18.04.2009 T-MOBILE® VICI RACING™ START A NEW CHAPTER TOGETHER WITH SUPERB FOURTH PLACE ON THE STREETS OF LONG BEACH
 

Long Beach, Calif. - Richard Westbrook and Johannes Stuck steered the #18 T-Mobile® Racing™ Porsche 911 GT3 RSR between the unforgiving concrete barriers that lined downtown Long Beach this afternoon to finish in a highly satisfying fourth place in the team’s first race of the year and one that signals the start of an exciting new partnership between the Miami, Florida based racing team, and T-Mobile USA, that is looking to challenge for glory in the American Le mans Series. A faultless race that saw Richard harrying the two factory BMW E92 M3 cars that started in front of him from the green flag ended with Johannes controlling the gaps to take the checkered flag.

VICI Racing™ is a long time established German/US racing team which has set out this week on its second year in the prestigious sports car racing series. T-Mobile USA is a leading innovator and provider of mobile communications. At the end of 2008, T-Mobile USA served more than 32.8 million customers. T-Mobile USA is the U.S. operation of Deutsche Telekom AG’s Mobile Communications Business, and a wholly owned subsidiary of T-Mobile International, one of the world’s leading companies in mobile communications. T-Mobile is a federally registered trademark of Deutsche Telekom AG. Michelin is a technical partner of the team.

With a 4:00 PM start time to the 100 minute race a long day was in store at the beachfront circuit today as the atmosphere – and the heat – wound up by the hour. The crowds started pouring in from dawn and by the time mid afternoon ticked round the grandstands and every available viewing spot was packed out, while the balconies of towering apartment blocks that bookend the circuit were crammed. In the backdrop the Pacific Ocean glittered in the sunlight, completing a vivid scene of colours and emotions that justifiably earn this race comparison to the legendary Monte Carlo Grand Prix.

At the green flag Richard was lined up for the rolling start behind the two BMWs, a situation that had resulted from the #18 car’s qualifying runs being compromised yesterday. From the off he harried the #90 BMW E92 M3 piloted by Bill Auberlen. Posting consistent times in the 1:22 minute bracket Richard was unable to squeeze past the BMW on the tight 1.986-mile street course despite all his best efforts as the M3 was able to show a power advantage on the straights. However on lap 15 he took advantage of a lapping prototype-class car to elbow his was unceremoniously past Auberelen and quickly set off in hot pursuit of its sister #92 car which was in the hands of Tom Milner for the opening stint. Within five laps Richard had closed the 7 second gap down and was locked onto the bumper of the #92 BMW but then the London-based driver was faced the same problem in that the BMW had an advantage on the straights, although the #18 car was consistently 1-2/10th a lap quicker.

On lap 32 the #18 car was elevated into the podium positions as the #87 Farnbacher-Loles Porsche pitted where it remained for a number of laps. On lap 42 the #18 T-Mobile® VICI Racing™ Porsche pitted for its routine one stop of the race, Richard handing over to Johannes, who blasted out to rejoin the proceedings in fifth place after a change of tires and adding fuel.

As Johannes streaked out onto the sun-soaked race track the embracing hand of history hovered high above the tall frame of this 22-year-old: his father, Hans-Joachim, who towers over motor racing metaphorically as well as physically, raced here the very first time that the F1 cars roared into action here for the inaugural Long Beach Grand Prix in 1976. Then Hans-Joachim was behind the wheel of a single seater March, and now, 33 years later, Johannes, the third generation of rapid racing Stucks, was in the cockpit of a Porsche 911 GT3 RSR intent on carrying on the family’s ‘trade’ of winning races. Swiftly posting consecutive 1:23-bracket laps, the Austrian was able to take advantage of an error by the #90 BMW to move up to fourth place and the comfortably control his advantage over the competitor behind until the yellow flags were waved with just 4 minutes off the race remaining as the GT2 class Chevrolet Riley Corvette showed the track with debris. This was the end of the action as the checkered flag was unfurled as the surviving cars circulated behind the pace car. For the record the #18 T-Mobile® VICI Racing™ Porsche 911 GT3 RSR completed 70 laps (42 laps by Richard, 28 laps by Johannes) of the 1.968-mile temporary road course this afternoon on its way to fourth place in the GT2 class.
 

The fastest lap was set by Richard in 1:22.559 on lap 6 and the car raced for 1 hour 41 minutes and 55.445 seconds between the waving of the green and checkered flags. As well as collecting the first drivers’ and teams’ championship points of the season, the team also won “The Founder’s Cup” which is awarded by Don Panoz to be best placed privateer team.

Ron C Meixner, Team President VICI Racing: “This was a very good start to our partnership with T-Mobile®. The whole programme has come together so quickly that we hardly had time to draw breath before we were lining up on the grid here today. Everyone worked so hard to put this together, all the issues were dealt with quickly, and everyone was totally focused, so it means we have a really good basis to build this relationship now, and push for success, all sides are hungry to win. Today the team did everything I could ask from them, I’m proud of these guys, but now we have to focus on Utah and raise our game a step further.”

Roland Wall, Technical Director VICI Racing: “We did everything we could this afternoon, everyone worked hard and we ended up fourth which we deserved. Everything went well, the strategy played out well, and we looked quick out there. The drivers did a proper job and were consistently fast so I’m pleased with how they paired up together.”

Richard Westbrook (England) #18: “It was an exciting race, I'm happy with it. I was stuck behind the two BMWs at the start and it was very difficult to pass [Bill] Auberlen from the start and especially here where it is very difficult to pass cars, and the BMW had a good pace on the straights. I had to bide my time but the moment came and I was through. Then I easily closed up on the other BMW but then I had the same problem and as the engine was heating up when I got close I had to keep backing off and making a gap. I would have liked to have taken more risks but as this was our first race it was important to be a little bit conservative and make sure we got a good finish position. I'm pleased with the race, with our pace and I'm pleased with the team. Johannes was a great team mate, I’m happy to have driven with him, I know him but haven’t shared a car with him before, and we made a pretty good line up. I think this was a good start to our year and without the problems in qualifying yesterday we would have been on the podium for sure.”

Johannes Stuck (Austria) #18: “I’m pleased with my performance in the race today. Richard handed over the car to me in a good position and I was able to control the position during my stint. I got more used to the car as the race progressed and I was pleased my times were on the pace. It’s been a good start to driving for the team, I am pleased with driving with Richard, and I’m happy with how it has al gone.”

About T-Mobile USA, Inc.

Based in Bellevue, Wash., T-Mobile USA, Inc. is the U.S. operation of Deutsche Telekom AG’s Mobile Communications Business, and a wholly owned subsidiary of T-Mobile International, one of the world’s leading companies in mobile communications. By the end of 2008, 128 million mobile customers were served by the mobile communication segments of the Deutsche Telekom group—32.8 million by T-Mobile USA—all via a common technology platform based on GSM, the world’s most widely used digital wireless standard. T-Mobile’s innovative wireless products and services help empower people to connect to those who matter most. Multiple independent research studies continue to rank T-Mobile among the highest in numerous regions throughout the U.S. in wireless customer care and call quality. For more information, please visit http://www.T-Mobile.com. T-Mobile is a federally registered trademark of Deutsche Telekom AG.

About VICI Racing™

VICI Racing™ is a Miami, Florida-and Munich, Germany-based racing team with more than 20 years of experience competing at the topmost levels of international sports car racing, in both GT and prototype categories, in Europe and the United States. VICI Racing™ is a wholly owned subsidiary of the VICI Group, which is comprised of technology-led companies. VICI Racing roll call of wins includes GT victory in the Daytona 24 Hours. In 2009 VICI Racing™ is competing in the American Le Mans Series in conjunction with partner T-Mobile USA. VICI Racing™ is a registered trademark of the VICI Group. For more information visit www.viciracing.com
 

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