Compuware Corvettes to start third, fifth in GT at Lime Rock

LAKEVILLE, Conn. (July 5, 2013) – Corvette Racing’s two Compuware Corvette C6.R race cars will roll off the GT grid from the second and third rows for Round 4 of the 2013 American Le Mans Series at Lime Rock Park, airing live at 3 p.m. ET Saturday on ESPN2. Oliver Gavin qualified the No. 4 Compuware Corvette third in class for the American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix with Antonio Garcia fifth in the No. 3 entry.

Gavin’s best lap Friday was 51.490 seconds in the car he shares with Tommy Milner. Garcia, teaming with Jan Magnussen, turned a 51.357-second lap around the 1.5-mile circuit in northwestern Connecticut. Both cars are in prime position to repeat last year’s performance that saw the velocity yellow Corvettes second and third in the GT class.

The heat Friday bordered on oppressive. Air temperatures hovered near 95 degrees with track readings above 120 degrees. Both crews worked up a sweat throughout the day – especially the No. 3 group, which had to change the car’s gearbox following the day’s first practice.

The efforts of both teams paid off with each of the Corvettes within a half-second of the pole-winning car.

“Today was a mixed bag,” Corvette Racing Program Manager Doug Fehan said. “We had to change the gearbox on the No. 3 Corvette, but both Oliver and Antonio put in solid qualifying efforts. We know the race will be the typical GT slugfest, which is made that much more difficult with the close quarters and short lap around Lime Rock. It will come down to who can execute on the track and in pitlane. If we can do that and run as clean a race as possible, we will be in the hunt at the end of the day.”

EDITORS: High-resolution images of Corvette Racing are available on the Team Chevy media site for editorial use only.

OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 4 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

Qualified third, 51.490 seconds (103.057 mph)

“We found a bit more speed from the practices, and you always push harder in qualifying. I managed to stick a reasonable lap together, and we made a few adjustments with the car that helped us find a little bit more. It’s always a delicate balance here. There is not a huge amount of grip and you’re all the time seesawing from the rear of the car being too loose to the front of the car being too pushy. You try to massage that balance between the two because one end is always breaking free. Very rarely will you get a car that’s really good and stuck and lets you attack every corner with no fear.”

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

Qualified fifth, 51.537 seconds (102.963 mph)

“We all lost a lot of time from the first session due to the red flags and then we had to change the gearbox. We never got to try anything to improve the car from the first practice. In qualifying, I had no read from the car on new tires and we needed to judge what the car would do on new tires. I think I was pretty close to everyone other than the two leading cars. But after the problems we had this morning, we put in a very good qualifying effort. We are all very close and know how races here work out. We will all be single-file for two hours and 45 minutes, very close to how Laguna Seca was. We need to be spot on pit stops, tire changes and everything. If everything goes smooth, we have the car to be out front at the end.”

American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix (all times ET)

• ·         Race: 3 p.m., Saturday, July 6

Lime Rock: Watch It!

Saturday, July 6 (all times ET)

• ·         Race (TV): 3 p.m., Saturday, July 6 (ESPN2)
• ·         Web: 2:45 p.m., Saturday, July 6 (ESPN3)

ALMS GT Championship Standings

Driver Standings

1. 1. Dirk Muller – 42
2. 2. Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 39
3. 3. Dominik Farnbacher/ Marc Goossens – 37
4. 4. Bill Auberlen/Maxime Martin – 34
5. 5. Antonio Garcia/Jan Magnussen – 30   

Team Standings

1. 1. Corvette Racing – 56
2. 2. BMW Team RLL – 52
3. 3. SRT Motorsports – 37
4. 4. Risi Competizione – 28
5. 5. Paul Miller Racing – 26

Manufacturer Standings

1. 1. Chevrolet – 59
2. 2. BMW – 52
3. 3. Ferrari – 43
4. 4. SRT – 40
5. 5. Porsche – 37

Corvette Racing at Lime Rock

Year: 2004

Class: GTS

Drivers: Fellows/O’Connell, Beretta/Gavin

Result: 2nd, 1st

Car: Corvette C5-R

Notes: Beretta pole, fastest race lap

Year: 2005

Class: GT1

Drivers: Fellows/O’Connell, Beretta/Gavin

Result: 2nd, 1st

Car: Corvette C6.R

Notes: Beretta pole, fastest race lap

Year: 2006

Class: GT1

Drivers: Fellows/O’Connell, Beretta/Gavin

Result: 2nd, 4th

Car: Corvette C6.R

Notes: Beretta fastest race lap

Year: 2007

Class: GT1

Drivers: Magnussen/O’Connell, Beretta/Gavin

Result: 2nd, 1st

Car: Corvette C6.R

Notes: O’Connell fastest race lap

Year: 2008

Class: GT1

Drivers: Magnussen/O’Connell, Beretta/Gavin

Result: 1st, 2nd

Car: Corvette C6.R

Notes: Gavin pole, Beretta fastest race lap

Year: 2010

Class: GT

Drivers: Magnussen/O’Connell, Beretta/Gavin

Result: 12th, 5th

Car: Corvette C6.R

Notes:

Year: 2011

Class: GT

Drivers: Beretta/Milner, Gavin/Magnussen

Result: 9th, 10th

Car: Corvette C6.R

Notes:

Year: 2012

Class: GT

Drivers: Garcia/Magnussen, Gavin/Milner

Result: 2nd, 3rd

Car: Corvette C6.R

Notes:

Pilgrim second, O’Connell third

LAKEVILLE, Conn., (July 5, 2013) -Team Cadillac drivers Andy Pilgrim and Johnny O’Connell finished second and third in their CTS-Vs in the first of two races at this weekend’s Pirelli World Challenge Cadillac Grand Prix of Lime Rock.  

The Cadillac duo started from the front row for today’s 50-minute race with O’Connell (Flowery Branch, Ga.) on pole. From the drop of the green with a rolling start the Georgia based driver sped off into the lead. On lap five, O’Connell was held up in traffic, giving way to the eventual winner Mike Skeen in his Corvette. Following the only caution flag of the race on lap 33, O’Connell was running second with Pilgrim (Boca Raton, Fla.) in third. Coming through the last turn of the final lap O’Connell was held up and teammate Pilgrim used his momentum to carrying him by into second at the checkered flag.

“The start was nice and clean,” Pilgrim said. “Mike got me at the beginning.  The CTS-V stayed with me really well the entire race. The guys were coming. It was really dependent on how you negotiated the traffic. Sometimes Randy [Pobst, No. 6 Volvo] was two seconds behind, the next lap he was one back.”

“Johnny got balked coming down the hill on the last lap by a green Mustang on the outside,” he said.  “I had a good run and I knew Ende [Duncan, No. 24 Audi] was right behind me so I had to keep going and I was able to get the position.”

O’Connell knows that traffic can be a gamble on a tight track like Lime Rock.

“I had a good start,” O’Connell said.  “Then we caught up to lap traffic and encountered a guy who was a little unpredictable.  I guessed one-way, which is the way the lapper went and Skeen went the other and ended up getting the position. Skeen ran a good race. He went for it. In these hot conditions, the tires were really working. Everyone was sliding around.”

“After the caution everyone had a chance to cool their tires,” he continued. “I thought Skeen would come back to me. I put a lot a pressure on him at the end going into the last turn and I got choked up a little which allowed Andy to get by me.”

For tomorrow’s second race of the Pirelli World Challenge weekend, O’Connell will again start from pole based upon today’s fastest race laps with Pilgrim right behind in third for the standing start.

The Pirelli World Challenge GT Series will run a double race weekend, July 5 and 6.  The races from Lime Rock will be televised on NBC Sports, Saturday, July 20 at 4 pm ET. 

O’Connell on Pole, Pilgrim second

LIME ROCK, Conn., (July 4, 2013) -Team Cadillac drivers Johnny O’Connell and Andy Pilgrim will start from the pole and second respectively for the first of two races at this weekend’s Pirelli World Challenge Cadillac Grand Prix of Lime Rock.

The team was greeted for the first practice session with near 90 degree temperatures.     

O’Connell (Flowery Branch, Ga.) led both practice sessions in his No. 3 Cadillac CTS-V with teammate Pilgrim (Boca Raton, Fla.) at the top of the GT time sheet as well in No. 8 Cadillac.  

In qualifying O’Connell set a pole time of 51.271 seconds on his fifth lap, his fourth of the 2013 season. Pilgrim set his time of 51.357 on lap three. The pair will start their CTS-V Coupes from the front row for the first of two 50-minute races to go off tomorrow at 12:10 p.m.

“It is hot out there today,” O’Connell said. “I have to hand it to Team Cadillac. We were fast right off of the trailer. They have a lot of data from here with all of the years that Corvette and Camaro have run at this track in the past. We had a very reasonable car right from the start.”

“In qualifying I was able to get a clean lap and put one together for the pole.  That makes it a nice fourth of July with two American Cadillac CTS-Vs on the front row here at Lime Rock.” 

With six right hand turns and one left hander managing the tires is key at Lime Park.

“I was using every bit of the road in qualifying and dirt tracking the car around here this afternoon.  I dropped a wheel off at the exit of West Bend coming down the hill.  I was pushing the Cadillac hard. Lime Rock is to road racing what Bristol is to NASCAR. Traffic is going to be difficult. I think whoever keeps a cool head and doesn’t make mistakes will pull this one off.”

Pilgrim likes the team’s start to the weekend so far.

“Practice was good for us today,” Pilgrim said. “We had a lot of clean running, no practice stoppages, so we were able to try a lot of different things on each car to see what works. We made some good changes for qualifying and I had a really good car. The experience of Team Cadillac really comes out at a track like Lime Rock. I don’t have a lot of races here at this track. I think I’ve only raced here about six times in my career.”

“With a 140-degree track temperature managing the tires will be critical in the race tomorrow. We cannot get frustrated.. You can’t over drive the car and the tires. We have an all Cadillac front row, so there is a friendly face starting next to me.”

The Pirelli World Challenge GT Series will run a double race weekend, July 5 and 6.  The races from Lime Rock will be televised on NBC Sports, Saturday, July 20 at 4 pm ET.

O’Connell has roots in region

DETROIT, (July 2, 2013) – Team Cadillac drivers Johnny O’Connell and Andy Pilgrim are ready for the Pirelli World Challenge Cadillac Grand Prix of Lime Rock, July 4-6.

After a month off, Team Cadillac comes into Lime Rock Park tied with Audi for first in the manufacturer standings, seven races into the 14-race schedule. O’Connell (Flowery Branch, Ga.) is 146 points behind series leader James Sofronas. Pilgrim (Boca Raton, Fla.) is 59 points behind his teammate. O’Connell has had a strong first half of the year winning two races, the first at Circuit of the America’s (COTA), the second at Detroit. Pilgrim has also had a stout first half of the season, posting six top-five finishes with two second-place runs at Long Beach and Detroit.

O’Connell is a native of the northwest Connecticut area, born in nearby Poughkeepsie, New York. His father grew up there and later moved to Riverside, Connecticut. The O’Connell family burial plot is in Berry Town, about 20-miles from the track.

“I saw my first car race at Lime Rock Park,” O’Connell said. “I must have been maybe seven years old. I just remember being captivated by all of the action. We sat atop the hill overlooking turns two, three and four.”

The defending GT Champion will run the 1.5-mile, seven turn circuit without the chicane for the first time.

“Lime Rock Park is so short, we will have to deal with a lot of traffic,” he said. “So having a Cadillac CTS-V that is nimble will be critical. Since we are not using the chicane, and I’ve never run the circuit without it, I’ve found in the past that if I like my car going through West Bend, I tend to like it everywhere. I would for sure expect the Audi to be competitive this weekend. When I broke in the second race at COTA I had the opportunity to watch them through the fourth gear carousel portion of the track. Simply put, they were in a different league than every other car out there.”

Pilgrim likes the short layout of Lime Rock Park.

“I have always enjoyed Lime Rock. It’s a very different type of road course,” Pilgrim said. “The downhill right hander onto the front straight is one of my favorite turns. I believe car setup on this track is key, more so than on most road courses. There is no one corner that I focus on for setup of the Cadillac, but getting through the fast downhill right hander onto the front straight is key to a quick lap for sure.”

The Floridian has a history at Lime Rock.

“My best memory at Lime Rock was running about 60 cars in a Firestone Firehawk race there in the late 1980s,” he said. “That series was so popular. We had 60 cars in one class running for six hours. It was traffic insanity!”

The Pirelli World Challenge GT Series will run a double race weekend, July 5 and 6. The races from Lime Rock will be televised on NBC Sports, Saturday, July 20 at 4 pm ET.

Next steps toward title defenses in ALMS

LAKEVILLE, Conn. (July 2, 2013) – Two weeks after both its Compuware Corvette C6.R race cars completed the Le Mans 24 Hours, Corvette Racing returns stateside to continue defense of its GT driver, team and manufacturer championships in the American Le Mans Series. Next up is scenic Lime Rock Park and the American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix on Saturday, July 6.

The fourth ALMS round of the year will air live starting at 3 p.m. ET on ESPN2 with simultaneous live streaming on ESPN3 beginning with a 2:45 p.m., pre-race show. It’s an event Corvette Racing has won four times but none since 2008.

At 1.474 miles with seven turns, Lime Rock Park is the shortest track on the ALMS calendar but offers a surprisingly quick lap with average speeds in qualifying nearing 105 mph. The compact nature of the venue coupled with the two-hour, 45-minute race length means constant overtaking and frequent car-to-car contact.

Antonio Garcia and Jan Magnussen return to ALMS competition as the most recent winners in the GT class at Laguna Seca in May. The pairing – fourth in GTE Pro at Le Mans with Jordan Taylor – drive the No. 3 Compuware Corvette C6.R.

Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner share the No. 4 Compuware Corvette. The defending ALMS GT champions – seventh with Richard Westbrook at Le Mans – stand second in this year’s drivers’ standings and are three points out of first. Magnussen and Garcia are fifth but just 12 points from the lead. The Lime Rock round pays 20 points to the race-winners, 16 for second and 13 for third.

Corvette Racing leads the team standings, as does Chevrolet the manufacturers’ race.

“Le Mans was as challenging as ever. We battled the weather as well as the competition and I can tell you we are glad to get back to racing in the ALMS,” said Doug Fehan, Corvette Racing Program Manager. “The crowd is always great at Lime Rock, and the racing is as tough as anywhere else we compete the rest of the season. At just 1.5 miles in length, Lime Rock presents some unique challenges. You can’t make a green flag pit stop without losing a lap, so your strategy there will most likely determine your level of success. Our guys thrive on that pressure and are ready to go racing again.”

EDITORS: High-resolution images of Corvette Racing are available on the Team Chevy media site for editorial use only.

American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix (all times ET)

• • Qualifying: 4:35 p.m., Friday, July 5
• • Race: 3 p.m., Saturday, July 6

Lime Rock: Watch It!

Friday, July 5-Saturday, July 6 (all times ET)

• • Qualifying: 4:25 p.m., Friday, July 5 (ESPN3)
• • Race (TV): 3 p.m., Saturday, July 6 (ESPN2)
• • Web: 2:45 p.m., Saturday, July 6 (ESPN3)

ALMS GT Championship Standings

Driver Standings

1. 1. Dirk Muller – 42
2. 2. Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 39
3. 3 .Dominik Farnbacher/ Marc Goossens – 37
4. 4. Bill Auberlen/Maxime Martin – 34
5. 5. Antonio Garcia/Jan Magnussen – 30

Team Standings

1. 1. Corvette Racing – 56
2. 2. BMW Team RLL – 52
3. 3. SRT Motorsports – 37
4. 4. Risi Competizione – 28
5. 5. Paul Miller Racing – 26

Manufacturer Standings

1. 1. Chevrolet – 59
2. 2. BMW – 52
3. 3. Ferrari – 43
4. 4. SRT – 40
5. 5. Porsche – 37

Corvette Racing at Lime Rock

Year: 2004

Class: GTS

Drivers: Fellows/O’Connell, Beretta/Gavin

Result: 2nd, 1st

Car: Corvette C5-R

Notes: Beretta pole, fastest race lap

Year: 2005

Class: GT1

Drivers: Fellows/O’Connell, Beretta/Gavin

Result: 2nd, 1st

Car: Corvette C6.R

Notes: Beretta pole, fastest race lap

Year: 2006

Class: GT1

Drivers: Fellows/O’Connell, Beretta/Gavin

Result: 2nd, 4th

Car: Corvette C6.R

Notes: Beretta fastest race lap

Year: 2007

Class: GT1

Drivers: Magnussen/O’Connell, Beretta/Gavin

Result: 2nd, 1st

Car: Corvette C6.R

Notes: O’Connell fastest race lap

Year: 2008

Class: GT1

Drivers: Magnussen/O’Connell, Beretta/Gavin

Result: 1st, 2nd

Car: Corvette C6.R

Notes: Gavin pole, Beretta fastest race lap

Year: 2010

Class: GT

Drivers: Magnussen/O’Connell, Beretta/Gavin

Result: 12th, 5th

Car: Corvette C6.R

Notes:

Year: 2011

Class: GT

Drivers: Beretta/Milner, Gavin/Magnussen

Result: 9th, 10th

Car: Corvette C6.R

Notes:

Year: 2012

Class: GT

Drivers: Garcia/Magnussen, Gavin/Milner

Result: 2nd, 3rd

Car: Corvette C6.R

Notes:

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“Because it is such a short track, everything has to run really, really smooth. It is easy to lose time and get in a position that conflicts with your strategy. You must run the whole race full-on and 100 percent. Knowing we ran a perfect race at Laguna – and I have to say we almost ran a perfect race at Le Mans – we need a repeat to be successful at Lime Rock. Our crew is running at its best and is pumped in the job they have done. We have to be consistent and not make any mistakes. That is what it takes every race to win in the GT class.”

JAN MAGNUSSEN, NO. 3 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“I enjoy driving at Lime Rock. It’s a very short lap and the penalty for making a mistake can be quite big. Lime Rock is a fun track with interesting corners and is very, very old-school. In the past we have done quite well there but it has been awhile since we have won a race there but maybe that means we are due. It will be a case of us trying to have another race like Laguna Seca where we were almost perfect. With the competition being as equal and difficult as it has been in the first three ALMS races, it will take a perfect race with perfect pit stops and a good-handling race car. We know we have that and need to execute on race day.”

OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 4 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“At Le Mans, you have 55 cars on a long track. At Lime Rock, you feel like you have 200 cars because there is no place for you to run off and hide. You can’t get a nice little piece of tarmac to run around by yourself for two hours and 45 minutes. It’s one of those places where you can never let your guard down even for a millisecond. You’re either on top of someone else or someone is coming to overtake you. You have to have eyes in the back of your head to deal with the traffic situation. The likes of someone like Brian (Hoye, No. 4 crew chief) spotting for us it critical too. There are people coming from every which way, not to mention incidents that may be developing in front.”

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“Le Mans wasn’t a great race for us. It was frustrating on many levels. But coming back to the U.S., I think we’ll be on par and pace with our competitors. Once we get back going again at Lime Rock, we will be right in the thick of things again. Our focus turns back to our duties here in the ALMS and putting Le Mans behind us. Lime Rock is tough both physically and mentally. There are no breaks; you’re always working. I’ve had tough races there where I’ve driven two hours in the car with high heat humidity and had to work hard to survive there. It’s one of those races that you know what to expect – hot, humid and tough.”

The Victory is the Second Consecutive in 2013 for Barbosa and Fittipaldi in Corvette DP and Fourth Win in Five Races for Camaro GT.R Piloted by Liddell and Edwards

WATKINS GLEN, New York (June 30, 2013) – Action Express Racing driver Joao Barbosa battled his way to Victory Lane at Watkins Glen International last year in the difficult and prestigious GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series Six Hours of The Glen. Today, behind the wheel of the No. 5 Action Express Racing Corvette Daytona Prototype (DP) with his new co-driver, Christian Fittipaldi, Barbosa made a return trip to the Winner’s Circle to occupy the top step on the podium and once again collect the winner’s trophy for the overall win.

The pair combined to lead 30 of the 171 laps completed in the six-hour race that saw bright sunny conditions quickly replaced with heavy rain that was just as quickly replaced with blue skies and warmer temperatures. Fittipaldi held off all challengers in the final stint of the race to bring the Corvette DP to the checkered flag first.

It is the second consecutive win and the third consecutive podium finish for Barbosa and Fittipaldi this season. The victory moved the team from fifth in the DP team standings to third.

Not to be outdone, John Edwards and Robin Liddell powered the No. 57 Stevenson Motorsports Camaro GT.R to the win in the Rolex Series Grand Touring Class (GT), also for the second consecutive year. The pair combined to lead a race-high 67 laps of the 164 run by the leaders in the GT class.

It is the fourth victory in the last five races for Edwards and Liddell, and closed the team to within six points of the leaders in the GT class standings.

“Our Chevrolet teams rose to the occasion today, and dealt with some changing and sometimes difficult circumstances throughout the Six Hours of the Glen,” said Jim Lutz, Chevrolet Racing Program Manager, GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series. “It is always a rewarding experience for everyone associated with the Team Chevy program in the Rolex Series to score a win in both Daytona Prototype and Grand Touring as we did today. Congratulations to the No. 5 Action Express Racing Corvette DP team and the No. 57 Stevenson Motorsports Camaro team on their repeat victories in this prestigious race.”

Equaling its best finish of the season, a runner-up run at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, the No. 3 8Star Motorsports Corvette DP gave Chevrolet the first and second spots on today’s DP podium. Team owner Enzo Potolicchio started the race, and then Stephane Sarrazin and Michael Valiante shared the driving duties for remainder of the event. Valiante was in the cockpit for the final stint to make a charge for the win in the closing laps.

The two Corvette Daytona DP teams that came into today’s race holding the first and second spots in the standings suffered setbacks early in the race. The No. 10 Velolcity Worldwide Wayne Taylor Racing Corvette DP had a mechanical issue with the shifter linkage on the opening lap of the race. The team was able to make repairs and the car driven by Max Angelelli and Jordan Taylor returned to competition. The team was credited with a 10th place finish and now sits in a tie in the standings for the top spot.

The No. 99 GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing Corvette DP piloted by Jon Fogarty and Alex Gurney came into the race second in the standings, but also had to battle back from a mechanical problem early in the race. Something went awry in the steering and sent it on an off-course excursion. The team made repairs in the paddock and got the “Red Dragon” back in competition, but on the long track in a race that didn’t see a great deal of attrition, the team was relegated to a 14th place in class finishing position. They now sit fourth in the team standings.

In Saturday’s GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge, the No. 9 Stevenson Motorsports Camaro GS.R led the way for Team Chevy posting a sixth-place finish.

Next on the schedule for both the Rolex Series and the Continental Tire Challenge will be the Brickyard Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 25-26, 2013.

DRIVER POST RACE QUOTES:

NO. 5 ACTION EXPRESS RACING CORVETTE DAYTONA PROTOTYPE, OVERALL AND DP RACE WINNER:

CHRISTIAN FITTIPALDI: ON HIS THOUGHTS AS THE RACE CAME TO A CLOSE: “I don’t know. I was on the limit all the time.”

WHAT AN INCREDIBLE RACE. THAT WAS A FANTASTIC FINAL FEW LAPS. WERE YOU MORE CONCERNED ABOUT MICHAEL VALLENTE CATCHING YOU, OR THOSE LAPPED CARS THAT BOTH OF YOU WERE STARTING TO APPROACH ON THE FINAL LAP?

“I guess both. I knew that the No. 3 car had a very strong piece. They showed it a couple of times during the race. They were definitely stronger than us. But I think we played the game better than they did. And we, as a team, won the race today. Hats off to Joao, who drove an outstanding stint. And man, I’m very happy. Two in a row is a very nice feeling. We led at the three-hour mark and won the race, so it couldn’t have been a better weekend.”

YOU ALMOST HAD A FLAWLESS BECAUSE THERE AT THE END WHEN YOU WERE GOING THROUGH THE BOOT, YOU GOT SIDEWAYS. WHAT HAPPENED THERE? AND DID YOU THINK YOU MIGHT HAVE THROWN AWAY THE WIN?

“I was under limit. I was very heavily under limit every single lap that I could do and maybe I ran a little bit over a little bit. But I managed to catch it, I guess. That’s where 42 years of age and 20-some years of 30 years of racing counts a little bit. And I’m happy that that came into the play. That definitely helped me a little bit like experience over there and it was a great week and a great day. We didn’t have the quickest car on the track today. And I just think that the whole group as a team did an excellent job.”

JOAO BARBOSA: TALK ABOUT THE CHEMISTRY BETWEEN YOU AND CHRISTIAN AND THE TEAM: “It is working isn’t it? It’s like they say ‘We are in it to win it’. This was a great points day for us. We led at the three-hour mark. We led at six hours. We won the race overall. It is looking great for us in the points now. I think we made a great click. This Action Express team, man…the chemistry that is going on is unbelievable. The car is running excellent. Christian did a fantastic job. He is a little worn out, but he’ll get over it (SMILES). What can I say, this group of guys has done a tremendous job, and the car drove awesome today.”

HOW SATISFYING IS THIS TO HAVE TWO WINS IN A ROW? LAST YEAR, YOU WERE USUALLY AT TEAM AROUND FOURTH OR FIFTH. NOW, YOU ARE SHOWING UP AND WINNING RACES. “I don’t agree with that. We won the Six Hours last year. So, this team has been doing phenomenal. Obviously the chemistry is working so well and we were able to make the car go fast and these guys are awesome. They did a tremendous job. Every pit stop was great and we were able to bring the car home again in first place. Two wins and a second-place in the last three races and it is looking good. I’m really looking forward to the rest of the season.”

NO. 57 STEVENSON MOTORSPORTS CAMARO GT.R, GT CLASS WINNER:

JOHN EDWARDS: YOU HAD TO SIT THERE AND WATCH ROBIN WORK SO HARD THAT LAST STINT, HOW HARD IS THAT? “It was really tough, especially with the changing conditions. I’ve always said I prefer to be in the car at the end, because sitting on the pit stand I just get a nervous twitch going on with my leg. That is the worst part of the race for me. When I got out of the car, that was the most nervous part for me. Ultimately the car was good in the dry, and we were hoping it wouldn’t rain because those conditions are really tough, and you might throw it off even if you are as good of a driver as anyone can be.”

ROBIN LIDDELL: THE PRESSURE WAS ON THE WHOLE WAY THROUGH WASN’T IT? “Yes, I kept forcing myself to stay focused. That is a dangerous kind of gap to have, four seconds or so. I was fully expecting some rain, and we obviously saw some dark clouds coming, So I was expecting more rain, or a safety car or something. I was just trying to stay focused on the job at hand. I just want to say thanks to everybody here. The Camaro has been fantastic. John did a great job. I’ve been with this team for six years, and this is probably the best team result I’ve ever seen for us. Everyone contributed in such an important part. It was a proper team effort the whole weekend. I’m really, really happy for the guys. It was brilliant.”

YOU GUYS ARE ON FIRE. TELL US ABOUT YOUR RACE TODAY:

“Well, it was a tough race. Last year, we won this race and we were pretty dominant here, to be fair, last year. The chassis have always been good right here and obviously the guys, we’ve got probably the best crew out there. We’ve all in all got the best team in pit lane, I think. Obviously I think everybody made a massive contribution on the team. John hung on there when it was raining, on slicks. We were just trying to keep him calm and not worry too much about dropping time to the No. 69 because we knew it was going to turn into a mess, which it did. And then obviously we were still on slicks and they’d gone to wet. So confidence in the guys to do that and if we made a mistake, we made a mistake. But ultimately, we didn’t really have a car which we could drive away with. We had a car that was competitive, but not one that we could lead the rest of the pack, as last year. So we had to work a lot harder. But some good calls getting the car in just before that caution got us track position, and then near the end there just stopping a bit out of sequence to get track position in case it went yellow. I was really expecting some rain at the end, or a late caution, but it didn’t come. I just kept my head down and kept reeling off the laps. With a near to two-minute lap, that last 15 minutes goes quite quickly around here.”

NO. 3 8STAR MOTORSPORTS CORVETTE DAYTONA PROTOTYPE, FINISHED 2ND IN DP:

MICHAEL VALIANTE: ON THE STRONG RUN AT THE END: “It was great to be paired with Stephane (Sarrazin). We hit it off right away. He is a fantastic driver. Really happy to be with the team and him. Everything went to plan. We had a few hiccups, but we were so close at the end. It was a really tough race. Stephane has done a great job all weekend. If anything, the traffic was really tough at the end. Going up the chicane, I lost four seconds because two GT cars decided to race me. I was alongside of them, and that really cost us a lot of time. We can’t complain. The team has done an amazing job. It’s first year with the team. Stephane and my first race together, so for a podium, I am happy. But, I really wanted to win.”

Fourth, seventh place in final Le Mans for C6.R with new car looming for ‘14

LE MANS, France (June 23, 2013) – Corvette Racing and its two Compuware Corvette C6.Rs completed the most demanding auto race in the world today by finishing in the top seven of the GTE Pro class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Antonio Garcia, Jan Magnussen and Jordan Taylor brought home the No. 73 Compuware Corvette in fourth place after starting seventh. It was a remarkable comeback that saw the trio pick up three spots in the final six hours. The No. 74 Compuware Corvette finished seventh with Oliver Gavin, Jan Magnussen and Richard Westbrook driving.

All six drivers and the two crews weathered constantly changing conditions and 10 safety car periods – most of which required long runs behind the safety cars. No one in either garage could remember such a volatile event.

“Chevrolet was truly honored to compete in the 90th anniversary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans,” said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet U.S. Vice President, Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. “While it certainly was a challenging 24-hour event, I am proud that the entire Corvette Racing team exhibited a ‘never give up’ approach all race long. We look forward to returning next year for the 15th time at Le Mans and our first with the next-generation Corvette race car.”

Typical Le Mans attrition began to enter the equation in the last quarter of the race. After running seventh and eighth for much of the first 18 hours, the Corvettes crept up the standings as other entries began to fall off. By the 23-hour mark, both cars ranked among the top five in the class thanks to an aggressive wet tire strategy when rain began to pelt the circuit again.

Taylor outpaced ex-F1 pilot Giancarlo Fisichella to hold on to the fourth position over the final 20 minutes. Unfortunately, Oliver Gavin had to pit the No. 74 Corvette due to an exhaust issue. Rather than risk near-certain damage, the team elected to pit and send Gavin back out for the final lap.

Corvette Racing returns to American competition July 5-6 for the American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix at Lime Rock Park, the fourth round of the American Le Mans Series.

American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix (all times ET)

• • Qualifying: 4:35 p.m., Friday, July 5
• • Race: 3 p.m., Saturday, July 6

Lime Rock: Watch It!

Friday, July 5-Saturday, July 6 (all times ET)

• • Qualifying: 4:25 p.m., Friday, July 5 (ESPN3)
• • Race (TV): 3 p.m., Saturday, July 6 (ESPN2)
• • Web: 2:45 p.m., Saturday, July 6 (ESPN3)

JAN MAGNUSSEN, NO. 73 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“It has been a tough race. Obviously, Allan (Simonsen’s) fatal accident overshadows any race result. Even without the accident it has been a struggle for us all the way through. I think that if something comes of it, it will be from sheer determination and hard work by the whole team, carrying on as always even though it looked like we wouldn’t get anything out of this event. It says a lot about this team, the way they go about things, how hard they work and how they never give up.”

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 73 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“We did the best we could do. We performed maybe not 100 percent but certainly 99 percent, which is something we can be proud of. Before the race we knew we probably didn’t have the base we needed to fight for victory. We were seventh or eighth for most of the time, but just by keeping running and everybody giving it his 100 percent best – drivers as well as mechanics – we made it. And as it sometimes happens, near the end the race came to us and we finished fourth, which is more than we could have hoped for.”

JORDAN TAYLOR, NO. 73 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“It was a stressful last hour of the race. I went in when it was pouring but luckily the safety car came out because the spray was just horrible going down the Mulsanne and into Indianapolis (Corner). You could barely see the car in front of you, even behind the pace car. We sat like that for a while and then it went green with some 30 minutes to go, when it was fully dry again, but on wet tires. I think everybody was kind of managing that a bit and we were just able to maintain our gap (to the Ferrari behind). I don’t quite know what happened to the rest of the guys but somehow we came out fourth having started seventh. I think that was the best we could have done today.”

OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 74 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“You can take some positives from this. The car in the end was very good when the track rubbered in. We hit the chassis right. The team did a fantastic job once again and rolled with the punches through the weather. It was one of the toughest 24 Hours that I’ve ever done in respect to the weather changes and choices in tires because the track was in between so many times. You had to wing it and take a big gamble sometimes. Unfortunately I think that’s one of the things that really contributed to Allan Simonsen’s accident – slippery and tricky conditions and wet curbs he got on to. It was an awful thing to see. The focus and aim now is defending the ALMS championship. By the end of the race when we were in fourth, fifth and sixth, we realized we didn’t want to risk the car possibly catching fire with the exhaust problem or me getting myself burned. It wasn’t really worth it so we cooled down and came in. There was frustration not being able to fight and race to the very end. But we will fight another day.”

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 74 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“The team did a great job – period. We ran for 24 hours with no real mistakes. That’s what this race requires. The drivers did our job, the crew did their job – it just wasn’t our year, for sure. It’s a year like this where you learn a lot, you push hard no matter the conditions or situations and build character. I’ve never been part of a Le Mans that had conditions as difficult as this. They changed on every lap and on every corner. I’m really proud of all the guys at Corvette Racing – both crews and everyone involved. To perform in conditions like these shows how strong this team is.”

RICHARD WESTBROOK, NO. 74 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“It was a hell of a team performance, as ever. It was great to get back to finishing ways in a 24-hour race. We know what we have to do next year, and we’re going to come back and do it. Sometimes you have a fast car, and we’ve had that the last couple years and didn’t execute. This year we executed with a car that was less fast. Next year we will have a fast car and we’re going to execute.”

DOUG FEHAN, CORVETTE RACING PROGRAM MANAGER

“This marked our 14th consecutive appearance at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. This year’s race provided the deepest field of competition and some of the most challenging conditions we’ve ever seen. Everything, considered, I could not be more proud of our guys for bringing home fourth- and seventh-place finishes – once again, demonstrating the durability and reliability that has made Corvette so successful. We can now move forward and look excitedly to defending our championship in the ALMS and then to our return to Le Mans next year with the all-new C7.R.”

 www.theroboticschallenge.org

A team from Carnegie Mellon University’s National Robotics Engineering Center (NREC) is building a new class of robot to compete in the upcoming Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) Robotics Challenge, called the DRC. It’s a human-size robot that moves, not by walking, but on rubberized tracks on the extremities of each of its four limbs. Forty-nine frameless motors from Kollmorgen are one of the keys to this unique robot’s all-important drive joints.

Though the appearance of the CMU Highly Intelligent Mobile Platform, or CHIMP, is vaguely simian, its normal mode of locomotion will be much like that of a tank, with the tracks of all four limbs on the ground. This configuration offers a particular advantage when moving over debris and rough terrain. But CHIMP can also move on the treads of just two limbs when needed, such as when it must use one or more limbs to open a valve or to operate power tools.

CHIMP will have to do that and more during the DARPA Robotics Challenge (DRC), in which robots will have human-like capabilities to respond to calamities such as the 2011 Fukushima nuclear plant disaster. Climbing ladders and driving vehicles are among the obstacles robots will face in environments engineered for people. The DRC kicked off on October 24, 2012, and is scheduled to run for approximately 27 months with three planned competitions: June 2013, December 2013, and December 2014.

The NREC entry, Tartan Rescue Team, is one of seven selected by DARPA for DRC Track A, in which each team will develop its own hardware and software.

CHIMP will be able to perform complex, physically challenging tasks through supervised autonomy. A remote, human operator will make high-level commands controlling the robot’s path and actions, while the robot’s on-board intelligence prevents collisions, maintains stability and otherwise keeps the robot from harm. The robot also will be pre-programmed to execute tasks such as grasping a tool, stepping on a ladder rung or turning a steering wheel without step-by-step direction from the human controller, circumventing the lag between command and execution.

“Humans provide high-level control, while the robot provides low-level reflexes and self-protective behaviors,” says Tony Stentz, NREC director and Tartan Rescue Team leader. “This enables CHIMP to be highly capable without the complexity associated with a fully autonomous robot.”

“This type of robot has tremendous potential,” Stentz adds. Such a robot would be suitable for a variety of tasks for which NREC now develops wheeled, tracked, and other conventional robots, such as remote inspection and monitoring of hazardous industrial facilities. As a unit of Carnegie Mellon’s Robotics Institute, NREC performs advanced applied research and prototyping for commercial and governmental clients.

The human-centered nature of the DRC challenges would seem to favor a dynamically stable humanoid robot, the choice of five of the seven Track A teams, Stentz acknowledges. But his team’s focus on simplicity and dependability led them to choose tracked locomotion.

“When we walk or stand, our brains are actively controlling our balance all of the time,” Stentz says. This dynamic balance makes people nimble and enables them to run. But it also greatly increases the complexity, computational requirements, and energy consumption of a machine. So CHIMP is designed with static stability; it won’t fall down even if it experiences a computer glitch or power failure.

When necessary, however, the operator can control CHIMP’s individual joints, enabling it to adapt its motion to particular circumstances or extricate itself from tight spots. And for this robot, it’s all about the joints.

“In a pinch, it can do anything,” Stentz says.

CHIMP uses Kollmorgen frameless motor technology in each of its drive joints to deliver advanced functionality and significant performance benefits for the Robotics Challenge. This advanced functionality also paves the way for new mobile manipulation and manufacturing automation applications.

“The CHIMP design explicitly avoids many of the dynamic stability issues associated with humanoid robots. Tracks on all four limbs provide CHIMP with better mobility and with stability while opening doors, using tools, and turning valves. Sensors at the head and limbs provide the perception and feedback needed for CHIMP to manipulate objects, remove debris, and travel safely through the environment,” says National Robotics Engineering Center Business Development Director Steve DiAntonio. “The hardware components and software methods that form CHIMP are standalone technologies that, in their own right, offer new automation capabilities for facility maintenance, manufacturing, and material handling.”

For example, CHIMP’s drive joints, constructed of Kollmorgen motors integrated with gearing and housing components, actuate the robot’s 50 degrees of freedom and deliver advanced mobility, multi-limb manipulation, and human-like grasping capabilities not found in today’s industrial robots. These capabilities are made possible by four custom frameless motor sizes from Kollmorgen — a total of 42 motors between the four sizes — along with seven modified standard KBM series frameless motors.

Benefits of KBM series frameless motors include:

Direct load connection eliminates maintenance of gearboxes, belts, or pulleys; Zero backlash and compliance provides more responsive system performance; Eliminates coupling devices, reducing overall machine size; and

Embedded motor enables compact machine design.

Kollmorgen framelss motors.

“Kollmorgen engineers worked to design a compact and high-power-density motor, and worked hand and hand with CMU’s engineers to develop the high-power joint that really makes the human-like capabilities possible,” says Dave Graff, Kollmorgen regional sales manager for custom motor solutions.

Other CHIMP features include:

Like a chimpanzee, each extremity is equipped with a manipulator that enables it to grasp objects; Near-human strength and dexterity; On-board sensors build a texture-mapped, 3D model of the environment that CHIMP uses to maintain stability and prevent collisions; The same 3D model enables the operator to visualize the location and orientation of CHIMP and evaluate possible actions; The operator controls CHIMP using an immersive interface of a large screen monitor, keyboard, and mouse, choosing from multiple modes that blend manual and autonomous control of the robot.

The new drive joint design will help the CHIMP execute the DARPA Robotics Challenge (DRC) challenge tasks.

In addition to the Tartan Rescue Team, Carnegie Mellon has a second team in the DARPA Robotics Challenge. Team Steel, headed by Christopher Atkeson, professor of robotics and human-computer interaction, was selected as a Track B team. In Track B, teams develop software in a virtual competition, with a winner receiving a DARPA-provided humanoid Atlas robot for use in the live competition. The final DRC event will be next year, with the winner receiving $2 million.

Other CHIMP technology sponsors include: Faulhaber (represented by MICROMO in the U.S.), Honeywell, Robotiq, Oshkosh, Elmo Motion Control, THK, Pratt Miller, Accurate Gear and Machine (AGM), and Eclipse Metal Fabrication.

For more information on the DARPA Robotics Challenge, please see:

Ahead of Round 4 of the American Le Mans Series

What: American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix, Round 4 of the 2013 American Le Mans Series. The race airs live at 3 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

No. 4 Compuware Corvette C6.R – Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner

• • Starting third in GT. Oliver Gavin qualified at 51.490 seconds (103.057 mph) Friday
• • History at Lime Rock Park
• ◦ Oliver Gavin – Eight ALMS starts. Best finish: 1st (2004-05). One pole position (2008)
• ◦ Tommy Milner – Seven ALMS starts. Best finish: 2nd (2007, 2010)

No. 3 Compuware Corvette C6.R – Antonio Garcia and Jan Magnussen

• • Starting fifth in GT. Antonio Garcia qualified at 51.537 seconds (102.963 mph) Friday
• • History at Lime Rock Park
• ◦ Antonio Garcia – One ALMS start. Best finish: 2nd (2012)
• ◦ Jan Magnussen – Four ALMS starts. Best finish: 1st (2008)

Corvette Racing at Lime Rock

• • Number of races: Nine
• • Victories: Four (2004-05, 2007-08)
• • Lime Rock Debut: 2004
• • Team 1-2 finishes: Four (2004-05, 2007-08)
• • First race: 2004 (1st and 2nd in GTS)
• • First win: 2004 (Oliver Gavin/Olivier Beretta)

They Said It

“The rubber is going down, which is good. But the heat isn’t helping. It got pretty toasty out there toward the end of the free practice and at the beginning of qualifying. That’s not going to help tire life and certainly heat in the car. All of those things are going to play a part in the race.” – Oliver Gavin

“It’s one of the toughest races we will face. The level of stress is very high. You have no rest time and are on full attack during an entire stint. It’s difficult to keep your concentration level 100 percent the entire time with all the variables in place.” – Antonio Garcia

American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix (all times ET)

• • Race: 3 p.m., Saturday, July 6

Lime Rock: Watch It!

Saturday, July 6 (all times ET)

• • Race (TV): 3 p.m., Saturday, July 6 (ESPN2)
• • Web: 2:45 p.m., Saturday, July 6 (ESPN3)

ALMS GT Championship Standings

Driver Standings

1. 1. Dirk Muller – 42
2. 2. Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 39
3. 3. Dominik Farnbacher/ Marc Goossens – 37
4. 4. Bill Auberlen/Maxime Martin – 34
5. 5. Antonio Garcia/Jan Magnussen – 30   

Team Standings

1. 1. Corvette Racing – 56
2. 2. BMW Team RLL – 52
3. 3. SRT Motorsports – 37
4. 4. Risi Competizione – 28
5. 5. Paul Miller Racing – 26

Manufacturer Standings

1. 1. Chevrolet – 59
2. 2. BMW – 52
3. 3. Ferrari – 43
4. 4. SRT – 40
5. 5. Porsche – 37

Corvette Racing at Lime Rock

Year: 2004

Class: GTS

Drivers: Fellows/O’Connell, Beretta/Gavin

Result: 2nd, 1st

Car: Corvette C5-R

Notes: Beretta pole, fastest race lap

Year: 2005

Class: GT1

Drivers: Fellows/O’Connell, Beretta/Gavin

Result: 2nd, 1st

Car: Corvette C6.R

Notes: Beretta pole, fastest race lap

Year: 2006

Class: GT1

Drivers: Fellows/O’Connell, Beretta/Gavin

Result: 2nd, 4th

Car: Corvette C6.R

Notes: Beretta fastest race lap

Year: 2007

Class: GT1

Drivers: Magnussen/O’Connell, Beretta/Gavin

Result: 2nd, 1st

Car: Corvette C6.R

Notes: O’Connell fastest race lap

Year: 2008

Class: GT1

Drivers: Magnussen/O’Connell, Beretta/Gavin

Result: 1st, 2nd

Car: Corvette C6.R

Notes: Gavin pole, Beretta fastest race lap

Year: 2010

Class: GT

Drivers: Magnussen/O’Connell, Beretta/Gavin

Result: 12th, 5th

Car: Corvette C6.R

Notes:

Year: 2011

Class: GT

Drivers: Beretta/Milner, Gavin/Magnussen

Result: 9th, 10th

Car: Corvette C6.R

Notes:

Year: 2012

Class: GT

Drivers: Garcia/Magnussen, Gavin/Milner

Result: 2nd, 3rd

Car: Corvette C6.R

Notes:

Ahead of the world’s most demanding road race

No. 74 Compuware Corvette C6.R – Oliver Gavin, Tommy Milner, Richard Westbrook

• • Starting seventh in GTE Pro. Oliver Gavin qualified with a 3:58.644 (127.754 mph) on Thursday
• • History at Le Mans:
• • Oliver Gavin – Twelve starts. Best finish: 1st (2002, 2004-06)
• • Tommy Milner – Four starts. Best finish: 1st (2011)
• • Richard Westbrook – Three starts. Best finish: 3rd (2010)

No. 73 Compuware Corvette C6.R – Antonio Garcia, Jan Magnussen, Jordan Taylor

• • Starting eighth in GTE Pro. Antonio Garcia qualified with a 3:59.526 (127.257 mph) Wednesday
• • History at Le Mans:
• • Antonio Garcia – Four starts. Best finish: 1st (2008-09, 2011)
• • Jan Magnussen – Fourteen starts. Best finish: 1st (2004-06, 2009)
• • Jordan Taylor – One start. Best finish: 5th (2012)

Corvette Racing at Le Mans

• • Le Mans Debut: 2000
• • Victories: Seven (2001-02, 2004-06, 2009, 2011)
• • Team 1-2 finishes: Four (2001-02, 2004-05)
• • First race: 2000 (3rd and 4th in GTS)
• • First win: 2001 (Ron Fellows/Johnny O’Connell/Scott Pruett)

100th Race with Michelin

The 2013 season is the tenth consecutive season for Corvette Racing as a Michelin technical partner team, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans will become the 100th race for the Corvette-Michelin partnership.

It’s been a fantastic first 99 between the two with 62 victories worldwide – five at Le Mans and 57 in the American Le Mans Series. Their ALMS success includes six wins at the Sebring 12 Hours; five at Petit Le Mans; and six driver, team and manufacturer championships.

Corvette Racing has won GT class honors in six of the last 13 ALMS races including Sebring (Gavin/Milner/Westbrook) and Laguna Seca (Magnussen/Garcia).

Jan Magnussen: National Hero?

The Danish contingent is out in force again at Le Mans, and a large gathering welcomed Jan Magnussen to its campsite. It’s not uncommon for more than 30,000 Danish fans to flock to Le Mans each year.

“To be at Le Mans as a Danish driver is one of the most fantastic things that a Dane can experience,” Magnussen says. “You have to understand that there are more Danish fans at Le Mans than at the biggest Danish race. We don’t have very big race tracks in Denmark. There are years where we have had upwards of 40,000 Danish people at Le Mans. It’s quite a drive! They go there, make a vacation and party out of it. There is no doubt their favorites are on track.”

Le Mans 24 Hours (all times CET)

• • Warm-up: 9-9:45 a.m., Saturday
• • Race: 3 p.m. Saturday-3 p.m., Sunday

Le Mans: Watch It!

Saturday, June 22-Sunday, June 23 (all times EDT)

• • SPEED: 8:30 a.m-2 p.m., Saturday; 4-7 p.m., Saturday; 7:30 p.m., Saturday-9:30 a.m., Sunday
• • SPEED.com: 2-4 p.m., Saturday; 7-7:30 p.m., Saturday
• • Corvette 24-Hour Live Stream: 9 a.m. Saturday-9 a.m. Sunday