Video Post: Audi at Le Mans, 2003

An excellent look at the Audi Sport UK's run at Le Mans in 2003. With no factory / Joest Audi team, the group from England had Frank Biela on board and seemed to be in a prime position to challenge the Bentley boys for the overall win. Watch their rise, and tragic fall at Le Mans, in this excellent video. Bonus points for lots of great Sebring footage, which is just 52 days away and counting down...

_WRS

Audi - Le Mans 2003 from gt4zone on Vimeo.

Flash result: APR wins in ST!

APR motorsport took their first victory of the 2011 season at today's Grand Am 200, round one of the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge. Drivers Ian Baas and Ryan Ellis took command of the race starting from pole position, and led the ST class the majority of the event. A fierce battle developed at the end of the race, with Baas dicing and trading the lead with Nic Jonsson in the Kinetic Motorsports / KIA Forte Koup (co-driven by Andy Lally), with Baas emerging victorious. The BimmerWorld 328i took the final podium spot.

Image: APR Motorsport

_WRS

CTSCC - Round 1 from Daytona - APR Motorsport on ST pole

The 2011 Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge kicks off today at 1:30pm EST, with the Grand Am 200 at Daytona International Speedway. Like other large tracks, the CTSCC is running combined classes at Daytona so both GS and ST cars will be on course at the same time. You can check out live timing and scoring for the race at www.grand-am.com - and it will be broadcast live on SpeedTV at 3pm on February 5th.

The good news for VAG fans is that APR Motorsport, who like previous years is flying the flag in the CTSCC, earned pole position in the Street Tuner class with new driver Ryan Ellis behind the wheel of their new-for-2011 Mk6 GTI 4-door. This is a very strong indicator that 2011 could finally be the year that APR Motorsport has what it takes to clinche the championship. The Mk5 GTIs were always a bit down on power, and for the Mk6 to be on pole it's clear that APR has been doing a lot of homework on getting the absolute maximum from the 2.0t TSI. Ellis managed a 2:06.818 to get ahead of the DeMan Motorsports Porsche Boxster, and the always-fast Compass360 Racing Honda Civic Si.

The disappointment is in Grand Sport, where the B8 S4 qualified a low 19th in class, reportedly due to minor suspension trouble. We saw flashes of brilliance from the supercharged sedan last year, but it was plagued with teething troubles and APR had a rough go of it. APR's Jeff Mishtawy is usually quite adept at calling race strategy and consistently puts the team in the position to win, but with the competitiveness of the CTSCC, starting back in 19th does not always bode well for podium finishes. If the car can hold together, it should do well.

Here we go! The first event for 2011 in the USA is almost underway...

_WRS

Video Post: Le Mans 1982, with Derek Bell

An excellent period piece of video from the 1982 Porsche win at Le Mans. The debut of the 956, Derek's 3rd Le Mans win (he would go on to win a total of 5, all with Porsche), and lots of excellent footage of the Circuit de la Sarthe. Highly recommended.

_WRS

Le Mans 1982 from gt4zone on Vimeo.

Pic Post: Your basic Porsche 911 SC

It's amazing how little the early Porsche 911 needs to look 'right.' I suppose that's why it is the classic design, destined to last the ages, but I think it's pretty clear that the newer models will never be able to age this gracefully.



This 911 SC is at its newest almost 30 years old, but the Super Carrera (that's what SC stands for) really remains timeless. It was manufactured and sold at that pivotal point in time when imagination, technology and sheer willpower all combined to make interesting, fun and reliable cars of all sorts.



The more modern 964 would probably also qualify for this status, but defintiely not the 993. By that point technology had creeped in entirely too much, ruining the whole thing. One thing leads to another, and the next thing you know you have 2-ton "sports cars" (I"m looking at you E9x M3) that need way more power to get going and will never be as rewarding to drive.



It's a shame. I don't think I'll ever be able to own a "new" car ever again really. Good thing I like turning wrenches.

_WRS

Pic Post: (vintage) Trans Am Scirocco (Souped / Unsouped)

I've been on a quest to find out more of the history of the Trans Am Scirocco racers. Feelers have been put out to some contacts for more period pictures (aside from what's already out there and floating around) and I hope that bears some fruit shortly. In the mean time, here's an advertisement touting the Scirocco as a proper sports sedan. It's a shame they don't sell the Mk3 Scirocco here in the states as it would be a real sales hit I think, but VW of America never seems to have their head quite straight when it comes to that stuff...

_WRS

Video Post: Champions Forever (70s F1 warning)

I am not a Formula 1 fan. Single seaters have never interested me, aside from CART in the early to mid 90s I suppose, so I never pay much attention. Why bother? The cars are ugy, the passing does not pass muster (there is none) and all the 'star' drivers whine about everything and everyone.

But the 70s. Well, the 70s are different. Don't believe me? Check out this amazing film, Champions Forever. NSFW Warning: this was filmed in the 70s, with all the free and easy images one might expect when dealing with young, rich, and attractive racing drivers in exotic cars and locales, and the women who you would imagine to go along with it. All I can say is I was born in the wrong era...

Champions Forever from gt4zone on Vimeo.

_WRS