DONATION champs Highcroft headed to Le Mans with Acura
2009 Am erican Le Mans Array LMP1 champions Patron Highcroft Racing have been streamer to France this June. A team’s season championship has earned it an invitation from a Vehicle Club de l’Ouest (ACO) to contest at the 24 hours of Le Mans. With the changes to the ALMS category makeup this year, the P1 Acura ARX-02a has been shelved in preference of an updated chronicle of a former P2 winning ARX-01c.
A Highcroft group will be make-up up 01c for a outing to France, a first time any of a Acura prototypes has run in Europe. This will also be Highcroft’s first outing to a round-the-clock classic. Highcroft was eligible to run in P1 with the ARX-02, though under stream ACO technical manners, it is really difficult for a gas powered car to contest with a diesel motor fuel Audis and Peugeots.
At this indicate Highcroft is the only Acura entry for a 2010 ALMS season. Fernandez racing sealed up at the finish of a 2009 deteriorate due to a lack of funding and De Ferran changed to Indy cars. UK based Strakka Racing will become a initial European team to part ner with Acura using the second ARX-01c in the P2 category at Le Mans as well as via a 2010 Le Mans Array season.
Gallery:Detroit Sports Car Plea 08
Gallery:Highcroft Racing Acura ARX-02a at Mid-Ohio 2009
[Source: American Le Mans Series]
HIGHCROFT RACING SELECTED TO RACE IN LE MANS 24 HOURS
Reigning American Le Mans Series LMP1 champions Highcroft Racing will race in this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans after being announced this sunrise as asingle of the 55 teams selected to contest a French endurance classical.
Highcroft Racing’s David Brabham – a leader of la st year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans with Peugeot – was in assemblage during a Automobile Bar de l’Ouest (ACO) press conference this sunrise in France.
A Danbury, CT-based team will take its 2010 American Le Mans Series entry, a Honda Performance Growth factory-backed ARX-01c framework to competition the LMP2 category at Le Mans upon June 12-13.
“Removing an entrance for Le Mans is intensely gratifying,” Dayton said.
“It has been a idea of ours given a origination of Highcroft Racing – preceding our relationships with both HPD as well as Patr?n, winning our initial competition or even a championship.
“This is something you have longedfor to do for a prolonged time as well as we are delighted and thankful for a opportunity as well as very unapproachable of the actuality you have been invited to France.
“The goal has regularly been to establish Highcroft as a leading international motorsports organization – to do which, being at Le Mans is necessary.”
Brabham has played an constituent purpose in a development of a Highcroft patrol given his debut as part of the Acura factory program in 2007.
He will urge his ALMS climax in 2010 teamed with Frenchman, Simon Pagenaud who last season took three poles, 5 race victories and six fastest laps while fighting against Highcroft. Marino Franchitti fills a third driver purpose for a team in long-distance races after scoring three stick positions, three fastest competition laps and 10 podiums from 10 LMP2 class races final deteriorate.
“For a reigning American Le Mans Series champions to go to Le Mans with the reigning winner of the 24 Hours is the conspicuous event,” Dayton said.
“We have long-standing and highly successful attribute with David as well as honestly, WE can’t suppose starting to Le Mans but him.
“He has been an integral partial of our program since a commencement of Highcroft Racing as well as his extent and abyss of knowledge at Le Mans will be so important for us.
“He has experience and a winning extraction both in prototypes as well as GT cars at Le Mans – you couldn’t pick the better man to lead your group at a 24 Hours for a first time.”
Highcroft Racing is one of 9 cars comparison to contest a LMP2 class at Le Mans. The t eam will do battle against an additional HPD ARX-01c of Engalnd’s Strakka Racing as well as two Pescarolo-Judds, two Ginetta-Zyteks, a WR-Zytek, the Lola-Judd and a HPD-powered Lola coupe.
“Even though you earned an LMP1 entrance after winning in a DONATION last year, given the fact which a petrol-powered car really can’t contest opposite the diesels during Le Mans, it unequivocally made clarity for us take the stream chassis and competition LMP2,” Dayton said.
“This will be the first flyaway race, the first time in Europe and our first time at Le Mans so you do have the lot to learn.
“We’re not underneath any fake pretences regarding the size of a plea forward. Rebellious an LMP1 victory at Le Mans was really not picturesque for us this yea r, though we’re very penetrating to challenge for the LMP2 win.
“We are starting to have to consequence it, work really tough and be a quick study since many of a competitors you will be fighting with have been there before.
“While our drivers have been to Le Mans as well as I’ve raced there four times, usually a handful of the crew guys have finished a competition so you will be on a steep learning bend.”
While the team competes in the American Le Mans Array as Patr?n Highcroft Racing, promotion laws in France will not assent a group to display the unchanging colors.
“We’re starting to be headed to France with new colors in June,” Dayton pronounced.
“We would have desired to fly a Patr?n dwindle in a biggest continuation competition in a universe, but we rightaway have the great event to introduce brandnew selling partners to a massive international audience.”
