October 14th, 2011- The Level 5 Motorsports team's performance at Petit Le Mans earlier this month was a testament to the fact that you can set yourself up for success. Team owner-driver Scott Tucker has spent the past full year preparing for the team's LMP2 class debut at Road Atlanta in Petit Le Mans, the final race of the American Le Mans Series season. Tucker built the team, they practiced, and they were all but perfect at the race.
Tucker's preparations began late last year when he added Luis Diaz to the driving roster. The team had just come off a first win at Petit Le Mans in the lowest LMP class, which bumped them up to the LMP2 class for the 2011 season, a class of elite drivers that has historically been dominated by powerful Nissan prototypes. Diaz had driven in the LMP2 series since 2007, finishing sixth in the first season with Fernandez Racing and later claiming the class championship in 2009. He was also voted Most Popular Driver that year.
Diaz would add depth to an already skilled, experienced Level 5 team, but his LMP2 experience would be integral to Level 5's success right out of the gates this season. As the team tackled the racing season, Tucker was focused on winning, both presently and for the future. The drivers made podium at numerous races this year, but Tucker's constant pursuit of success wasn't completely evident until he announced in July that Level 5 would switch cars mid-season because he had purchased two brand new Honda prototypes. The cars had been on Tucker's radar for months while in design and development, and he determined they were the top of the line and Level 5's best chance at being a contender in the Nissan-dominated LMP2 ALMS field.
Right before Petit Le Mans, Marino Franchitti joined the Level 5 lineup. Raising Diaz's experience one, Franchitti had extensive experience driving the Honda models Level 5 had recently acquired. The HPD ARX-01 cars are cost-capped with modified fuel injectors, allowing for greater speeds at lighter weights. Franchitti had driven nearly every HPD ARX-01 model, starting with the HPD ARX-01a up to the HPD ARX-01g's that Tucker had just bought.
A year of team building paid off for Tucker and his teammates at Petit Le Mans. The cars performed flawlessly even though they barely had four digits of miles under their wheels. Level 5 has typically entered two cars in Le Mans races, and it would be hard to have a better outcome for their double-entry style than they did at Petit. One car, driven by Diaz and Franchitti, snagged the pole position during testing, setting a track record. During the race, the entry driven by Tucker, Joao Barbosa and Christophe Bouchut held off the Nissan competitor long enough to stay ahead, and when the Nissan experienced mechanical problems in hour five, the Level 5 prototype pulled away. The team cruised to an 8-lap lead and ultimate victory at Road Atlanta, securing the drivers' championship for Tucker and Bouchut as well as some valuable ILMC points for the team.
All of Tucker's preparations have come to this point. The team heads next to the seventh and final round of ILMC competition with the 6 Hours of Zhuhai in China, where they'll aim for a vice championship. Tying up a successful 2011 season with multiple consecutive wins would propel the team toward a 2012 season of high expectations. Knowing Level 5 Motorsports, they'll be ready.
Tucker's preparations began late last year when he added Luis Diaz to the driving roster. The team had just come off a first win at Petit Le Mans in the lowest LMP class, which bumped them up to the LMP2 class for the 2011 season, a class of elite drivers that has historically been dominated by powerful Nissan prototypes. Diaz had driven in the LMP2 series since 2007, finishing sixth in the first season with Fernandez Racing and later claiming the class championship in 2009. He was also voted Most Popular Driver that year.
Diaz would add depth to an already skilled, experienced Level 5 team, but his LMP2 experience would be integral to Level 5's success right out of the gates this season. As the team tackled the racing season, Tucker was focused on winning, both presently and for the future. The drivers made podium at numerous races this year, but Tucker's constant pursuit of success wasn't completely evident until he announced in July that Level 5 would switch cars mid-season because he had purchased two brand new Honda prototypes. The cars had been on Tucker's radar for months while in design and development, and he determined they were the top of the line and Level 5's best chance at being a contender in the Nissan-dominated LMP2 ALMS field.
Right before Petit Le Mans, Marino Franchitti joined the Level 5 lineup. Raising Diaz's experience one, Franchitti had extensive experience driving the Honda models Level 5 had recently acquired. The HPD ARX-01 cars are cost-capped with modified fuel injectors, allowing for greater speeds at lighter weights. Franchitti had driven nearly every HPD ARX-01 model, starting with the HPD ARX-01a up to the HPD ARX-01g's that Tucker had just bought.
A year of team building paid off for Tucker and his teammates at Petit Le Mans. The cars performed flawlessly even though they barely had four digits of miles under their wheels. Level 5 has typically entered two cars in Le Mans races, and it would be hard to have a better outcome for their double-entry style than they did at Petit. One car, driven by Diaz and Franchitti, snagged the pole position during testing, setting a track record. During the race, the entry driven by Tucker, Joao Barbosa and Christophe Bouchut held off the Nissan competitor long enough to stay ahead, and when the Nissan experienced mechanical problems in hour five, the Level 5 prototype pulled away. The team cruised to an 8-lap lead and ultimate victory at Road Atlanta, securing the drivers' championship for Tucker and Bouchut as well as some valuable ILMC points for the team.
All of Tucker's preparations have come to this point. The team heads next to the seventh and final round of ILMC competition with the 6 Hours of Zhuhai in China, where they'll aim for a vice championship. Tying up a successful 2011 season with multiple consecutive wins would propel the team toward a 2012 season of high expectations. Knowing Level 5 Motorsports, they'll be ready.
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