After two class wins in the two 2012 American Le Mans Series (ALMS) events, CORE autosport has its sights set on consecutive Prototype Challenge (PC) championships with a strong driver line-up at the upcoming six-hour American Le Mans Series Monterey Presented by Patrón at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Alex Popow, lead driver of the #06 Soloson Import ORECA FLM09, will have a new co-driver for the event, 24 Hours of Le Mans LMP2 and GT class winner and sports car champion Tom Kimber-Smith. The line-up in the sister #05 Composite Resources machine – team founder Jon Bennett and Colin Braun – look to win for the first time in 2012 after consecutive third-place finishes in the first two events.
Since first meeting the team at the April Long Beach event, Kimber-Smith has spent a lot of time with the team, working with them in a variety of levels, which included a visit to CORE autosport’s 30,000 sq. ft. headquarters to get fitted for the #06 car and driving on the team’s simulator. Kimber-Smith also spent time at a rainy test at the Snetterton Circuit in England, piloting the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) Nissan-powered Zytek Z11SN P2-class prototype that he regularly drives in Europe.
Joining Kimber-Smith at Snetterton, albeit with a different team, was Bennett, who went for a test in a P2-class prototype machine. It was Bennett’s first test in a P2 car, as well as his first time at the English track. Despite the rain, Bennett was able to turn some quick laps and gain valuable experience in a different racing environment. Popow has also kept very busy behind the wheel since the Long Beach win, including driving in a veritable deluge to a hard-fought fourth spot in the Daytona Prototype (DP) class at the GRAND-AM event at Homestead-Miami Speedway in April.
Sunshine smiled on Braun in April, who scored two podium finishes in two races in his World Challenge Kia – at Long Beach and at Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah. The drivers have remained race ready and the team has reassembled the PC machines for the day-into-night six-hour event. In 2011, the dual-championship organization scored a second place finish, fighting hard to lead the PC class and since then, the team has refined and rebuilt with new processes and procedures.
New partner Neo Lubricants joins CORE autosport for the 2012 season, beginning at Mazda Raceway. Neo, the official lubricant partner of the team, creates 100% synthetic racing oils and greases with applications to provide severe protection for high-performance usage.
Source : CORE autosport