The tale of Scott Tucker's career is exactly what some might call a Cinderella story, an American classic: An excellent private equity investor coming from a Kansas city makes its way into his very first professional motorsports race at Forty-four, and 5 years later, he's continuously on top of the podium following races in several series-Grand-Am, Ferrari, American Le Mans Series and the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup. A few months ago, Tucker made podium at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in his debut season in the LMP2 class.
Obviously, not just any person could pull off the kind of late-bloomer success Tucker has achieved. His skill level, endurance, technique and depth of knowledge would not exist if not for an enormous passion for the sport. Scott Tucker loves cars-before he had the opportunity to race, he built a sort-of car museum in his Leawood, Kansas home. So it's fitting that Tucker, the unlikely American Le Mans hero, would be the first American to enter his team in the Le Mans Prototype class in nearly 25 years.
"Breaking into the Le Mans series has always been on my mind," Scott Tucker mentioned. "I could wait another 10 years for the time to be right, but we got an opportunity and decided to go for it."
The Le Mans Prototype, or LMP, are the quickest closed-wheel racing cars on modern circuit racing tracks. Their price and technologies are similar to that of Formula 1 vehicles, but LMP automobiles top out at even greater speeds than Formula 1 vehicles. Not surprising Tucker couldn't wait to get in one. After he barreled through the LMP series, Tucker moved into the LMP2 class. Mid-season, a Honda Performance Development/Wirth Research partnership was finishing work on a cost-capped prototype that would permit greater speeds when compared with other LMP2 engines. It wasn't any wonder when Tucker reserved the very first 2 out of development.
The Le Mans Prototype was implemented the first time in the '92 24 Hours of Le Mans, whenever a small field of opponents caused the race to be open to small, open-cockpit cars using production road car engines to try to expand the field. At the conclusion of that 12 months, the World Sportscar Championship and the All Japan Sports Prototype Championship organizations dissolved, which left pricey Group C prototypes with little competition beyond Le Mans races, which were few and far between. As Group C became dated, the Le Mans Prototype class was developed. In 1999, the American Le Mans Series was developed, enabling a significantly larger competitor base because more Le Mans races would be held each year.
Nowadays, a motorist can race in an LMP, LMP2 or LMP1 class, in 2 of which Tucker has made his mark. 2010, throughout his debut season in the Le Mans series, Tucker took the LMP championship and won rookie of the year. Advancing in to LMP2 for the 2011 season, Tucker started out racking up podium finishes at breakneck speed, with extraordinary finishes at the Rolex 24 at Daytona, 12 Hours of Sebring, Infineon and 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Tucker and his Level 5 Motorsports team might be just what the United States needs to bring greater attention to racing. With NASCAR largely dominating motorsports interest and not even a single Le Mans Prototype entry coming from the nation in a quarter century, there's been a lack of depth in auto racing coverage. Tucker's compelling story, his own obvious excitement for the sport and his unwavering success are a verifiable formula for a figure whom the public could get behind.
Obviously, not just any person could pull off the kind of late-bloomer success Tucker has achieved. His skill level, endurance, technique and depth of knowledge would not exist if not for an enormous passion for the sport. Scott Tucker loves cars-before he had the opportunity to race, he built a sort-of car museum in his Leawood, Kansas home. So it's fitting that Tucker, the unlikely American Le Mans hero, would be the first American to enter his team in the Le Mans Prototype class in nearly 25 years.
"Breaking into the Le Mans series has always been on my mind," Scott Tucker mentioned. "I could wait another 10 years for the time to be right, but we got an opportunity and decided to go for it."
The Le Mans Prototype, or LMP, are the quickest closed-wheel racing cars on modern circuit racing tracks. Their price and technologies are similar to that of Formula 1 vehicles, but LMP automobiles top out at even greater speeds than Formula 1 vehicles. Not surprising Tucker couldn't wait to get in one. After he barreled through the LMP series, Tucker moved into the LMP2 class. Mid-season, a Honda Performance Development/Wirth Research partnership was finishing work on a cost-capped prototype that would permit greater speeds when compared with other LMP2 engines. It wasn't any wonder when Tucker reserved the very first 2 out of development.
The Le Mans Prototype was implemented the first time in the '92 24 Hours of Le Mans, whenever a small field of opponents caused the race to be open to small, open-cockpit cars using production road car engines to try to expand the field. At the conclusion of that 12 months, the World Sportscar Championship and the All Japan Sports Prototype Championship organizations dissolved, which left pricey Group C prototypes with little competition beyond Le Mans races, which were few and far between. As Group C became dated, the Le Mans Prototype class was developed. In 1999, the American Le Mans Series was developed, enabling a significantly larger competitor base because more Le Mans races would be held each year.
Nowadays, a motorist can race in an LMP, LMP2 or LMP1 class, in 2 of which Tucker has made his mark. 2010, throughout his debut season in the Le Mans series, Tucker took the LMP championship and won rookie of the year. Advancing in to LMP2 for the 2011 season, Tucker started out racking up podium finishes at breakneck speed, with extraordinary finishes at the Rolex 24 at Daytona, 12 Hours of Sebring, Infineon and 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Tucker and his Level 5 Motorsports team might be just what the United States needs to bring greater attention to racing. With NASCAR largely dominating motorsports interest and not even a single Le Mans Prototype entry coming from the nation in a quarter century, there's been a lack of depth in auto racing coverage. Tucker's compelling story, his own obvious excitement for the sport and his unwavering success are a verifiable formula for a figure whom the public could get behind.
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