At Last, Porsche Rs Spyder Hits The Track In Alms

[ozz]

AT LAST, PORSCHE RS SPYDER HITS THE TRACK IN ALMS



http://www.americanlemans.com/News/Article.aspx?NewsID=1595



edit: updated link

[plain fan]

On Speed Sunday 1-5 EDT.

[JmuRiz]

wow, .5 sec faster a lap after the first practice. Hope they keep it up, they certainly have the drivers and team for it!

[ozz]

3rd fastest overall in last evenings practice. Pretty impressive....

[bigrubberjeep]

Can someone post a pic of the car, I cant acces that page at work. PLEASE!

[ozz]

you got it....

[Paulporsche]

Live timing and scoring on now. Radio coverage to come. See above link.

[cegerer]

hmmmm ... front end looks Cayenne-isque.

[sammyg2]

I can see it now, clipping the heels of the big guys this year and next year, then the year after they take the same car and turbocharge it and kill everything out there, then ALMS changes the rules to try and give the french teams an advantage, and the Porsche is no longer legal to compete.

No wait, that's the FIA. They don't run ALMS and they don't have Panoz in their back pocket, do they?

[Grady Clay]

Well ....
The radio coverage of qualifying was pretty good.
The official results should be up soon. Porsche on pole for LMP2 with 1:15.6.

Leitzinger did soma amazing laps in Dyson's Lola to drop the LMP1 track record to an amazing 1:14.1 or so.

It was interesting to hear Maassen claim Porsche has never tested the RS Spyder set-up in the wet. (you think?)

Best,
Grady

[Jon Merck]

Awesome car...I hope they whip LMP2 and are nipping at LMP1's heels.

[Paulporsche]

RS Spyder sets fastest lap in class by nearly .3 sec! (Practice 3)

No, Sammy, the FIA don't own the ALMS, but the specs are leased from them, and the do own LeMans.

And there's always John Bishop. You "old guys" (like me) remember him.

[Grady Clay]

My mistake, it was the Zytec that qualified at 1:14.185. Leitzinger was second with a 1:14.906. Third was the other Dyson Lola at 1:14.991 and fourth the Audi R8 at 1:15.392 – all in LMP1. Fifth was the RS Spyder at 1:15.606 for pole by 4.453 seconds(!) and new track record. The next LMP2 was 1:20.059.

There are eight GT3 RSRs entered in LMGT2. Long live 911s.


Here is the
Track Map for Laguna Seca.


Here are the qualifying results from Friday afternoon.

Best,
Grady

[GIBSON]

Just got back from the track, I hung out in the Penske pits as they
prepared for qualifying this afternoon. Penske has an amazing organization, equipment on a par with anyone's, very good
teamwork and an incredible car. There are two obvious camps, the factory guys reading the data and obviously offering information and help to the team and the Penske guys themselves, working like a really well oiled machine. There is only one chassis at Laguna, I don't know about engines. The transporter is beautiful as well. The other LMP2 guys know they
have their work cut out for them. I think just finishing 4 hours tomorrow will be a victory, I think the team has higher goals.
The press is everywhere, probably one of the biggest stories we've had at the track in a long time. Roland Kaussamel (sp?) was in the middle of everything, the brain trust for sure.
If you can come out tomorrow, do it. It will be fun.

[Grady Clay]

Bruce,


PICTURES!

Best,
Grady

[GIBSON]

I know, the problem is I'm supposed to be working. I think tomorrow I'll sneak a camera in and do what I can to get some
photos. Penske is pitted just across the fence from me so
I'll get over there and get some close-ups. Tonight I'm repairing trophies for the Speed World Challenge race on Sunday, really glamorous, this racing business.

[Grady Clay]

Picky, picky, all you SCRAMP guys do is work and put on some of the best events in the world. Get out the spy photo long lens and post the engine casting numbers. Hehe


Here is the weekend schedule: (times PDT)

Saturday, October 15
8:00a.m. Qualifying for Star Mazda Series, Mazda Miata Challenge, World Challenge Touring and GT, and GT3 Cup
11:40 a.m. Mazda Miata Challenge Race #1
1:10 p.m. Star Mazda Race
3:15p.m. - 7:15 p.m. American Le Mans Series Race
(4 hours)
Here is the Provisional Grid.




Sunday, October 16
10:55 a.m. SPEED World Challenge Touring Race
12:05 p.m. GT3 Cup Challenge Race
1:50 p.m. SPEED World Challenge GT Race
3:00 p.m. Mazda Miata Challenge Race #2

Best,
Grady

[Duke]

Interesting that the car # is #6. That was Mark Donohues number in the 917/10 & 917/30.

[GIBSON]

I think the car is running under the 67 number for this race, if memory serves. I'll do my best to get some photos, it's frustrating to be right next to all these cars and not be able to
take advantage of it. By Sunday night my voice is gone, my ears are shot and I've had a great weekend. We now have an elevated podium for the victory celebration so I'm also worn out from climbing stairs. No complaints though.

[Paulporsche]

The next LMP2 was indeed 4.5 sec behind, but had some problems during qualifying and did few laps. Earlier they set their best practice lap just .3 behind the Porsche, so they could still be a threat.