By D. Brian Smith
Photography: Ben Moment

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That’s either Simon Pagenaud or David Brabham at the wheel of the Team Patron Highcroft Racing HPD ARX-01c LMP Acura passing a GTC Porsche.

Some of these American Le Mans Series machines are capable of speeds above 210 mph and have 700 horsepower. The American Le Mans Series teams arrived on Thursday, August 5 and had their prototypes teched, so they could begin initial test and tune sessions that same day. The #1 car, piloted by David Brabham and Simon Pagenaud, ran great on Thursday.

Chris Dyson and Guy Smith won the checkered flag in the Dyson Racing #16 Lola B09/B6-Mazda LMP car by defeating last year’s champion, Simon Pagenaud, who was just 0.506 seconds behind. This is the first time that Dyson Racing has won the American Le Mans Series at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge presented by Westfield Insurance. Weather conditions were picture perfect, with air temps in the 80s and a rather toasty track tarmac temperature of 109 degrees Fahrenheit. The tempestuous summer heat did nothing to dampen the cool customers Dyson and Smith, as they wiped out the rest of the field.

In the LMP Challenge class, Christophe Bouchut in the #55 Oreca FLM09 came first in class. Jaime Melo was anything but mellow, earning a class win in the #62 Ferrari 430 GT within the Grand Touring classification, by triumphing over Oliver Gavin in the #4 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 C6.R. Rounding out the class winners was Jeroen Bleekemolen in the #54 GTC classified Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car.

Melo and Bruni drove the #62 Ferrari 430 GT within Grand Touring to a first in class finish.

Yes, Jaime Melo and Gianmaria Bruni were fast, but not quick enough for Redline Review to miss capturing them full out and in focus. The No. 62 Risi Ferrari F430 GTC made history with the team’s first ever victory at the Mid Ohio Sports Car Course.

Car #54 where are you? Right here at the 2010 ALMS Mid-Ohio race finishing first in the GTC category. Drivers Pappas and Bleekemolen made the Porsche 911 GT3’s flat-6 boxer engine sing the sweet song of victory.

In the LMPC class, the #36 Oreca FLM09, raced by Montecalvo and Zugel came 6th in class and 15th overall.

Obviously sporting much more than a flashy paint job, the #55 Oreca FLM09 that Tucker and Bouchut drove finished first in the money within the LMPC class.

The digital art version of the Team Patron Highcroft Racing #1 LMP Acura next to a sweeter than life GTC Porsche 911 is rendered well enough for anyone’s living room wall.

Variety is the excitement in all things, especially American Le Mans Series endurance racecar events. There are no less than four particular classes of racecars, each with different weight, horsepower, torque and configuration. What occurs in every race is abundant action and viewing excitement for spectators. Imagine seeing a 700 horsepower, 200+ mph Le Mans Prototype {LMP} car cockpit to cockpit with a Jaguar XKRS in the GT Class, weighing in with 500 horsepower and 2,480 pounds of ballast to keep the Jag from getting by the LMP car. Of course, the driver of the LMP Peugeot 908 HDI say might have a challenge getting around the XKRS or the Ford GT-R in the corner. And another LMP Audi R15 say could swoop in from behind and Hoover around all comers with the ease of Chris Johnson running to the end zone.

These cars all look like the intoxicating machines you’ve see in an old Speed Racer cartoon, but way cooler, except they can’t really jump over the Grand Canyon or go 350 mph like Speed’s Mach 5 can.

In the LMP class are the Le Mans Prototypes that weigh a minimum of 900 Kilos {about 1,985 pounds}. These beauties can reach 100 mph in 3 seconds from rest, produce around 700 horsepower and can top 200 mph. Multiple manufacturers contest cars in the LMP class. They include the diesel-powered Peugeot 908 HDI, the Peugeot HPD ARX-01c and Audi R15, the Ginetta-Zytek 09S and 09HS {hybrid}, Lola open top and closed top coupes, Creation CA09 and the Porsche RS Spyder.

The LMP Challenge class is new for 2010 and consists of one manufacturer’s car, the ORECA-Courage FLM09 prototype, which weighs at least 900 kilos like its big LMP brothers, but is limited to 430 horsepower. These Challenge cars have carbon brakes and all carbon fiber chassis, while racing on single-supply Michelin tires. Xtrac paddle shifted sequential gearboxes transfer those 430 horses to the Michelin rubber and in most rapid fashion directly to the pavement. Where the Michelins stick to the road and rocket the ORECA FLM09s like the second coming of Speedy Gonzales or even the Road Runner – Beep! Beep!

Certainly no slow poke either, are the Corvette C6.R, Ferrari F430 GT, Ford GT-R, Panoz Abruzzi, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, Jaguar XKRS and BMW M3 machines that encompass the Grand Touring classification {GT}. The road burning in the GT class is up to 180 mph, with a minimum vehicle weight of 1,145 kilograms, or 2,480 pounds.

In the fourth class are the GT Challenge cars, the Porsche GT3 Cup cars that are based on the Porsche GT3 RS machines that some lucky folks own as daily drivers. They weigh in at 1,205 kilograms {approx. 2,655 pounds} and have top speeds up to 150 mph.

What we have here are four unique groups of racing machines that can all beat any road course on the planet. When you see these racecars going at it all sharing the same course, it’s readily apparent that this is the most exciting sort of racing you’re ever going to see. And, they’re endurance machines, so the aspect of attrition weighs heavily on who’s going to cross the finish line first in each category. If any of these cars aren’t built well back in the teams’ headquarters and prepared well in the paddock, then they won’t finish, no matter how great the racers are behind the wheel. That’s the deal with endurance racing and the way of the road course in American Le Mans Series events.

Redline Review is dedicated to providing the absolute best in automotive enthusiast media coverage, while at the same time raising awareness of the worthy cause of finding missing children and reuniting them with their families. We’ve already helped in finding five missing kids. Let’s all work together to finding many more.

If you would like to help, please visit the Child Rescue Network. You might be only a click away from helping to rescue a child.

Summers_Ashley-OH2
Ashley Summers
DOB 6/16/93
Missing from Cleveland, OH since 7/9/07
Hair Brown
Eyes Blue
Height 5’5”
Weight 130 lbs

Ashley has a tattoo of “Gene” and a heart on her right arm
Anyone with information should contact the Cleveland PD at 216.623.5005, your local FBI, or Child Rescue Network at 877.209.5437 ext. 82.

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Lotus Evora S – the Redline Review Monterey Car Week Car for 2013

1932 Auburn 8-100A Custom Eight Speedster by Union City Body Company

1973 BMW 3.0 CSL Coupé

1958 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster

1968 Shelby Mustang GT500-KR Convertible

Earning the top prize of Best of Show was a superlative 1928 Mercedes-Benz 680S Saoutchik Cabriolet, which is owned by Paul and Judy Andrews of Fort Worth, Texas. Designer/Coachbuilder Jacques Saoutchik produced seven exquisite Torpedo bodies for the Mercedes 680S chassis, with all six bodies having unique features. A low windscreen and chrome accents give this particular Saoutchik Torpedo a sports car, which enhances this luxury touring car’s appeal. Similar to the racing engines that powered the Mercedes-Benz SSK, the engine is a supercharged 6.8-liter straight eight.Robert and Sylvia Affleck, of Bradford Woods, Pennsylvania, own a very jaunty looking 1938 HRG Airline A. Crofts Coupe. Major Edward Halford, Guy Robins and Henry Ronald Godfrey founded HRG in 1936. With the exception of this coupe, all 241 HRGs were roadsters. There are still 225 HRGs still in existence, and 224 of these are roadsters.
The three images that succeed this one show an adept driver, who brought the car all the way back on course without incident. Well done!
Mazda North America went vintage racing in a big way, with no less than four of the company’s rotary engine powered road burners taking to the famous track with the nasty corkscrew turns at the top of the course. Team Mazda will be back for the Rolex Motorsports Reunion. Of course, Redline Review will also be back for all the action.Surrounded by three Lotus Evoras and three of Lotus Cars USA’s big shot executives, our temporary home during the Monterey Pre-Historics was with the Lotus display.

Melo and Bruni drove the #62 Ferrari 430 GT within Grand Touring to a first in class finish.

Yes, Jaime Melo and Gianmaria Bruni were fast, but not quick enough for Redline Review to miss capturing them full out and in focus. The No. 62 Risi Ferrari F430 GTC made history with the team’s first ever victory at the Mid Ohio Sports Car Course.

Car #54 where are you? Right here at the 2010 ALMS Mid-Ohio race finishing first in the GTC category. Drivers Pappas and Bleekemolen made the Porsche 911 GT3’s flat-6 boxer engine sing the sweet song of victory.

In the LMPC class, the #36 Oreca FLM09, raced by Montecalvo and Zugel came 6th in class and 15th overall.

Obviously sporting much more than a flashy paint job, the #55 Oreca FLM09 that Tucker and Bouchut drove finished first in the money within the LMPC class.

The digital art version of the Team Patron Highcroft Racing #1 LMP Acura next to a sweeter than life GTC Porsche 911 is rendered well enough for anyone’s living room wall.

Variety is the excitement in all things, especially American Le Mans Series endurance racecar events. There are no less than four particular classes of racecars, each with different weight, horsepower, torque and configuration. What occurs in every race is abundant action and viewing excitement for spectators. Imagine seeing a 700 horsepower, 200+ mph Le Mans Prototype {LMP} car cockpit to cockpit with a Jaguar XKRS in the GT Class, weighing in with 500 horsepower and 2,480 pounds of ballast to keep the Jag from getting by the LMP car. Of course, the driver of the LMP Peugeot 908 HDI say might have a challenge getting around the XKRS or the Ford GT-R in the corner. And another LMP Audi R15 say could swoop in from behind and Hoover around all comers with the ease of Chris Johnson running to the end zone.

These cars all look like the intoxicating machines you’ve see in an old Speed Racer cartoon, but way cooler, except they can’t really jump over the Grand Canyon or go 350 mph like Speed’s Mach 5 can.

In the LMP class are the Le Mans Prototypes that weigh a minimum of 900 Kilos {about 1,985 pounds}. These beauties can reach 100 mph in 3 seconds from rest, produce around 700 horsepower and can top 200 mph. Multiple manufacturers contest cars in the LMP class. They include the diesel-powered Peugeot 908 HDI, the Peugeot HPD ARX-01c and Audi R15, the Ginetta-Zytek 09S and 09HS {hybrid}, Lola open top and closed top coupes, Creation CA09 and the Porsche RS Spyder.

The LMP Challenge class is new for 2010 and consists of one manufacturer’s car, the ORECA-Courage FLM09 prototype, which weighs at least 900 kilos like its big LMP brothers, but is limited to 430 horsepower. These Challenge cars have carbon brakes and all carbon fiber chassis, while racing on single-supply Michelin tires. Xtrac paddle shifted sequential gearboxes transfer those 430 horses to the Michelin rubber and in most rapid fashion directly to the pavement. Where the Michelins stick to the road and rocket the ORECA FLM09s like the second coming of Speedy Gonzales or even the Road Runner – Beep! Beep!

Certainly no slow poke either, are the Corvette C6.R, Ferrari F430 GT, Ford GT-R, Panoz Abruzzi, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, Jaguar XKRS and BMW M3 machines that encompass the Grand Touring classification {GT}. The road burning in the GT class is up to 180 mph, with a minimum vehicle weight of 1,145 kilograms, or 2,480 pounds.

In the fourth class are the GT Challenge cars, the Porsche GT3 Cup cars that are based on the Porsche GT3 RS machines that some lucky folks own as daily drivers. They weigh in at 1,205 kilograms {approx. 2,655 pounds} and have top speeds up to 150 mph.

What we have here are four unique groups of racing machines that can all beat any road course on the planet. When you see these racecars going at it all sharing the same course, it’s readily apparent that this is the most exciting sort of racing you’re ever going to see. And, they’re endurance machines, so the aspect of attrition weighs heavily on who’s going to cross the finish line first in each category. If any of these cars aren’t built well back in the teams’ headquarters and prepared well in the paddock, then they won’t finish, no matter how great the racers are behind the wheel. That’s the deal with endurance racing and the way of the road course in American Le Mans Series events.

Redline Review is dedicated to providing the absolute best in automotive enthusiast media coverage, while at the same time raising awareness of the worthy cause of finding missing children and reuniting them with their families. We’ve already helped in finding five missing kids. Let’s all work together to finding many more.