A Fifth Place Feels Almost Like A Win

Jesse Krohn with the BMW M8 GTE on the Pre-Grid for the BUBBA Burger Sports Car Grand Prix at Long Beach.  Image Credit: 2018 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

"A Fifth Place Feels Almost Like A Win"
Words By: Brandon J. O'Brien
Image Credits: 2018 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images unless otherwise specified.

Due to another Balance of Power (BOP) adjustment imposed by IMSA after Sebring on the new BMW M8 GTE, BMW Team RLL went into the event at Long Beach knowing that for them to succeed it would all come down to strategy.

Even though the 1.968 mile Long Beach course with it's 11 Turns is a course where braking and handling make a difference, the long start/finish straight and the two shorter straights require a lot of power and speed to bring home a win.  With BMW being able to come up with only two out of the three necessary components this was not going to be a easy weekend for BMW Team RLL.

Team Principal, Bobby Rahal stated prior to the weekend, "We have had good fortune at Long Beach over the years.  We have won three times and had a number of podiums.  In fact, we have had at least one car of the two on the podium every year since 2009 except the past two years and we were a contender in those so overall we have a pretty good track record in Long Beach."

After qualifying on Saturday the No. 66 Ford GT driven by Joey Hand was on the GTLM pole with a time of 1:16.869 minutes. The best BMW could do was to secure the 7th and 8th GTLM class starting positions. The No. 25 driven by Conner DePhillippi posted a 1:18.153 minute best lap followed by the No. 24 driven by Jesse Krohn with a 1:18.224 minute time.  Rahal's mood was not as hopeful, "We are obviously disappointed with qualifying as everyone on our team is doing the best they possibly can, given what we've got to work with." Now it was down to strategy.

The No. 25 BMW M8 GTE entering Turn 6 being closely followed by a Prototype at Long Beach.  Image Credit: 2018 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

Conner DePhillippi starting in the No. 25 BMW M8 GTE was the first car in the GTLM class to pit on lap 17 just as the fuel window opened.  Alexander Sims took over and re-entered the race on new tires and enough fuel to make it to the finish.  A prototype brought out a yellow minutes later which allowed Sims to save more fuel and cycle to the front of the class as the rest of the field made pit stops.

After leading nine laps he was "passed" by the No. 912 Porsche in the fountain complex.  He was still in good position for a podium finish when, on lap 37 he tagged the wall exiting the Turn-10 hairpin exerting enough damage to the left front of the car to crawl to the pits and retire.

The No. 24 BMW M8 GTE in the Fountains Complex at Long Beach.  Image Credit: 2018 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

The No. 24 BMW M8 GTE which was started by Jesse Krohn maintained his 8th place position through the pit stop where he turned the car over to co-driver John Edwards.  Edwards was able to pick up places as other GTLM cars were forced to pit or retire due to damage. He was able to work his was up to 5th place and held on to that position for the remaining 20 minutes of the race.

Bobby Rahal stated after the race that, "A fifth place almost feels like a win.  Our strategy worked out well initially, pitting early and getting one of the cars into the lead after the yellow.  It was obvious that it would be very difficult for us to stay in the lead however."

The Podium for the BUBBA Burger Sports Car Grand Prix of Long Beach GTLM Class; (L-R) R. Briscoe, R. Westbrook, T, Milner, O. Gavin, D. Mueller, and Joey Hand.  Image Credit: 2018 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

For the GTLM class the final outcome was: 1st-place to the No. 4 Corvette Racing Chevrolet Corvette C7.R driven by Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner;  2nd-place to the No. 67 Ford Chip Ganassi Racing Ford GT driven by Ryan Briscoe and Richard Westbrook;  and 3rd-place to the No. 66 Ford Chip Ganassi Ford GT driven by Joey Hand and Dirk Mueller.

Round 4 of the 2018 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship will be held on May 6th at Mid-Ohio.



TAGS: Alexander Sims, BMW, BMW M8 GTE, Bobby Rahal, BUBBA Burger Sports Car Grand Prix, Conner DePhillippi, Corvette C7.R, Ford GT, GTLM, IMSA, IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Jesse Krohn, John Edwards, Long Beach, Porsche, Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach

TUDOR United Sports Car Championship At Long Beach

The Tequila Patron Sports Car Showcase overall winning Wayne Taylor Racing Chevrolet Corvette DP at Victory Circle.  Image Credit: 2015 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

TUDOR United Sports Car Championship at Long Beach
By: Brandon O'Brien - Photography By: Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images unless otherwise specified

The TUDOR United Sports Car Championship (TUSCC) is a combination of the Grand-Am Series and the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) which had its first full season in 2014. It is sanctioned by IMSA and  TUDOR has a five-year sponsorship.

With three of the twelve planned 2015 races now in the books the TUDOR United Sports Car Championship is turning into a very interesting series to follow.  The races are all timed events, with the shortest (Long Beach and Detroit) being 100-minutes and the longest (Daytona) 24 hours .

What makes the series exciting and interesting for both the spectators and drivers is, at the majority of the venues, there are four classes racing at the same time.

Making its first appearance at Long Beach was the Claro / TracFone DeltaWing Racing Delta Wing DWC13 - Elan. Image Credit: 2015 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

Prototype (P) is the flagship class featuring the fastest and most technologically advanced cars in North America by combining Grand-Am Daytona Prototypes with the ALMS P2 class prototypes and Deltawing cars.

The Action Express Racing Chevrolet Corvette Daytona Prototype on the starting grid at Long Beach, CA.  Image Credit: 2015 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

Prototype Challenge (PC) is a spec class carried over directly from ALMS featuring open-cockpit Le Mans Prototype cars built by Oreca with engines supplied by Chevrolet and tires by Continental. These cars are driven by a team of two drivers, one a full-time professional and the other a part-time "amateur" driver.

Grand Touring Le Mans (GTLM) is a continuation of the ALMS GT class of cars using the same technical regulations as the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Based on production models, they are engineered to produce the maximum performance possible.

The Team Falken Tire  GTLM Porsche 911 RSR as seen in the Paddock prior to racing at Long Beach, CA.  Image Credit: 2015 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

GT Daytona (GTD) is a class that combines the Grand-Am GT and GX classes along with the Porsche GT3 Cup cars, all built to FIA GT3 specifications. These, like the PC cars, are driven by professional and amateur drivers.

A World Challenge Truspeed Motorsports prepared Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car which is similar to the GTD class of cars. Image Credit: 2015 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

Long Beach celebrated its 41st straight year hosting racers on the temporary street circuit.  The longest running street race in North America it is a favorite among the drivers.  Although, like any street circuit that does not tolerate foolish moves, it is one where the drivers can truly race with a number of passing zones.

Unlike previous years there were only two classes of cars running this year; Prototype and GTLM.  Ricky Taylor placed the Konica Minolta Wayne Taylor Racing Chevrolet Corvette DP on the pole with a qualifying lap record time of 1:14.790. Scott Pruitt was close behind in the Chip Ganassi Racing Riley DP - Ford EcoBoost with a time of 1:15.048

The overall winning Chevrolet Corvette DP in the Fountain Turn during the Tequila Patron Sports Car Showcase at Long Beach, CA.  Image Credit: 2015 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

The second place Ford EcoBoost Riley DP driven by Joey Hand exiting the Fountain Turn at Long Beach, CA.  Image Credit: 2015 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

In the GTLM class the RLL BMW's tied up the first two slots with Bill Auberlen in No. 25 setting a qualifying lap record time of 1:17.268 followed by John Edwards in No. 24 at 1:17:516 in the other BMW Z4 GTE.

The pole winning GTLM Team RLL BMW Z4 GTE qualified by Bill Auberlen exiting the Fountain Turn at Long Beach, CA.  Image Credit: 2015 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

Also starting on the front row was the sister Team RLL BMW Z4 GTE qualified by John Edwards at Long Beach, CA. Image Credit: Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

Once the Green Flag was dropped, the Prototype Class ran nose to tail in qualifying order for the fist few laps.  Most position changes were due to mechanical issues or contact. Throughout the race, the first two positions never changed.

For the third race in a row, a different team was able to stand on the podium for the Prototype class. Jordan Taylor in the No. 10 Konica Minolta Wayne Taylor Raqcing Chevrolet Corvette DP was able to keep hard driving Joey Hand in the  No. 01 Chip Ganassi Racing Riley DP - Ford EcoBoost in his mirrors. After the race the Taylor's gave credit to Brembo for working with them allowing them to drive further into the corners than their competition.

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For most of the race the Risi Competizione Ferrari F458 Italia was the front running GTLM car. Image Credit: 2015 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

The first three positions of the GTLM competition were hotly contested throughout the 100-minute race as can be seen as they exit Turn 5 at Long Beach.  Image Credit: 2015 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

Bill Auberlen stated, "when it came to the race the extent of my lead was on the pace lap." Once the green dropped, former Formula 1 driver Giancarlo Fisichella in the third place Risi Competizione Ferrari F458 Italia made a charge for the front, first passing the No. 24 BMW driven by John Edwards for second after drag racing him down Shoreline Drive to Turn 1 and, by Turn 5 was ahead of the pole sitting BMW driven by Auberlen. The race continued in that order for the opening stint with Auberlen pressing the Ferrari hoping that Fisichella would make a mistake.

Auberlen pitting on lap 31 turned the car over to co-driver Dirk Werner. A fuel venting problem slowed the filling time and Werner re-entered the race in fifth place.  The next lap saw the No. 24 BMW in the pits and Lucas Luhr was able to re-enter in second place due to the usual quick team service.

With an hour in the books, Werner in the No. 25 BMW was able to make up all of the time lost in the pits and was now in fourth place. He moved into third place on lap 45 and due to brake issues on the No. 24 BMW was able to shortly pass for second. The Ferrari, now being driven by Pierre Kaffer, had an 8 second lead.  With twelve laps to go, after setting a new race record lap time of 1:18.009 Werner drove the No. 25 BMW past the Ferrari for the lead and the victory.

Class winning drivers celebrating in Victory Circle. Left to Right: Dirk Werner, Bill Auberlen (GTLM), Ricky Taylor, Jordan Taylor (Prototype). Image credit: 2015 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

Auberlen stated, "This is a special win as it has been a long time for our team. On top of that it is my home race. Between Dirk and myself we pretty much checked off every box this weekend.  We won, we had pole and the lap record in qualifying and Dirk brought it home with the win and a new lap record in the race. You can't do much better than that".

Bill Auberlen speaking to the press at the post race press conference while team-mate Dirk Werner looks on. Image Credit: 2015 Brandon O'Brien / Motor Driven Images

Next stop - May 1-3 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca will be a 2 hour 40 minute event where all four classes of cars will be competing.


TAGS: TUDOR United Sports Car Championship, Grand-Am Series, American Le Mans Series, Toyota Grand Prix Of Long Beach, Prototype, Prototype Challenge, Grand Touring Le Mans, GT Daytona