Scott Tucker and his Level 5 Motorsports teammates recently began the final quarter of a racing year that has included numerous podium appearances, multiple car changes, incredible accomplishments and yet still room for improvement. Tucker, owner and driver for Level 5, has been a leader for the team despite the rookie status he maintained merely months ago. His tight, balanced driving has earned him top honors in the American Le Mans Series as Rookie of the Year and Champion Driver in 2010. His races often end with stints on the podium, and his career has only just begun.
As Tucker, his co-drivers Christophe Bouchut and Luis Diaz and team manager David Stone prepare to close the calendar year with the all-important Petit Le Mans and the Ferrari International Finals, the stakes are high-the team has woven itself a reputation of excellence that is best understood by looking back at what has made 2011 a stunning year for Level 5 Motorsports.
Fresh off a mind-blowing victory at their 24 Hours of Le Mans debut, the Level 5 Motorsports team, owned by driver Scott Tucker and comprising also Christophe Bouchut and Joao Barbosa, headed to Bologna, Italy with their Microsoft Office-sponsored Lola Honda. What seemed to be another handy victory for the team turned into a bittersweet day after some late-race malfunctions prevented yet another historic victory for the Wisconsin-based team.
All three drivers delivered again impressive performances behind the wheel. At first maintaining a sixth place spot on the grid of LMP2 competitors, they moved to the lead with less than two hours remaining. Bouchut manned the final leg of the race, taking the wheel with just more than an hour to go. The victory was theirs, just an official checkered flag from being official. But 25 minutes before the end, Bouchut's voice crackled over the radio to announce gear selection problems.
The car was stuck in fourth gear because of a gear actuator malfunction. Bouchut, a veteran in the motorsports industry and one of the most successful endurance drivers in the world, managed to persevere through to the checkered flag using only three gears. Ultimately, the team gained a third-place finish. Where they first enjoyed a 15-second lead, they now faced the reality that the win they nearly grasped was no more-and it was taking a while to sink in. "That's racing," Tucker said. "Still, ending up on the podium with this level of competition is incredible. Unfortunately, it isn't sinking in right now because we were so close to a win here."
Although victory eluded them, the team gained valuable experience in a tough field of competitors, and they experienced a significant performance increase driving the Spyder, the car they switched to from the 2010 Lola Coupe after the 24 Hours of Le Mans. "It was the first time we drove the Lola-Honda Spyder and it definitely proved to be the right choice," Barbosa said. "We were much more competitive than in the previous races. We still have to work on speed and qualifying pace, but we were strong heading into the race. That took us to the lead. There's a few more races to go, so hopefully we can continue to improve this package."
Improvement seems hardly a possibility when you consider the podium standing the team had already done at this point in the year. With any losses being less due to driver performance than mechanical issues, a clean car seemingly guaranteed Level 5 top finishes. With the win ever-present in their minds, the team looked ahead to continuing the ALMS season with races at Lime Rock Park and Mosport International Raceway in Ontario.
As Tucker, his co-drivers Christophe Bouchut and Luis Diaz and team manager David Stone prepare to close the calendar year with the all-important Petit Le Mans and the Ferrari International Finals, the stakes are high-the team has woven itself a reputation of excellence that is best understood by looking back at what has made 2011 a stunning year for Level 5 Motorsports.
Fresh off a mind-blowing victory at their 24 Hours of Le Mans debut, the Level 5 Motorsports team, owned by driver Scott Tucker and comprising also Christophe Bouchut and Joao Barbosa, headed to Bologna, Italy with their Microsoft Office-sponsored Lola Honda. What seemed to be another handy victory for the team turned into a bittersweet day after some late-race malfunctions prevented yet another historic victory for the Wisconsin-based team.
All three drivers delivered again impressive performances behind the wheel. At first maintaining a sixth place spot on the grid of LMP2 competitors, they moved to the lead with less than two hours remaining. Bouchut manned the final leg of the race, taking the wheel with just more than an hour to go. The victory was theirs, just an official checkered flag from being official. But 25 minutes before the end, Bouchut's voice crackled over the radio to announce gear selection problems.
The car was stuck in fourth gear because of a gear actuator malfunction. Bouchut, a veteran in the motorsports industry and one of the most successful endurance drivers in the world, managed to persevere through to the checkered flag using only three gears. Ultimately, the team gained a third-place finish. Where they first enjoyed a 15-second lead, they now faced the reality that the win they nearly grasped was no more-and it was taking a while to sink in. "That's racing," Tucker said. "Still, ending up on the podium with this level of competition is incredible. Unfortunately, it isn't sinking in right now because we were so close to a win here."
Although victory eluded them, the team gained valuable experience in a tough field of competitors, and they experienced a significant performance increase driving the Spyder, the car they switched to from the 2010 Lola Coupe after the 24 Hours of Le Mans. "It was the first time we drove the Lola-Honda Spyder and it definitely proved to be the right choice," Barbosa said. "We were much more competitive than in the previous races. We still have to work on speed and qualifying pace, but we were strong heading into the race. That took us to the lead. There's a few more races to go, so hopefully we can continue to improve this package."
Improvement seems hardly a possibility when you consider the podium standing the team had already done at this point in the year. With any losses being less due to driver performance than mechanical issues, a clean car seemingly guaranteed Level 5 top finishes. With the win ever-present in their minds, the team looked ahead to continuing the ALMS season with races at Lime Rock Park and Mosport International Raceway in Ontario.
About the Author:
Follow all the racing action at the World's Largest Motorsports News Source. Follow Scott Tucker and other celebrity NASCAR drivers atthe leading online motorsports news source. Follow all the news you need to know at the World's Largest Motorsports News Source.
Comments (0)
Posting Komentar