Baltimore Grand Prix

With the world’s greatest sports car race, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, behind us, ALMS teams are afforded the opportunity to catch their breath; the fourth round in the ALMS isn’t until July 9th.  For the third year now the series will compete on the 3 mile road course at Miller Motorsports Park in Utah.  The race is the standard 2 hour 45 minute go with incredible views of the Rockies in the back drop. 

There was some doubt earlier in the season if the numbers in the field would hold true as the middle and end of the season drew near.  While the 35 car field (13 GT) scheduled to race at Miller may not be as strong as field’s past, it’s still pretty good with potential to make for a great race!

Le Belle Macchine d’Italia was held this past weekend in the Pocono mountains.  I must say, this was one of the most worthy collections of Italian exotics I’ve seen.  F-430′s seemed to be run-of-the-mill.   Most impressive was the Enzo FXX, I’d love to see a team enter this car into the ALMS GT class or previous GT-1 class.  Labeled as the largest 3-day Italian motoring event in North America, it just might have been.  I’d like to see that collection here in the Baltimore Grand Prix!

I was able to snap a few shots, take a look..

…not bad, but how bout this…

..not impressed, this should do it…

…and yup, that’s an Enzo FXX behind the LMP car…

 sooo…yeah, that car’s ok.

Jason

jschiavone@baltimoregp.com

www.baltimoregrandprix.com

- keep an ear out for ALMS news as it relates to the Baltimore Grand Prix.. 

With the world’s greatest sports car race, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, behind us, ALMS teams are afforded the opportunity to catch their breath; the fourth round in the ALMS isn’t until July 9th.  For the third year now the series will compete on the 3 mile road course at Miller Motorsports Park in Utah.  The race is the standard 2 hour 45 minute go with incredible views of the Rockies in the back drop. 

There was some doubt earlier in the season if the numbers in the field would hold true as the middle and end of the season drew near.  While the 35 car field (13 GT) scheduled to race at Miller may not be as strong as field’s past, it’s still pretty good with potential to make for a great race!

Has anyone heard of Le Belle Macchine d’Italia?  Supposedly it’s the largest 3-day Italian motoring event in North America and it’s happening right up in the Poconos, a morning’s drive from Baltimore.  I checked with a few sources and found that it is in fact, a spectacular gathering of some of the most prestigious Italian cars in the country.  Concours will be held at the Skytop Lodge and racing/driving events at Pocono Raceway.  We’re heading up Friday afternoon and looking forward to a great showing! 

So it should be a fun time, anyone else there?  If we’re spared some free time we’ll try to catch some of the F1 GP also this Sunday in Valencia. 

Jason

jschiavone@baltimoregp.com

www.baltimoregrandprix.com

- keep an ear out for ALMS news as it relates to the Baltimore Grand Prix.. 

The green flag fell this past Saturday for the 78th running of the world’s greatest sports car race; the 24 Hours of Le Mans!  The record level, 56 entries in the field took off with all the glory and excitement you would expect from a race that’s endured 78 years.  Not surprisingly however, only half the field was running the next morning when the checkered flag was waiving.  Endurance races of this caliber, 24 hours with an average speed of 120+mph,  require extensive preparation of both man and machine.  Those inadequately prepped, won’t stand a chance.

Diesel power seems to have taken over at the forefront of the LMP1 class.  After a commanding presence in qualifying, Peugeot was the favorite and pole position holder.  Only problem with qualifying is that it doesn’t simulate the endurance aspect of a 24 hour race.  Team Peugeot was performing well but ultimately retired from the race due to various technical reasons.  The diesel powered Audis took 1st, 2nd and 3rd in class and overall with the first place, number 9 Audi R15 completing 397 laps!  Congratulations to Audi on a hard fought victory, for representing three of the six LMP1 cars able to complete the race of the 18 LMP1 entries, and for setting new speed and distance records…excellent job! 

There were twelve LMP2 cars, eight LMGT1 cars including the first place in class finisher Saleen S7R and Lamborghini Murcielago, and 18 LMGT2 cars!  Well done Porsches on capturing yet another class victory and congratulations to you PCA guys.  However!… if BMW was also represented by 6 teams as opposed to only 2…well, then..who knows?  Too bad for the Risi Competizione Ferraris; after being knocked to the back of the grid for technical issues in qualifying, their appearance wasn’t much improved as they retired from the race with mechanical failures.  No matter though, F430s still took 2nd and 4th and their place has already been solidified in history.  

Here’s a nice link to results…

 http://www.lemans.org/en/courses/24h-chrono-en-direct-2010.html

The next race on the 2010 ALMS schedule will be July 9-11 at Miller Motorsports Park in Utah with 35 entries as of 6/11.  That’s a pretty strong field, not too bad, but after watching this past weekends race, I feel like I need to do some lobbying to strengthen the LMP1 class; I want to see some diesel powered Audis and Peugeots over here!  I going to have to work on that.

 Jason

jschiavone@baltimoregp.com

www.baltimoregp.com