IMSA – TUDOR UNITED SPORTSCAR CHAMPIONSHIP
PETIT LE MANS
ROAD ATLANTA
CORVETTE DRIVER IN-RACE UPDATES
OCT. 3, 2015
ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “My approach wasn’t quite like surviving; I was going. The car worked really good. All that I couldn’t do in qualifying yesterday I was able to do today. I had good rhythm, and everything seemed to be very good. I took every opportunity I had to pass the 25 BMW, the 62 BMW, and then closed up on Oliver (Gavin) in the 4 Corvette and the 24 BMW. Halfway through that stint, I felt something funny on the rear of the car, and I asked the team if there was something wrong with the pressures. We found out that the nut was loose and we lost track position. Thankfully it didn’t come all the way loose. I went all the way to the back again but was on the move again under green. That’s how good the car was. I was able to catch back up before the alternator belt had to be replaced. It’s good that it happened one-and-a-half hours; it wasn’t so good under green but it was a great job and a really impressive full-service stop by the Corvette Racing team. We barely lost any positions. I don’t know if we have anything for the Porsche but we are competitive with everyone else.”
RICHARD WESTBROOK, VISITFLORIDA.COM NO. 90 CORVETTE DP: “It is early in the day, but so far so good. The car is comfortable. That was the main thing. The conditions are really on the limit. If they get any worse, they are going to have to do something about it because visibility and standing water is really, really bad.”
RICKY TAYLOR, WAYNE TAYLOR RACING NO. 10 KONICA MINOLTA CORVETTE DP: “It was pretty good. The goal was not to go off track. We are still figuring out tire pressures and where we want to be; we’re losing quite a bit at the beginning of the stint. We’ll be in good shape later in the race I think. The car balance and setup is good. It’s just a matter of where we want to have it for the end. You eventually get into a groove driving in the rain, but no matter how much of a groove, it’s incredibly mentally draining. You can never rest or lose concentration at all. Visibility is bad behind other cars but for the majority of my stint it was fine. When it started raining at the end, it got pretty bad.”
CHRISTIAN FITTIPALDI, ACTION EXPRESS RACING NO. 5 CORVETTE DP: “That was a pretty good solid stint. We have definitely a pretty good car underneath us. It was what it was. Unfortunately I had a spin toward the end of our second stint. The rain started to get heavier and I probably moved the car two inches to the right or two the left. I grabbed a puddle. I didn’t even have time to start dreaming of correcting the car. It just swapped ends on me. I was very lucky I managed to get it out of the gravel. I didn’t get buried. I really don’t think it is going to affect the final result of the race. We are on the lead lap and running P4 right now and there is only eight hours to go! It is completely wide open and we will see what is going to happen.”
OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “I started off very well, I had a good race with Lucas (Luhr, No. 24 BMW). It was back and forth between us. We were running third at the first stop and elected to take fuel and no tires. On the restart, things were going ok; the guys on newer tires were stronger. I was trying to follow them when the track was trying to dry a little bit. I could go deeper and deeper at Turn 1 but unfortunately I just overcooked it. Once you’re on the grass, you’re just a passenger. There was a little bit of contact with the wall but nothing serious. I just had to reverse it up to rejoin. But the car is competitive and fast. We got our lap back which was good. Tommy is running very well. It’s extremely difficult. All the drivers have said the conditions are just treacherous.”
DANE CAMERON, ACTION EXPRESS RACING NO. 31 WHELEN ENGINEERING/TEAM FOX CORVETTE DP: “These conditions are way tougher mentally, especially when you have these long periods where they are working on the track and you are rolling around under yellow, then boom… all of a sudden it is going green in a half of a lap and you have to get back in the game. The track is constantly changing. It is getting dryer, dryer, dryer then boom in two laps it is back under water again. Hats off to IMSA and the track. I know they are doing all they can to keep us going, but it is Road Atlanta when it rains.
“As my friend Max (Papis) likes to say, all you can do is race the race track. We take each lap and each corner as they come, but to win this championship, we really need to win here. So, we have to push hard when we can, but we really need to stay on track so it is a delicate balance. We will just do our best.”
MAX PAPIS, ACTION EXPRESS RACING NO. 31 WHELEN ENGINEERING/TEAM FOX CORVETTE DP: The conditions have been very difficult. For a couple of days we have been running in the rain. I have my whole faith in the tower over there with IMSA. We are out there racing in the rain and they say they think we can do it. Here at Action Express and Whelen, we have been preparing very well for these conditions. I have complete confidence in the team. We are here for one thing and that is to win the championship, and we think we can do it. We are going to go out there and do the best job we can no matter if it is raining or pouring or whatever. In this situation, it really separates those who really love the sport and who loves it less.”