Prototype Cat & Mouse

Prototype cat & mouse michelinalley.com Motorsport Park 2014 Motorsport Park Canadian Tire News From the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship - the News From Viper shoots for hat trick DODGE VIPER BACK IN CANADA WITH NEW/OLD LIVERY istory sometimes repeats itself, and for the Dodge the blind crests and rises. The track is fast with a good flow that Viper team a little historical repeat at Canadian Tire really matches our car well.” 2 Motorsport Park (CTMP) would be just fine, thank “The flowing tracks like Watkins Glen, CTMP and Road you. America really suit the Viper,” said teammate Dominik Returning to the classic red and Farnbacher who with co-driver Marc “the Goose” Hwhite livery made famous by the original Dodge Goossens gave Viper its first victory at Road Vipers, the second generation Viper team is America last August. “The elevation changes are looking to complete a hat trick, by adding a third also good as we have the torque to help us on the GT victory here at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park uphill sections. I think we will be strong here in (Mosport) to the two scored by the original team Canada.” in 1999 and 2000. Taking that final step to the top of the podium The team’s first appearance in 13 years here won’t be easy. The Vipers face fierce competition in 2013 was impressive as the Vipers led early, from the factory Porsche North America team, finished a strong 2-3 and claimed the pole. This winners at the Rolex 24 at Daytona and the Mobil year, they look to go one better. 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring; the TUDOR United “We are all excited about being back,” said 2013 SportsCar Championship leading and Long Beach, GT pole winner Jonathan Bomarito (pictured Monterey and Watkins Glen winning Corvette right) of his return with co-driver Kuno Wittmer Racing, and the overdue BMW Team RLL, and Risi of Montreal (pictured far right). “Last year was my Competizione Ferrari squads in addition to the first time here and we won the pole and Kuno and independent Falken Porsche. I got the first podium for the #93 car.” The driver line-ups are also impressive. Corvette Racing The recent return to the red and white livery has special features 2013 ALMS GT Champions Jan Magnussen and meaning for Bomarito. Antonio Garcia and the 2012 champions and defending CTMP “When I was a kid just starting racing and saw the red and class champions Tommy Milner and Oliver Gavin. white Oreca Vipers at Laguna Seca, I never dreamed that I The Porsche factory counters with former champion Patrick would be driving one now. The classic look brings back the Long teamed with newcomer Michael Christensen and 2013 tradition and since the red and white Vipers won here twice Petit Le Mans winner Nick Tandy matched with Richard Lietz. before, I’ll use that as motivation, too.” Former champions BMW Team RLL, led by Bobby Rahal, The 10 turn, 2.459 mile circuit is not for the faint of heart. puts BMW icon Bill Auberlen with three-time World Touring Former champion Klaus Graf describes it as “a big boy circuit” Car Champion Andy Priaulx while former champ Dirk Mueller meaning it offers big rewards but carries significant risks on its is paired with young star John Edwards. high speed corners. Risi Ferrari puts former F1 star and 2014 Le Mans 24 Hour “It is a daunting place,” said Bomarito. “Kuno has been here race GTE-Pro winner Giancarlo Fisichella with Pierre Kaffer. a lot, so that helped, and the team gave me most of the track Falken counters with Porsche factory shoe Wolf Henzler and time during practice. It takes a lot of confidence to deal with Bryan Sellers. Photo: Richard Prince “The GT class is incredibly tough racing. It’s exciting and everyone is very motivated,” said Bomarito. “You know the teams and drivers are good. You try to elevate your best. You 3 want to be prepared and not waste any time in practice. If you can get up to speed three laps quicker that can give you one more change that may help you pick up a gain. You have to be 100 percent every practice, every lap.” “The competition in our class is, ‘Wow!’ the strongest ever. There are five manufacturers here and they are all top notch,” said Farnbacher. Now in its second full season of competition, one of the keys to growing confidence is continuity. “Continuity really helps,” said Bomarito. “We’ve been together almost three years now. We have the same teammates, crew and engineering staff. Over time we start to understand each other better and better. They know by the tone of the driver’s voice what the driver is dealing with.” “That makes success hugely rewarding and gives the whole team a lot of satisfaction,” said Bomarito. “To win in this competition would provide a huge sense of accomplishment.” And it would make some new Viper history. VIPERS shooting for Canadian hat trick 4 PROTOTYPE Cat & Mouse PROTOTYPE 5 Cat & Mouse ans may be in for an exciting The most recent example played out in Michael Shank Racing cars get by the game of cat and mouse here the final laps at Watkins Glen where the P2s on the straightaway, “it will be at Canadian Tire Motorsport Spirit of Daytona overpowered the race tough for us to get them back before Park (CTMP). leading Oak Nissan on a late restart to start/finish. Their biggest advantage is Recent lap times show that claim the win by 0.87 seconds. on the straights and in traffic,” said van Fthe IMSA technical group has largely “The cars get their lap times in Overbeek. succeeded in finding a combination to different ways,” said the sole P2 winner Of course, if a P2 car is able open equate the performance of the former to date, Johannes van Overbeek, who up a big enough gap to survive the GRAND AM Daytona Prototype (DP) co-drives an Extreme Speed Motorsports straightaway losses, it will be game on as cars with the former American Le Honda with Patron exec Ed Brown. “Our the P2 car tries to further extend the gap Mans Series P2 entries as the two are P2 cars have more downforce, so we have through the first five corners. The best merged in the new 2014 TUDOR United the advantage in high speed corners. The opportunity may be in the second half SportsCar Championship. DPs have more power and more torque of a long green flag run as the P2 cars Through the first six races of the on acceleration and straightaways. It is appear able to better maintain consistent TUDOR Championship, five different pretty tough to performance balance lap times. cars from four different manufacturers that,” said van Overbeek. “This is one of my favorite tracks. have set the fastest lap of the race. Still, van Overbeek sees a window of I’ve always done well here and the P2 The Corvette DP of Action Express P2 opportunity here at Canadian Tire cars have more experience than the (Daytona), the Honda P2 of Extreme Motorsport Park. DPs here, so maybe Ed and I, or our Speed Motorsports (Sebring), the The California ace expects that the teammates Scott Sharp and Ryan Dalziel Michael Shank DP EcoBoost Ford (Long layout at CTMP will see the two groups can put another win together,” said van Beach), the Spirit of Daytona Corvette demonstrating their opposing strengths. Overbeek. DP (Detroit) and the P2 Oak Racing The P2s from Scott Sharp’s Extreme “We had a perfect race at Mazda Nissan team (Monterey and Watkins Speed Motorsports Honda, Oak Racing Raceway Laguna Seca,” said van Glen) have each set fastest race laps. Nissan and Mazda SkyActive will likely Overbeek. “The car was good right away. However, as may be expected in the have the cornering speed advantage Ed did a great opening stint. The pit stops early days of a major change, there is from Turn 1 around through Moss were great. It was one of those races still a catch. After the first six races of the Corner (Turn 5). “From the exit of Turn 5 where everything just went right. It was TUDOR Championship, the DPs have the DPs will likely have the advantage all especially nice since that is my home claimed five victories to a single the way to Turn 9,” said van Overbeek. race and a lot of family and friends were win for the P2s. If the Corvette DPs from Action there,” said van Overbeek. That is where the Express, Wayne Taylor Racing or Spirit Perhaps another perfect race is in game of cat and of Daytona Racing or the Ford Ecoboost- order, or maybe an extended game of cat mouse begins. powered Chip Ganassi Racing and and mouse. 6 FAST FACTS Watch us now on Fox All the action of the TUDOR United SportsCar Better and Better It seems like every year the IMSA teams arrive at Canadian Championship races from Canadian Tire Motorsport Tire Motorsport Park and marvel at another batch of track Park can be seen flag to flag on the Fox Sports 1 improvements by Ron Fellows and the CTMP leadership. This network. International fans will also be able to see the year the new paddock is drawing great comments. Judging race live on IMSA.com. by the increased attendance and sponsorships, the plan to improve the facilities for teams and fans while retaining the character of the great circuit is a winning formula.

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