Fellows Says Lime Rock ALMS Event to be Short Track Racing - ZR-1 Net Registry Forums

gaijin · 06-14-2004

FELLOWS SAYS LIME ROCK AMERICAN LE MANS EVENT TO BE SHORT TRACK RACING WITH SPORTS CARS

Braselton, GA - Several years have passed since Ron Fellows last raced at Lime Rock Park, but the popular Canadian road racing star is eagerly anticipating the first-ever appearance of the American Le Mans Series at the historic Connecticut circuit in the New England Grand Prix July 2-5.

"I think everyone will find it to be a very entertaining American Le Mans Series race," said Fellows, driver for the factory Chevrolet Corvette racing team in the ALMS. "It's a little speedway, and other than a street circuit, it's going to be the closest thing to short track racing with sports cars."

The Lime Rock Park track is 1.54 miles long, the smallest circuit that the ALMS will visit in the 2004 season. "Being only a mile and a half around, and having fast corners as it does, Lime Rock is going to provide lots of action," said Fellows, a two-time GTS class champion in the ALMS. "With the multi-class format of the ALMS, there will be a lot going on in a small amount of space."

But people should not get the impression that Fellows is dreading the Lime Rock event; far from it. He won several races there during his days as a standout on the Trans-Am Series and looks forward to being able to race there again. "I really like that place," he said.

"It's an enjoyable track to drive," Fellows said. "It's got long, fast corners, and the uphill portion is very exciting. But I think the most fun ride at Lime Rock is the downhill, exiting (turn) six and then you come smoking down the hill under the bridge, then that right (turn). It's going to be spectacular for us in the Corvette."

Four classes of American Le Mans Series cars will compete in the New England Grand Prix, with two classes of sleek and exotic Prototype cars sharing the track with the production-based cars of the GTS and GT classes. The four classes will all race at the same time for class wins and the overall race win, unlike some past sports car races at Lime Rock that ran separate races for the Prototypes and GT cars.

Many of the same drivers and cars that competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France June 12-13 will come to America to race at Lime Rock and in the remaining ALMS events this season.

Fellows and co-driver Johnny O'Connell, a native of nearby Poughkeepsie, N.Y., who now lives in Flowery Branch, Ga., are seeking their second consecutive GTS class driving title in the ALMS. Strong competition for them in the GTS class at Lime Rock will come in the form of the two-car Krohn-Barbour Racing team, which will field a pair of Lamborghini Murcielago R-GT cars for drivers David Brabham, Peter Kox, Scott Maxwell and Tracy Krohn, as well as the ACEMCO Saleen S7R supercar driven by Terry Borcheller and Johnny Mowlem. In addition, Corvette Racing will have a second C5-R driven by Oliver Gavin and Olivier Beretta.

The New England Grand Prix will be Round Three of the 2004 season for the ALMS and will include a two-hour, 45-minute timed event on Monday, July 5, starting at 3 p.m. (Eastern). Practice and qualifying will be held on Saturday, July 3, along with an ALMS Fan Forum. All ALMS drivers will participate in an autograph session at 11:30 a.m. on race day.

The race will be televised live by SPEED Channel in North America and MotorsTV in Europe and will be broadcast live by the American Le Mans Series Radio Web online at www.americanlemans.com. Ticket information for the Lime Rock event is available online at www.americanlemans.com or by calling 1-800-RACE-LRP.

06-14-2004	#1
gaijin Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Road Atlanta Posts: 371	Fellows Says Lime Rock ALMS Event to be Short Track Racing FELLOWS SAYS LIME ROCK AMERICAN LE MANS EVENT TO BE SHORT TRACK RACING WITH SPORTS CARS Braselton, GA - Several years have passed since Ron Fellows last raced at Lime Rock Park, but the popular Canadian road racing star is eagerly anticipating the first-ever appearance of the American Le Mans Series at the historic Connecticut circuit in the New England Grand Prix July 2-5. "I think everyone will find it to be a very entertaining American Le Mans Series race," said Fellows, driver for the factory Chevrolet Corvette racing team in the ALMS. "It's a little speedway, and other than a street circuit, it's going to be the closest thing to short track racing with sports cars." The Lime Rock Park track is 1.54 miles long, the smallest circuit that the ALMS will visit in the 2004 season. "Being only a mile and a half around, and having fast corners as it does, Lime Rock is going to provide lots of action," said Fellows, a two-time GTS class champion in the ALMS. "With the multi-class format of the ALMS, there will be a lot going on in a small amount of space." But people should not get the impression that Fellows is dreading the Lime Rock event; far from it. He won several races there during his days as a standout on the Trans-Am Series and looks forward to being able to race there again. "I really like that place," he said. "It's an enjoyable track to drive," Fellows said. "It's got long, fast corners, and the uphill portion is very exciting. But I think the most fun ride at Lime Rock is the downhill, exiting (turn) six and then you come smoking down the hill under the bridge, then that right (turn). It's going to be spectacular for us in the Corvette." Four classes of American Le Mans Series cars will compete in the New England Grand Prix, with two classes of sleek and exotic Prototype cars sharing the track with the production-based cars of the GTS and GT classes. The four classes will all race at the same time for class wins and the overall race win, unlike some past sports car races at Lime Rock that ran separate races for the Prototypes and GT cars. Many of the same drivers and cars that competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France June 12-13 will come to America to race at Lime Rock and in the remaining ALMS events this season. Fellows and co-driver Johnny O'Connell, a native of nearby Poughkeepsie, N.Y., who now lives in Flowery Branch, Ga., are seeking their second consecutive GTS class driving title in the ALMS. Strong competition for them in the GTS class at Lime Rock will come in the form of the two-car Krohn-Barbour Racing team, which will field a pair of Lamborghini Murcielago R-GT cars for drivers David Brabham, Peter Kox, Scott Maxwell and Tracy Krohn, as well as the ACEMCO Saleen S7R supercar driven by Terry Borcheller and Johnny Mowlem. In addition, Corvette Racing will have a second C5-R driven by Oliver Gavin and Olivier Beretta. The New England Grand Prix will be Round Three of the 2004 season for the ALMS and will include a two-hour, 45-minute timed event on Monday, July 5, starting at 3 p.m. (Eastern). Practice and qualifying will be held on Saturday, July 3, along with an ALMS Fan Forum. All ALMS drivers will participate in an autograph session at 11:30 a.m. on race day. The race will be televised live by SPEED Channel in North America and MotorsTV in Europe and will be broadcast live by the American Le Mans Series Radio Web online at www.americanlemans.com. Ticket information for the Lime Rock event is available online at www.americanlemans.com or by calling 1-800-RACE-LRP.