sports car racing news briefing

More news from the world of sports car racing.  Check out these stories.

Greaves Motorsport receives second invitation to the 2014 Le Mans 24 Hours
http://www.planetlemans.com/2014/04/28/greaves-motorsport-receives-second-invitation-to-the-2014-le-mans-24-hours/

Senna to race for Aston Martin Racing in WEC Spa
http://www.planetlemans.com/2014/04/28/senna-to-race-for-aston-martin-racing-in-wec-spa/

Larbre Competition's ELMS sports-prototype debut cut short by rivals at Silverstone
http://www.planetlemans.com/2014/04/28/larbre-competitions-elms-sports-prototype-debut-cut-short-by-rivals-at-silverstone/

Alex Job Racing moving on after Sebring controversy
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/tusc/alex-job-racing-moving-on-after-sebring-controversy/

Marcelli Signs with Scuderia Corsa for Balance of Season
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/tusc/marcelli-signs-with-scuderia-corsa-for-balance-of-season/

Pruett: "Going to Laguna, We Very Much Expect A Different Story"
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/tusc/pruett-going-to-laguna-we-very-much-expect-a-different-story/

Rebel Rock Expands to Four Cars for Monterey
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/ctscc/rebel-rock-expands-to-four-cars-for-monterey/

Eversley Joins BAR1 for Monterey
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/tusc/eversley-joins-bar1-motorsports-for-monterey/

Kaffer Rejoins Risi for Monterey
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/tusc/kaffer-rejoins-risi-for-monterey/

ISR Poised to Enter Audi R8 LMS for Spa 24
http://sportscar365.com/blancpain/bes/isr-poised-to-enter-audi-r8-lms-for-spa-24/

Rolex 24 test days, 1994

We've seen the highlights of the 1994 IMSA season.  Well, here's more.  This is video footage from the test session that led up to the 1994 Rolex 24 and the introduction of the World Sports Car.  Check it out.

tps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JyrE7XvmRI

IMSA 1994

This is what the sports car racing landscape looked like, 20 years ago, with the end of the Grand Touring Prototype era, and the beginning of the World Sports Car era, that lasted for nearly another decade (at least for open cockpit prototypes).

Five Entries Withdrawn from LM24

Sweeping changes to the Le Mans entry list.  Here are the details.

http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/five-entries-withdraw-from-lm24/

Nissan to support development of Ligier JS P2

Nissan is set to fully support development of the new Ligier JS P2 chassis, with one of their engines powering it, and will have driver Mark Schulzhitskiy at the wheel.  Schulzhitskiy has already begun testing the new car.  Planet Le Mans has all the details.

http://www.planetlemans.com/2014/04/25/nissan-to-support-development-of-ligier-js-p2/

More news from the FIA World Endurance Championship and the European Le Mans Series

News from the FIA World Endurance Championship and the European Le Mans Series from Planet Le Mans.

Young Driver AMR takes back-to-back victory at Silverstone
http://www.planetlemans.com/2014/04/20/young-driver-amr-takes-back-to-back-victory-at-silverstone/

Ram Racing: Mixed fortunes at Silverstone
http://www.planetlemans.com/2014/04/21/ram-racing-mixed-fortunes-at-silverstone/

Craft-Bamboo Racing Completes WEC Debut
http://www.planetlemans.com/2014/04/21/craft-bamboo-racing-completes-wec-debut/

Strong Performance For Greaves Motorsport in 4 Hours of Silverstone
http://www.planetlemans.com/2014/04/21/strong-performance-for-greaves-motorsport-in-4-hours-of-silverstone/

8Star shows its potential in troubled FIA WEC 6 Hours of Silverstone
http://www.planetlemans.com/2014/04/21/8star-shows-its-potential-in-troubled-fia-wec-6-hours-of-silverstone/

Thiriet By TDS Racing: A Stylish Win!
http://www.planetlemans.com/2014/04/21/thiriet-by-tds-racing-a-stylish-win/

Pegasus Racing shows good pace but forced to retire on ELMS return
http://www.planetlemans.com/2014/04/24/pegasus-racing-shows-good-pace-but-forced-to-retire-on-elms-return/

Nissan to support development of Ligier JS P2
http://www.planetlemans.com/2014/04/25/nissan-to-support-development-of-ligier-js-p2/

Huge start crash 2014 ADAC GT Masters at Oschersleben

Watch this monstrous pileup at the green light in a recent round of the ADAC GT Masters series at Motorsport Arena Oschersleben.  Cringe worthy stuff!  Ugh!  Fortunately, all drivers were unhurt.

http://www.motorsport.com/gt/video/main-gallery/huge-start-crash-2014-adac-gt-masters-at-oschersleben/

FOX Sports 1 announcers reflect on start of TUDOR Championship season

Thoughts on the start of the inaugural Tudor Championship season, from Fox Sports 1 announcers Bob Varsha, Calvin Fish, Dorsey Schroeder, and Brian Till.

http://msn.foxsports.com/motor/story/fox-sports-1-announcers-reflect-on-start-to-tudor-championship-season-042514

IMSA Statement on the passing of Richard Anderson

Richard Anderson, President of Motorsports Ministries has passed away.  Here's the official statement from IMSA's website.

http://www.imsa.com/articles/imsa-statement-passing-richard-anderson

Le Mans Entries in Flux as Countdown Continues

There are some problems with a few of the entries scheduled to take part in the 24 Hours of Le Mans coming up in just a shade over eight weeks.  Lots of variables are in play as to who may show up to the race, and who, may have to skip it, even though there are indeed confirmed factory entries, especially considering the presence of Audi, Porsche, and Toyota.

http://sportscar365.com/lemans/lemans24/le-mans-entries-in-flux-as-countdown-continues/

There are questions about entries in the Prototype and GTE classes, alike. 

FIA WEC Launches Six Hours of Spa in Brussels

The second round of the 2014 FIA World Endurance Championship is coming up in ten days or so, and here's the preview of the event.

http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/fia-wec-launches-spa-event-in-brussels/

Blancpain Sprint Series round 1: Nogaro (feature race)

Here is the feature race of the opening round of the Blancpain Sprint Series, from the Nogaro circuit in France, last weekend.  It should be noted that this race, is an Easter weekend tradition.

The next round in the championship, takes place the third weekend in May, at Brands Hatch in Kent, England.  Stay tuned for those highlights, folks. 

Blancpain Sprint Series round 1: Nogaro (qualifying race)

Check out round one of the new Blancpain Sprint Series (formerly, the FIA GT Series), from the Nogaro circuit, in France.  This is the qualifying race.  The feature race, will follow, in a separate post.

ACO Voices Concern Over TUSC DP/P2 BoP

The ACO is getting concerned about the Balance of Performance between Daytona Prototype and P2 class cars in the Tudor Championship, and rightfully so.  As an editorial aside, this whole shenanigans does have yours truly a bit concerned, folks.

http://sportscar365.com/imsa/tusc/aco-voices-interest-over-tusc-dp-p2-bop/

Craft-Bamboo Set for Comprehensive Program

Craft-Bamboo will explore many avenues in sports car racing this season.

http://sportscar365.com/lemans/asian-lms/craft-bamboo-set-for-comprehensive-program/

Teams Contemplate P2's Future in TUSC

Will the P2 cars running in the Prototype division of the Tudor United Sports Car Championship, be competitive enough?  Here's an article that sheds light on that question.

http://sportscar365.com/imsa/tusc/teams-contemplate-p2s-future-in-tusc/

Vic Elford on driving the 917 in 1970 and today

The great Vic Elford was interviewed recently by Hemmings Motor News about his experience of driving one of the greatest sports cars in the world, the Porsche 917.  Here is that interview.  Take a look.

http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2014/04/18/vic-elford-on-driving-the-917-in-1970-and-today/

FIA World Endurance Championship round 1: Silverstone, Part 5

The fifth and final part of the Six Hours of Silverstone.  Winning the race, was the #8 Toyota TS040 in the hands of Anthony Davidson, Nicolas Lapierre, and Sebastien Buemi over their team car #7 of Alexander Wurz, Stephane Sarrazin, and Kazuki Nakajima.  The LMP1-L division (for non hybrid prototypes) was won by the #12 Lola B-12/60 Toyota for Rebellion Racing in the hands of Nicolas Prost, Nick Heidfeld, and Mathias Beche.

LMP2 honors went to the #26 G-Drive Racing Morgan Nissan in the hands of Romain Rusinov, Olivier Pla, and Julien Canal.  Porsche Team Manthey, running the factory Porsche GT program this year, won LM GTE Pro with their #92 Porsche 911 RSR driven by Marco Holzer, Richard Lietz, and Frederic Makowiecki.  Then, in LM GTE Am, Aston Martin Racing emerged victorious with the #95 Aston Martin Vantage GTE driven by the Danish trio of David Heinemeier-Hanson, Kristian Poulsen, and Nicki Thiim.

Overall/LMP1-H      #8 Buemi/Davidson/Lapierre    Toyota TS040
            LMP1-L      #12 Beche/Heidfeld/Prost         Lola B-12/60 Toyota
            LMP2          #26 Rusinov/Pla/Canal             Morgan Nissan
            LM GTE
            Pro              #92 Holzer/Lietz/Makowiecki   Porsche 911 RSR
            LM GTE
           Am               #95 Heinemeier-Hanson/Poulsen/
                               Thiim                                          Aston Martin Vantage GTE

The next round of the championship is the Six Hours of Spa at the Spa Francorchamps circuit in Belgium, coming up in a mere two weeks. 

FIA World Endurance Championship round 1: Silverstone, part 4

Part four of the Silverstone Six Hours.

FIA World Endurance Championship round 1: Silverstone, Part 3

Part three of the 6 Hours of Silverstone.

FIA World Endurance Championship round 1, Silverstone: Part 2

Part two of the Six Hours of Silverstone.

FIA World Endurance Championship round 1: Silverstone Part 1

Part one of six of the opening race for the FIA World Endurance Championship... the 6 Hours of Silverstone at the Silverstone circuit in Silverstone, England.

Pirelli World Challenge round 2: Long Beach

Round two of the Pirelli World Challenge 2014, is the Roar By The Shore, presented by Kia on the legendary streets of Long Beach, California.

This is once again, not only the 25th season of World Challenge, but it's the 40th anniversary, too, of the Long Beach Grand Prix.  All the drivers want to win here.  This is the second consecutive street race.  Now, we saw a wild one at St. Petersburg last time out, too.  Mike Skeen's team has switched to the Audi R8 LMS Ultra.  The fans got to get up close and personal with the race cars on Pine Avenue the Thursday night before the race.

This race will be a street fight.  Watch Tomy Drissi and the Spider Man Aston Martin.  40 cars are starting this race.  Johnny O'Connell had a horrendous race at St. Petersburg, and he did crash out of this race last year.  Can Nic Jonsson and Mark Wilkins improve in their Kia Optima's?  Kia sponsors this race.  Corner exit speed is a strong suit for the Kia Optima race car.

Turn one is great for overtaking.  Watch into turns two through four, using all the road, but don't hit the wall.  Turns seven and eight are tight.  Don't overtake.  Watch out for the slower GTS cars.  Carry momentum through turns nine and ten, and into the hairpin at turn eleven.  The weather is beautiful.  Watch the braking zone into turn one.  Johnny O'Connell has pole in GT with a new track record.  Jack Roush Jr. sits on pole in GTS, in his Ford Mustang.

Drivers, start your engines!  We're ready to race, setting off on their warmup lap.  Johnny O'Connell and Andy Pilgrim are on the front row.  The field is lined up, for the start of this one.  At the start, Andy Pilgrim may have jumped Johnny O'Connell.  Tony Buffomonte tries to pass Nic Jonsson.  Tim Bergmeister also tries to squeeze by into the fountain turn as there's a wreck with Lawson Aschenbach and David Sterckx.  Ouch!  The yellow comes out immediately.  David Sterckx, Jack Baldwin, and Lawson Aschenbach are all involved in this scrum.

The GTS guys get compressed into the GT field, and it is a concertina.  Then, everybody is playing dodge 'em cars.  Everyone needs to cool down.  But, Baldwin and Aschenbach will have to come from behind.  The Cadillac's have good launch control.  They are heavier, too, so they get more heat in the tires than the GT3 cars like the Audi's and the Ferrari's.  Tim Pappas didn't get a good start in his Black River Caviar Mercedes SLS AMG GT3.

With these GT3 cars, they are not set up for these tires, and they are not set up for bumpy, American race tracks like they are for smoother pavement on venues in Europe.  The next race at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama, will provide for a better venue for the GT3 cars, because it's a pure race track, with smooth pavement.  It's now game over for Lawson Aschenbach.  He's out of the race here at Long Beach.

Black Dog Speed Shop and Chevrolet, have a great looking race car.  It has a lot of character.  Lawson Aschenbach and Tony Gaples, have a car that has a vintage flair to it.  These are GT caliber drivers in a GTS category team.  They won a title last year, in their first year of running the car in World Challenge.  But, Lawson Aschenbach knows it's game over for this race.  Sterckx couldn't get on the brakes, and Jack Baldwin also pounded the wall.

Baldwin was a race winner in World Challenge last year, too.  Cadillac runs 1-2 right now.  Ferrari is third.  James Sofronas started eighth, and is up to fifth.  He won in this race last year, from pole, running in his Audi R8 LMS Ultra.  Andrew Palmer is his team mate, and Palmer is becoming a better and better road racer.  Take a look at Nic Jonson in the Kia Optima Turbo, as well.  We're ready for a restart as the lights are out on the safety car.  It's Cadillac, Cadillac, Ferrari, McLaren, Audi.  Go!  Robert Thorn is pushing his McLaren and theres a bit of argy bargy between the McLaren's as Mike Hedlund and Tim Bergmeister are pushing.

Nic Jonsson, Jack Roush Jr. and Tony Buffomonte are all in a battle.  Kia is running much better than they did at St. Petersburg.  The front tires get worn out with a front wheel drive, turbocharged car.  Whoa!  Jonsson runs wide in the braking zone, and Buffomonte is right there.  Johnny O'Connell continues to lead, with Andy Pilgrim in second place.  Pilgrim is a real veteran of road racing, and has been at it for a long time, after first running the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1996, and his career began in his homeland of England, in the Renault 5 Cup in the 1980s, before he became a U.S. citizen in 1998.

Nic Jonsson opens his GTS lead as we're almost halfway through this race.  Jack Roush Jr. chases Tony Buffomonte, and, Alec Udell is coming forward.  Last year, he could not run this race because he wasn't old enough, even though he ran the whole season.  Andy Lee is running well in GTS with his Chevrolet Camaro.  Watch for the curbs, so you don't break the suspension.  Anthony Lazzaro is gaining on the two factory Cadillac's.

Lazzaro has run in Formula Atlantic at Long Beach.  This is his first time running in sports cars.  James Sofronas is coming, and so is Andrew Palmer.  Roush Jr. wants  by Buffomonte.  Mark Wilkins is also pushing ahead in the sister Kia Optima, trying to get by Alec Udell in the Watson Racing Ford Mustang.  Set your tire pressures, but make sure to watch them during the race.  Roush Jr. is hounding Buffomonte, and likewise, Udell is being hounded by Wilkins.  But, Alex Figge has braking issues in the chicane for the second year in a row!

Figge drove a Volvo S60R for the same Kpax Racing team last year, and had the same issue.  The leaders are coming towards a lapped car.  Ric Bushey in the Nissan 370Z as well as another car.  We've got a shade over 20 minutes to go in this contest, folks.  This is an awesome race so far.  Porsche is back in World Challenge, and of course, they are synonymous with sports car racing in both prototype and GT divisions, and, in customer, and factory capacities.

World Challenge is a sprint race.  So, it's giving 110% through the whole race.  Tim Bergmeister is running well right now in the #31 Porsche 911 GT3.  Alex Figge is actually still running.  It might have been his team mate Robert Thorn who went off the road.  Andy Lee's car is smoking.  Meanwhile, Bergmeister is dealing with the new tires.  He said that the car is ttoally trimmed out, so they are down on cornering speed as opposed to straightaway speed.

We've got 15 minutes left in this race.  Mark Wlkins is about to be passed.  But now, i'ts the Cadillac's and the Ferrari, running into the GTS cars.  O'Connell is controlling the pace as Andy Pilgrim runs wide, catches a cone, but is still running at speed.  Cadillac wants to run well at Long Beach, and sees waht the festival atmosphere can do, in order to promote their brand.  Cadillac has built a great race car as Andy Pilgrim passes Buz McCall in his Porsche Cayman S.

Pilgrim came by a backmarker.  He's running very well, as O'Connell and Pilgrim both run their own lines.  We are under ten minutes left in this race now.  Anthony Lazzaro also wants to come by, as the Cadillac's pass the GT4 spec TRG Aston Martin of Nick Esayian in the GTS class.  It's Cadillac, Cadillac, Ferrari, in the top three.  Oh!  Tomy Drissi has crunched the Spiderman Aston Martin, running into the back of a competitor.

Nic Jonsson leads Tony Buffomonte.  Jack Roush Jr. is behind Buffomonte.  Nick Mancuso could have a problem as Tomy Drissi is out of his home race.  He's run well in the past in Trans Am and other sports car classes.  Anthony Lazzaro slices his Ferrari past the Camaro of Tony Gaples.  Lazzaro now wants to get by Pilgrim.  That was close!  It's on!  Uh oh.  The #80 SRT Viper GT3 of Dan Knox spins.  No harm, no foul.  Can Lazzaro and the Ferrari take the fight to the Cadillac?

Spare a thought for Dan Knox.  He was sick for this race, getting a couple of IV's a day to help with dehydration.  Lets hope he finishes the race.  We're coming to the end of this race.  Nic Jonsson still leads GTS.  The Kia Optima leads the two Ford Mustang's.  Lazzaro is coming.  Nic Jonsson is pulling out a lead in GTS, for Kia.  Kia's sponsorship of this race, is paying dividends.  They'll get a good finish in this race.  They've also been able to push the car, but manage their Pirelli P Zero tires.

One lap left.  One minute or so left on the clock.  Keep it clean, and go for a Cadillac 1-2.  Don't take your team mate out.  It'll be Andy Pilgrim and Johnny O'Connell finishing 1-2.  O'Connell wins it!  It's his first World Challenge win at Long Beach!  Kia gets a double podium in GTS in the Kia Optima.  1-3 for Kia with Jonsson and Mark Wilkins.

Overall/GT: #3 Johnny O'Connell     Cadillac CTS-V
         GTS: #36 Niclas Jonsson        Kia Optima

The next World Challenge race, as mentioned, is at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama, next weekend.  Stay tuned for a report on that event, in the coming weeks.

sports car racing news

Here's your daily dose of news from the sports car racing world, especially relevant with the opening races for the ELMS, Blancpain Sprint Series, and the FIA World Endurance Championship, happening, today, and tomorrow.

Webber: "It's Going To Be A Learning Year For Us In Many Ways"
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/webber-were-clearly-here-to-compete/

Audi, Lamborghini Top Opening Practice Sessions At Nogaro
http://sportscar365.com/blancpain/bss/audi-lamborghini-top-free-practice-sessions/

Tincknell Puts Jota Sport Zytek on Pole for ELMS Season Opener
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/elms/tincknell-puts-jota-sport-zytek-on-pole-for-elms-season-opener/

AF Corse Sweeps GTE Qualifying at Silverstone
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/af-corse-sweeps-gte-pro-qualifying-at-silverstone/

Toyota Takes Silverstone Pole
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/toyota-takes-silverstone-pole/

Silverstone ELMS Pre-Race Notebook
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/elms/silverstone-elms-pre-race-notebook/

FIA WEC & ELMS stories

As the FIA World Endurance Championship, and the European Le Mans Series, head for their respective opening races of 2014, both at Silverstone, in England, here are some stories to keep an eye on.

Minassian: "It's the Continuity of Last Year, but Even Stronger"
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/minassian-its-the-continuity-of-last-year-but-even-stronger/

Jota Sport Quickest in ELMS Opening Practice at Silverstone
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/elms/jota-sport-quickest-in-elms-opening-practice-at-silverstone/

DHH: "This Opportunity Was Just Perfect"
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/dhh-youre-not-going-to-get-anything-for-free-this-season/

Porsche Tops Practice 1 at Silverstone
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/porsche-tops-practice-1-at-silverstone/

Kimber-Smith Quickest in ELMS Silverstone Second Practice
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/elms/kimber-smith-quickest-in-elms-silverstone-second-practice/

PWC: Dyson Racing enters series with factory Bentley Continental GT3 program

Yippee!  That great new Bentley that made it's racing debut in the opening Blancpain Endurance Series race at Monza last weekend, is coming to the United States.  Dyson Racing, and team owner, Rob Dyson, (a fixture in sports car racing for decades), are set to campaign one in the Pirelli World Challenge.  Here are the details.

http://www.racer.com/pwc/item/102812-pwc-dyson-racing-enters-series-with-factory-bentley-continental-gt3-program#.U07of36SSUE.facebook

sports car racing news

Your daily sports car racing news update.

Vanthoor Out at Sebastien Loeb Racing for Le Mans
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/lemans24/vanthoor-out-at-sebastien-loeb-racing-for-le-mans/

Webber Completes New Le Mans Sim Training Course
http://sportscar365.com/features/videos/webber-completes-new-le-mans-simulator-training-course/

Panoz Developing DeltaWing Road Cars
http://sportscar365.com/industry/panoz-developing-deltawing-road-cars/

Silverstone ELMS Entry List Finalized
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/elms/silverstone-elms-entry-list-finalized/

Motoyama Completes Nissan ZEOD RC Lineup For Le Mans
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/lemans24/motoyama-completes-nissan-zeod-rc-line-up-for-le-mans/

VIDEO: Porsche return to LMP1 with 919 Hybrid

Amazingly, the new Porsche 919 hybrid prototype sports car, still sounds like a true racing car.  Check this out.

http://msn.foxsports.com/speed/cars/video-porsche-return-to-lmp1-with-919-hybrid/

sports car racing news brief

More sports car racing news... via Sportscar365.

Lamborghini Aiming for 2015 Debut of Huracan GT3
http://sportscar365.com/gt/lamborghini-aiming-for-2015-debut-of-huracan-gt3/

VIDEO: Alex Buncombe's Opening Lap Charge at Monza
http://sportscar365.com/blancpain/bes/video-alex-buncombes-opening-lap-charge-at-monza/

Nogaro Entry List Finalized
http://sportscar365.com/blancpain/bss/nogaro-entry-list-finalized/

Make-Up Race Announced, Miller Round Becomes Doubleheader
http://sportscar365.com/gt/world-challenge/miller-motorsports-round-becomes-doubleheader/

Atlantic Racing Team Confirms CN, LMP2 Plans
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/asian-lms/atlantic-racing-team-confirms-cn-lmp2-plans/

Ratel Remains Committed to GT3 Platform
http://sportscar365.com/blancpain/ratel-remains-committed-to-gt3-platform/

Millennium Withdraws From Silverstone
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/millennium-racing-withdraws-from-silverstone/

The Manila File: A DP in Le Mans - a hypothetical story

Let us pretend for a moment, that some of the current Daytona Prototype spec cars from the Tudor United Sports Car Championship, were allowed to race at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.  Here's a hypothetical scenario as to what that would look like from another blog called North American Sportscar.

http://nasportscar.com/the-manila-file-a-dp-in-le-mans-a-hypothetical-story/

Tequila Patron Showcase @ Long Beach race broadcast

Follow the link to watch the race broadcast from this past weekend's Tudor United Sports Car Championship Tequila Patron Showcase.

http://www.imsa.com/imsa-tv/episode/2014-patron-showcase-race-broadcast

Blancpain Endurance Series round 1: Monza

ART GP and McLaren with drivers Alvaro Parente, Alex Premat, and Gregoire Demoustier, won the opening race of the 2014 Blancpain Endurance Series season. Winning in Pro Am, it was the #43 ROAL Motorsport BMW Z4 GT3 shared by the Italian trio of Stefano Colombo, Stefano Comandini, and Eugenio Amos... while, in Gentleman Trophy, Ferrari won (after sweeping all three classes in their home race last year), with the #458 GT Corse By Rinaldi Ferrari 458 Italia, shared by Germans Alexander Matschull, Pierre Ehret, and Frank Schmickler.

Overall/Pro: #98 Demoustier/Premat/Parente             McLaren MP-4/12C GT3
            Pro Am: #43 Colombo/Comandini/Amos       BMW Z4 GT3
            Gentleman
            Trophy:  #458 Mattschull/Ehret/Schmickler     Ferrari 458 Italia

Here is the story on the race, along with the video highlights.

http://sportscar365.com/blancpain/bes/art-gp-mclaren-claims-dominant-monza-win/

Round two for the Blancpain Endurance Series is at another legendary track... the Silverstone Circuit in Silverstone, England.  That event will take place, the last weekend in May. 

Winner & highlights of the Tequila Patron Sports Car Showcase @ Long Beach

The Tequila Patron Sports Car Showcase on the streets of Long Beach, California, is round three of the Tudor United Sports Car Racing Championship. Today's race is a 100 minute, flat out sprint.  One pit stop is expected for this race.  On the pole, is Scott Pruett in the #01 Telmex Chip Ganassi Riley Ford.  Just two classes will race today.  Prototype, and GT Le Mans, will be featured.  Keep it off the walls at Long Beach.  That's going to be rally, really hard to do.  Let's go racing, blokes.  This is a true street fight.

The engines are fired.  The cars roll off on their warmup lap.  The green flag, mere moments away.  Long Beach has a great history, with both Indycars and sports cars.  Formula One has also raced here.  We are just south of Los Angeles, on a 1.968 mile track, with eleven turns.  Turn eleven is the famous corner on the track.  It's a concrete canyon.  Stay off the walls.  The weather is beautiful.  The field forms up behind the Ford Taurus SHO safety car.  The engine block in the Taurus SHO is the same motor as the Ford EcoBoost racing engine.

Go!  We're underway!  Ganassi in front with Action Express second.  Now, we've got a wreck already.  It's the #10 Velocity Worldwide Corvette of Max Angelellli.  The #3 Chevrolet Corvette C-7-R- of Antonio Garcia leads GT LM with the BMW Z4 GTE's second and third.  Pruett still leads ovwer Gustavo Yacaman as Michael Valiante launches the #90 Spirit of Daytona Corvette past Gustavo Yacaman in the OAK Racing Morgan Nissan.

Yacaman runs wide and slaps John Pew in the Michael Shank Racing Riley Ford.  Discretion the better part of valor, as the cars come back through turn eleven.  Garcia pulls out his lead in GT LM as we see Boris Said trying to slice his way through traffic in the #31 Whelen Corvette prototype.  The GT cars have better grip off the corners than the prototypes, and can accelerate a little quyicker.  The factory Porsche's are running well, with the #62 Risi Ferrari, next, shared by Dane Cameron and Giancarlo Fisichella, who hasn't even driven the car yet.

Dane Cameron was drafted into the Ferrari after Turner Motorsports went back to Pirelli World Challenge.  Problems for the #70 Speedsource Mazda Skyactive diesel prototype.  Low oil pressure and high water temperature.  The car has busted it's radiator.  In GT LM we have a battle for position between the #17 Falken Tire Porsche 911 RSR and the #91 factory SRT Viper.  With the Mazda, this is their first engine issue.  The problems they had at Daytona and Sebring, in the opening endurance events, were driveline related.

Memo Rojas continues to lead.  Patron Racing won here last year.  Go down Shoreline Boulevard, turn in, feed the throttle in, on a slippery corner.  The car gets light into turn six and into second gear.  Go to first gear for the hairpin, and go up through the gearbox, flying back across the line.  With just the two classes, it will take longer to catch lapped traffic.  There will be fewer yellows in this race, too.  How will the two types of prototype car compare over a long green flag run?

It's Ford, Chevrolet, Chevrolet, Nissan.  This is OAK Racing's first time at Long Beach.  Gustavo Yacaman has really helped the team understand the track.  Yacaman is sharing with Olivier Pla.  In GT LM, Corvette is ahead and has won four races in class in the old American Le Mans Series.  Andy Priaulx is also making his first visit to Long Beach, in the #55 BMW Team RLL BMW Z4 GTE.  Put down the horsepower through the slowest corner in the world, at 28 miles an hour.

Michael Christensen also makes his debut in the factory Porsche 911 RSR.  Porsche has not shown the speed yet.  Will the Porsche come forward?  Memo Rojas leads.  No changes.  Antonio Garcia leads GT LM, in the Corvette.  Factory race teams feed off data.  They have a DAG (or, data acquisition geek), to monitor the sensors telling all the info about the car.  Real time telemetry analyzes all of this.  Their Michelin tire engineer has all the info.

Antonio Garcia continues to lead in GT LM.  Crew chief Dan Binks says that the tires can wear down quick, but there's a big difference now that the fuel can be added and the tires changed, at the same time.  John Edwards in the sister RLL BMW is holding up the GT LM battle.  Marc Goossens is flying in the SRT Viper.  Edwards, Priaulx, and Gavin, all move around the HPD ARX from Patron Racing.  John Edwardss had to make the pass.  But, Oliver Gavin wants by Andy Priaulx, too.

What did yours truly say earlier?  This is a street fight.  BMW Team RLL has had a lot of success here the last five years with whatever configuration of car they have.  BMW M3's years ago, and now the Z4.  Ricky Taylor is pressuring Memo Rojas, but Jordan Taylor runs wide.  He's got an issue.  He might have had contact with the OAK Racing Morgan Nissan.  There is bodywork missing from the Velocity Worldwide Corvette into the hairpin.

He may have just gotten wide in turn six.  It's a simple loss of grip into the next series of corners, in turn eight.  20 laps have already gone by.  Gustavo Yacaman is being very aggressive.  These new diffusers on the Daytona Prototype spec cars are getting a workout, and are susceptible to damage from a car running in from behind.  Michael Valiante and Gustavo Yacaman continue to battle, and this one will be monitored, folks.  It's a good one.  A humdinger to be sure.

Michael Valiante has had contact with John Pew.  Corvette vs. Riley Ford prototype.  He was going underneat the #60, got spun, and then, Pew was trapped.  Pew had no place to go.  The #31 Whelen Corvette pits, and unfortunately, the #70 Mazda has been retired.  But they cannot get to the paddock and have to stay in pit lane.  These guys are racing with the Indycars this weekend.  Antonio Garcia is ahead in GT LM at the moment, driving off into the sunset.

Garcia and John Edwards are a hundredth of a second away from each other.  The #31 car has been caught speeding on pit lane.  They will have to visit the sin bin.  Porsche and Viper continue to scrap in GT LM.  SRT switched setups.  They don't have good grip as Marc Goossens passes Michael Christensen.  SRT crew chief Bill Riley says that there is a problem with getting a hold of this racetrack with the shock package.  We have just over an hour left in this race.  So, it's going down at a ferocious pace.

Christian Fittipladi is close behind Memo Rojas.  But Fittipaldi gets caught behind Richard Lietz in the factory Porsche 911 RSR #911.  Be careful and use damage control.  Gustavo Yacaman continues to push.  The GT LM cars are very quick through the low to medium speed corners, and especially in the apex of the corner.  Andy Priaulx continues to run very well.  He's trying to pass John Edwards.  These are team mates, but there are no team orders.

John Pew and Michael Shank Racing, were on the front row of the grid.  But they are now out of this race.  Something happened to the electrical system.  They'll be back in the next race at Laguna Seca.  Less than an hour of racing to go, as Ricky Taylor closes in on Christian Fittipaldi.  Fittipaldi ran here in the Champ Car/Indycar Series back in the 1990s.  BMW and Corvette both pit.  Porsche was in a lap before.  55 to 60 minutes, was the target for fuel and tires.

The problem is, tire management.  Watch the temperatures and pressures in the tires.  John Edwards hands over to Dirk Muller.  Patrick Long takes over the #912 Porsche 911 RSR.  The team car was in the lap before.  Andy Priaulx also pits.  Will his last lap count?  BMW needs a good pit stop.  The pit lane is really long and really slow.  The right side mirror is askew on the car as Bill Auberlen takes over for Andy Priaulx.  Auberlen has to wait, and replace the right side door.

Auberlen will have to push, push, push, now.  The #93 Viper is in.  They had power sterring problems and still do.  Kuno Wittmer and Jonathan Bomarito are still struggling with that.  The #90 car pits.  Richard Westbrook takes over for Michael Valiante.  They have rear bodywork damage.  It's so cool, that the teams don't need their cool boxes.  Save weight.  Ryan Dalziel pits the HPD ARX chassis.  He's won in Indycars and sports cars at Long Beach.  He takes over for Scott Sharp and chooses to stay on hot tires to get good outlap times.

Get into the pits ASAP.  Get in the window.  There have been no yellow flags to this point.  Memo Rojas leads by 1.9 seconds.  Scott Pruett is the only driver to win in a Daytona Prototype at Long Beach.  Ricky Taylor and Gustavo Yacaman will pit.  Olivier Pla will take over the OAK Racing machine.  Fittipaldi stays out.  The #01 and #5 cars don't need a yellow flag.  36 miles per hour is the pit lane speed limit.  Unbelievably slow.  Jordan Taylor replaces his brother Ricky in the #10 car, which still has diffuser damage.

Tire strategies with the P2 spec cars are a little different depending on teams.  Memo Rojas will poit soon and he leads halfway through this race, folks.  You know you're in a window.  Now, Rojas pits, and again, the speed limit is really slow.  It's past the Indycar pits, around the corner, to the sports car pits.  How much fuel will be needed?  How fast will the cars be serviced?  Scott Pruett takes over the #01.  Joao Barbosa takes over the #5 car.  It's a slightly slow stop, with scrubbed tires.  The #5 car will be the #01 out of the pits.

This race isn't over yet.  It's the run to the checkers, after one, and only one, pit stop.  Dirk Muller continues to run second in GT LM.  The #60 MSR Riley Ford will finish this race.  They are back in pit lane now.;  The car is fully operational.  Scott Pruett leads Joao Barbosa and Jordan Taylor.  Taylor passes Barbosa for second and has better tires.  They have more heat in them.  Ganassi's Indycar experience at Long Beach has some positive effect on their sports car efforts, in this race.

Wayne Taylor was not happy with Gustavo Yacaman.  Ricky Taylor continues to pursue Scott Pruett.  Oliver Gavin says that Corvette had been missing the tire pressure targets.  But they are now catching the BMW's.  Tommy Milner is behind the wheel of the #4 car.  Dirk Muller is flying, with just a half hour remaining in this race.  Muller and Milner boith know Long Beach.  Milner won his first race in American Le Mans Series competition, at Long Beach, in a Corvette, a few years ago.

Dominik Farnbacher and Patrick Long battle in GT LM as well.  Long picks up a spot over the Viper.  These three cars are very evenly matched.  They move from left to right along Shoreline Drive.  Farnbacher can;t get the power down.  What's the braking zone situation?  Bill Auberlen passes.  Advantage BMW.  Marc Goossens ran the first stint before Farnbacher got in.  Goossens says the car is running better in the race than qualifying, where they lost track position.

There have been no full course yellows from Long Beach to this point.  Hopefully, yours truly, and lead Fox Sports commentator for this race, Brian Till, have not jinxed anything.  26 minutes now remain.  Scott Pruett continues to lead.  Can Joao Barbosa or Jordan Taylor catch the #01 car?  Jordan Taylor begins running faster laps than Scott Pruett.  They are separated by less than a second.  It's going to be close, folks.  The gap seems to be widening between the leader, and second and third.  But, Barobosa is right on Taylor.  However, Barbosa almost crashed!

He ran wide in a corner, trying to launch, and it didn't work.  The outside of the track is very dirty off line.  Ryan Dalziel is now fourth in the HPD open cockpit prototype.  Pruett's fastest lap is a 1:16.6.  The #93 SRT Viper was running well.  But, the rear end gear went kablammo, and now, they're headed for the house.  Jan Magnussen leads GT LM in the #3 machine.  He wants another race win, with about sixteen minutes left.  

Jordan Taylor wants by Scott Pruett.  But, he's running out of time.  Meanwhile, Bill Auberlen has run into a speed bump, and that speed bump, is the factory Porsche of Patriuck Long as the #62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 458 Italia pits for a flat tire.  Dane Cameron at the controls.  Just over ten minutes remain.  We have had zero full course cautions in this race.  Jordan Taylor is right on Scott Pruett's gearbox.  He's within a second of the leader.

Eight minutes now remain.  Scott Pruett holds the lead by the skin of his teeth.  It's going to be a battle between Corvette and BMW for the GT LM win, even though the sister Corvette is also right there.  Catching is one thing.  Passing is another.  A 1-2 finish for Corvette, would be icing on the cake.  Whoa!  Milner nearly touches the BMW in the braking zone.  Taylor and Barbosa pass the other leading factory Corvette.

The Corvette has better braking.  The BMW launches better off the corners under acceleration.  Jordan Taylor is still digging hard.  The traffic fluctuates.  This is Jordan Taylor's first visit to Long Beach, while Pruett has run in SCCA Trans Am, Indycars, and Grand Am before.  Joao Barbosa also wants a piece of this fight.  Taylor has been getting the worst of the traffic in this one.  We continue to watch Bill Auberlen and Patrick Long scrap.  Long leaps out in front of the BMW.

Tommy Milner is also still working on Dirk Muller.  We are inside three minutes left in this race, watching Milner and Muller.  Scott Pruett and Jordan Taylor have traffic to deal with.  It's Wolf Henzler in the #17 Falken Tires Porsche in GT LM.  Jordan Taylor caught Wolf Henzler at the wrong time, and opened the door for Pruett to sneak away.  Pruett wiggles, and Jordan Taylor moves closer.  White flag next time by.  It's the last lap of the race.

White flag lap.  1.9 miles remain.  Can Taylor take advantage of traffic?  He's coming.  What will happen?  Just a few more corners, as Jan Magnussen runs throuygh the fountain turn for the final time.  They might not catch this traffic in time.  It won't work.  Taylor is not giving up.  But, it's Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas, winning at Long Beach, the 40th running of the Grand Prix of Long Beach.  Antonio Garcia and Jan Magnussen win GT Le Mans!

Patrick Long holds fifth and beats Bill Auberlen to the line.

Overall/Prototype: #01 Pruett/Rojas                      Riley Ford EcoBoost
            GT Le Mans: #3 Garcia/Magnussen          Chevrolet Corvette C-7-R-

The next Tudor United Sports Car Championship race, is also in California.  It's the Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix at Laguna Seca Raceway, in Monterey, California.  That's about 350 miles north of Long Beach.  The race, will take place in three weeks.  FYI, that weekend, there will be two separate races.  One for Prototype and GT Le Mans class cars, and another, for Prototype Challenge and GT Daytona machines. 

We'll see you then.  Stay tuned, also, for a link, to the video of this race, when it becomes available.  The inaugural Tudor United Sports Car Championship season, continues.  Farewell for now, fans.  

Pruett Leads DP Sweep in Opening Practice at Long Beach

Scott Pruett is on the top of the time sheets in the first practice for the Tudor United Sports Car Racing race on the streets of Long Beach, California, tomorrow.  Look for a race report, on this blog.

http://sportscar365.com/imsa/tusc/pruett-quickest-in-opening-practice-at-long-beach/

sports car racing news update

More stories being followed from Sportscar365.

CRP Racing Switches to Audi for PWC Season
http://sportscar365.com/gt/world-challenge/crp-racing-switches-to-audi-for-pwc-season/

Drissi to Drive TRG Aston Martin GT3 at Long Beach
http://sportscar365.com/gt/world-challenge/drissi-to-drive-trg-aston-martin-gt3-at-long-beach/

PWC Upgrades Live Stream for Long Beach
http://sportscar365.com/gt/world-challenge/pwc-upgrades-live-stream-for-long-beach/

Lotus T129 LMP1 Car to Miss Silverstone
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/lotus-t129-lmp1-car-to-miss-silverstone/

LMP1 Fuel Flow, EoT Specs Finalized
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/lmp1-fuel-flow-eot-specs-finalized/

Camaro Debut Delayed, Reiter Opts for Gallardo For Monza
http://sportscar365.com/blancpain/bes/camaro-debut-delayed-reiter-opts-for-gallardo-for-monza/

Erdos to Sub for Ordonez at Le Mans Test Day
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/lemans24/erdos-to-sub-for-ordonez-at-le-mans-test-day/

Mazda Presents 'STEM' To Long Beach Students

Cool story about Mazda and their driver, Joel Miller making a presentation to high school students as part of a program called R.A.C.E., which stands for "Racing Accelerates Creative Education".  Check this out.

http://www.imsa.com/articles/mazda-presents-stem-long-beach-students

sports car racing news update

Another sports car racing news update, is here.  Check out the latest, via Sportscar365.

AAI Motorsports Reveals Three-Car GT Program
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/asian-lms/aai-motorsports-reveals-three-car-gt-program/

Series Launches Silverstone Event at Kensington Palace
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/fia-wec-launches-silverstone-event-at-kensington-palace/

Negri: "Daytona and Sebring Didn't Represent What We're Capable Of"
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/tusc/negri-neither-daytona-or-sebring-represented-what-we-were-capable-of/

Gidley Continues Rehabilitation, Returns Home
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/tusc/gidley-continues-recovery-returns-home/

Diaz Joins 8Star For PC Sprint Races
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/tusc/diaz-joins-8star-for-pc-sprint-races/

ART GP Finalizes Lineup; Monza Entry List Update
http://sportscar365.com/blancpain/bes/art-gp-finalizes-lineup-monza-entry-list-update/
*The Blancpain Endurance Series season starts this weekend.  Look for frequent updates about their races, on this blog.

Nissan GT Academy Team RJN Lineup Confirmed
http://sportscar365.com/blancpain/bes/nissan-gt-academy-team-rjn-lineup-confirmed/

New HPD ARX-04b P2 car unveiled

Acura reveals the design of it's latest race car, which is built to Prototype 2 specifications.  Racer magazine, has the details.

http://www.racer.com/imsa/item/102592-new-hpd-arx-04b-p2-car-unveiled?showall&start=1

VIDEO: Inside Alex Zanardi's Driving System

Check out Alex Zanardi's adapted driving system for his Blancpain GT Series ROAL Motorsports BMW Z4 GT3.

http://sportscar365.com/blancpain/bss/video-inside-alex-zanardis-driving-system/

sports car racing news

Another day, another update.  Here's more stories from Sportscar365 being followed.  Check them out.

McMurry Completes Greaves Lineup for Silverstone
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/elms/mcmurry-completes-greaves-lineup-for-silverstone/

Boutsen Ginion, HTP Motorsport Complete Driver Lineups
http://sportscar365.com/blancpain/bes/boutsen-ginion-htp-motorsport-complete-driver-lineups/

Imperatori Set for Five-Race Program with KCMG
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/imperatori-set-for-five-race-program-with-kcmg/

Craft Racing, Bamboo Engineering Join Forces
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/craft-racing-bamboo-engineering-join-forces/

Hallyday Replaces Pasquali at IMSA Performance
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/elms/hallyday-replaces-pasquali-at-imsa-performance/

Generation Bentley, Beechdean Confirm Silverstone Entries
http://sportscar365.com/blancpain/bes/generation-bentley-beechdean-confirm-silverstone-entries/

Super GT Okayama Highlights

Check out the video highlights for round one of the Japanese Super GT Championship at Okayama.  This is some exciting racing, and might be updated, throughout the season.  There is a video, at the link.

http://sportscar365.com/features/videos/video-super-gt-okayama-highlights/

sports car racing news update

Sportscar365 has more interesting and timely stories.  Check these out.

GB Autosport Planning for the Future
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/tusc/gb-autosport-planning-for-the-future/

Ford Named Official IMSA Partner
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/ctscc/ford-named-official-imsa-partner/

Abra Named Aston Martin Racing Factory Driver
http://sportscar365.com/blancpain/bes/abra-named-aston-martin-racing-factory-driver/

Frederic Henry-Biabaud: "We Must Build the Asian LMS With Humility"
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/asian-lms/frederic-henry-biabaud-we-must-build-the-championship-with-humility/

Strakka Dome Set for Paul Ricard Test
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/strakka-dome-set-for-paul-ricard-test/

Corvette C7.R Ready For Long Beach Podium

Corvette Racing and it's new C7.R racing car seem ready to score a podium finish this weekend at Long Beach?  We'll see if that happens, fans.  Anything can happen in racing, especially in sports car racing.

http://www.imsa.com/articles/corvette-c7r-ready-long-beach-podium

Cameron Joins Risi for Long Beach

With Matteo Malucelli benched after Sebring, and the fact that Turner Motorsports switched their focus to Pirelli World Challenge competition, Dane Cameron will now join Risi Competizione in their #62 GT LM class Ferrari 458 Italia for this weekend's Tudor United Sports Car Racing event on the streets of Long Beach, California.

http://sportscar365.com/imsa/tusc/cameron-joins-risi-for-long-beach/

OAK to Return with Morgan-Judd in Asian LMS

OAK Racing Team Asia is back to defend it's title in the Asian Le Mans Series running it's trusty Morgan Judd as opposed to the new Ligier JS P2.

http://sportscar365.com/lemans/asian-lms/oak-to-return-with-morgan-judd-in-asian-lms/

Nurburgring 24 Hours qualifying race

There was a race this weekend at the Nurburgring, on the old Nordschleife loop, which was the qualifying event for the Nurburgring 24 Hours to be run in June.  Both the qualifying report, and the race summary, will be posted here, now.  In qualifying it was the HTP Motorsports Mercedes SLS AMG that went quickest.  But in the race, it was the Marc VDS BMW Z4 GT3 that prevailed.

Qualifying Report:

HTP Mercedes Retains Pole for N24 Qualifying Race
http://sportscar365.com/gt/n24/primat-on-provisional-pole/

Race Report:

Marc VDS Leads BMW Sweep in Nurburgring 24 Qualifying Race
http://sportscar365.com/gt/n24/marc-vds-bmw-wins-nurburgring-24-qualifying-race/

Pirelli World Challenge round 1: St. Petersburg

Round one of the 2014 Pirelli World Challenge championship is to be run on the street course of St. Petersburg, Florida.  Yours truly will bring you the highlights of these races, from their airings on NBC Sports Network.  But, if possible, video footage of the races will also be included, so you can watch the actual race, too.  It has been a few years since I've followed World Challenge, and there have been a lot of changes.  But, this year, World Challenge will be covered on Endurance... The Sports Car Racing Blog.

Lawson Aschenbach, Mark Wilkins, Nic Jonsson, Jack Baldwin, and others are racing.  There's a new class GTA, for Pro Am drivers.  FIA GT3 class cars are in this class.  The GT3 homologated cars are run as is.  In GTA, it's gentlemen drivers.  They will run for their own championship.  Michael Mills and Effort Racing, are one of the new GTA teams.  More gentleman drivers and developing drivers, will come to the sport of GT sports car racing.

49 cars will start this race.  It's a tight, fast street circuit.  Watch the closing rates.  Lawson Aschenbach and Johnny O'Connell, won the championships last year.  Many drivers are making their series debuts.  Lawson Aschenbach was 2013 GTS champion.  He is wearing the #1 on his Chevrolet Camaro.  Cadillac, Ferrari, Audi, and BMW, will be a part of this race, and the series.  Here at St. Petersburg, the straightaway is a runway, and it's slippery over the paint.  Watch for bumps.

Watch for camber changes in turn seven, and the flat out kink in turn nine.  Then come the quick s corners.  Then, it's back onto the front straight, the runway.  The weather has been crazy.  We're ready to race.  This is the fifth year of World Challenge racing at St. Pete.  The opening race was rained out.  Jack Baldwin has pole in GTS with a 1:23.453.  Tomas Enge is on pole with the Reiter Engineering Lamborghini Gallardo.  This race will last 50 minutes.

The Cadillac CTS safety car leads the field.  Enge shares the front row with Anthony Lazzaro.  We've got a huge field.  We're ready to race at St. Petersburg.  It's taking a little longer to get in place.  Don't overheat the motor.  Go!  At the start, someone jumped, and there's a stall.  Tomas Enge got swamped and Anthony Lazzaro takes the lead.  Here comes one of the Cadillac's.  Dane Cameron in the BMW Z4 had a bad start.  James Sofronas in an Audi R8 could have had a bad start.  Andrew Palmer is also dwon a ways.  Now, Prince Albert von Thurn und Taxis is up the order.

We watch Andrew Palmer, who tries to fend off a challenge.  Nick Mancuso is up there.  But now, Cadillac still leads with Andy Pilgrim in the leading car, who has had a long sports car racing career.  Pilgrim wants a win here in St. Petersburg.  Andrew Palmer is pressuring Anthony Lazzaro.  Nick Mancuso is Lazzaro's team mate for R. Ferri Racing and Ferrari.  In GTS, Andy Lee is leading the class in his Chevrolet Camaro, chased by Lawson Aschenbach and Dean Martin.

Pilgrim still leads this race in the Cadillac CTS-V coupe.  Alex Figge in the McLaren MP-4/12C is fifth.  Mancuso wants by Palmer, but can't do it.  Tomas Enge moves to seventh, past Albert von Thurn Und Taxis.  Dane Cameron wants by James Sofronas.  The Pirelli P Zero slick tires will do the job for traction.  They are the same manufacturer of tires used in Formula One of course.  Andy Pilgrim is pulling out a gap in the lead.  Now, in a replay of the start, Enge stalls, and both Dane Cameron and Johnny O'Connell, get trapped.  Mike Skeen in the #12 Nissan GT-R got the best start.

Andy Pilgrim continues to lead.  Andy Lee leads GTS.  But, now, Pilgrim will start lapping the GTS class cars.  The traffic is a big deal.  Oh!  Ernie Francis Jr. has crashed his Camaro.  Something has gon wong with Francis Jr.'s, car.  Will this bring out the safety car?  He got wide and hit the escape road before popping the tires.  Game over for Ernie Francis Jr.  Pilgrim and Lee, (the two Andy's) lead in each class.

Pilgrim is eight seconds ahead of everyone else.  Now then, in GTS, it's Andy Lee vs. Lawson Aschenbach, with Dean Martin closing in.  Jack Baldwin tries moving by Dean Martin and there's argy bargy between the Mustang and Baldwin's Porsche Cayman.  Baldwin comes through.  Baldwin is super quick, and is a true veteran of sports car racing.  Tony Buffomonte is the team car.  Now, Jim Taggart has crashed, and so has Erik Davis.

Taggart is inside, and crunch!  He slams the Mustang.  It was hard to see what happens in those situations.  12 laps are done and dusted out of 32 scheduled.  For action in World Challenge, fans, go to this link.

www.world-challenge.com

One development is that Realtime Racing has moved up, with Acura.  They will run an Acura TLX coming out at the race in Detroit, later in the season.  It's a twin turbo 3.5 liter V6 motor with all wheel drive.  Andy Pilgrim has run a 1:14.9 and Tomas Enge runs a 1:14.8.  So lap times are close.  But, Dane Cameron, runs half a second quicker, at 1:14.2.  Any GTS cars that are mired with the GT cars, the GTS cars are pointed by, and so there's no traffic for faster cars.

Pilgrim is booking it right now.  The GT3 cars are much more aerodynamic than the regular World Challenge machines.  This is the only series where these GT3 cars are up to spec like they are in Europe.  The only difference is less tuning with suspension, whereas, the Cadillac coupes have their traction control perfected.  We are ready to go back to green.

Restart time!  Andy pilgrim launches and Palmer wants a move.  So do Enge, and Prince Albert.  Enge slides inside Nick Mancuso.  Dane Cameron wants around the Prince.  Alex Figge in the McLaren is also there.  Enge makes the move, the long way around.  Anthony Lazzaro blocks.  Enge swings back outside.  Enge gets in hot.  No chance for Mancuso.  Andy Pilgrim is loving this.  He's opening a gap while these other blokes fight each other.

This race is heating up.  Lazzaro is in defense mode against Tomas Enge.  Andy Pilgrim has sailed into the distance.  In GTS, it's still Aschenbach vs. Lee vs. Martin.  Two cars spin.  An Aston Martin and a Camaro.  Anthony Lazzaro is fighting his tires, looking for more grip.  Tim Bergmeister closes on Alex Figge.  No, Lazzaro got clipped by a backmarker, and Enge passes.  Lazzaro got hit by another car.  This race is far from over.

Dane Cameron passes Albert von Thurn Und Taxis, and Albert comes right after him!  He's going for it.  This guy is quick!  Can Tomas Enge catch Andy Pilgrim.  Albert goes wide, but Cameron can't make it.  Lazzaro and Fernando Siferlus, got together.  Siferlus is in a Camaro in GTS.  Cameron taps Prince Albert.  Andy Pilgrim is pushing hard.  Less than twelve minutes remaining in this race.  Tomas Enge is giving it serious welly, trying to catch Pilgrim.

Pilgrim moves by lapped cars, and now, Enge is right up on Pilgrim's rear bumper.  It's Cadillac vs. Lamborghini.  Uh oh.  Dean Martin's #50 Mustang is stalled as Tim Pappas has a big crunch into the wall in his Mercedes SLS AMG GT3.  We may be under yellow.  Aschenbach passes Andy Lee, and Lee has damage, with Jack Baldwin third in GTS.  Aschenbach leads GTS.  Pilgrim continues to lead GT and overall.
This will be a wicked finish, folks.  The GT and GTS battles continue.  Pilgrim hangs on by a thread over Enge.  Enge is all over Pilgrim's Cadillac like a rash.  Enge dives to the inside and Pilgrim says, "no way, sunshine."  The Kia Optima is also running well.  Nic Jonsson driving the Kia Optima turbo.  Enge tries to use the green Mustang as a pick, and he passs Pilgrim in the Cadillac.  Wow!  This is good stuff.  Pilgrim might get caught.

Enge runs a 1:13.7, fastest lap of the race.  When he has clear track, he whistles off into the distance.  On the bumpy side of the track, Enge slides down the inside.  Andrew Palmer and Anthony Lazzaro continue to hold down third and fourth in GT and overall.  We're now in the last laps of this season opener.  Tomas Enge leads the field with one lap to go.  Anthony Lazzaro, Prince Albert, and Alex Figge, are battling for the top five.

Dane Cameron won't make it home in a top spot.  Enge looks for the white flag, passing Andy Lee.  One more lap of this 1.8 mile circuit, where Enge crashed in the old American Le Mans Series that took him out of many races that year.  Pilgrim's coming.  Enge is really quick, because through the chicane, the GT3 car has more downforce.  But, Tomas Enge is the winner!

Overall/GT: #25 Tomas Enge                       Lamborghini Gallardo GT3
         GTS: #1 Lawson Aschenbach            Chevrolet Camaro

The next race is on the street course at Long Beach, California.  Looking forward to that race, and look for highlights and a possible video, right here on Endurance... The Sports Car Racing Blog.


    


  

FIA World Endurance Championship Prologue @ Paul Ricard

Check out this video from the test session for the FIA World Endurance Championship at the Paul Ricard High Tech Test Track.  Here's a short highlights video, compiled by Michelin tires.

more sports car racing news

Another daily dose of sports car racing news items.

Gonzalez Set for New Challenge in ELMS
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/elms/gonzalez-set-for-new-challenge-in-elms/

31 Entries for Silverstone
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/31-entries-for-silverstone/

Brussels Racing to Field two Aston Martins at Spa 24
http://sportscar365.com/blancpain/bes/brussels-racing-to-field-two-aston-martins-at-spa-24/

No BoP Changes for Long Beach
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/tusc/no-bop-changes-for-long-beach/

Audi Confirms Nurburgring 24 Lineups

Eight Audi R8 LMS Ultra GT cars are going to take part in this year's 24 Hours of the Nurburgring at the infamous Nordschleife.  Among the drivers for the teams, are four former winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, for Audi.  They include Frank Biela, Marcel Fassler, Stephane Ortelli (who actually won Le Mans for Porsche the last time they raced there in 1998), and Marco Werner, among other drivers.  Here are the complete details.

http://sportscar365.com/gt/n24/audi-confirms-nurburgring-24-driver-lineups/

Lowndes Lines up Spa 24 Drive with AF Corse

More information on V8 Supercars veteran Craig Lowndes racing with AF Corse at the 24 Hours of Spa Francorchamps in the Blancpain Endurance Series this year.

http://sportscar365.com/blancpain/bes/lowndes-lines-up-spa-24-drive-with-af-corse/

sports car racing news

Here are some of the latest headlines from the Sportscar365 website.

8Star Confirms Ligier JS P2 for TUSC
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/tusc/8star-confirms-ligier-js-p2-for-tusc/

GTE BoP Adjustments, Lola-Toyota Tech Specs Revealed
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/gte-bop-adjustments-lola-toyota-tech-specs-revealed/

Larbre Planning Partial Season FIA WEC Program
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/larbre-planning-partial-season-fia-wec-program/

De Chaunac: "The New Projects are the Essence of ORECA"
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/tusc/de-chaunac-the-new-projects-are-the-essence-of-oreca/

22 Entries for Nogaro, BSS Season
http://sportscar365.com/blancpain/bss/22-entries-for-nogaro-season-opener/

VIDEO: Blancpain GT Series Preview
http://sportscar365.com/features/videos/video-blancpain-gt-series-preview/

Vance Joins Compass360 for Remainder of 2014
http://sportscar365.com/imsa/ctscc/vance-joins-compass360-for-remainder-of-season/

IMSA Introduces Modifications To Competition Procedures

Finally, IMSA looks to be using common sense for it's competition procedures for the races.  But, then again, there will be people who might disagree.  Yours truly is just the messenger on this.

http://www.imsa.com/articles/imsa-introduces-modifications-competition-procedures

Spa replaces Le Mans in Lowndes plans

V8 Supercar legend Craig Lowndes will swap racing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans for doing it at another 24 hour sports car classic, the 24 Hours of Spa Francorchamps for the Blancpain Endurance Series.

http://www.speedcafe.com/2014/04/02/spa-replaces-le-mans-lowndes-plans/

America's Gnarliest Corner is Turn 17 at Sebring

Driver Henrique Cisneros explains how to tackle turn 17 at Sebring.  It's a real debate, though.  Is it turn 17 at Sebring, or Eau Rouge at Spa Francorchamps, that is the most wicked corner in sports car racing?  The old Maison Blanche corner at Le Mans (which, thankfully, is no longer used), could also take that title.

http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-videos/racing-videos/how-to-tackle-sebring-turn-17?src=soc_fcbks

Ford EcoBoost Stands Up To Punishment

The Ford EcoBoost V6 racing engine, is proving to be quite the reliable motor (or, "lump", as the British racing fans would call it), in sports car racing at the moment.  Take a look at this.

http://www.imsa.com/articles/ford-ecoboost-stands-punishment

Legend of "Big Mo" - The Monster Gator of Sebring

An alligator, resided at Sebring International Raceway for many years.  "Big Mo".  Here are a couple tales about his unwelcome appearances during the 12 hour race from a publication called Sports Car Digest.

http://www.sportscardigest.com/monster-gator-sebring-raceway/

Belgian Audi Club Team WRT to field customer Audi R18 e-tron Quattro

Yours truly thinks this may be a late April Fool's joke.  I think Belgian Audi Club Team WRT is only committed to Audi's GT program with the R8 LMS.

http://www.motorsport.com/wec/news/belgian-audi-club-team-wrt-to-field-customer-audi-r18-e-tron-quattro/

Leimer confirmed at Rebellion for LMP1 Campaign

Former GP2 Series champion Fabio Leimer has officially been confirmed as a driver for Rebellion Racing in the FIA World Endurance Championship this season.

http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/leimer-confirmed-at-rebellion-for-lmp1-campaign/

Gulf Racing Confirms Lineup, Liveries

Gulf Racing will run both an Aston Martin, and a Porsche in this years European Le Mans Series.  They have also confirmed their driver lineups.  Here's the story.

http://sportscar365.com/lemans/elms/gulf-racing-unveils-new-livery-for-2014-season/

VIDEO: Porsche 919 Paul Ricard test

Check out this video via speedcafe.com about the testing done at Paul Ricard by Porsche for their re-entry into top level sports car racing for this year's FIA World Endurance Championship.

http://www.speedcafe.com/2014/04/01/video-porsche-919-paul-ricard-test/