SEBRING, Fla.—The opening day of the American Le Mans Series Winter Tests at Sebring International Speedway Monday dawned damp and gloomy. When the track went hot at 8 a.m. the sky threatened rain. By mid-morning sandstorms turned out to be the real hazard. Hard dry winds whipped across the old airport driving low clouds and walls of dust. [Cup photo galleries coming tomorrow.]
Neither gloom nor intermittent bright sun nor driving winds interfered with the business of the day: ALMS racing teams unveiling the fruits of a winter’s worth of tinkering, and testing their innovations at full speed at North America’s most famous road-racing venue.
Day One was reserved for IMSA’s (International Motor Sports Association, which sanctions ALMS) support series, Cooper Tires Prototypes Lites, and GT3 Cup Challenge. The big guns—ALMS Le Mans prototypes and GTs—start testing Wednesday. That is when the newest ALMS competitors will first be revealed to the public.
Lites and Cup cars managed to create a day of fine racing entertainment, despite being less expensive series. With cars on the track almost constantly from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., there was no shortage of exciting sights and sounds.
Test day results don’t mean much. Teams are trying new parts, different set-ups, breaking in new drivers and crew, experimenting with tiore pressures and fuel loads. Still, teams still care about who goes fastest.
IMSA race director Terry Dale started the day with a team meeting where he reminded everyone that this was testing—there were no prizes. Bumping and banging was strictly forbidden.
While it might be nothing but one night’s bragging rights, the fastest in class in the final session are listed below.
Neither gloom nor intermittent bright sun nor driving winds interfered with the business of the day: ALMS racing teams unveiling the fruits of a winter’s worth of tinkering, and testing their innovations at full speed at North America’s most famous road-racing venue.
Day One was reserved for IMSA’s (International Motor Sports Association, which sanctions ALMS) support series, Cooper Tires Prototypes Lites, and GT3 Cup Challenge. The big guns—ALMS Le Mans prototypes and GTs—start testing Wednesday. That is when the newest ALMS competitors will first be revealed to the public.
Lites and Cup cars managed to create a day of fine racing entertainment, despite being less expensive series. With cars on the track almost constantly from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., there was no shortage of exciting sights and sounds.
Test day results don’t mean much. Teams are trying new parts, different set-ups, breaking in new drivers and crew, experimenting with tiore pressures and fuel loads. Still, teams still care about who goes fastest.
IMSA race director Terry Dale started the day with a team meeting where he reminded everyone that this was testing—there were no prizes. Bumping and banging was strictly forbidden.
While it might be nothing but one night’s bragging rights, the fastest in class in the final session are listed below.
