ALMS
Lime Rock: VICI Racing preview
T-MOBILE® VICI RACING AMERICAN LE MANS NORTH EAST GRAND PRIX, PREVIEW Miami, Florida - Following a lengthy calendar break in the American Le Mans Series the action resumes with the American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix at Lime Rock Park in ...
Published: Oct 2, 2009, 4:40 PM
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T-MOBILE® VICI RACING AMERICAN LE MANS NORTH EAST GRAND PRIX, PREVIEW
Miami, Florida - Following a lengthy calendar break in the American Le Mans Series the action resumes with the American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Connecticut, this weekend (July 17-18) and with T-Mobile® VICI Racing eager to build on the excellent top-five results the team achieved in its first two races of the year. Driving the #18 T- Mobile® VICI Racing Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (2008) this coming weekend will be Richard Westbrook and Johannes Stuck, the driver pairing that superbly kicked off our second season in the ALMS with a fighting fourth place finish at Long Beach in April.
The new partnership between T-Mobile USA and VICI Racing got underway on the unforgiving concrete-lined streets of Long Beach in California in the best possible manner with a highly competitive showing, and the fourth place finish laid down a marker that the team would be fighting for honours. ALMS GT2 is now one of the most competitive classes in sports car racing the world over, making it the perfect arena for T-Mobile® VICI Racing to show off its ambitions to battle with the best. From Long beach it was on to the dry, dusty, high altitude heat of the Miller Motorsport Park in Utah and with former F3000 Champion and Official F1 Test Driver Nicky Pastorelli, now starting his third season with VICI Racing, alongside Johannes, another very strong race saw the duo cross the line - despite a high speed scare - in fifth place.
The third race of our season, the American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix at Lime Rock Park this weekend, will provide yet another contrast as the ALMS arrives in the rolling green Connecticut countryside for a race on the shortest track of the year where, with the prototype cars lapping the 1.53- mile circuit in less than a minute, one of the key objectives for any driver is to steer clear of the inevitable accidents. Lime Rock Park, celebrated its 50th anniversary as racing amphitheatre two years ago and the "Park" in the name signifies that the track nestles in over three hundred acres of natural Northwest Connecticut countryside.
Richard, a multiple Porsche Carrera Cup and Porsche Supercup championship- winning driver, made his ALMS debut at Lime Rock Park last year and a second place finish amply demonstrates his ability and ease on this track, the Londoner professing to "instantly liking" a circuit that tests the very best of drivers. Sharing the cockpit of the magenta-and-white #18 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR will be Johannes Stuck, who resides in Mauren, Lichtenstein. The 22-year-old son of Hans Stuck, one of history's most legendary drivers, he is rapidly following in the family "trade" and his shining natural talent is being honed with each race.
Ron C. Meixner, President VICI Racing: "After two good races at Long Beach and Utah I am looking forward to continuing the progress the team has made this year and I'm targeting another good result in Lime Rock. I'm very pleased with the drivers we have this year. Johannes is doing well as I expected, he's quick and developing into a very promising sports car driver. Richard did a great job at Long Beach, he gave 110 percent all race which is all any team owner can ask of a driver and I look forward to him doing the same at Lime Rock which he knows well and taking a real grip of the race. Our partnership with T-Mobile is moving forward strongly, so I think we can all look forward to a good weekend at Lime Rock."
Roland Wall, Technical Director VICI Racing: "We get back on track now after the break with the trip to Lime Rock, and the start of a busy programme of races. Richard and Johannes have been doing a great job and I think they will both go well here; Richard in particular was quick last year and he should be ready to get on the pace. We didn't race here last year so we will need to accumulate data with the RSR so we have to work hard to get in position for a good race. I was last in Lime Rock two years ago with the [Porsche RS] Spyder, the track is very short and fast so care has to be taken to make sure an accident doesn't occur. The prototypes were lapping Lime Rock well under a minute two years ago. I also have to take into account the new surfacing and track changes that have been done since I was last here. It's a tough race, you have to take care here and be really on the ball, but I'm sure we can have a good race."
Richard Westbrook (England): "I'm pleased to be back for my second race of the year with VICI Racing and I look forward to building from the fourth place we had in Long Beach. I have been very busy this year and have had winning results so I hope that I can continue that momentum to Lime Rock. I would like to aim for a strong finish and I love the track which I finished second at last year when I was making my ALMS debut. Johannes is a good team mate; he is learning every race and getting quicker and quicker."
Johannes Stuck (Austria): "I'm really looking forward to Lime Rock of course, it has been a long break from the ALMS and I have had some disappointing races in Europe in between, especially technical failure in the [Nurburgring] 24 Hours. I'm glad to be with the team again, and I think we'll do well as we are all working so hard. After good results from my first two ALMS races with the team I'm pleased with the progress I'm making and I'm enjoying learning new tracks and racing in America. I'm also very happy that my mother, sister and brother will be at the track this weekend to support me."
-credit: vici
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