|
 |
|
|
|
|
Dragonspeed Mishumotors Sets LMPC Pace At Sebring
The race debut of DragonSpeed Mishumotors saw the new collaboration set the Le Mans Prototype Challenge class pace at the 61st running of the Mobil 1 Sebring 12 Hours endurance classic, opening round of the farewell season of the American Le Mans Series.
|
|
|
The team featured an all-German driving squad led by Pierre Kaffer, an established LMP2 frontrunner in the FIA World Endurance Championship, supported by car owner Mirco Schultis and his 2011 Le Mans Series LMPC co-champion, Patrick Simon. During the four days of testing and official practice and qualifying, the yellow, white, and blue ORECA FLM09-Chevrolet machine headed the time sheets in four out of eight sessions, and was only out of the top three once. Hopes were high for pole position, and indeed Kaffer held on to the number one slot for most of the 15-minute session until a slide on his final flying lap saw him pipped by series regulars Colin Braun and Bruno Junquiera.
At the green flag on Saturday, Kaffer quickly made up for this disappointment by dominating the first hour and a half, reeling off a series of fastest laps to build a 26-second lead by the end of his stint. Schultis and Simon were caught up in a couple of minor incidents during their turns at the wheel, dropping the number 81 entry to sixth.
Shortly after Kaffer took over around the six-hour mark, the engine threw its drive belt and coasted to a halt in the pit lane. An almighty effort by the DragonSpeed crew put the car back out on track, 45 laps down on the LMPC leader, but more significantly at a 42-lap deficit to the next car in the class. As darkness fell, Kaffer again showed his speed, with Schultis and Simon following up to bring the car home in 36th place overall and seventh in class at the checker.
“I was really pleased by our speed this week and early dominance of the race,” said team principal Elton Julian. “I know that’s not what endurance racing is all about, but it was important to demonstrate how strong a team we’ve put together. Then again, the way the guys responded to the setbacks in the race is exactly what endurance racing is all about, so that was an added source of satisfaction.”
The next outing for the DragonSpeed Mishumotors effort will be on the ALMS’ Californian swing at Long Beach or Laguna Seca, with plans expected to be finalised in the coming week.
PaddockTalk Perspective
|
|
|
Also in American Le Mans Series News: |
|
| |
|
