18.04.2008 VICI Racing, Long Beach - Qualifying Report
 

Long Beach, Calif.: After a very tough fortnight VICI Racing and development partner Kumho Tire have come through qualifying this afternoon in pleasing form and are now looking forward to turning in a strong showing in tomorrow’s Tequila Patrón American Le Mans Series at Long Beach Race. Craig Stanton posted a best lap time of 1:23.003 in the #5 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR during the six laps he ran in the 25 minute qualifying session which got underway in the 75 degree temperatures at 3:55 PM today.

This whole week has been a real test for the VICI Racing, and one they have come through with flying colours. Following the damage incurred at St. Petersburg a fortnight ago, the team has had to prepare the chassis and then drive right across the country from their Florida base to California. Preparation of the #5 car took place at the track here on Wednesday and was completed yesterday, meaning that the team was already on the back foot compared to its GT2 rivals having been forced to miss out on Thursday afternoon’s two important acclimatisation sessions. With virtually no pre-race track time these sessions become an even more strategic necessity. However, the task for this week is to get the #5 car back on track and move the tire development program, being run on behalf of Kumho Tire this season, forward another step. With the drivers unfamiliar with the 1.968-mile temporary road course at Long Beach and the team having battled back from the issues faced at the last round, as such a conservative approach is called for. 

Nathan Swartzbaugh and Craig Stanton lead the driver line-up in the VICI Racing Porsche 911 GT3 RSR and both drivers are on their ‘home soil’ in Long Beach this week, both anxious to turn in a good result. They are joined in the #5 car by Ruben Carrapatoso, the young Brazilian having impressing the team during his brief time at the wheel of the RSR in St. Petersburg.

Today’s action on the famous former Formula 1 venue started with a this morning with a forty minute free practice session (9:05 – 9:45 AM) and the session got underway in warm and sunny conditions, under clear blue skies, in a very positive manner for the team as the #5 car turned its wheels for the first time this week. Ruben took to the cockpit for the opening laps of the session, as he looked to gain more experience of the Porsche 911 GT3 RSR following his brief few laps in St. Petersburg. The Brazilian, a former karting world champion, turned in a couple of installation laps as the session went green before returning to the pits for a quick check over of the car.

The pit area is quite cramped here, but few can be unmoved by the glorious Long Beach atmosphere with a regimental line of palm trees waving on the opposite side of the track, and the backdrop of the pit curve dropping away into a large lagoon, complete with steeply humped pedestrian bridges. The crew satisfied with the car, Ruben blasted back onto the track, and for the next fifteen minutes he lapped in a consistent low 1:28 pace as he got to grips with this unique temporary course and the individual qualities of a top-level GT2 racing car.

After 19 minutes of the session a caution flag was waved, and Ruben took immediate advantage of the conditions to pit and hand the #5 car over to Craig, who returned to the track after 23 minutes of the session had elapsed. Craig straight away set a 1:26.805 on his first clear lap before his next tour, a 1:24.918, moved him into the 1:24 bracket. More consistent driving and he reduced that to 1:24.451, after 28 minutes of the session. He followed that up with a 1:24.980, radioing in to the pit to say “the car feels great”. The local resident, who has turned up this week on his mountain bike, then dropped under the 1:24 barrier with a 1:23.679, following that with a 1:24.025.
 

And, after 34 minutes, posting a 1:23.879. With just four minutes of the session remaining a spinning Viper brought out the red flag and a premature end to the session.

With no running taking place yesterday the qualifying session would serve to set the car up for the race with Technical Director & Chief Engineer Roland Wall making adjustments to the car during the time gap before the session was due to start at 3:55 PM. Roland wanted a steady pace and just a handful of laps to check that the race set up was correct. Craig was entrusted to qualify the car and he went out in the 74 degree heat, posting a 1:23.152 on his second lap. He followed this up with a 1:23.002 and 1:23.510, and after six laps in the 1:23 bracket and having reported the car to be running perfectly, he was called in after 12 minutes of the session.

Craig Stanton says, “The car felt very good out on the track, the set up and the Kumho tires are dealing with the many bumps here very well, so I’m sure we can achieve a good race pace. The track is very slippery which means we will need to be careful tomorrow but the RSR seems very well suited to Long Beach. The guys have done an incredible job to get the car here and get it ready for the race, their hard work and professionalism is never in doubt, it’s a pleasure to race with them. Hopefully now we can turn in a good result tomorrow; everyone really deserves it.”

Ruben Carrapatoso says: “I really enjoyed it out on track this morning. The car felt very good, very smooth and fast. The track is much wider than at St. Petersburg and it is quite a bit quicker too with two really flat out sections. It was very slippery out there, though Roland told me a lot of this was from rubber laid down during a drifting display. The team asked me to take it very easy and take no risks while I was learning the track, so I didn’t push the car hard at any point. I’m getting more settled into the car with each lap and the team has been very helpful, so I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”

Roland Wall, Technical Director & Chief Engineer VICI Racing, says: “I’m pretty pleased with how today has worked out. With such limited time on track today and no running yesterday we just used the qualifying session to check that our race set up was working well. Qualifying wasn’t a priority for us. The data looks good and I think that if we can steer clear of any on track incidents tomorrow we should be in a good position. The crew have worked tremendously hard ever since St. Petersburg and it is down to the whole team that we are in the position of lining up on the grid here looking forward to a good showing.”

Tim Bumps, Team Manger VICI Racing says, “I’m happy with how it’s gone this afternoon. Now I want us to get through tomorrow’s race intact and reach the chequered flag with all four wheels on the car. We’re set up well for the race and after several very late nights this week for the crew we don’t really have much more to do tonight than wiping the car down.”

Race day tomorrow (Saturday 19th April) will dawn with a very early 15 minute warm up session (7:15 – 7:30 AM) for all classes before the Tequila Patrón American Le Mans Series at Long Beach goes to green flag at 4:10 PM local time. The 100 minutes duration race, round three of the 2008 ALMS series, is scheduled to conclude at 5:50 PM. ABC TV will broadcast the race from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, April 20. XM Satellite Radio will provide coverage on Channel 144 from 7 to 9 p.m. ET Saturday, April 19. American Le Mans Radio will have live coverage of the race at www.americanlemans.com, which also will feature IMSA's Live Timing & Scoring.
 

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