RSR Racing heads to America's Heartland for the Grand Prix of Kansas
IMSA's format for the Grand Prix of Kansas has two prototype classes competing in a pair of aggregate 45-minutes sprint races on oval/road course of Kansas Speedway.
Photo by: Richard Sloop
East Lansing, Michigan - RSR Racing has loaded up the Chevrolet powered 09 LinospressoUSA.com and the 08 AutoMaxUSA.com ORECA FLM09 Prototype Challenge race cars and headed to America's heartland for the Grand Prix of Kansas this weekend as part of the TUDOR United Sports Car Championship.
IMSA's format for the Grand Prix of Kansas has two prototype classes competing in a pair of aggregate 45-minutes sprint races on the 2.37-mile six-turn oval/road course of Kansas Speedway. The two segments will be separated by the weekends Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge event.
The 430-horsepowered Prototype Challenge race cars will be joins by the much lower 230-horsepowered Cooper Tire Prototype Lites series creating a 26-car field for the dual sprint races.
The unique format of the Grand Prix of Kansas gives both Duncan Ende and Chris Cumming the opportunity to qualify their cars and drive the entire first segment. Bruno Junqueira and Alex Tagliani will take over where Ende and Cumming leave off for the second segment sprint to the checkered flag.
While Tagliani and Cumming continue to battle for their first podium finish of the 2014 season, the duo of Junqueira and Ende look for their third straight podium after finishing second at Sebring and third at Laguna Seca.
Tagliani climbs back into the 09 AutoMaxUSA.com ORECA FLM09 for the first time since finishing 13th at the famed Indianapolis 500 driving for Sara Fisher Hartman Racing. Driver Quotes
Bruno Junqueira on sprint races... "It is a different approach as we don't have pits stops or a driver change. So it will be a very intense 45-minute race that must be run at an extremely hard pace. I like it, it will be fun."
Alex Tagliani on returning to Kansas... "I am excited to return to Kansas after winning the pole position last year and getting some experience at the track. It will be interesting to try to get the car to be the fastest for forty-five minutes straight with the unique race format. I can't wait to drive again with Chris, I really enjoy working with him as he is very professional and I hope we can win."
Duncan Ende on the unique format of the Grand Prix of Kansas... "The new race format ultimately leaves me with the same job to do, give the car to Bruno in the best possible position, so I'm not coming to Kansas with a new or unique approach.
"The two biggest issues we are going to face will be learning the new track and learning the tendencies of the Lites cars and drivers. Many of those guys could be new to multi-class racing, so there could be more than one guy out there who gets things very wrong in traffic."
Chris Cumming on the Kansas event... "This weekend's format is going to be really interesting. It's a new track and race format for us that will hopefully provide some great racing and entertainment."
RSR Racing
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