For Level 5 Motorsports last weekend, the distance between the first-and second-place steps on the podium was eight laps on the track. That's the lead drivers Scott Tucker, Joao Barbosa and Christophe Bouchut crossed the checkered flag with at the 2011 ALMS championship, Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta.
The win wasn't the team's only first that weekend; it was also their first Petit Le Mans in the LMP2 category and the first Petit Le Mans berth of their new car, a Honda/Wirth Research collaboration HPD ARX-01g. The car is the newest iteration of the HPD ARX-01 line, and Level 5 snatched up the first two models with their eyes on the field-dominating Nissans at Petit.
"With the brand new car practically running flawlessly, it was a great event for us," said Tucker, who is also the team owner. "This was a great victory for us, winning the ILMC points and winning here at Petit."
As Tucker said, the car delivered another seamless performance, its second enduro since Mazda Laguna Seca Raceway last month, and it granted the team's hope of outperforming the Nissans on the track. After a Nissan provided a challenge for the first half of the race, it experienced mechanical problems in the fifth hour, and from there, Level 5's rearview mirror was empty.
"For us it was the first time we ran the HPD against the Nissan," Bouchut said. "We knew the car would be competitive, and a lot of the time we had to fight to keep our leading position, but the car was really fast."
Petit Le Mans capped off a winning season for Level 5 Motorsports, and the drivers look forward to integrating the new cars into the fabric of the team in time for the 2012 season.
"Even with all the information we have after a 10-hour race, we still have lot to learn about the car and to improve the car," Barbosa said. "We know the car can still be better, but it was a perfect run for the whole Level 5 team."
The win wasn't the team's only first that weekend; it was also their first Petit Le Mans in the LMP2 category and the first Petit Le Mans berth of their new car, a Honda/Wirth Research collaboration HPD ARX-01g. The car is the newest iteration of the HPD ARX-01 line, and Level 5 snatched up the first two models with their eyes on the field-dominating Nissans at Petit.
"With the brand new car practically running flawlessly, it was a great event for us," said Tucker, who is also the team owner. "This was a great victory for us, winning the ILMC points and winning here at Petit."
As Tucker said, the car delivered another seamless performance, its second enduro since Mazda Laguna Seca Raceway last month, and it granted the team's hope of outperforming the Nissans on the track. After a Nissan provided a challenge for the first half of the race, it experienced mechanical problems in the fifth hour, and from there, Level 5's rearview mirror was empty.
"For us it was the first time we ran the HPD against the Nissan," Bouchut said. "We knew the car would be competitive, and a lot of the time we had to fight to keep our leading position, but the car was really fast."
Petit Le Mans capped off a winning season for Level 5 Motorsports, and the drivers look forward to integrating the new cars into the fabric of the team in time for the 2012 season.
"Even with all the information we have after a 10-hour race, we still have lot to learn about the car and to improve the car," Barbosa said. "We know the car can still be better, but it was a perfect run for the whole Level 5 team."
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