Lime Rock: Krohn Racing preview

Krohn Racing will participate in the fifth round of the 2010 GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series schedule this Memorial Day weekend, May 28-31 at Lime Rock Park, Lakeville, Conn. for the Memorial Day Classic. The No. 75 Krohn Racing Ford Proto-Auto Lola will be driven by owner/driver Tracy W. Krohn and teammate Nic Josson at the short 1.53-mile, 7-turn road course near the beautiful Berkshires.

This is the first time the prototype class has driven at the Connecticut circuit, which has hosted races since 1957. The Krohn Racing team participated at an official test at Lime Rock Park in late April.

TRACY W. KROHN, Team Owner/Driver No. 75 Krohn Racing Ford Lola:

Lime Rock Park is a new circuit on the Grand-Am schedule. The team has done a test there though. How did you like the circuit at the test?

"I found the circuit to be very short and tight but challenging. I enjoy learning new tracks and this gave me a chance to drive it, discover the nuances of it like where to pass, how to maneuver the chicane best and many other things. In the long run it should pay off because, as a driver, it is a benefit to have driven a circuit prior to competing in a challenging sprint race like this will be."

In a sprint race on a short circuit like Lime Rock do you have to really get dialed in and focused quickly to achieve successful results?

"Without a doubt you have to get on it immediately. With such a short track, it will be easy to get lapped and very difficult to get that lap back. It will be a challenge."

What do you hope to accomplish at the Lime Rock race?

"Our goal is always a victory. Who ever says, Let's go finish second!"? We'll do everything we can to stay on the lead lap and be there at the end of the two and three-quarter hour race."

NIC JONSSON, Driver, No. 75 Krohn Racing Ford Lola:

Lime Rock is a new circuit on the Grand-Am prototype calendar this year but you have done a test there recently...How do you like the track? Have you ever raced there before?

"I've been to Lime Rock for the past 12 years or so. I've been running in LMP cars and the GS in the Koni Challenge cars and in the ALMS in GT2 cars. This is the first time I've been back in the last two years and the track was repaved since I was there last time. Now it's very unusual to go into Turn 1 and actually not have the whole front end bumping up and down with your teeth almost jumping out of your mouth. It's very smooth there now so you can definitely run the car much stiffer and the grip level is much higher. They are also running a completely new chicane on the bottom of Turn 4, which is also a new challenge. It's going to be very tight there. Otherwise I'm really looking forward to going back to Lime Rock. It's very hectic and short laps so there is no time for rest. It is going to be up to your endurance and how well prepared and at what kind of fitness level you are. We should be in very good shape with our Krohn Racing Proto-Auto Lola there."

In a sprint race on a short circuit like Lime Rock do you have to really get dialed in and focused quickly to achieve successful results?

"I think you have to for different reasons. It is a very short track so you have to get on it right away. You can't really give yourself two or three laps to get into a rhythm. You have to get on it or else you're going to be left behind right away. With such a short lap you don't get many opportunities for people to make mistakes. Another thing is also obviously that it is a shorter distance race so you really need to get on it so when things come up you can be ready to take chances and not just sit there and wait for the safe pass. It's definitely a little different on a short circuit like that."

What do you hope to accomplish at the Lime Rock race?

"I have very big hopes for Lime Rock. We went there about three weeks ago for a test and came out on top of the charts as the quickest car there. The Proto-Auto Lola has been very good at the last couple or three races. We have found a few things with the car that we haven't had before and we have changed that. It has pretty much transformed this car. I think this is the best this Proto-Auto Lola has ever been over the past three years. I think that showed and Barber and also VIR where we had top three or four lap times there. We have run very competitively. And then, as I said, we were the quickest at the test here at Lime Rock a few weeks ago. I have very big hopes that we can go in there and have a very fast and successful race.

DAVID BROWN, Krohn Racing Team Manager and Engineer:

Lime Rock Park is a new circuit on the Grand-Am schedule. The team has done a test there though. How did you like the circuit at the test and do you feel it is a good course for the Krohn team/car?

"It's always enjoyable to go to a new track. It offers fresh challenges for the team, the car and the drivers. The test was brief and we got some idea of how the car will perform. The race meeting itself is a one day affair so we will have to be on the ball in every area of our operation to achieve a good result. The lap is very short, there are both DP and GT cars racing together and it has some quick corners, so it will be a severe test of the car and the patience and foresight of the drivers to navigate through the race."

In a sprint race on a short circuit like Lime Rock with minimal track time before the race how do you get the car set up quickly to achieve successful results?

"We have a baseline car which we will be fielding initially. Then it's a question of drivers and engineers communicating concisely and accurately to hone the setup in the short time available. Every lap will count in the quest for an optimized car for the conditions."

You have on back-to-back races between Lime Rock and Watkins Glen. How does the team have to work differently when you cannot go back to the shop in between races?

"We have robust procedures and working practices in place which we believe allow us to suitably prepare. The high quality of personnel within the organization, good planning and a solid resource allow us to prepare ahead of time in many aspects."

What do you hope to accomplish at the Lime Rock race?

"We are faced with another opportunity to display our ability to field a competitive car, to achieve good lap times and the best result we can. We believe we have a good car now, which is well prepared, well driven and well run. As ever we look forward to a new challenge as an opportunity."

-source: kr