Lone LMP2 competitors pull two-car entry for Lime Rock, ships Lola B11/40 Honda Spyder to Europe for action in the ILMC...
There will be two fewer prototypes on the grid at Lime Rock Park, as Level 5 Motorsports confirmed Tuesday that it has withdrawn from next month’s Northeast Grand Prix, the third round of the American Le Mans Series.
With its pair of Lola-Hondas having been the only LMP2 cars in its class, combined with a tight turnaround time from the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup Six Hours of Imola the week prior, the Scott Tucker-owned squad has decided to focus its prototype efforts around the upcoming ILMC round.
“With the numerous ACO rules changes that have come together over the past month or so, and having to switch cars for the Imola race, logic dictated that we’d not attend Lime Rock,” team manager David Stone told SPEED.com. “It’s a combination of all the ingredients that bring us to this point that the right thing to do is to focus on Imola and not go to Lime Rock.”
The team suffered a blow in last month’s 1000km of Spa, when one of its two Lola B11/80 Honda’s was destroyed in a high-speed accident. Having been forced to revert to its second Lola-Honda Coupe for Le Mans, intended for use in the entire nine-round ALMS schedule, it left them with only its open-top Lola B11/40 Honda to compete in the States.
But a recent rules change from the ACO, which has given cost-capped LMP2 cars a larger fuel flow restrictor, to go along with the car’s already larger air restrictor compared to grandfathered chassis, has resulted in Level 5 electing to put its Lola-Honda Spyder into use for the upcoming ILMC round. The team’s Lola-Honda Coupes are built to 2010-specification.
“We’re moving the Spyder from the U.S. to Italy so we are as competitive as we can be at Imola,” said team owner/driver Scott Tucker. “Our goal is to get as many points as possible while up against the dominating Oreca-Nissan package. It would be impossible for us to have the Spyder back in the States logistically and race-prepped with a fresh crew for Lime Rock.”
Level 5 currently sits second in the ILMC LMP2 Teams’ Championship following its podium finish in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. With 13 cars entered for Imola, there’s no shortage of competition in the global sportscar championship, unlike the current situation in the ALMS prototype ranks.
Tucker and Christophe Bouchut currently hold a 16-point lead over teammate Luis Diaz in the ALMS Drivers’ Championship as the only registered full-season entrant.
With Level 5's withdrawal, there are no LMP2 cars entered for Lime Rock. Additional entries are expected in time for the Petit Le Mans, which will also serve as the penultimate round of the ILMC.
John Dagys is SPEED.com’s Sportscar Racing Reporter, focusing on all major domestic and international championships. You can follow him on Twitter @johndagys or email him at askdagys@gmail.com
With its pair of Lola-Hondas having been the only LMP2 cars in its class, combined with a tight turnaround time from the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup Six Hours of Imola the week prior, the Scott Tucker-owned squad has decided to focus its prototype efforts around the upcoming ILMC round.
“With the numerous ACO rules changes that have come together over the past month or so, and having to switch cars for the Imola race, logic dictated that we’d not attend Lime Rock,” team manager David Stone told SPEED.com. “It’s a combination of all the ingredients that bring us to this point that the right thing to do is to focus on Imola and not go to Lime Rock.”
The team suffered a blow in last month’s 1000km of Spa, when one of its two Lola B11/80 Honda’s was destroyed in a high-speed accident. Having been forced to revert to its second Lola-Honda Coupe for Le Mans, intended for use in the entire nine-round ALMS schedule, it left them with only its open-top Lola B11/40 Honda to compete in the States.
But a recent rules change from the ACO, which has given cost-capped LMP2 cars a larger fuel flow restrictor, to go along with the car’s already larger air restrictor compared to grandfathered chassis, has resulted in Level 5 electing to put its Lola-Honda Spyder into use for the upcoming ILMC round. The team’s Lola-Honda Coupes are built to 2010-specification.
“We’re moving the Spyder from the U.S. to Italy so we are as competitive as we can be at Imola,” said team owner/driver Scott Tucker. “Our goal is to get as many points as possible while up against the dominating Oreca-Nissan package. It would be impossible for us to have the Spyder back in the States logistically and race-prepped with a fresh crew for Lime Rock.”
Level 5 currently sits second in the ILMC LMP2 Teams’ Championship following its podium finish in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. With 13 cars entered for Imola, there’s no shortage of competition in the global sportscar championship, unlike the current situation in the ALMS prototype ranks.
Tucker and Christophe Bouchut currently hold a 16-point lead over teammate Luis Diaz in the ALMS Drivers’ Championship as the only registered full-season entrant.
With Level 5's withdrawal, there are no LMP2 cars entered for Lime Rock. Additional entries are expected in time for the Petit Le Mans, which will also serve as the penultimate round of the ILMC.
John Dagys is SPEED.com’s Sportscar Racing Reporter, focusing on all major domestic and international championships. You can follow him on Twitter @johndagys or email him at askdagys@gmail.com
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