The 10th season of the American Le Mans Series appropriately begins with where it all started in the first place - Sebring. North America's oldest and
premier sports car event brings out only the best teams in endurance racing. They all will test their mettle on the historic 3.7-mile, 17-turn circuit that sits
on the site of a former World War II air base.
Dates/Times:
March 12-15 - 10:05AM EDT
Duration:12:00hr
Live TV Coverage:
Mar 15, 9:30AM EDT
1941 - Hendricks Field built near Sebring as a military training base.
1950 - Alec Ulmann suggests Sebring Airport as a site for a sports car road race. Sam Collier 6 Hour Memorial race held on December 31 is first
racing event ever held at Sebring and the first sports car endurance held in the U.S.
1952 - First 12 Hours of Sebring race held on March 15.
1953 - The 12 Hours of Sebring is the first event of the new FIA sports car world championship.
1954 - Stunning upset as an OSCA co-driven by Stirling Moss wins.
1955 - Confusing finish: Hill/Shelby Ferrari is flagged winner, then Hawthorn/Walters Jaguar declared winner.
1956 - The legendary Fangio drives a Ferrari to victory. Amoco becomes official sponsor and begins long relationship with Sebring race. Automobile
Racing Club of Florida (ARCF) formed to replace AAA, which announced it will no longer sanction racing.
1957 - Fangio wins his second consecutive Sebring race. First live national radio broadcast.
1959 - Sebring hosts first ever Formula One race in the U.S. in December. Poorly attended, that race moves to Riverside the following year.
1960 - Major factory teams don't show due to exclusive gas/oil controversy. Ulmann adds "support races" to weekend schedule for the first time.
1961 - Olivier Gendebien and Phil Hill win their third 12 Hours of Sebring race.
1963 - Rear-engine Ferrari wins. Perhaps greatest field of drivers ever assembled for an American sports car race.
1964 - Ferrari wins fourth consecutive Sebring race despite strong challenge from Ford Cobras.
1965 - First American car to win Sebring in over a decade as Chevrolet Chaparral wins with Hap Sharp and Jim Hall driving.
1966 - First Trans-Am race ever held at Sebring. Tragedy strikes as driver Bob McLean is killed. Later in the race, four spectators are killed when
Mario Andretti collides with Don Wester. Dan Gurney's car, leading with four minutes left, stops on course. As he tries to push the car across the finish line,
the Miles/Ruby Ford passes him in the final minute.
1967 - Promoter Alec Ulmann announces the race will be moved to the new Palm Beach International Raceway (now called Moroso Motorsports Park) in West
Palm Beach. Two months later he changes his mind. First major change made to the circuit as the Webster Turn is replaced with the Chicane.
1968 - Trans-Am race included within the 12-hour race.
1969 - Last "Le Mans Start" in which drivers run to their cars to start race.
1970 - Considered greatest Sebring race ever. Closest finish ever as Andretti gives Ferrari a 22-second victory over actor Steve McQueen and Peter
Revson.
1972 - Mario Andretti wins his third 12 Hours of Sebring. Ulmann announces this will be last Sebring race as the FIA has withdrawn its sanction and
the race will no longer be on the international calendar.
1973 - Sebring revived under IMSA sanction. Peter Gregg and Hurley Haywood drive Porsche to victory in a race of production cars and no
prototypes.
1974 - Race cancelled due to "energy crisis." Several hundred fans show up anyway to party.
1975 - Race revived with John Greenwood as promoter. Factory BMW wins.
1976 - Porsche wins the first of 13 consecutive Sebring races.
1978 - Charles Mendez takes over promotion of race. Coca-Cola announces name sponsorship. FIA sanction restored.
1983 - Sebring Airport Authority takes over promotion of race. First major circuit change in 20 years takes place as a new section bypasses airport
runway. In biggest upset in endurance racing history, a GTO Porsche records the overall win.
1984 - Another big upset as an aging Porsche 935 wins. Paddock moved out, increasing course length to 4.86 miles.
1985 - A.J. Foyt wins his first Sebring race, the last win of his career.
1986 - First live national TV broadcast on TBS.
1987 - Million-dollar enhancement program results in new 4.11 mile course which bypasses old runways.
1990 - Nissan wins second straight Sebring race. Top three cars all finish on the same lap - first time in Sebring history. Sebring Airport Authority
leases facility to Mike Cone; major improvements begin immediately.
1991 - Despite heavy rains, a record crowd watches Nissan take its third straight victory on the newly renovated 3.7-mile circuit.
1992 - Sebring celebrates its 40th anniversary. Toyota wins first endurance race with Juan Fangio II and Andy Wallace driving.
1993 - Toyota wins again despite heavy rains which caused the first red-flag in Sebring history.
1994 - World Sports Car era begins, GT Nissan wins overall.
1995 - Ferrari records historic win, first in 23 years at Sebring. Chicane is relocated and renamed the Fangio Chicane.
1996 - Oldsmobile scores first victory for an American manufacturer at Sebring in 27 years.
1997 - Sebring acquired by International Motorsports Speedway Group. Ulmann Straight is resurfaced. FIA GT race held in October. IMSG sells Sebring
Lease to Panoz Motor Sports.
1998 - A record 24 lead changes as the Momo Ferrari wins Sebring in a thrilling battle with the Panoz Team. A major improvement program begins
following the race, including the reconfiguration of the Hairpin and resurfacing of several sections of the circuit.
1999 - Closest Sebring finish ever as BMW wins by a nine second margin. New pit tower and media center constructed as part of multi-million dollar
improvement program. Hotel constructed adjacent to the Hairpin near the track entrance.
2000 - Audi finishes first and second.
2001 - Audi wins again; Saleen scores a stunning upset in GTS.
2002 - Sebring celebrates its 50th Anniversary with a spectacular event and a record crowd.
2003 - Audi Team Joest becomes the first team to record four straight Sebring victories.
2004 - Audi wins five straight Sebring overall victories. Team Corvette with Fellows/O'Connell win GTS class for third straight year.
Pos - Class Pos - Car No - Class - Team - Best Time - Speed - In Lap - Diff - Laps - Make
1 - 1 - 2 - LMP1 - AUDI SPORT NORTH AMERICA - Lucas Luhr/Marco Werner - 1:04.952 - 99.766 - 8 - 0.000 - 81 - Audi R10 TDI
27 - #11 - GT2 - PRIMETIME RACE GROUP - Joel Feinberg/Chris Hall - 1:15.809 - 85.478mph - Dodge Viper Competition Coupe
28 #007 - GT2 - DRAYSON-BARWELL - Jonny Cocker/Paul Drayson - 1:18.027 - 83.048mph - Aston Martin DBRS9
29 - #5 - GT2 - VICI RACING - Nathan Swartzbaugh/Craig Stanton/Ruben Carrapatoso - Porsche 911 GT3 RSR
For the second year in a row, the American Le Mans Series will hit the streets of St. Petersburg in the first of four races on a temporary street circuit. The exotic sports cars of the
American Le Mans Series raced into dusk in 2007 with Audi taking top honors on the Tampa Bay waterfront.
Dates/Times:
April 4-5 - 1:25PM EDT
Duration: 1:55
Racing in the St. Petersburg area dates back to 1985. The SCCA Trans-Am Series held a race on a downtown waterfront circuit from 1985 - 1990.
Local residents and businesses complained about noise, and the event was put on hiatus.
In 1996 - 1997, the race was revived on a course around Tropicana Field. Along with the Trans-Am Series,
support races included U.S. FF2000, World Challenge, Pro SRF, and Barber Dodge. The event was well-received, but the course was considered unsatisfactory. The event went again on hiatus for
several years.
In 2003, the event was revived once again. The race was first run as a Champ Car event in 2003. It utilitzed a modified version of the original 1985-90 waterfront circuit.
For 2004, however, the event was cancelled due to a dispute between the promoters. When the race returned in 2005, it switched to the IndyCar series, and marked the first non-oval event of the
Indy Racing League. Starting in 2007, the race weekend was expanded to include an ALMS event.
The next race is scheduled for April 4-5-6, 2008. The event is currently contracted through at least 2009.
2007 - LMP1 - Audi finishes first (Allan McNish/Dindo Capello) and second(Emanuele Pirro/Marco Werner).
LMP2 - Penske Racing Porsche finishes first (Ryan Briscoe/Sascha Maassen) and second (Timo Bernhard/Romain Dumas).
GT1 - Corvette Racing
GT2 - Mika Salo/Jaime Melo, Risi Competizione 1st, Jorg Bergmeister/Johannes van Overbeek, Flying Lizard Motorsports 2nd, Bill Auberlen/Joey Hand, Panoz Team PTG 3rd
#1 Audi Sport North America
Audi R10 TDI
Frank Biela / Neuss, Germany
Emanuele Pirro / Rome, Italy
#2 Audi Sport North America
Audi R10 TDI
Lucas Luhr / Koblenz, Germany
Marco Werner / Kruzlingen, Switzerland
#37 Intersport Racing
Lola B06/10
Jon Field / Dublin, OH
Clint Field / Dublin, OH
Richard Berry / Evergreen, CO
#6 Penske Racing
Porsche RS Spyder
Sascha Maassen / Aachen, Germany
Patrick Long / Bellair, FL
#7 Penske Racing
Porsche RS Spyder
Timo Bernhard / Hamburg, Germany
Romain Dumas / Ales, France
#8 BK Motorsports
Mazda Lola B07 46
Ben Devlin / Norwich, UK
Gerardo Bonilla / Orlando, FL
#9 Patron Highcroft Racing
Acura ARX-01B
David Brabham / Henley-on-Thames, UK
Scott Sharp / Jupiter, FL
Stefan Johansson / Los Angeles, CA
#15 Lowe's Fernandez Racing Lowe's
Acura ARX-01B
Adrian Fernandez / Mexico City, Mexico
Luis Diaz / Mexico City, Mexico
#16 Dyson Racing
Porsche RS Spyder
Chris Dyson / Pleasant Valley, NY
Guy Smith / East Yorkshire, UK
#19 van der Steur Racing
Radical SR9
Gunnar van der Steur / Chesapeake City, MD
Robbie Pecorari / Aston, PA
#20 Dyson Racing
Porsche RS Spyder
Butch Leitzinger / Rebersburg, PA
Marino Franchitti / Edinburgh, Scotland
Andy Lally / Dacula, GA
#26 Andretti Green Racing
Acura ARX-01B
Bryan Herta / Valencia, CA
Christian Fittipaldi / Miami, FL
#3 Corvette Racing
Chevrolet Corvette C6-R
Johnny O'Connell / Flowery Branch, GA
Jan Magnussen / Roslilde, Denmark
#4 Corvette Racing
Chevrolet Corvette C6-R
Olivier Beretta / Monaco
Oliver Gavin / Yardleyhastings, UK
#008 Bell Motorsports
Aston Martin DBR 9
Terry Borcheller / Vero Beach, FL
Chapman Ducote / Miami, FL
#5 VICI Racing
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR
TBD
TBD
#11 Primetime Race Group
Dodge ViperCompetition Coupe
Joel Feinberg / Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Chris Hall / Daytona, FL
#21 Panoz Team PTG
Panoz Esperante
Joey Hand / Sacramento, CA
Tommy Milner / Leesburg, VA
Tom Sutherland / Los Gatos, CA
#9 Patron Highcroft Racing
Acura ARX-01B
David Brabham / Henley-on-Thames, UK
Scott Sharp / Jupiter, FL
Stefan Johansson / Los Angeles, CA
#28 LG Motorsports
Chevrolet Riley Corvette C6
Lou Gigliotti / Dallas, TX
Doug Peterson / Bonita Springs, FL
#40 Robertson Racing
Doran Ford GT-R
David Robertson / Ray, MI
Andrea Robertson / Ray, MI
David Murry / Atlanta, GA
#44 Flying Lizard Motorsports
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR
Darren Law / Phoenix, AZ
Seth Neiman / San Francisco, CA
28 - 14 - LMGT2 - PRIMETIME RACE GROUP - Joel Feinberg/Chris Hall - 1:29.424 - 79.227 - Dodge Viper Competition Coup
In 2007, the American Le Mans Series took Long Beach and Southern California by storm. The Series' stars and cars will return for the second straight year at the historic street circuit just south of Los Angeles in one of the most anticipated races of the season.
Dates/Times:
April 18-19 - 4:10PM PDT
Duration: 1:40
Although the City of Long Beach had no way of knowing, when Friday morning, March 26, 1977 dawned, the city would never be the same again.
An auto racing fan-turned-travel-agent -- Chris Pook -- was about to put the city on the international sports map and spark a business, travel and financial renaissance that continues today. Barely 18 months earlier, Pook had beaten all the odds and naysayers by staging the first Long Beach Grand Prix, a Formula 5000 race won by Brian Redman that attracted more than 46,000 race fans and curiosity seekers. He followed that only six months later by staging a Formula One race, won by Switzerland's Clay Regazzoni, that was a moderate success.
Now, at 4:30 a.m., it was financial crunch time. With a pack of creditors snapping at his heels, Pook desperately needed a high-profile F/One race that would be watched by countless millions worldwide and - he hoped - packed grandstands in Long Beach.
He got it. With some help from a tough, diminutive Italian-American from Nazareth, PA.
Mario's Andretti avoided a first-lap, multi-car collision, then went on to outduel F/One stars Jody Scheckter and Niki Lauda to become the first American to win a F/One race in a U.S. Grand Prix.
"Mario's victory really changed the whole image of the race," says Jim Michaelian, now the President and CEO of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach and the race's financial officer in 1978. "We made the New York Times, Sports Illustrated and the race was all over the local and national news."
For the next six years, a decidedly international ambience settled over the city each Spring. Romantic car marques like Ferrari, Renault and Brabham shared headlines with equally-romantic, internationally-famous drivers like Jacques Laffite, Emerson Fittipaldi and Nelson Piquet.
Argentina's Carlos Reutemann won flag-to-flag in his Ferrari in 1978, just evading a now-classic first-lap shunt involving James Hunt that remains perhaps the Grand Prix's most enduring image.
Canada's Gilles Villeneuve - a crowd favorite for his hard-charging style - led a Ferrari one-two finish in 1979 and, in 1980, Brazil's Nelson Piquet's Parmalat Brabham scored another flag-to-flag victory in the first LBGP that was title-sponsored by Toyota. The race has been known as the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach ever since.
In 1981, F/One champion Alan Jones led an Albilad Williams FW07B one-two finish in a race notable because, for the first time, two American drivers, Mario Andrettti (fourth) and Eddie Cheever (fifth) had scored F/One points in the same race.
Marlboro McLaren scored the next two wins, with Niki Lauda in 1982 and John Watson - coming from an improbable 22nd place on the starting grid - in 1983.
And, all the while, change had been coming to Long Beach. Downtown, the porno movie houses and boarded-up building were being replaced by office buildings, restaurants and gleaming new hotels. And, for Chris Pook, it was Financial Crunch Time II.
In 1983, faced with increasing F/One purses, sanctions and shipping charges, Pook was approached by Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART), and signed for the Champ Cars to make their Long Beach debut in 1984.
Once again, Mario Andretti rode to the rescue.
"We weren't exactly sure if the Champ Cars would have the same mystique for race fans," says Michaelian. "But we didn't miss a beat." Thanks to Mario, who put his Budweiser-Haas Lola under the checkered flag…and again put the race back into headlines around the country.
American names have dominated the streets of Long Beach ever since, winning 13 of 21 races. Al Unser Jr. was the victor here six times, including a remarkable four straight from 1988-91. Mario Andretti visited Victory Circle four times and his son, Michael, is a two-time winner. California's Jimmy Vasser won the race in 1996.
Still, the race has always managed to retained a little of its original international flavor. Italy's Alex Zanardi, one of the race's biggest fan favorites, won back to back in 1997-98. Colombia's Juan Montoya, now a fixture in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup series, in 1999 became the first rookie to win the race before joining the F/One wars, and Brazil's Helio Castroneves led an all-Brazil 1-2-3 finish in 2001.
And, Canada's Paul Tracy is a four-time winner here, 1993, 2000, 2003 and 2004. France's Sebastien Bourdais has won the last three Long Beach races.
Three Champ Car owners -- Paul Gentilozzi, Kevin Kalkhoven and Gerald Fosythe -- will enter their fifth year as owners and operators of the Champ Car World Series itself in 2008. In June 2005, Kalkhoven and Forsythe purchased the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach, ensuring that Champ Cars would remain the featured event on the famed seaside circuit.
Thus, on April 20, 2008, it'll be "Gentlemen, start your engines!" for the 34th straight year!
#1 Audi Sport North America
Audi R10 TDI
Frank Biela / Neuss, Germany
Emanuele Pirro / Rome, Italy
#2 Audi Sport North America
Audi R10 TDI
Lucas Luhr / Koblenz, Germany
Marco Werner / Kruzlingen, Switzerland
#37 Intersport Racing
Lola B06/10
Jon Field / Dublin, OH
Clint Field / Dublin, OH
Richard Berry / Evergreen, CO
#6 Penske Racing
Porsche RS Spyder
Sascha Maassen / Aachen, Germany
Patrick Long / Bellair, FL
#7 Penske Racing
Porsche RS Spyder
Timo Bernhard / Hamburg, Germany
Romain Dumas / Ales, France
#8 BK Motorsports
Mazda Lola B07 46
Ben Devlin / Norwich, UK
Gerardo Bonilla / Orlando, FL
#9 Patron Highcroft Racing
Acura ARX-01B
David Brabham / Henley-on-Thames, UK
Scott Sharp / Jupiter, FL
Stefan Johansson / Los Angeles, CA
#15 Lowe's Fernandez Racing Lowe's
Acura ARX-01B
Adrian Fernandez / Mexico City, Mexico
Luis Diaz / Mexico City, Mexico
#16 Dyson Racing
Porsche RS Spyder
Chris Dyson / Pleasant Valley, NY
Guy Smith / East Yorkshire, UK
#20 Dyson Racing
Porsche RS Spyder
Butch Leitzinger / Rebersburg, PA
Marino Franchitti / Edinburgh, Scotland
Andy Lally / Dacula, GA
#26 Andretti Green Racing
Acura ARX-01B
Bryan Herta / Valencia, CA
Christian Fittipaldi / Miami, FL
#3 Corvette Racing
Chevrolet Corvette C6-R
Johnny O'Connell / Flowery Branch, GA
Jan Magnussen / Roslilde, Denmark
#4 Corvette Racing
Chevrolet Corvette C6-R
Olivier Beretta / Monaco
Oliver Gavin / Yardleyhastings, UK
#5 VICI Racing
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR
TBD
TBD
#11 Primetime Race Group
Dodge ViperCompetition Coupe
Joel Feinberg / Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Chris Hall / Daytona, FL
#21 Panoz Team PTG
Panoz Esperante
Tommy Milner / Leesburg, VA
Tom Sutherland / Los Gatos, CA
#9 Patron Highcroft Racing
Acura ARX-01B
David Brabham / Henley-on-Thames, UK
Scott Sharp / Jupiter, FL
Stefan Johansson / Los Angeles, CA
#28 LG Motorsports
Chevrolet Riley Corvette C6
Lou Gigliotti / Dallas, TX
Doug Peterson / Bonita Springs, FL
#40 Robertson Racing
Doran Ford GT-R
David Robertson / Ray, MI
Andrea Robertson / Ray, MI
David Murry / Atlanta, GA
#44 Flying Lizard Motorsports
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR
Darren Law / Phoenix, AZ
Seth Neiman / San Francisco, CA
#46 Flying Lizard Motorsports
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR
Johannes van Overbeek / San Francisco, CA
Patrick Pilet / Les Chesnay, France
#48 Corsa Motorsports
Ferrari F430 GT
Gunnar Jeannette / Sandy, UT
Johnny Mowlem / Warfield, UK
#61 Risi Competizione
Ferrari 430 GT
Harrison Brix / San Jose, CA
Patrick Friesacher / Wolfsburg, Austria
#62 Risi Competizione
Ferrari 430 GT
Mika Salo / Helsinki, Finland
Jamie Melo / Cascavel, Brazil
#71 Tafel Racing
Ferrari 430 GT
Dominik Farnbacher / Lichtenau, Germany
Dirk Mueller / Monte Carlo, Monaco
#87 Farnbacher Loles Motorsports
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR
Frank Stippler / Bad Muenstereifel, Germany
Marc Basseng / Leutenbach, Germany
#007 Aston Martin
Aston Martin DBRS 9
Paul Drayson / London, England
Jonny Cocker / Guisborough, UK
The fantastic Miller Motorsports Park once again will play host to the American Le Mans Series for the Larry H. Miller Dealerships Utah Grand Prix presented by Grand & Little Hotels. For the first time, the electrifying cars of America's premier endurance racing series will use the 3.06, 15-turn perimeter circuit, which promises to be one of the fastest ever in Series history.
This track was originally conceived as a novelty track for Larry H. Miller, owner of the NBA's Utah Jazz, to use as a personal playground, with a budget of about $5 million. Due to enormous local motorcycle and auto industry support the concept gradually grew into an $85 million plus project, one of a kind in the U.S.
The track was designed by world renowned engineer Alan Wilson. The kart track was opened in September, 2005 and the large track was opened to the public on 1 April 2006, in a ceremony conducted by Miller.
In 2006, the track's first year of operation, it hosted the Utah Grand Prix American LeMans Series, Honda Summit of Speed AMA Superbike double-header event, and the Discount Tire Sunchaser 1000, a nine-hour endurance road course race held by the Grand American Road Racing Association. It is unusual for a race track to attract so many relatively big-budget race events in its first year of operation. The track is also host to a WERA Grand National motorcycle roadracing event and the regional motorcycle roadracing series Masters of the Mountains, promoted by the Utah sport bike association.
The facility was named Motorsports Facility of the Year on 8 November, 2006 by the Professional Motorsport World Expo in Cologne, Germany.
On 14 July 2007, the track hosted its first-ever NASCAR event with a 150 miles (241.4 km) Grand National West Series race on the 3.048-mile Outer Track
On 22 August, 2007, Miller Motorsports Park announced a three-year deal to bring the FIM Superbike World Championship to the track; the Superbike World Championship will race at the track for the first time on 1 June 2008 with the AMA Superbike Championship. To avoid direct comparisons between World Superbike and AMA Superbike, and because of sponsorship issues, the two championships will race on different configurations of the circuit. World Superbike will use the Outer course, while AMA Superbike and its support classes will use the Full course.
#1 Audi Sport North America
Audi R10 TDI
Frank Biela / Neuss, Germany
Emanuele Pirro / Rome, Italy
#2 Audi Sport North America
Audi R10 TDI
Lucas Luhr / Koblenz, Germany
Marco Werner / Kruzlingen, Switzerland
#37 Intersport Racing
Lola B06/10
Jon Field / Dublin, OH
Clint Field / Dublin, OH
Richard Berry / Evergreen, CO
#6 Penske Racing
Porsche RS Spyder
Sascha Maassen / Aachen, Germany
Patrick Long / Bellair, FL
#7 Penske Racing
Porsche RS Spyder
Timo Bernhard / Hamburg, Germany
Romain Dumas / Ales, France
#8 BK Motorsports
Mazda Lola B07 46
Ben Devlin / Norwich, UK
Gerardo Bonilla / Orlando, FL
#9 Patron Highcroft Racing
Acura ARX-01B
David Brabham / Henley-on-Thames, UK
Scott Sharp / Jupiter, FL
Stefan Johansson / Los Angeles, CA
#15 Lowe's Fernandez Racing Lowe's
Acura ARX-01B
Adrian Fernandez / Mexico City, Mexico
Luis Diaz / Mexico City, Mexico
#16 Dyson Racing
Porsche RS Spyder
Chris Dyson / Pleasant Valley, NY
Guy Smith / East Yorkshire, UK
#20 Dyson Racing
Porsche RS Spyder
Butch Leitzinger / Rebersburg, PA
Marino Franchitti / Edinburgh, Scotland
Andy Lally / Dacula, GA
#26 Andretti Green Racing
Acura ARX-01B
Bryan Herta / Valencia, CA
Christian Fittipaldi / Miami, FL
#66 de Ferran Motorsports
Acura ARX-01B
Gil de Ferran / Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Simon Pagenaud / Montmorillon, Vienne
#3 Corvette Racing
Chevrolet Corvette C6-R
Johnny O'Connell / Flowery Branch, GA
Jan Magnussen / Roslilde, Denmark
#4 Corvette Racing
Chevrolet Corvette C6-R
Olivier Beretta / Monaco
Oliver Gavin / Yardleyhastings, UK
#5 VICI Racing
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR
Craig Stanton / Long Beach, CA
Nathan Swartzbaugh / La Habra Heights, CA
#18 VICI Racing
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR
Ruben Carrapatoso / Sao Paulo, Brazil
Francisco Pastorelli / The Hague, Netherlands
#11 Primetime Race Group
Dodge ViperCompetition Coupe
Joel Feinberg / Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Chris Hall / Daytona, FL
#21 Panoz Team PTG
Panoz Esperante
Tommy Milner / Leesburg, VA
Tom Sutherland / Los Gatos, CA
#28 LG Motorsports
Chevrolet Riley Corvette C6
Lou Gigliotti / Dallas, TX
TBA / TBA
#40 Robertson Racing
Doran Ford GT-R
David Robertson / Ray, MI
Andrea Robertson / Ray, MI
David Murry / Atlanta, GA
#44 Flying Lizard Motorsports
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR
Darren Law / Phoenix, AZ
Seth Neiman / San Francisco, CA
#46 Flying Lizard Motorsports
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR
Johannes van Overbeek / San Francisco, CA
Patrick Pilet / Les Chesnay, France
#48 Corsa Motorsports
Ferrari F430 GT
Gunnar Jeannette / Sandy, UT
Johnny Mowlem / Warfield, UK
#61 Risi Competizione
Ferrari 430 GT
Harrison Brix / San Jose, CA
Patrick Friesacher / Wolfsburg, Austria
#62 Risi Competizione
Ferrari 430 GT
Mika Salo / Helsinki, Finland
Jamie Melo / Cascavel, Brazil
#71 Tafel Racing
Ferrari 430 GT
Dominik Farnbacher / Lichtenau, Germany
Dirk Mueller / Monte Carlo, Monaco
#73 Tafel Racing
Ferrari 430 GT
Alex Figge / Hollywood, CA
Jim Tafel / Alpharetta, GA
#87 Farnbacher Loles Motorsports
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR
Dirk Werner / Kissenbrueck, Germany
Marc Basseng / Leutenbach, Germany
#007 Drayson - Barwell
Aston Martin Vantage
Paul Drayson / London, England
Jonny Cocker / Guisborough, UK
As has been tradition, the American Le Mans Series returns from its Le Mans break with the American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix at scenic Lime Rock Park. The four classes of sports cars will turn in blazing speeds around the 1.54-mile, eight-turn circuit. Fans routinely turn out in massive numbers with the 2007 crowd being one of the largest in track history.
Dates/Times:
July 11-12, 2:05PM EDT
Duration: 2:45
Lime Rock Park is a road course auto racing facility located in Lime Rock, Connecticut, a hamlet in the village of Lakeville, Connecticut. The track is owned by Skip Barber, a former race car driver who started the Skip Barber Racing School at Lime Rock Park in 1975. The track is touted as the "Road Racing Center of the East", and each year hosts everything from car shows to vintage races to world class sports car racing events. It is located in the Northwest corner of Connecticut.
Many local and national, amateur and professional car clubs, such as the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA), National Association for Stock Car Automobile Racing (NASCAR), BMW Car Club of America, Porsche Club of America, Skip Barber Race Series, Eastern Motor Racing Association, Vintage Sports Car Club of America (VSCCA), Grand American Road Racing (Grand-Am) and American Le Mans Series (ALMS) hold professional races, high-speed touring, weekend amateur racing and driver training school events at Lime Rock Park.
The track is 1.53 miles (2.46 km) long and consists of 7 turns.
Recent repairs to the track have included concrete patches in the corners. In preparation for the new American LeMans Series date in July 2004, alterations were made to the false grid/pre-grid area to expand the pitlane. In January and February 2006, the track made some safety upgrades that included the addition of a third rail of armco and some catch fencing to areas such as the No-Name Straight and the Back Straight, along with paved runoff for the daunting Uphill Turn. A new false grid/pre-grid area and the paddock was also paved. Souvenir stands/shops have also been selling "I helped pave Lime Rock Park" bumper stickers since 2004. On April 10th, 2008 Skip Barber held a "groundbreaking" ceremony. "The Lime Rock Park, the Club" was announced in 2007 as a method to raise capital and ensure the control of the track for the next 50 years. Plans include a new clubhouse, complete repaving of the existing circuit, now called the "Classic", and reconfiguration of sections to create a variety of circuits. Low speed chicanes have been planned for the entrance to No Name Straight, the inside of The Uphill, and the outside of West Bend, in an attempt to make the track safer for club enthusiasts. The existing chicane at the top of the Uphill will disappear. In addition, the outside of the Downhill is slated to be paved for safer runoffs, the pit lane will be extended the former location of the infield bridge, and improvements will be made in runoff areas. The bulk of the course work is scheduled to be completed in June of 2008.
The track is short, fast and, contains some extreme elevation changes. Turns 1 and 2, also known as Big Bend, are one large sweeping right hand turn which decreases slightly in radius towards the end of the turn. There is a large paved runoff area at the end of the front straight going into Big Bend. Turn 3, the Left Hander, is the first of the two turns known as the Esses and the only significant left hand turn on the track. The Left Hander is banked slightly, which helps keep cars on track. Turn 4, the Right hander, is the second of the two turns known as the Esses and increases in radius towards the exit. Between the Right Hander and Turn 5 is No Name Straight. This section of the track is not straight, with two gentle bends to the right and back left. Turn 5 at the end of No Name Straight is known as the Uphill thanks to the dramatic increase in elevation immediately after the beginning of the turn. The end of the Uphill coincides with the crest of the hill. The optional chicane at the top of the uphill slows down cars to keep them from becoming too light at the top of the hill. The optional "John Morton" chicane is named after a driver who was almost killed in 1988 after his car became airborne, crashing at high speed in that area. The Back Straight runs between the Uphill and turn 6, known as West Bend. West Bend is flat with no change in radius. Turn 7 begins by plunging under the auto bridge before turning right onto the front straight. The Downhill starts to become level at the beginning of the turn, though it is very bumpy.
The track was constructed on farmland by the owner's son, Jim Vaill, in 1955 at the prompting of the local SCCA members. Construction took nearly 2 years due to poor weather conditions and local opposition. Famed driver John Fitch has been falsely rumored to have helped design the track. He helped promote the track after its construction and served as circuit director in the early years. Legal action ensued in 1959 and the track was ordered to not hold races on Sundays, an ordinance that still stands today.
Since 1957 Lime Rock Park has hosted almost every form of motorsport including Trans-Am, formula racing, Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series events, SCCA regional races, NASCAR Busch East Series, American Le Mans Series, the annual Rolex Vintage Festival every Labor Day, and the annual Ferrari Racing Days every July, as well as the Skip Barber Driving School.
*Lime Rock Park - Wikipedia
#1 Audi Sport North America
Audi R10 TDI
Dindo Capello / Canelli, Italy
Emanuele Pirro / Rome, Italy
#2 Audi Sport North America
Audi R10 TDI
Lucas Luhr / Koblenz, Germany
Marco Werner / Kruzlingen, Switzerland
#37 Intersport Racing
Lola B06/10
Jon Field / Dublin, OH
Clint Field / Dublin, OH
Richard Berry / Evergreen, CO
#6 Penske Racing
Porsche RS Spyder
Sascha Maassen / Aachen, Germany
Patrick Long / Bellair, FL
#7 Penske Racing
Porsche RS Spyder
Timo Bernhard / Hamburg, Germany
Romain Dumas / Ales, France
#8 BK Motorsports
Mazda Lola B07 46
Ben Devlin / Norwich, UK
Gerardo Bonilla / Orlando, FL
#9 Patron Highcroft Racing
Acura ARX-01B
David Brabham / Henley-on-Thames, UK
Scott Sharp / Jupiter, FL
#15 Lowe's Fernandez Racing Lowe's
Acura ARX-01B
Adrian Fernandez / Mexico City, Mexico
Luis Diaz / Mexico City, Mexico
#16 Dyson Racing
Porsche RS Spyder
Chris Dyson / Pleasant Valley, NY
Guy Smith / East Yorkshire, UK
#20 Dyson Racing
Porsche RS Spyder
Butch Leitzinger / Rebersburg, PA
Marino Franchitti / Edinburgh, Scotland
Andy Lally / Dacula, GA
#26 Andretti Green Racing
Acura ARX-01B
Bryan Herta / Valencia, CA
Christian Fittipaldi / Miami, FL
#66 de Ferran Motorsports
Acura ARX-01B
Gil de Ferran / Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Simon Pagenaud / Montmorillon, Vienne
#3 Corvette Racing
Chevrolet Corvette C6-R
Johnny O'Connell / Flowery Branch, GA
Jan Magnussen / Roslilde, Denmark
#4 Corvette Racing
Chevrolet Corvette C6-R
Olivier Beretta / Monaco
Oliver Gavin / Yardleyhastings, UK
#008 Bell Motorsports
Aston Martin DBR 9
Terry Borcheller / Vero Beach, FL
Chapman Ducote / Miami, FL
#11 Primetime Race Group
Dodge ViperCompetition Coupe
Joel Feinberg / Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Chris Hall / Daytona, FL
#21 Panoz Team PTG
Panoz Esperante
Tommy Milner / Leesburg, VA
Tom Sutherland / Los Gatos, CA
#40 Robertson Racing
Doran Ford GT-R
David Robertson / Ray, MI
Andrea Robertson / Ray, MI
David Murry / Atlanta, GA
#44 Flying Lizard Motorsports
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR
Darren Law / Phoenix, AZ
Seth Neiman / San Francisco, CA
#46 Flying Lizard Motorsports
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR
Johannes van Overbeek / San Francisco, CA
Patrick Pilet / Les Chesnay, France
#48 Corsa Motorsports
Ferrari F430 GT
Gunnar Jeannette / Sandy, UT
Johnny Mowlem / Warfield, UK
#54 Black Swan Racing
Doran Ford GT-R
Timothy Pappas / Boston, MA
Anthony Lazzaro / Atlanta, GA
#61 Risi Competizione
Ferrari 430 GT
Harrison Brix / San Jose, CA
Patrick Friesacher / Wolfsburg, Austria
#62 Risi Competizione
Ferrari 430 GT
Mika Salo / Helsinki, Finland
Jamie Melo / Cascavel, Brazil
#71 Tafel Racing
Ferrari 430 GT
Dominik Farnbacher / Lichtenau, Germany
Dirk Mueller / Monte Carlo, Monaco
#73 Tafel Racing
Ferrari 430 GT
Alex Figge / Hollywood, CA
Jim Tafel / Alpharetta, GA
#87 Farnbacher Loles Motorsports
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR
Dirk Werner / Kissenbrueck, Germany
Marc Basseng / Leutenbach, Germany
#007 Drayson - Barwell
Aston Martin Vantage
Paul Drayson / London, England
Jonny Cocker / Guisborough, UK
One of the classic sports car venues in North America, Mid-Ohio marks the running of the second annual Acura Sports Car Challenge. A strong contingent of Acura teams, racing in American Honda's backyard, will look to make their mark on a circuit where Porsche has dominated the past two years.
Dates/Times:
July 17-19, 2:10PM EDT
Duration: 2:45
Widely known as the most competitive road course in the United States, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course is a permanent road circuit set in the rolling hills of Lexington, Ohio. Just 60 miles north of Columbus, 75 miles south of Cleveland and a few miles southwest of Mansfield, the track is often referred to as the "country club" of racetracks in deference to its lush green grass, beautiful trees and exceptional amenities. With two challenging track configurations – a 2.25-mile, 13-turn layout and a 2.4-mile, 15-turn alternative – the circuit has earned its reputation over a 47-year history of great racing among many of motorsport’s legendary teams and competitors.
Built in 1962 by Les Griebling and several Mansfield-area businessmen as a location for weekend sports car racing, the aptly named Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course was purchased in 1981 by the late Jim Trueman, founder of the Red Roof Inns economy lodging chain. Under his direction and in keeping with his vision for the facility, the track underwent major renovations, including the addition of permanent grandstand seats and spectator amphitheatre-style seating, the construction of garages with spectator balconies, the erection of the five-story Goodyear Tower housing media and hospitality suites, the addition of underground tunnels, and a redesigned paddock area.
Trueman's wife Barbara and daughter Michelle undertook management of the facility in 1986 and have maintained the tradition of offering spectators world-class racing in a first-class family environment. Under their guidance, the track improvements continued throughout the decade with the resurfacing and widening of the entire course, as well as the addition of world-class safety enhancements including tire, guardrail, sand and cement barriers, spectator and debris fencing, and gravel runoff areas. Further improvements implemented in the Trueman tradition included the expansion of the Honda Communications Building and construction of the Goodyear Drive-Over Bridge in Turn 1.
In the fall of 1995, Michelle Trueman Gajoch was named president of the facility and presently oversees all day-to-day operations of the circuit. Under her leadership, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course has evolved into a showcase for motorsports entertainment and continues to receive high praise from media, drivers and spectators alike.
#1 Audi Sport North America
Audi R10 TDI
Dindo Capello / Canelli, Italy
Emanuele Pirro / Rome, Italy
#2 Audi Sport North America
Audi R10 TDI
Lucas Luhr / Koblenz, Germany
Marco Werner / Kruzlingen, Switzerland
#12 Autocon Motorsports
Creation CA07-002
Chris McMurry / Phoenix, AZ
Bryan Willman / Seattle, WA
#30 Intersport Racing
Lola B06/10
Ryan Lewis / Cambridge, England
John Faulkner / Pittsford, NY
#37 Intersport Racing
Lola B06/10
Jon Field / Dublin, OH
Clint Field / Dublin, OH
Richard Berry / Evergreen, CO
#6 Penske Racing
Porsche RS Spyder
Sascha Maassen / Aachen, Germany
Patrick Long / Bellair, FL
#7 Penske Racing
Porsche RS Spyder
Timo Bernhard / Hamburg, Germany
Romain Dumas / Ales, France
#8 BK Motorsports
Mazda Lola B07 46
Ben Devlin / Norwich, UK
Gerardo Bonilla / Orlando, FL
#9 Patron Highcroft Racing
Acura ARX-01B
David Brabham / Henley-on-Thames, UK
Scott Sharp / Jupiter, FL
#15 Lowe's Fernandez Racing Lowe's
Acura ARX-01B
Adrian Fernandez / Mexico City, Mexico
Luis Diaz / Mexico City, Mexico
#16 Dyson Racing
Porsche RS Spyder
Chris Dyson / Pleasant Valley, NY
Guy Smith / East Yorkshire, UK
#20 Dyson Racing
Porsche RS Spyder
Butch Leitzinger / Rebersburg, PA
Marino Franchitti / Edinburgh, Scotland
#26 Andretti Green Racing
Acura ARX-01B
Franck Montagny / Grandvaux, Switzerland
Rafael Matos / Belo Horizonte, Brazil
#66 de Ferran Motorsports
Acura ARX-01B
Gil de Ferran / Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Simon Pagenaud / Montmorillon, Vienne
#3 Corvette Racing
Chevrolet Corvette C6-R
Johnny O'Connell / Flowery Branch, GA
Jan Magnussen / Roslilde, Denmark
#4 Corvette Racing
Chevrolet Corvette C6-R
Olivier Beretta / Monaco
Oliver Gavin / Yardleyhastings, UK
#11 Primetime Race Group
Dodge ViperCompetition Coupe
Joel Feinberg / Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Chris Hall / Daytona, FL
TBA - #18 VICI Racing
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR
Nicky Pastorelli / The Hague, Netherlands
Francesco Pastorelli / The Hague, Netherlands
#21 Panoz Team PTG
Panoz Esperante
Tommy Milner / Leesburg, VA
Tom Sutherland / Los Gatos, CA
#40 Robertson Racing
Doran Ford GT-R
David Robertson / Ray, MI
Andrea Robertson / Ray, MI
David Murry / Atlanta, GA
#44 Flying Lizard Motorsports
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR
Lonnie Pechnik / Mountain View, CA
Seth Neiman / San Francisco, CA
#46 Flying Lizard Motorsports
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR
Johannes van Overbeek / San Francisco, CA
Patrick Pilet / Les Chesnay, France
#48 Corsa Motorsports
Ferrari F430 GT
Gunnar Jeannette / Sandy, UT
Johnny Mowlem / Warfield, UK
#54 Black Swan Racing
Doran Ford GT-R
Timothy Pappas / Boston, MA
Anthony Lazzaro / Atlanta, GA
#61 Risi Competizione
Ferrari 430 GT
Harrison Brix / San Jose, CA
Patrick Friesacher / Wolfsburg, Austria
#62 Risi Competizione
Ferrari 430 GT
Mika Salo / Helsinki, Finland
Jamie Melo / Cascavel, Brazil
#71 Tafel Racing
Ferrari 430 GT
Dominik Farnbacher / Lichtenau, Germany
Dirk Mueller / Monte Carlo, Monaco
#73 Tafel Racing
Ferrari 430 GT
Alex Figge / Hollywood, CA
Jim Tafel / Alpharetta, GA
#87 Farnbacher Loles Motorsports
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR
Dirk Werner / Kissenbrueck, Germany
Marc Basseng / Leutenbach, Germany
#007 Drayson - Barwell
Aston Martin Vantage
Paul Drayson / London, England
Jonny Cocker / Guisborough, UK
For a sports car racer, it doesn't get much better than historic Road America. A favorite among the entire American Le Mans Series paddock, the 4-mile Wisconsin circuit will again feature the four-hour Generac 500. Running into the darkness, the Road America crowds have responded to the action of the American Le Mans Series and 2008 promises to be no different.
Dates/Times:
August 7-9th, 4:00PM CDT
Duration: 4:00
The vision of Road America grew out of the dreams of a man named Clif Tufte. A trained civil engineer, Tufte spent almost a year planning one of the world's finest and most challenging road courses.
Tufte's dream became a reality in April 1955 when the track was carved out of 525 acres of Wisconsin farmland. By September 10, 1955 the track's first SCCA national race weekend was held.
Millions of dollars in improvements have been made throughout the years, but the original 4.048-mile, 14-turn configuration has never been altered.
In 2005, Elkhart Lake's Road America, Inc. celebrated its 50th anniversary. Its history was documented in a book, "Road America: Celebrating 50 Years of Road Racing" by Tom Schultz.
Road America is a four-mile permanent road course with fourteen turns outlined by seven miles of access road on 626 acres of land. In addition to the original four-mile course, there is the Briggs & Stratton Motorplex. This .8 mile course with varying terrain and challenging turns (multiple configurations include an oval) challenges drivers in race-prepared karts and riders on Super Motards.
#1 Audi Sport North America
Audi R10 TDI
Marcel Fassler / Gross, Switzerland
Emanuele Pirro / Rome, Italy
#2 Audi Sport North America
Audi R10 TDI
Lucas Luhr / Koblenz, Germany
Marco Werner / Kruzlingen, Switzerland
#12 Autocon Motorsports
Creation CA07-002
Chris McMurry / Phoenix, AZ
Bryan Willman / Seattle, WA
Michael Lewis / Poway, CA
#30 Intersport Racing
Lola B06/10
Ryan Lewis / Cambridge, England
John Faulkner / Pittsford, NY
#37 Intersport Racing
Lola B06/10
Jon Field / Dublin, OH
Clint Field / Dublin, OH
Richard Berry / Evergreen, CO
#6 Penske Racing
Porsche RS Spyder
Sascha Maassen / Aachen, Germany
Patrick Long / Bellair, FL
#7 Penske Racing
Porsche RS Spyder
Timo Bernhard / Hamburg, Germany
Romain Dumas / Ales, France
#8 BK Motorsports
Mazda Lola B07 46
Ben Devlin / Norwich, UK
Gerardo Bonilla / Orlando, FL
#9 Patron Highcroft Racing
Acura ARX-01B
David Brabham / Henley-on-Thames, UK
Scott Sharp / Jupiter, FL
#15 Lowe's Fernandez Racing Lowe's
Acura ARX-01B
Adrian Fernandez / Mexico City, Mexico
Luis Diaz / Mexico City, Mexico
#16 Dyson Racing
Porsche RS Spyder
Chris Dyson / Pleasant Valley, NY
Guy Smith / East Yorkshire, UK
#20 Dyson Racing
Porsche RS Spyder
Butch Leitzinger / Rebersburg, PA
Marino Franchitti / Edinburgh, Scotland
#26 Andretti Green Racing
Acura ARX-01B
Franck Montagny / Grandvaux, Switzerland
James Rossiter / Oxford, England
#66 de Ferran Motorsports
Acura ARX-01B
Gil de Ferran / Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Simon Pagenaud / Montmorillon, Vienne
#3 Corvette Racing
Chevrolet Corvette C6-R
Johnny O'Connell / Flowery Branch, GA
Jan Magnussen / Roslilde, Denmark
#4 Corvette Racing
Chevrolet Corvette C6-R
Olivier Beretta / Monaco
Oliver Gavin / Yardleyhastings, UK
#008 Bell Motorsports
Aston Martin DBR 9
Terry Borcheller / Vero Beach, FL
Chapman Ducote / Miami, FL
#11 Primetime Race Group
Dodge ViperCompetition Coupe
Joel Feinberg / Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Chris Hall / Daytona, FL
TBA - #18 VICI Racing
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR
Nicky Pastorelli / The Hague, Netherlands
Francesco Pastorelli / The Hague, Netherlands
Mark Basseng / Leutenbach, Germany
#21 Panoz Team PTG
Panoz Esperante
Tommy Milner / Leesburg, VA
Tom Sutherland / Los Gatos, CA
Joey Hand / Sacramento, CA
#40 Robertson Racing
Doran Ford GT-R
David Robertson / Ray, MI
Andrea Robertson / Ray, MI
David Murry / Atlanta, GA
#44 Flying Lizard Motorsports
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR
Darren Law / Phoenix, AZ
Seth Neiman / San Francisco, CA
#46 Flying Lizard Motorsports
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR
Johannes van Overbeek / San Francisco, CA
Patrick Pilet / Les Chesnay, France
#54 Black Swan Racing
Doran Ford GT-R
Timothy Pappas / Boston, MA
Anthony Lazzaro / Atlanta, GA
#61 Risi Competizione
Ferrari 430 GT
Harrison Brix / San Jose, CA
Patrick Friesacher / Wolfsburg, Austria
#62 Risi Competizione
Ferrari 430 GT
Mika Salo / Helsinki, Finland
Jamie Melo / Cascavel, Brazil
#71 Tafel Racing
Ferrari 430 GT
Dominik Farnbacher / Lichtenau, Germany
Dirk Mueller / Monte Carlo, Monaco
#73 Tafel Racing
Ferrari 430 GT
Alex Figge / Hollywood, CA
Jim Tafel / Alpharetta, GA
Pierre Ehret / Tegernsee, Germany
#87 Farnbacher Loles Motorsports
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR
Dirk Werner / Kissenbrueck, Germany
Richard Westbrook / London, England
Bryce Miller / Summit, NJ
#007 Drayson - Barwell
Aston Martin Vantage
Paul Drayson / London, England
Jonny Cocker / Guisborough, UK
The American Le Mans Series' annual trek North of the Border sees a return to the Mobil 1 presents the Grand Prix of Mosport at Mosport International Raceway, one of four venues to hold a race in all 10 years of the Series. Mosport always provides fantastic crowds and racing, as evidenced by 2007's thrilling finish between Porsche and Audi.
Dates/Times:
August 22-24th, 3:05PM EDT
Duration: 2:45
Bowmanville, ON
Not much more than 40 years ago the piece of land that we know today as Mosport was a farm. At that time, standing on a hill, looking over the fields and groves of trees, who could have imagined that the best drivers and the fastest cars in the world would come to this pastoral place and race on what would be named as one the most challenging tracks in the world and provide the best excitement and entertainment that motor racing has to offer.
But they did come: racing legends like Stirling Moss, Gilles Villeneuve, Bruce McLaren and even stock car king Richard Petty. No fewer than 16 Formula One World Driving Champions - men like Juan Manuel Fangio, Jim Clark, Jackie Stewart, Mario Andretti and Nick Lauda have raced here. Some 10 Indianapolis 500 winners including Rodger Ward, A.J. Foyt, Al Unser, Bobby Unser, Rick Mears and Gordon Johncock have also raced at Mosport.
There have been Formula One cars, Indy cars, Can-Am, stock cars, World Endurance, Formula 5000, Formula Atlantic and Super Vee. Add Formula Fords, GT cars of every description, Superbikes, karts, snowmobiles and off road machines. Throw in a couple of rock concerts, some air shows, and sky divers and one begins to wonder if there is anything that hasn't been seen at Mosport. Anyone standing on the hill in 1959 would not believe what has transpired over the last 40 years. Fortunately, there were some people who did believe in what could happen. They had a dream, a plan, and the combination of resources and expertise to make it happen.
As early as 1958 the British Empire Motor Club (BEMC) formed a development committee to investigate the possibility of selecting and buying a piece of property for a road racing course. By mid summer of that year the founding committee, whose members consisted of Dick Byatt, George Hill, Chuck Stockey, Fred Hayes and Ray Liddle, had found a 450-acre tract north of Bowmanville. Recognizing the enormity of the project, the committee members realized that one club (BEMC) could not undertake the entire task and so a separate entity, called "Mosport Limited" was born in the fall of 1958. The name Mosport (a contraction of Motor Sport) was coined and applied to the new business enterprise.
At the start there were seven directors, each on in charge of a particular phase of the project. They were Alan Bunting (track design, site layout and general coordination); George Hill (public relations); Dick Byatt (trade relations and advertising); Harold Hunter (financial planning and fund raising); George Grant (structural architect); and Chuck Stockey (utilities and access roads).
By 1960 development was moving forward, Alan Bunting's design featured fast, sweeping bends that rose and fell over the contours of the site. In order to accommodate the design, great chunks of earth would be gouged out of parts of the hills; in the one place the whole side of a hill was scraped away and leveled. In the summer of 1960 Stirling Moss paid a visit to Toronto, at which time he saw the plans for the track and the work that had been done so far. While he was generally enthusiastic about the layout of the course, he did recommend that the single-radius carousel hairpin at the south end be changed to a 90-degree right followed by another right leading onto the back straight. Moss was convinced that this combination would be a much greater test of driving skill and provide a more interesting show for the spectators. The two turns, 5a and 5b have since become known as "Moss Corner".
The development of Mosport did not come easily though. The construction suffered through fiscal restraints zoning logistics, heavy rainfalls causing washouts and a price tag that was double of what was to be expected ($500,000 instead of $250,000). In spite of everything, the necessary facilities were completed, the asphalt was laid down and the track was ready for racing by the end of May, 1961. Responsibility for the operation of the facility was given to Jim Clayton who, as General Manager, was Mosport's first and only full-time employee. This is what it was all about: 2.459 miles, measured at the centreline of it's 28-foot width, of twisting, undulating pavement that would challenge the best drivers in the world.
#1 Audi Sport North America
Audi R10 TDI
Marcel Fassler / Gross, Switzerland
Emanuele Pirro / Rome, Italy
#2 Audi Sport North America
Audi R10 TDI
Lucas Luhr / Koblenz, Germany
Marco Werner / Kruzlingen, Switzerland
#12 Autocon Motorsports
Creation CA07-002
Chris McMurry / Phoenix, AZ
Bryan Willman / Seattle, WA
Michael Lewis / Poway, CA
#30 Intersport Racing
Lola B06/10
Ryan Lewis / Cambridge, England
John Faulkner / Pittsford, NY
#37 Intersport Racing
Lola B06/10
Jon Field / Dublin, OH
Clint Field / Dublin, OH
Richard Berry / Evergreen, CO
#6 Penske Racing
Porsche RS Spyder
Sascha Maassen / Aachen, Germany
Patrick Long / Bellair, FL
#7 Penske Racing
Porsche RS Spyder
Timo Bernhard / Hamburg, Germany
Romain Dumas / Ales, France
#8 BK Motorsports
Mazda Lola B07 46
Ben Devlin / Norwich, UK
Gerardo Bonilla / Orlando, FL
#9 Patron Highcroft Racing
Acura ARX-01B
David Brabham / Henley-on-Thames, UK
Scott Sharp / Jupiter, FL
#15 Lowe's Fernandez Racing Lowe's
Acura ARX-01B
Adrian Fernandez / Mexico City, Mexico
Luis Diaz / Mexico City, Mexico
#16 Dyson Racing
Porsche RS Spyder
Chris Dyson / Pleasant Valley, NY
Guy Smith / East Yorkshire, UK
#20 Dyson Racing
Porsche RS Spyder
Butch Leitzinger / Rebersburg, PA
Marino Franchitti / Edinburgh, Scotland
#26 Andretti Green Racing
Acura ARX-01B
Franck Montagny / Grandvaux, Switzerland
James Rossiter / Oxford, England
#66 de Ferran Motorsports
Acura ARX-01B
Gil de Ferran / Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Simon Pagenaud / Montmorillon, Vienne
#3 Corvette Racing
Chevrolet Corvette C6-R
Johnny O'Connell / Flowery Branch, GA
Jan Magnussen / Roslilde, Denmark
#4 Corvette Racing
Chevrolet Corvette C6-R
Olivier Beretta / Monaco
Oliver Gavin / Yardleyhastings, UK
#008 Bell Motorsports
Aston Martin DBR 9
Terry Borcheller / Vero Beach, FL
Chapman Ducote / Miami, FL
#11 Primetime Race Group
Dodge ViperCompetition Coupe
Joel Feinberg / Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Chris Hall / Daytona, FL
TBA - #18 VICI Racing
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR
Nicky Pastorelli / The Hague, Netherlands
Mark Basseng / Leutenbach, Germany
#21 Panoz Team PTG
Panoz Esperante
Tommy Milner / Leesburg, VA
Tom Sutherland / Los Gatos, CA
Joey Hand / Sacramento, CA
#40 Robertson Racing
Doran Ford GT-R
David Robertson / Ray, MI
Andrea Robertson / Ray, MI
David Murry / Atlanta, GA
#44 Flying Lizard Motorsports
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR
Lonnie Pechnik / Mountain View, CA
Seth Neiman / San Francisco, CA
#46 Flying Lizard Motorsports
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR
Johannes van Overbeek / San Francisco, CA
Patrick Pilet / Les Chesnay, France
#54 Black Swan Racing
Doran Ford GT-R
Timothy Pappas / Boston, MA
Anthony Lazzaro / Atlanta, GA
#62 Risi Competizione
Ferrari 430 GT
Mika Salo / Helsinki, Finland
Jamie Melo / Cascavel, Brazil
#71 Tafel Racing
Ferrari 430 GT
Dominik Farnbacher / Lichtenau, Germany
Dirk Mueller / Monte Carlo, Monaco
#73 Tafel Racing
Ferrari 430 GT
Alex Figge / Hollywood, CA
Jim Tafel / Alpharetta, GA
#87 Farnbacher Loles Motorsports
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR
Dirk Werner / Kissenbrueck, Germany
Richard Westbrook / London, England
Bryce Miller / Summit, NJ
#007 Drayson - Barwell
Aston Martin Vantage
Paul Drayson / London, England
Jonny Cocker / Guisborough, UK
This list is provided to give you news regarding this application. Please email us with questions, comments or thoughts or contact us via our blog oneighturbo.com
08/08/08 - The Generac 500 is live. 4 hours of great racing!
07/18/08 - Acura Sports Car Challenge from Mid-Ohio is live. A bit late but it is up!
07/04/08 - Added Spotters Guide PDF
07/04/08 - Northeast Grand Prix from Lime Rock Park is live. We've rearranged the schedule to have current/upcoming race at the top and move the completed to bottom. This will eliminate the intial scrolling.
05/14/08 - Utah Grand Prix is live
05/10/08 - Utah Grand Prix will be up ASAP!
04/29/08 - Lone Star Grand Prix Cancelled
04/21/08 - Long Beach results are posted
04/15/08 - Long Beach is updated just in time! Gallery for St. Pete has been started and is coming!
04/09/08 - St. Petersburg Results are posted. Gallery is coming!
04/04/08 - Acura Sports Car Challenge of St. Petersburg is here! Today we saw some incredible qualifying laps and in the end Audi took top honors with pole and setting a new lap record
of 1:02:8! We have updated the St. Pete section with new maps, weather and results.
04/04/08 - We are working on the live audio stream. Not sure if it is going to work.
03/31/08 - Acura Sports Car Challenge of St. Petersburg live!
03/15/08 - The 12 Hour of Sebring results posted!
v2 launched just intime for the 12 Hours of Sebring. It did not include all that we had hoped for but it was out there in the wild!
v1 launched. This included the list of 2008 American Le Mans dates.