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Acura Prototype Sports Automobiles Complete Three Days at Sebring; ALMS Groups Make Progress Making ready for 12-Hour Traditional

By: sami john

Getting ready for one in every of motorsports' most demanding events, the legendary 12 Hours of Sebring, could be a tough task for racing teams. Long hours must be logged on and off the track by drivers, engineers and mechanics to take their machines to the limit in preparing for the contest.

For 3 days this week, the three new Acura American Le Mans Sequence LMP2 sports activities car teams - Andretti Green Racing, Lowe's Fernandez Racing and Highcroft Racing - worked Florida Honda by means of a wide range of race-type eventualities on the rough surface of the 3.7-mile, 17-turn former airport street circuit often called Sebring Worldwide Raceway.

All Acura American Le Mans Collection operations are using the new 3.4-liter V-eight Acura ALMS engine, the first racing power plant utterly designed and developed by Honda Performance Improvement (HPD) of Santa Clarita, Calif.

The fifty fifth operating of the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring sports automotive traditional is ready to take place on March 17 when the Acura manufacturing unit prototype machines make their American Le Mans Series debut on the legendary course in south Florida.

The annual American Le Mans Used Cars Series Winter Take a look at at Sebring saw automobiles from 4 separate courses run in in seven apply periods and the brand new Acura mounts performed effectively towards quite a lot of makes and models. Despite the Acura vehicles' infancy within the LMP2 division, all three Acura teams confirmed outstanding potential throughout the three days of testing.

On the first day, Lowe's Fernandez Racing drivers Adrian Fernandez and Luis Diaz paced the Acura assault with a best time of 1 minute, 50.156 seconds for a mean speed of 120.919 miles per hour in their Lola. Andretti Inexperienced's Bryan Herta and Dario Franchitti clocked in at 1:50.747 (120.274 m.p.h.) in the XM Satellite tv for pc Braveness, adopted by the trio of Duncan Dayton, David Brabham and Stefan Johansson in the Highcroft Courage at 1:52.472 (118.429 m.p.h.).

Day Two New Honda's showed enchancment by all three Acura squads with the Lowe's Fernandez unit once more the quickest at 1:48.207 (123.097 m.p.h.) followed by Highcroft at 1:49.391 (121.765 m.p.h.) and Andretti Green at 1:49.493 (121.652 m.p.h.). IndyCar Collection common Danica Patrick drove the XM Satellite Acura in the afternoon for her first official check in a prototype sports car.

On the final testing day, Luiz Diaz posted the quickest Acura time of the three-day session with a lap of 1.47.006 (124.479 m.p.h.) in the Lowe's Acura, with Franchitti taking the XM Acura to a best of 1:47.386 (124.039 m.p.h.). Johansson clocked in for Highcroft with a 1:48.388 (122.892 m.p.h.).

The three Acura teams are set for an additional testing session previous to 12 hours of Sebring, on Feb. 19-20.

ALMS Winter Check Best Times (LMP2 Class, over 3 Days)

1. Dyson Porsche (124.506 mph) 1:46.983
2. Fernandez ACURA (124.479 mph) 1:47.006
3. Penske Porsche (124.293 mph) 1:47.166
4. Andretti Inexperienced ACURA (124.039 mph) 1:forty seven:386
5. Highcroft ACURA (122.892 mph) 1:48.388
Acura Quotes:

ROBERT CLARKE (HPD President) : "We are moving along with our development of the brand new Acura ALMS program right here at Sebring. Reliability is our aim at this time. Now we have been working very hard with all three of our Acura groups to emphasize the reliability factor, Auto Specials particularly right here at Sebring. The 12 Hours of Sebring is an extremely tough race on automobiles and engines. So our major goal right now could be to complete the race."

ADRIAN FERNANDEZ (Co-driver and co-owner of the No. 15 Lowe's Fernandez Racing Acura Lola): "We were going by means of a variety of things with the chassis and engine this week. We have started focusing on the race now. We now have been capable of improve the automobile each outing this week. We are getting quicker with the car however our objective to complete the 12 Hours of Sebring."

LUIS DIAZ (Co-driver of the No. 15 Lowe's Fernandez Racing Acura Lola): "We're on a learning curve proper now with the Acura program. That is the most effective race automotive I have ever driven and the Acura program is thrilling for me. The workforce just retains making the automobile higher and better. It's a skilled process that the Acura folks have put together. I do know we can be successful."

BRYAN HERTA (Co-driver of the No. 26 XM Satellite tv for pc Radio Acura Braveness): "We are very excited to be concerned with Acura and racing within the ALMS series. It is a natural extension for me with the Andretti Schedule Service Green group and XM Satellite Radio as I have raced with both of them within the IndyCar Series. I see plenty of potential with this Acura program and the ALMS series. Plus, attending to race with my pal, Dario [Franchitti], is a superb experience. These vehicles are fun to drive and I see an awesome future with Acura."

DARIO FRANCHITTI (Co-driver of the No. 26 AM Satellite tv for pc Radio Acura Courage): "I am delighted with be racing with Acura within the ALMS sports automotive series. It will likely be a busy season for me in both the ALMS and the IndyCar Series. But I have wantedi to race in a sports activities automotive and Acura has put together an incredible program for us. These vehicles are a blast to drive."

DAVID BRABHAM (Co-driver of the No. 9 Highcroft Racing Acura Courage): "We know that the 12-hour race right here at Sebring is tough. Order Parts However we've got lots of experience on the Highcroft team. Now we have to do not forget that this can be a take a look at and now we have had some issues to be fixed. However we now have been making improvements all through the three days. The Acura engineers have been nice to work with all through the testing and I can see plenty of potential with this ALMS program. I am very excited for 2007."

STEFAN JOHANSSON (Co-driver of the No. 9 Highcroft Racing Acura Braveness): "The Acura program was very encouraging this week at Sebring. We all know we have to run the automobiles as a lot as potential to get ready for the 12 Hours of Sebring and the rest of the ALMS series. Auto Finance We are not frightened about speed right now. We want reliability first after which we'll get to the speed."

Mobil 1 12 Hours Of Sebring

Date: March 14-17, 2007
Location: Sebring, Fla., Worldwide Raceway
Track Kind: 3.7-Mile Street Course, 17 Turns
Race: Round 1 of 12 Races, 10 a.m. American Le Mans Series
Distance: 12 Hours
Television: SPEED Channel, Stay, 10 a.m.-eleven p.m.

2007 Upcoming ALMS Races

March 17 Sebring, Florida
March 31 St. Petersburg, Florida
April 14 Lengthy Seashore, California
April 21 Houston, Texas
May 20 Salt Lake City, Utah.

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