Charles Murray, Senior Technical Editor, Electronics & Test
National Robotics Week adopted a broader definition of robotics Thursday, as it shifted its focus from factory floor robots to autonomous vehicles and drones.
Robotics Day in Ann Arbor, Mich. (outside Detroit) featured a keynote speech from an expert at Google’s autonomous vehicle project, as well as demonstrations of image processing, artificial intelligence, and control systems for self-driving cars and drones.
”When we started doing this event a few years ago, there were a lot of people in automated vehicles who really didn’t consider themselves roboticists,” Phil Callihan, executive director for the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS), told Design News. “We’d tell them, ‘We have a very wide definition of robotics and you’re part of it.’”
To be sure, the event featured its usual emphasis on manufacturing technology, including demonstrations of robots that lift, walk, run, and even swim. But the inclusion of automated vehicles and drones distinguished it from the public’s traditional view of robotics. Pratt Miller Engineering, for example, showed off an autonomous vehicle called AVeTar that acts as robotic target system for military training exercises. The vehicle, which carries a truck silhouette atop it, uses global positioning technology and complex software to enable it to drive an unpredictable path during target practice. Pratt Miller teamed with Quantum Signal LLC, which created the signal and image processing system for the vehicle. Also at the event, SkySpecs Inc., demoed obstacle avoidance technologies for drones.
A keynote speech from Lawrence Burns, who works with Google’s autonomous vehicle project, added to the event’s autonomous vehicle theme. Burns discussed autonomous vehicles, transportation energy, and connectivity.
Callihan said one of the goals of the event was to awaken potential talent, not only among automotive engineers and suppliers, but of college and high school students, as well. The Detroit area, he said, could offer a wealth of opportunity for such talent because suppliers of sensors, controllers, electronics, and various other robotic components are already located in the area to serve the big automakers.
He added that the recognition of autonomous vehicles as a branch of robotics is critical, not only in attracting talent, but in the development of technologies that go beyond the factory floor. “It all comes down to your definition of a robot,” he told us. “We consider it a robot if it’s a rolling or flying automated device that has onboard intelligence.”
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Cadillac Racing driver Johnny O’Connell finished fourth in the first of two races in the Pirelli World Challenge Series GT race this afternoon at Barber Motorsport Park. Teammate Andy Pilgrim had shifting issues and was classified 26th.
In qualifying this morning, the changing conditions of wet to dry challenged the Pirelli World Challenge competitors. O’Connell (Flowery Branch, Ga.) and Pilgrim (Boca Raton, Fla.) both went out on wet tires and were running in the top five early in the session. With about 10-minutes remaining, O’Connell brought the No. 3 Cadillac ATS-V.R into the pits with a data anomaly that resulted in the Cadillac Racing crew changing the LF4.R engine. Pilgrim remained on track on wet tires and posted a time of 1:31.416 that had him start from the fifth row in 10th. O’Connell took the green flag from the last place on the grid in 27th due to the engine change.
The World Challenge officials decided to have a rolling start for the first race. O’Connell started from the 13th row on the grid and steadily made his way through the field. On the last restart with just one lap remaining he took the green in seventh. Going into Turn One the GT competitors in front took to the inside to defend their positions. O’Connell drove his Cadillac ATS-V.R around the outside and exited Turn One three places ahead in fourth.
“It is a team sport,” O’Connell said. “When the guys dig deep and do a four hour engine change in 90-minutes so you can make it to the grid you want to reward them with a good run. We were very lucky. The guys gave me a great car and I was able to seize on opportunity. Barber is a place where they say you can’t pass, well I managed to pass 23 cars. This team is strong. I am very proud of them. On the last restart the Porsche in front of me had a flat tire. I knew he would have issues. Guys instinctively go to the inside to protect, when we got to Turn One I felt like Moses, the sea just parted, everyone boxed up and I went right. People think your best races are the ones you win, well this was the best race we ran where we didn’t win. Let’s see what tomorrow brings.”
Pilgrim’s gearbox started to act up around lap 20. On the final restart the car was locked in third gear. As opposed to trying to take the restart the Cadillac Racing team brought him to pit lane.
“The Cadillac ATS-V.R was pretty good in the early running,” Pilgrim said. “I was racing with Chris Dyson in the Bentley and Ryan Eversley in the Acura. Then later in the race when I would shift gears I would hear a sound from the gearbox. As the race went on I wasn’t able to shift at all and I had to come in as opposed to being in the way on the restart. The car was handling good, so I am optimistic for tomorrow’s race.”
Based upon their fast laps in the first race, O’Connell with start tomorrow’s race in ninth with Pilgrim in 12th. The race will take the standing start at 10:55 a.m. CT.
The Pirelli World Challenge Series will travel to Barber Motorsports Park this weekend, Apr. 24-26 for a double race weekend. The races from Barber will be aired on CBS Sports Network, Sunday, May 3, 2 p.m. ET.
St. Petersburg, Fla. – Cadillac Racing drivers Johnny O’Connell and Andy Pilgrim finished the second race of the Pirelli World Challenge St. Petersburg Cadillac Grand Prix weekend in fifth and sixth this morning.
Pilgrim (Boca Raton, Fla.) had the pole for the race start. The Floridian experienced some wheel spin from the standing start and watched as five competitors raced by him into Turn One. No sooner did the race start than it was stopped on lap three for a track blocking incident. At this point in the race Pilgrim and teammate O’Connell (Flowery Branch, Ga) were classified in positions sixth and eighth. O’Connell in sixth. When the 50-minute race restarted with 19-minutes remaining the Cadillac duo settled into their positions and circulated the 1.4-mile, 14-turn St. Pete temporary street circuit as part of the FIA GT3 parade of cars. On lap 19 Audi driver Mike Skeen and Nissan driver J.D. Davison got together and that vaulted O’Connell into fifth and Pilgrim into sixth, which is where they crossed the finish line.
“Even if I got paid by the lap I earned every dollar today,” O’Connell said. “The Cadillac Racing guys have done a great job tweaking and tuning on the ATS-V.R. It was a hard race. You have every guy pushing each other so hard. Some have a pretty high level of aggression and we used that to our advantage today. We are working hard on this new car. You have a relationship with your car. You really have to get to know her. We are still in the dating period heading to the honeymoon. I have a few rub marks on the left side. I was using every inch of the track and on that lap I needed another three-quarters of an inch. Again getting to know your car. That rub didn’t affect the ATS-V.R at all. She is a tough new girl. I can use that data later in the season.”
Pilgrim saw the podium start as a missed opportunity.
“It is disappointing when you start on the pole and can’t make the best of it,” Pilgrim said. “I got some wheel spin off of the start and a lot guys got bye me. I was then in the middle of a mess in Turn One. Once we got going I made some positions back. I am happy the car came back unscathed, there are a lot of wrecked cars out there today. The ATS-V.R was really good. Once you get in a train like that, the field is so close, you have to wait for your moment to pass. Johnny and I made up a few positions when those two cars got together. The highlight of the weekend is the pole and two top ten finishes. Much better than COTA (Circuit of the America’s) for me.”
The Pirelli World Challenge Series will travel to Long Beach, Calif. for the Replay XD Grand Prix of Long Beach April 17-19. The St. Petersburg race broadcast will run on the CBS Sports Network Sunday, April 5, at 5 p.m. ET.
Since the team’s inception in 2004, Team Cadillac has amassed 26 wins, 91 podium finishes (including wins) and 22 pole positions. The team won the World Challenge Manufacturer Championship in 2005, 2007, 2012, 2013 and 2014. Team Cadillac drivers have won the World Challenge Driver’s Championship in 2005 with Andy Pilgrim and in 2012, 2013 and 2014 with Johnny O’Connell.
St. Petersburg, Fla. – Cadillac Racing drivers Johnny O’Connell and Andy Pilgrim finished the first of two races at the Pirelli World Challenge St. Petersburg Cadillac Grand Prix in fourth and seventh this morning.
Starting from his seventh place grid position, O’Connell (Flowery Branch, Ga) quickly raced into fourth position by Turn One. Before the field could circulate the 1.4-mile, 14-turn St. Pete temporary street circuit one time a full course caution flew for a crash at the start/finish line. The race restarted with just 20 minutes remaining of the 50-minute scheduled run time. Pilgrim (Boca Raton, Fla.) made the most of the green flag laps as he moved from 11th place after the failed start to a seventh place finishing position. O’Connell was able to hold his fourth place when the race was ended under yellow as a result of a second on track incident.
“It was an abbreviated run today,” O’Connell said. “The cautions worked to my advantage. We were struggling with the car a little bit. We didn’t have the grip that the other guys had. If the race had gone green all the way, tire-wise, we might have had some issues. It kind of worked to our advantage. I also didn’t get the start that we usually get with the Cadillac. I wasn’t able to quite get it hooked up like we did at Circuit of the America’s.
“I’m proud of the work everybody is doing. I’m getting everything I can out of this car. You finish fourth and you’re the tenth quickest car and I was really digging. We’ll rub on her a little bit and see what we get tomorrow. If I have a good start, then I’ll be in a position to move up in the points.”
Pilgrim will start from the pole position for tomorrow’s race based upon posting the fastest race lap today.
“We made the most of a short race,” Pilgrim said. “There was stuff banging all over the place. It was incredible to see. We were basically a line of nine, 10 or 11 cars going and then P.D. (Cunningham) dropped back behind me in 12th, then somebody spun or somebody got hit or whatever. I got past Beretta (Olivier) when he hit the wall and he was a little tentative coming out of fast kink, which I thought he might be so I took advantage. Then I couldn’t get by Davison (JD), too much power, too much coming of the corners. When I got by Beretta, I had a totally clean track. I guess that’s when the fast lap came. His car is great. You’re running in a draft of eight cars and it just pulls you along. I’m starting on the pole tomorrow and that’s a nice place to start a street race. I just hope I can get away clean when the stating lights go out.”
The St. Petersburg Cadillac Grand Prix will run Mar. 27 – 29. The races (Sat. Mar. 10 at 11:10 a.m. and Sun. Mar. 11 at 10:45 a.m.) from St. Petersburg can be streamed live at world-challenge.com. The races will be broadcast on the CBS Sports Network Sunday, April 5, at 5 p.m. ET.
AUSTIN, Texas – Cadillac Racing driver Johnny O’Connell added another top ten finish in the second race of the Pirelli World Challenge Series Nissan Grand Prix at the Circuit of the America’s (COTA) race weekend by finishing seventh this afternoon.
Starting from the front row in second position in his No. 3 Cadillac ATS-V.R based upon his fast lap time from yesterday’s race O’Connell (Flowery Branch, Ga.) and the other 47 cars in the GT field started the race from a rolling start. The rolling start was implemented as the COTA circuit was getting drenched in rain. When the field came by to complete lap one O’Connell was in fourth. Teammate Pilgrim (Boca Raton, Fla.) was forced into a spin in his No. 8 Cadillac ATS-V.R in Turn Two relegating him to the back of the field. He was able to work his way up to 19th position by the end. O’Connell drove the all-new Cadillac ATS-V.R in its first wet race to a well-earned seventh position.
“Lot of rain,” said O’Connell. “We had a science project going on today at COTA. This was the first time we ran the new ATS-V.R in a full rain set-up. We learned a ton about the race car, the engine and the electronics. The cars we are racing against are well seasoned as are the drivers. You’re not happy with a seventh place finish, but I am proud of the way I drove this new car and we gathered some valuable data so when we run in the rain again we will be that much better. A podium and a top ten finish is a pretty good weekend with a brand new car.”
Pilgrim had a tough weekend and is ready to move on to St. Pete in three weeks.
“What can I say another tough race,” Pilgrim said. “I was heading into Turn Two on the first lap and got tapped and it sent me around. I recovered and then the wipers went out just after that a few laps later. I had a lot trouble with visibility so I was doing the best I could to pass some people and keep the car on the track. The rain began to slow toward the end and I was able to pick up a few more positions. It was a tough weekend. The positives is that the car was reliable, ran every lap in practice and the race. We learned about what we have to do to get the ATS-V.R better in the wet for the next rain race.”
The Pirelli World Challenge Series season opening Nissan Grand Prix of Texas at the Circuit of the America’s races will be televised on the CBS Sports Network Sat., Mar. 14 at 11 am.
Cadillac Racing will travel to St. Petersburg, Fla. for the St. Petersburg Cadillac Grand Prix to run Mar. 27 – 29.
Since the team’s inception in 2004, Team Cadillac has amassed 26 wins, 91 podium finishes (including wins) and 22 pole positions. The team won the World Challenge Manufacturer Championship in 2005, 2007, 2012, 2013 and 2014. Team Cadillac drivers have won the World Challenge Driver’s Championship in 2005 with Andy Pilgrim and in 2012, 2013 and 2014 with Johnny
AUSTIN, Texas – Cadillac Racing driver Johnny O’Connell drove the all-new Cadillac ATS-V.R to a third place finish in today’s running of the Pirelli World Challenge Series Nissan Grand Prix at the Circuit of the America’s.
O’Connell (Flowery Branch, Ga.) started from the fifth row on the 48-car World Challenge GT grid. When the lights went out for the standing start his No. 3 Cadillac ATS-V.R hooked up and by the time he was exiting the first turn he was in fourth position. On lap seven the three time World Challenge GT champion inherited third when the leading Lamborghini had to perform a drive-thru penalty for going over the blend line into Turn One. The race went caution free as O’Connell was able to hold off the charging McLaren of Kevin Estre for the final step of the season opening podium.
“I had a Nissan in front of me. He startled me with the start he got,” O’Connell said. “The McLaren had issues and I was able to get by him clean. As I went through the gears, the initial launch and momentum, had me in a good position going into Turn One. If I was greedy, I might have been able to come out of Turn One in second. I settled into fourth and then the Lambo had to come in and I was in third. We had great reliability in the first race. Running with no real issues was great. If you would have told me we were going to be on the podium in the first race with a new car I wouldn’t have believed you. We took what was given and had a nice clean run. Everyone at Cadillac Racing did a great job.”
O’Connell likes the top drivers in the series.
“I had a great seat for the battle in front of me,” he continued. “Estre in the McLaren took a couple of pokes at me. There was really no hanging with the Porsche and Ferrari in the front, but I was hoping, just a little, that they would get together and give me a gift. The series has some top drivers this year and that just motivates this team even more. I couldn’t be prouder of everyone at Cadillac Racing for the effort they’ve put into this new car.”
Teammate Andy Pilgrim (Boca Raton, Fla.) also had a good start in his No. 8 Cadillac ATS-V.R. In the middle of Turn 12 a glitch in the electronics put Pilgrim into a spin.
“I had a good start and was able to get a run on the car in front of me,” said Pilgrim. “I had to check up a little when a car in front of me slowed. As I charged up the hill I had to be careful not go over the blend line. I got touched a little into Turn One, but was able to make up a couple of positions. Going through Turn 12 I think I had an electrical problem and the tires spun and I was sideways in the turn. We are still learning about this new ATS-V.R. From that point I was in recovery mode. I was able to run the whole race in a lot of traffic. It was encouraging to be able to put the car through a race distance heat cycle. Great result of the team and Johnny to get a podium first time out.”
Cadillac Racing will run the second race of the weekend tomorrow starting at 1:25 p.m. CT.
Cadillac Racing competed at the 3.4-mile, 20-turn COTA circuit located southeast of Austin in 2013. O’Connell won the first race (classified 17th in the second) and Pilgrim finished second in race two (third in race one) on that weekend. The first visit to COTA in 2013 had the series running the abbreviated track layout. This weekend the 48 car GT field will race on the full length Formula 1 circuit.
The Pirelli World Challenge Series season opening Nissan Grand Prix of Texas at the Circuit of the America’s will run March 6-8. The GT races from COTA will be televised on the CBS Sports Network Sat., Mar. 14 at 11 am.
Since the team’s inception in 2004, Team Cadillac has amassed 26 wins, 91 podium finishes (including wins) and 22 pole positions. The team won the World Challenge Manufacturer Championship in 2005, 2007, 2012, 2013 and 2014. Team Cadillac drivers have won the World Challenge Driver’s Championship in 2005 with Andy Pilgrim and in 2012, 2013 and 2014 with Johnny O’Connell.
Up-to-600-horsepower race car meets international FIA GT3 specifications
AUSTIN, Texas (Nov. 14, 2014) – The next generation of Cadillac’s V-Series elite, high-performance cars began today with the introduction of an all-new race car, the Cadillac ATS-V.R. Set to begin competition in 2015, Cadillac debuted the new race car at the Circuit of the Americas, one of country’s pre-eminent racing venues.
The ATS-V.R is the racing extension of the upcoming 2016 Cadillac ATS-V Coupe, which channels more than a decade of V-Series engineering experience into the brand’s first compact performance model. The ATS-V Coupe debuts next week, along with the ATS-V sedan, at the Los Angeles Auto Show and arrives track-capable from the factory next spring.
The new, up-to-600-horsepower ATS-V.R meets international FIA GT3 specifications, a highly coveted pedigree that allows it to potentially run in more than 30 different GT series around the world. Other marques in this ultra-competitive racing class include Aston Martin, Audi, Bentley, BMW, Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren and Porsche. The FIA is the governing body for worldwide motorsport, with the GT3 class representing a specific set of specifications for racing cars based on production models.
“The V-Series is the highest expression of Cadillac’s rising product substance,” said Johan de Nysschen, Cadillac president. “Elevating and expanding the V-Series is the next logical step in Cadillac’s growth, including this new race car developed in GT3-specification, enabling us to pursue racing on a more global scale.”
The heart of the ATS-V.R is the LF4.R, the racing version of the Twin Turbo 3.6L V-6 in the award-winning Cadillac CTS Vsport. Specific technical upgrades for the GT3-spec race car include larger, twin BorgWarner turbochargers; increased capacity intercoolers; competition engine management and a direct, side-exiting exhaust. The lightweight aluminum block and heads are counterbalanced by a rear transaxle unique to the race car, giving the ATS-V.R a weight distribution of 49 percent front, 51 percent rear.
“This car sounds wicked and screams like it’s ripping holes in the air. I love it,” said Andy Pilgrim, Cadillac Racing driver. “We have paddle gear shifters for the first time, and I’m enjoying the new tools. The engine torque is remarkable, as always, pulling strongly out of the corners.”
Among the many modifications performed to meet FIA GT3 specifications, the fenders of the ATS-V.R were redesigned to contain FIA-mandated tire sizes. Other modifications include an aero kit that gives the ATS-V.R a strong stance, and a carbon fiber front splitter – complemented by corner-mounted dive planes – that provides frontal aerodynamics. A full under tray directs air beneath the car to the rear diffuser, which helps create a downforce-producing effect and plants the 18-inch racing tires to the track.
Since its inception in 2004, Cadillac Racing has amassed 26 wins, 91 podium finishes (including wins) and 22 pole positions with the CTS-V sedan and CTS-V
Coupe race cars. Cadillac is a five-time winner of the Pirelli World Challenge Manufacturer Championship, including the series’ past three seasons, as well as 2005 and 2007. Team Cadillac drivers won the Pirelli World Challenge Driver’s Championship in 2005 with Pilgrim and in 2014, 2013 and 2012 with driver Johnny O’Connell.
“The Cadillac ATS-V.R is a 170-mph billboard for the next generation of Cadillac’s V-Series,” said O’Connell. “On top of its power, its aerodynamic package should pay off in the fast corners and I’m looking forward to unleashing it.”
Cadillac ATS-V.R build video can be viewed at ATS-V.R Video
Barbosa, Fittipaldi give Corvette first Indy win; Corvette C7.Rs place fourth and fifth in GTLM
• Fuel strategy makes the different for No. 5 Action Express Corvette DP
• Podium streak continues for Westbrook, Valiante
• Garcia, Magnussen maintain GTLM championship lead
INDIANAPOLIS (July 25, 2014) – Joao Barbosa and Christian Fittipaldi made history Friday by taking the Corvette brand to Victory Lane at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the first time. The duo drove their No. 5 Action Express Racing Corvette Daytona Prototype to a win in the Brickyard Grand Prix for the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship.
The Action Express team chose to gamble on fuel at the end of the race and went the last 52-plus minutes on the same tank of fuel as Barbosa took the win by 48.964 seconds. It was the first win at The Brickyard for the Corvette DP program.
In GT Le Mans, Corvette Racing’s two Chevrolet Corvette C7.Rs finished fourth and fifth in their first race at Indianapolis.
“Today’s win by Joao Barbosa and Christian Fittipaldi in the No. 5 Action Express Corvette DP was a great example of teamwork,” said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet U.S. Vice President, Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. “Joao and Christian optimized their performance while also managing fuel efficiency each lap. Smart driving, fuel management and crisp pit stops resulted with their first win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was great to watch the team kiss the bricks after the win.
“Also congratulations to Richard Westbrook and Michael Valiante on their streak of four straight podiums including one win in the No. 90 Spirit of Daytona Corvette DP.
“The No. 3 and No. 4 Corvette C7.R drivers and crews again demonstrated their ‘never-give-up attitude with strong runs that netted them fourth and fifth finishing positions despite numerous challenges during the race,” Campbell added. “It was a total team effort focusing on maximizing their opportunity for good finishes and championship points.”
Corvette DP: Fuel Strategy Wins Out for Action Express Racing
The race both started well and ended well for Action Express Racing. Fittipaldi in the No. 5 Corvette DP led from the outset, going from fourth at the start to first after the first two corners. At the end, Fittipaldi and Barbosa added an Indianapolis victory to go with their season-opening triumph in the Rolex 24 At Daytona.
Michael Valiante and Richard Westbrook made it two Corvette DPs on the podium. They were third in the No. 90 Spirit of Daytona Racing entry. Through eight races, Corvette DPs have been on the class podium 14 times.
The result increased Chevrolet’s lead in the Prototype engine manufacturer championship. Fittipaldi and Barbosa also moved back into the lead of the driver’s standings ahead of Wayne Taylor Racing’s Jordan Taylor and Ricky Taylor, who teamed to finish fourth.
GTLM: Fourth and Fifth in First Visit
Antonio Garcia and fellow class championship leader Jan Magnussen saw their four-race winning streak in the TUDOR Championship’s GT Le Mans (GTLM) class come to an end with a fourth-place finish. Magnussen in the No. 3 Corvette C7.R was running in the top-five early before he was hit by a slower car and spun just past the 20-minute mark.
After dropping back to 10th after the collision, Magnussen worked his back up to third before handing off to Garcia with 53 minutes left. The Spaniard was able to maneuver around Oliver Gavin in the No. 4 Corvette for fourth in the closing minutes.
Gavin and Tommy Milner went from 10th in class at the start to finish fifth. It was the best result for the duo in the No. 4 Corvette C7.R since a third-place showing at Long Beach in April. Milner gained four spots in the first 10 laps and held a steady pace throughout.
Garcia and Magnussen maintained their lead in the GTLM driver’s championship, as did Chevrolet in the auto manufacturer standings.
The next round of the TUDOR Championship is set for Sunday, Aug. 10 from Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis.
PROTOTYPE QUOTES
JOAO BARBOSA, NO. 5 ACTION EXPRESS RACING CORVETTE DP
“I was saving fuel the whole time once I go in the car. We knew that would be the difference between one less pit stop at the end. That proved to be just a perfect decision. I was struggling a little bit in the beginning. It was hard to keep the other cars behind me. I was able to keep a good pace. The Corvette DP was awesome. Action Express did an excellent strategy, excellent pit stops and gave me the lead at the end for the last hour. I was able to manage the fuel consumption, the traffic, avoid mistakes and bring it home. I am very proud of winning at Indy with such a great bunch of guys at Action Express. It is awesome to win here – such a great place with such great history. To win Daytona and Indy in the same year – what an unbelievable achievement and feeling.”
CHRISTIAN FITTIPALDI, NO. 5 ACTION EXPRESS RACING CORVETTE DP
“It was definitely a smart, exciting race. Action Express gave me a very, very good car. We had the consistency; we had the speed throughout the race. I just had to keep it cool at the beginning of the race for my stint. I had to push but couldn’t afford to make any mistakes. Obviously Joao went out for a longer stint, and he did an excellent job, and he brought it home. We are really, really happy. This took a monkey off of our back, like we were knocking at the door a couple of times. I don’t know what to say. It is fantastic And I think we are unofficially back in P1 in the points right now. It couldn’t have been better.”
MICHAEL VALIANTE, NO. 90 SPIRIT OF DAYTONA CORVETTE DP
“We came here not with a great car, and the team did a fantastic job making as many gains as we could before the race. We were close. Richard and I talked and wanted to make sure we got on the podium today because we didn’t think we had the car to win. We achieved that goal, but we are going to have to roll off the truck better the next couple of rounds if we want to contend for a championship. We have a four-race streak going, but we want to be back on top.”
RICHARD WESTBROOK, NO. 90 SPIRIT OF DAYTONA CORVETTE DP
“We are just keeping this incredible run going. Since Detroit, we’ve been on the podium – second, first, second and now third. That is where we need to be if we want to be vying for the championship. That is our goal now. So yes, I am pretty happy. It would have been nice to have a bit more pace. We’ll come after them at Road America. It was so close at the end. It was a tough one, but it has been a good Indy for us compared to last year. It is just 200 percent better.”
JIM LUTZ, CORVETTE DAYTONA PROTOTYPE PROGRAM MANAGER
“Congratulations to Action Express Racing, Joao Barbosa and Christian Fittipaldi on their second victory of the season. It took a terrific team effort by the drivers, engineers and crew to put the Corvette Daytona Prototype in Victory Circle both at Daytona and now at Indianapolis. Having two Corvette DPs on the podium here is no small feat. More importantly, Chevrolet was able to extend its engine manufacturer points lead heading to Road America.”
GTLM QUOTES
ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R
“Who knows… (without the contact) we may could have fought for the podium at the end. We’ve been fighting really hard the whole season to be up there. We were not necessarily the fastest but we did it by being smart. Today we had probably the slowest car out there and still managed to place fourth and fifth. I hope there will be a time where there will be a Corvette fight like we had except for P1 and P2. It was fun and really good but would be even better if it was for a win.”
JAN MAGNUSSEN, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R
“It was such a shame about the contact out there. I’m not sure what happened. I think the guy on the inside lost it and hit me, and spun me around. Up until then, the car was pretty decent. We were fighting with everybody. Traffic was really bad out there. It is really, really hard to do anything other than follow the guy ahead. I don’t know if the car got damage, but it seemed we lost a little bit after the contact. We’ll have to maximize our points score today. Hopefully we will have a better race at Road America.”
OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R
“I think we’re gaining on the car. Chuck Houghton (No. 4 engineer) worked pretty hard on that overnight. Tommy drove a great first stint. It was pretty crazy there especially when Jan spun around, there was a lot of smoke everywhere and Tommy did a great job of missing that. When I got in, we knew it was going to be tough to the end fighting with Antonio. I had a little bit of a braking issue. I got balked up in traffic too on one lap and Antonio got by. This track makes for hectic and crazy racing. Both our cars finished with plenty of bumps and scraped. We certainly made some progress and it was good to get a good, solid fifth place with no problems. Onward to Road America to see what we can get there.”
TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R
“That was a long stint but a lot of fun. Sometimes you are in the car for a long time, whatever that was, and you are racing nobody or anything, and it is boring. But that was the complete opposite of boring. That was chaos. It was just madness on the race track everywhere…every lap. There may have been three or four laps total that I did that were very calm. But it was a lot of fun. The car felt good, so the guys did a great job getting the car to where it needed to be for the race.”
Corvette DPs take two spots on overall podium at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park
• Second victory in a row at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park for Corvette Racing
• Westbrook, Valiante finish second overall for Spirit of Daytona
• Chevrolet maintains leads in both Prototype, GTLM manufacturer championships
BOWMANVILLE, Ontario, Canada (July 13, 2014) – Antonio Garcia and Jan Magnussen kept the momentum going for Corvette Racing and the Chevrolet Corvette C7.R with a victory Sunday in the Mobil 1 Sports Car Grand Prix presented by Hawk Performance at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.
Garcia, Magnussen and the No. 3 Corvette C7.R won their fourth consecutive race in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship’s GT Le Mans class. Garcia finished 11 seconds clear of the second-place Viper as he and Magnussen extended their lead in the GTLM driver’s championship, along with Chevrolet’s and Corvette Racing’s advantage in class manufacturer and team points, respectively.
“Today was an exciting day for Corvette Racing at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park,” said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet U.S. Vice President, Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. “The win in the GTLM class did not come easily. Strategy, teamwork and persistence of Antonio Garcia, Jan Magnussen and the Corvette Racing crew were key to the win. The No. 3 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R also showed improved performance each time it was on the track throughout the weekend.”
Magnussen started and ran second for the majority of his stint before the class leader went off track just before the first round of pit stops. Magnussen pitted a lap later and handed off to Garcia, who had to fend off several challenges from the Viper before race traffic stabilized the Corvette’s advantage.
“Congratulations to Antonio, Jan and the Corvette Racing team on a hard-fought and well-earned victory today,” said Mark Kent, Director of Chevrolet Racing. “It took strategy, skill and even just a little luck. Today’s result is a tremendous achievement and continues to grow the championship lead in the GT Le Mans class.”
The story was not as bright for the No. 4 Corvette of Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner. Running third 30 laps into the race, Milner was hit and spun by a slower GT Daytona car in heavy traffic at the exit of Turn 3. Milner had light contact with the tire barrier but was able to continue albeit in sixth position. Gavin and Milner, last year’s winners at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, finished seventh class.
Spirit of Daytona, Wayne Taylor Racing Finish on Overall Podium
Corvette Daytona Prototypes filled two of the three podium positions in the TUDOR Championship’s Prototype class as Michael Valiante and Richard Westbrook placed second in the first race at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park for the Corvette DPs.
The finish for No. 90 Spirit of Daytona Corvette DP backed up its victory two weeks ago at Watkins Glen. Wayne Taylor Racing’s Jordan Taylor and Ricky Taylor were third Sunday and maintained their lead in the Prototype driver’s championship standings.
The two Corvette DPs battled in the final 30 minutes with the cars running nose-to-tail for multiple laps before Westbrook began to pull away slightly in the waning moments.
Oak Racing was the race’s overall race winner.
The next round of the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship is the Brickyard Grand Prix, set for 5:45 p.m. ET on Friday, July 25 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
GTLM QUOTES
ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R – GTLM RACE WINNER
WHAT IT IS ABOUT THIS PLACE THAT SEEMS TO WORK WELL FOR THE CORVETTE?
“I don’t know, but we end up winning. As you see, last year and this year it was really close between us and the Viper. During the first stint, we were bumper-to-bumper. During the second one, I went out with a little bit of a lead – like three seconds. The most it went was eight seconds because of traffic. So it was really hard. (Before the race) I was expecting safety cars. And I was also counting on them to help save just a tiny bit of tires to have at the end. But everything ran perfect. The Corvette Racing team did a perfect job everywhere, in every single situation.”
JAN MAGNUSSEN, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R – GTLM RACE WINNER
THREE MONTHS AGO WOULD YOU EVER OF THOUGHT THAT WE WOULD BE TALKING ABOUT THE NO. 3 CORVETTE C7.R HAVING FOUR WINS IN A ROW?
“No, not in this category. It’s such a tough category and every tenth of a second counts. For us to be here now with four wins in a row is just an absolutely fantastic result. We owe it all to the team and everybody behind Corvette Racing to first of all give us a fantastic race car, but also making sure that it runs every time. Our engineers are making really good decisions every time we are racing. I’m just super pleased and very proud to be part of this.”
OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R – FINISHED 7TH
ON THE RACE
“We came into the weekend confident but today despite a tremendous effort by everyone at Corvette Racing, we again faced frustrating challenges. It seems that no matter what we try, nothing is giving us the positive results we need to turn this season around. That combined with Tommy’s unfortunate hit by a slower car is the epitome of our season. Our luck has to turn around at some point. Hopefully it comes at Indianapolis.”
TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R – FINISHED 7TH
ON HIS STINT AND ON-TRACK INCIDENT
“We came up on two slow guys in GTD cars who didn’t know where they were or what they were doing. They caused a big pile of cars behind them. There was nowhere for me to go and nowhere for anyone to go. They were kind of two-wide and just blocking the road. I had a little bit of a gap for the two or three GTD cars that were behind me. I got a decent run through Turn 2 and the guy in the Ferrari just came up on the situation; he may have gotten squeezed a little bit by one of the other cars in the group. It obviously wasn’t on purpose but it was a bad situation made by two guys who didn’t know what was going on. It’s like they were saying, ‘You go ahead. No you go ahead. No you go ahead.’ Then what happens is that I get hit from behind. That’s sort of our luck this year.”
DOUG FEHAN, CORVETTE RACING PROGRAM MANAGER
“Anybody who watched the Watkins Glen race would have to notice the similarities between there and Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. The tracks are both very quick. The No. 3 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R crew simply has it figured out. The car is hooked up, the drivers are performing flawlessly and the crew showed a total team effort with great pit stops. If you look at the traffic at the end, Antonio was masterful working his way through it. That’s what really created the opportunity to win. It was just a great opportunity by everyone on this team.”
PROTOTYPE QUOTES
MICHAEL VALIANTE, NO. 90 SPIRIT OF DAYTONA CORVETTE DP – FINISHED 2ND
“We had some gearbox issues on the downshifts early on. I got passed by (Christian) Fittipaldi; it just wasn’t selecting the lower gear. It seemed to be OK as long as we are patient with the downshift. Other than that, the car had good pace. On the first stop we had an issue and lost about 12 seconds. But I knew then we had the pace to finish second or third.”
RICHARD WESTBROOK, NO. 90 SPIRIT OF DAYTONA CORVETTE DP – FINISHED 2ND
“It was pretty good racing with Jordan (Taylor).I don’t race hard enough with him. We always seem to avoid each other on the track. So it is good to have a battle with him. It is a good day for us. P2 – we’ll take that. It was nice to put the No. 42 (Nissan Morgan -winner) under some pressure. You never know. He had a quite comfortable spot but I wanted to put some sort of pressure because with all the traffic, you never know what a little bit of pressure can do. It wasn’t our today, but it was really enjoyable racing. My first time at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, and I actually loved it.”
RICKY TAYLOR, NO. 10 WAYNE TAYLOR RACING CORVETTE DP – FINISHED 3RD
“I’m okay. I’ve had a virus for the last three or four days and I haven’t really been keeping up with my fluids, but I’m okay. The medical center guys took care of me, I’m fine. It was a good day. We got good points. The 90 (Spirit of Daytona Corvette DP) gained on us. They are proving to be really strong this year. We’ll go on to Indy and hopefully get back to our winning ways.”
IT WAS A GOOD COMEBACK FROM AN EARLY OFF: “The off was not a good mistake. But, it worked out to be the perfect timing if you are going to have an off. It put us off sequence, but we still only had two stops, so it is good.”
JORDAN TAYLOR, NO. 10 KONICA MINOLTA CHEVROLET CORVETTE DP – FINISHED 3RD
“It was a tough race. We were flat-out the whole time. We were off strategy so we had to push really hard and it was tough. The car wasn’t the fastest so we were fighting a lot. We were happy to get track position in front of the No. 90 (Spirit of Daytona Corvette), but it was just a matter of time for them to get by us. We had no chance to battle the No. 42 or the No. 1 car. Considering how bad of a day it was, it was pretty good for the points.”
JIM LUTZ, CHEVROLET DAYTONA PROTOTYPE PROGRAM MANAGER
“Second and third in the first race for the Corvette Daytona Prototype at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park are solid results. As we suspected, the track ended up favoring the P2 cars but our teams still came through with great efforts. We are glad to maintain the championship lead in the Prototype engine manufacturer standings and head to Indianapolis with continued momentum.”
Garcia, Magnussen, Taylor lead Corvette Racing effort with GTE Pro podium
Despite losing valuable laps due to safety car nuances and a faulty valve stem for the Corvette’s air jack system, the No. 73 Corvette and its drivers completed 338 laps and finished a lap shy of the team’s first victory at the French endurance classic since 2011. The runner-up Corvette traveled 2,862.52 miles in the event.
“It was an honor to race the Chevrolet Corvette C7.R at the 2014 24 Hours of Le Mans in the GTE Pro class,” said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet U.S. Vice President, Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. “While Corvette Racing has won in class seven times, we are proud of the persistence, determination and teamwork from the drivers, engineers and crew that delivered a runner-up finish for the new Corvette C7.R. The team’s ‘never-give-up’ approach was evident during each lap, pit stop and driver rotation.
“Every race, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans, provides a great opportunity to learn on the track and then enhance the technologies in the Corvette road car.”
Campbell added: “Thanks to the Corvette and Chevrolet owners who supported the Corvette Racing efforts at Le Mans or followed the racing action this weekend from around the world.”
The first daylight hours Sunday saw the trio fighting back after losing laps to a faulty valve stem for the car’s air jack and twice being separated from its competitors by a safety car in the race’s opening 12 hours. The No. 73 Corvette led for extended periods in the early portion of the race.
The final four hours of the race started with Taylor trailing the third-place Porsche by about 90 seconds before the young American drove a storming triple-stint to close the gap by more than half to 47 seconds. By the time he handed the No. 73 Corvette over to Magnussen and the Dane completed his first flying lap of his final stint, the interval to the new second-place Porsche was 28 seconds with an hour and 40 minutes left.
Magnussen drove a single stint and handed over to Garcia. The Spaniard took out huge chunks of time and took the second position for good when the Porsche pitted with trouble 75 minutes from the end.
The No. 74 Corvette C7.R of Oliver Gavin, Tommy Milner and Richard Westbrook placed fourth in class. The car had been running in podium contention as well before losing eight laps due to a slipped alternator belt and gearbox leak.
Gavin had reported a low voltage reading and a burning smell inside the car near the halfway point. Upon further examination, the crew found the alternator belt covered oil.
“As always, Le Mans was a stern test,” said Mark Kent, Director of Chevrolet Racing. “Achieving a runner-up position for the No. 73 Corvette is remarkable. It is a great reward for the dedication and work ethic of our team at Corvette Racing, Pratt & Miller and our Powertrain Group. We look forward to continuing this momentum when we return to the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship at Watkins Glen in two weeks.”
Corvette Racing’s next race is the Sahlen’s Six Hours at The Glen on Sunday, June 29 from Watkins Glen International. The event will air live at 11 a.m. ET on FOX Sports 1.
ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 73 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R
“We weren’t able to go for a win at the end. Things don’t always work out the way you planned, and when they don’t you always try to go for the next best option. At some point all the lead GTE Pro cars had issues; we had ours and they had theirs. At one point we were really down the order but we dug our heels in and slowly climbed back up the order, ready to strike when possible. So throughout the night and morning we moved back up the leaderboard – at the same time putting as much pressure on the other as we could. For most of the race we had the fastest car out there and we managed to finish in second a lap behind the leader; exactly the amount of time we lost in repairs at the beginning. I therefore can’t complain, and the lessons learned today will be implemented next year.”
JAN MAGNUSSEN, NO. 73 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R
“It’s hard to be satisfied with second since it started so well for us a day ago. We had the car to win but as so often happens in Le Mans, things get in the way. We had some small issues in the pits and quite often picked up the wrong safety car. Three times I was stuck right behind the safety car which means you lose at least one third of a lap. But everybody performed flawlessly – especially Antonio and Jordan – but also the crew and the engineers did a stellar job.”
JORDAN TAYLOR, NO. 73 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R
“My last stint was my best-ever stint in Le Mans, no doubt about it. The car was awesome and we were much better on the tires than the Porsche we beat to third at the end. We triple-stinted our tires but they only double-stinted. Regardless we had the strongest package out there today. We were just unfortunate in the beginning of the race.”
OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 74 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R
“Our teammates did a fantastic job recovering from a broken air jack and losing some time. That’s pretty much what cost them victory but they got a great second place, and they are fully deserving of that.
“For us, the gearbox issue we had cost us seven laps and that’s how far we finished behind the leader. You could say that was what cost us victory. Our car wasn’t necessarily the fastest but we all worked extremely hard at it. Fourth is a good result but we were here to win. By not winning, you’re disappointed, you’re frustrated and you realize another year has gone by. But you also have to come back and shoot for it again the next year.”
TOMMY MILNER, NO. 74 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R
“First of all congrats to the winners, and to Jan, Antonio and Jordan. They drove a great race. All three of them were quick all weekend. We were just not quite there all weekend. In the race, certainly anything can happen. You look past the issues you had in practice. Obviously the first part of the race went fairly well. But still you could see that our pace wasn’t quite what it needed to be with outright speed. In these kind of races not having trouble, not making mistakes, that is the biggest key. We did that for the first 12 hours then we started having little problems here and there. It is always fun to coming here to Le Mans, especially with this team. All the people in France seem to like our cars and the loud, thunderous V8s that we have. It is always an experience coming here. No matter if you finish first or last, it is a fun week, and one that I look forward to every year.”
RICHARD WESTBROOK, NO. 74 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R
“This race just shows you how far we have come in a year: with a new car fighting at the front for a good chunk of the race, for more than half the race. We had a couple of issues out there, but that famous Chevrolet and Corvette Racing never-say-die attitude shown through. I am really, really proud to be part of this team and seeing everyone fight at the end of the race and claw our way back. Like I said, we’ve come a long way and the future looks bright for this car.”
DOUG FEHAN, CORVETTE RACING PROGRAM MANAGER
“The race today clearly demonstrated why Le Mans is such difficult, demanding and awe-inspiring race. The final hours of the event required a passionate effort by Antonio Garcia, Jan Magnussen and Jordan Taylor – along with the efforts of the entire Corvette Racing crew, engineers and the GM Powertrain team. The podium experience at Le Mans is truly an Olympic moment. Congratulations to everyone at Corvette Racing and thanks to all our fans for their unequalled support.”
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