CORE autosport scored its first 1-2 American Le Mans Series victory in a “roller coaster” day of emotions at the Mobil 1 presents the Grand Prix of Mosport in Canada today. While Gunnar Jeannette and Ricardo Gonzalez stormed into the race lead off the start and were never troubled throughout the two hour, 45 minute enduro – their teammates Jon Bennett and Frankie Montecalvo fought back to join them on the podium in second place in an afternoon of contact, determination, unscheduled pit stops and late race good fortune.

Gonzalez started the #06 Excel Consultants / Composite Resources ORECA FLM09 from second on the grid and grabbed the lead off the start. Bennett aboard the #05 Bayshore Recycling / Composite Resources machine also gained a spot on the start to move to third but an early race off-track excursion sent him to the pits to check for damage. The team founder then began a fightback to work his back through the field. At the front of the pack, Gonzalez continued to open up a handy lead that was growing with every lap.

Bennett was forced back to the pits for a second time after contact with the car of Jon Field – his forced late arrival unfortunately costing the team more time with Montecalvo having to put on his helmet to swap places with the team boss.,Gonzalez handed over the #06 car to fellow championship leader Jeannette and the pair continued their untroubled run – extending their lead by up to two complete laps at one stage.

Montecalvo continued the fightback for the #06 and eventually settled into fourth place in LMPC with 30 minutes remaining. He was unable to catch the cars of Field and Anthony Nicolosi who both were stretching their fuel mileage trying to make it to the finish. Fortunately for the CORE squad, both the Field and Nicolosi cars ran out of fuel on the final lap with Montecalvo and Bennett not only moving onto the podium but earning second place behind their teammates Jeannette and Gonzalez.

The victory was the second Mosport success in a row for Jeannette who was also successful at the high speed Canadian circuit in the LMPC class in 2010. Today’s result pushed the CORE autosport squad back into the team’s championship lead by 6 points and extended the driver’s championship lead for Jeannette and Gonzelez to 12 points. Today’s victory was CORE autosport’s second in its debut season in the American Le Mans Series – following on from its win at Long Beach earlier this year.

In four races to date, the team has scored six podiums out of a possible eight finishes and finished every race. The Rock Hill, SC-based squad will now set its sights on another solid performance at the next round of the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patron at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on August 6.