Monday, August 12, 2013

Road America 2013 ALMS: Prototypes In The Paddock


The Muscle Milk HPD-Honda in tech inspection.  It was two seconds per lap faster than its competition.  A dominant
performance.  At Petit LeMans at Road Atlanta last October, "not so much."  The Rebellion Racing Lola came over
from Europe's WEC series to hand Muscle Milk its head there.

Der front und zee back (Muscle Milk aero, spare body parts).

The Delta Wing (mostly) unstripped.  Katherine Legge put in a very creditable hot lap in this car in qualifying, but did
not have enough for Muscle Milk.  The Delta Wing was very unstable over the rumble strips at the exit of Canada
Corner, where the left rear lost grip but the front and right rear still had it.  This, plus Legge's terrifying crash in the
Kink in 2006, made her performance all the more impressive. 

In Legge's CART crash, the rear wing element failed.  She was stunned and transported to the infield care center.  Amazingly, she was unhurt and gave an interview within a half-hour.  Here's a link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8h2iqmliVMk


The Delta Wing stripped down.  Apparently the engineering theory is less drag through the use of side-pod tunnels,
dispensing with wings, which gives better fuel economy, so the car wins by making fewer pit stops.  But it is off the
pace.  So the theory hasn't worked out...yet?  The engine is a small, light, 4-cylinder turbo Nissan.

Pushrod front suspension of the Patron Vodka-sponsored HPD ARX 03b-Honda P-2 car.  I don't understand the point of
the brake "drums."  Do you?


Although I'm not a fan of them, I got a couple of interesting shots of Grand-Am Daytona Prototypes:


Stripping down the Ganassi DP on Sunday morning.  It raced Saturday.  But instead of loading up Saturday night, the
team did the post-race tear-down/routine maintenance at Road America on Sunday.

Fresh Chevy engine for the Gainsco/Stallings "Corvette" DP car.  They followed the same procedure that Ganassi did.

Der front und zee back (Gainsco/Stallings DP aero, spare body parts).  That's my son, taking the obligatory picture of
me taking a picture.

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