ALMS

Greg Pickett comments on Road Atlanta test

PICKETT PLEASED WITH ROAD ATLANTA CHANGES Greg Pickett's first laps around Road Atlanta in more than a decade weren't quite what he had remembered. And that's a good thing as the team owner and driver of Team Cytosport's ...

Published: Sep 30, 2007, 6:33 PM

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PICKETT PLEASED WITH ROAD ATLANTA CHANGES

Greg Pickett's first laps around Road Atlanta in more than a decade weren't quite what he had remembered. And that's a good thing as the team owner and driver of Team Cytosport's AER-powered Lola is preparing for the 10th running of Petit Le Mans.

"I think it was about 12 years ago, before Don Panoz bought the track and certainly before the improvements," said Pickett, who has competed in both Trans-Am and IMSA in his distinguished career. "I had heard a lot of things about the track but to see it first-hand is fantastic. My hat's off to Don and what he has done. It's a true world-class facility."

Pickett will team with Klaus Graf and 2006 podium finisher Memo Gidley in the Cytosport Lola. The team has finished in the top three in each of its starts this year in the American Le Mans Series.

The Lola was down into the 1:11.5 range in testing at the track, which continues to be lightning fast following a winter repaving. Times were quick throughout the field with B-K Motorsports' Lola P2 entry just 0.5 seconds off last year's class qualifying mark. Four GT2 cars were under last year's class pole time of 1:22.422, set by Ralf Kelleners in a Risi Competizione Ferrari.

"The backstretch is a bit different," Pickett said of the changes in the track since his last race. "It adds an entirely new dimension with a couple of new passing zones. The run down the hill and into Turn 12 is flat in sixth gear in this car. Turn 1 is amazing too. We picked up a lot of time there."

The 10th running of Petit Le Mans, the annual 1,000-mile/10-hour endurance classic at Road Atlanta, is set for 11:15 a.m. ET on Saturday, October 6. SPEED will provide live coverage from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and again from 6:30 to 10 p.m. American Le Mans Radio and IMSA's Live Timing and Scoring will be available at www.americanlemans.com.

-credit: alms

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