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...]

SEBRING, Fla. (March 20, 2009) – Seth Thomas, of Cumming, Ga., capitalized on a tremendous start from the front row to take his first-ever SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge Touring Car win in the Toyo Tires SCCA SPEED World Challenge Season Opener at Sebring, part of the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring Presented by Fresh From Florida. Pierre Kleinubing, of Coconut Creek, Fla., and Jason Saini, of Fort Worth, Texas, completed the podium.

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de Ferran Acura bests Audi, Peugeot in qualifying

SEBRING, Fla. — Scott Dixon put Acura into the Sebring record books Thursday with a stunning final-lap dash to win the overall pole position for Saturday’s 57th annual 12 Hours of Sebring.

Dixon, the defending Indy 500 and IndyCar Series champion, made his first Sebring race appearance quite notable by driving the all-new No. 66 de Ferran XM Radio Acura ARX-02a prototype sports car to the top position in Saturday’s grid over expected favorites Audi and Peugeot. It is the first time since 2005 that a manufacturer has captured both the LMP1 and LMP2 pole positions in the same event.

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SEBRING, Fla. (March 18, 2009) – Pierre Kleinubing, of Coconut Creek, Fla., topped the practice sheets for Round One of the SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge Touring Car Championship at Sebring International Raceway. Kuno Wittmer, of Montreal, Quebec, and Charles Espenlaub, of Lutz, Fla., were second and third quickest, respectively, in preperation for the Toyo Tires World Challenge Season Opener, part of the 57th Annual Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring Presented by Fresh From Florida.

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Acura Seeks Class Wins in LMP1 and LMP2 in Tough 12-hour Classic

SEBRING, Fla. — The initial outing of a new season comes with excitement and nervousness for any team. Whether it’s football, basketball, baseball, soccer or even auto racing, the debut of a new product in a new year brings a variety of anxious moments before the opening event.

It will not be any different for the new Acura Motorsports teams coming to this weekend’s 57th annual Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring, one of the world’s most prestigious racing contests and American Le Mans Series opener.

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Scott Dixon turned in the fastest time on the final day of the American Le Mans Series’ annual Winter Test on Wednesday. The reigning Indy 500 and IndyCar champion turned a lap of 1:45.671 (126.052 mph) in the morning session at Sebring International Raceway for de Ferran Motorsports.

The new Acura ARX-02a LMP1 entry that Dixon drove Wednesday morning was fastest in all but one of the eight sessions throughout the week. Teammate Simon Pagenaud has the week’s quickest time, a 1:44.814 (127.082 mph) from Tuesday morning. His time bettered Marco Werner’s standing qualifying record around the famed 17-turn, 3.7-mile layout, set in 2007 in an Audi R10 TDI. Pagenaud, Dixon and team owner Gil de Ferran will team for the season-opening Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida on March 21.

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