from a driving standpoint, the track is awesome because it is so fast. It’s got some very challenging places - Turn 2 is really challenging, even Turn 1. And as a race car driver, you’re interested in going fast and there probably isn’t a better track for that.”

Clint Field, Intersport Racing
Lola B06/10-AER (LMP1)
“It’s a quick, really, really fast track, and the atmosphere at that track is awesome, too. You get really good racing. I think it suits itself to the prototype cars and at the end of the day those cars like to be driven fast so we’ll be real excited to go back there.”

Patrick Long, Penske Racing
Porsche RS Spyder (LMP2)
“I think the fans at Mosport are really passionate about their motorsport. They know what is going on in our Series, and what they can expect is the great, season-long battle that we have in the LMP2 class and the GT2 class and in all the other respective categories. They know what’s going on and it’s always a treat to go up there because they respect and honor their one chance to get up close and personal with the cars and drivers for the season as it’s the only time we visit Canada.”

Marino Franchitti, Dyson Racing
Porsche RS Spyder (LMP2)
“It’s like the world’s fastest rollercoaster except you’re in control. I just love it. I can’t wait to get there; I wish we would go there 12 times a year. It’s just tremendous. The fans are fantastic; this year they are going to be starved for their motorsport a little bit. It’s going to be fun to be able to entertain them and I think we will put on a good show; I’m sure we’ll have a lot of new fans coming along to add to the ones we already have. It’s just spectacular to watch and to drive.”

Ben Devlin, B-K Motorsports
Lola B07/46-Mazda MZR-R (LMP2)
“The Canadian fans in Mosport definitely have something different about them. Last year we had a great run; we finished fourth in class so that was really nice for us. So we’re looking forward. It suits our car and we look forward to going there again.”

Dirk Müller , Tafel Racing
Ferrari F430 GT (GT2)
“It’s the most challenging track I know. If you are scared, please don’t go there! Mosport is all about turn-in speed, but with very quick and blind corners this is not so easy. You need to build up your personal limit from below; otherwise your car is missing some parts. There is not one corner to pick up, but for sure one of the most important ones is the hairpin, followed by a long uphill straight. Here you need to have a very good traction.”

Jaime Melo, Risi Competizione
Ferrari F430 GT (GT2)
“Last year was my first time and it’s a really difficult track - very fast. And I can tell you it was one of the hardest races for me last year. It’s weird because a lot of people come to see the race and that makes the race more interesting. I think this year is going to be even better, hopefully, so we’ll try to win this year again.”

The Mobil 1 presents the Grand Prix of Mosport is scheduled for 3:05 p.m. ET on Sunday, August 24 from Mosport International Raceway just outside of Toronto. The eighth round of the 2008 American Le Mans Series will be aired live on SPEED. XM Satellite Radio will air the race live on XM Channel 166. Live radio coverage also will be available from American Le Mans Radio at americanlemans.com, which also will feature IMSA’s Live Timing & Scoring.

IN HIS OWN WORDS: GREGORY LOLES

Farnbacher Loles Racing won its first Series GT2 race two weeks ago at Road America.
“We’re really close.” The saying might be overused but not in the case of Farnbacher Loles Racing. The first six races of the American Le Mans Series were more often than not filled with misfortune and just general bad luck - podium finishes at St. Petersburg and Lime Rock not withstanding. Persistence paid off two weeks ago with a well-earned GT2 class victory in its Porsche 911 GT3 RSR at Road America with drivers Dirk Werner, Richard Westbrook and Bryce Miller. Naturally team principal Gregory Loles thinks may serve as a springboard for more good fortune down the road.

Question: Before Road America, how many times were you asked when the team would win its first race?

Answer: You know the party line…everyone feels like they’re close. But we really were. It goes all the way back to Sebring actually. We’ve had a good car all year long. We feel that we’ve reached a good place now. Clearly what happened at Mid-Ohio was very disappointing where we beat ourselves when we had the best car. We just messed up. We can make up stories but the racing gods weren’t with us. We could have gotten our pit stop done, gotten the wave-by and that would have been it. We’ve now put together all the elements and we were looking at 2009 as the year where we would be a major threat.

Q: So when will the team win its second race?

A: We really like Mosport. We’re in an interesting situation where in Europe we’re running a Ferrari and a Porsche. The Ferrari clearly took steps at Road America. Now there is another step coming at Mosport, and the Ferrari will be very strong. Richard (Westbrook) has a conflict with FIA-GT but we’ve gotten Pierre Kaffer in the car and he knows the track and the Series really well. We knew this would be a year where we would have to learn a lot of things. But we feel we’re pretty close and we’re pressuring Porsche to make sure they don’t fall behind and give us a good, strong package and car.

The first-year Series competitor is hoping its second class victory will come soon, perhaps this weekend at Mosport.
Q: Dirk Werner has really opened a lot of eyes this year, especially having to partner with a number of different teammates, with Pierre joining this weekend at Mosport. What qualities does he bring to the table?

A: The whole Dirk story started a few years ago when Wolf Henzler was running Supercup for Farnbacher in Europe. He had the maturity to do well, and Horst (Farnbacher) said he had another guy for a second car, and that guy was Dirk. Wolf won nine races and Dirk nearly finished second that year. I remember Horst saying that it would be hard keeping Wolf around with an American Le Mans Series program still a couple of years away. But he said Dirk was the one to keep.

I’m biased, but I think we can put him up against anyone in the GT2 class right now. And I’ll take that bet. We’re giving him a good car but he’s just very special and is very fast at learning tracks. He had never been Road America before the last race. But it takes him three laps and he’s doing 90 percent of what the car can do. He has an incredible personality and he’ll be with us for a long time. I already have a commitment that he will have an experienced US factory driver with him full-time next year. Next year is going to be interesting to say the least with BMW coming. Porsche doesn’t like losing to Ferrari. But it’s absolutely devastating to lose to BMW!

Q: We’ll use that as a segue. Are there any late-season surprises that you could share? It sounds like the 2009 program is well under way.

A: We’re definitely working on a second car but we’re not sure there will be one for Petit Le Mans. We don’t want to overextend ourselves. A second car would be very much a gentlemen’s car and we don’t think that would be a wise move. Typically that kind of car would have more issues on a weekend and we wouldn’t want that to detract from the success we want to have there.

Petit Le Mans is a very big race for us. That race will be good for the Porsche. And clearly it’s an automatic invitation for Le Mans and we would very much like to go to France next year. If we could put up a big result in the race, that might just lock it up. We need to have multiple Porsche teams from the US racing at Le Mans every year.

The Mobil 1 presents the Grand Prix of Mosport is scheduled for 3:05 p.m. ET on Sunday, August 24 from Mosport International Raceway just outside of Toronto. The eighth round of the 2008 American Le Mans Series will be aired live on SPEED. XM Satellite Radio will air the race live on XM Channel 166. Live radio coverage also will be available from American Le Mans Radio at americanlemans.com, which also will feature IMSA’s Live Timing & Scoring.

DIXON JOINING DE FERRAN FOR PETIT LE MANS

Scott Dixon, the 2008 Indy 500 winner, will make his second Petit Le Mans start in October at Road Atlanta.
Indianapolis 500 champion Scott Dixon will drive for de Ferran Motorsports in the team’s No. 66 Panasonic ELS Surround Acura ARX-01b prototype sports car in the October 4 Petit Le Mans powered by the Totally New Mazda6 at Road Atlanta in the 10th round of the 2008 American Le Mans Series.

Dixon, the 27-year-old driver from New Zealand, is enjoying one of the most successful open-wheel racing seasons in the past decade with six victories, including the Indy 500. Dixon won the Meijer Indy 300 at Kentucky Speedway in the most recent IndyCar Series race on Aug. 9.

Dixon will team with de Ferran Motorsports team owner Gil de Ferran, the 2003 Indy 500 winner, and young star Simon Pagenaud in the 1,000-mile/10-hour Petit Le Mans set on the 2.54-mile, 12-turn road circuit north of Atlanta.

It won’t be Dixon’s first Petit Le Mans. In 1999, he teamed with Stefan Johansson and Jim Matthews in a Ferrari 333 SP prototype that retired after 225 laps with a gearbox problem.

“We are extremely delighted to add Scott to our driver lineup for Petit Le Mans,” said de Ferran, a two-time CART series champion. “Scott is currently one of the world’s best drivers and is having a fantastic season including winning the Indy 500. I want to thank Chip and his Target team for allowing their star driver to join us for this special event. We are happy and flattered to have a driver of Scott’s talent and stature behind the wheel of the No. 66 Panasonic ELS de Ferran Motorsports Acura.”

De Ferran Motorsports began its operation in 2008 and competed in its first American Le Mans Series race in May at the Miller Motorsports Park in Utah, finishing on the podium. In addition, the team has qualified on the overall front row in three of the team’s first four events. De Ferran won the overall pole at the Mid-Ohio round in July.

In addition to capturing the Indy 500 this year, Dixon’s racing resume is outstanding with the 2003 IndyCar Series point title, 2001 CART Rookie of the Year honors, the 2000 Indy Lights point championship and the 2006 24 Hours of Daytona victory.

Dixon will join de Ferran Motorsports’ team owner Gil de Ferran and Simon Pagenaud in the No. 66 Acura ARX-01b.
“I am very excited about driving Gil’s car at Petit Le Mans,” said Dixon. “I know that de Ferran Motorsports has put together a strong team and I believe we will have a chance to win at Petit Le Mans. I would like to thank Chip and my Target team for giving me the opportunity to try a car in a completely different category. I am really looking forward to Petit.”

The next round of the American Le Mans Series is the Mobil 1 presents the Grand Prix of Mosport, scheduled for 3:05 p.m. ET on Sunday, August 24 from Mosport International Raceway just outside of Toronto. The eighth round of the 2008 American Le Mans Series will be aired live on SPEED. XM Satellite Radio will air the race live on XM Channel 166. Live radio coverage also will be available from American Le Mans Radio at americanlemans.com, which also will feature IMSA’s Live Timing & Scoring.