TEAM RELEASE: Flying Lizard Oak Tree Grand Prix Race Results
Flying Lizard Motorsports endured another difficult TUDOR United SportsCar Championship race at Virginia International Raceway today, again facing on-track contact and mechanical and tire challenges during the two hour and forty five minute race. Spencer Pumpelly started the No. 35 PR Newswire / UBM Tech / eSilicon Audi R8 LMS car in place of team principal Seth Neiman, who was not yet cleared to return to his seat due to a hip injury sustained during the Brickyard Grand Prix weekend. While running high up in the GT Daytona order during his stint, Spencer ran wide while dealing with GT Le Mans traffic and the team called him to the pits as a precautionary measure, cleaning out the air intakes and changing over to Dion von Moltke, who would run the remaining two plus hours of the race. Dion ran well including long periods in the top-5 in class but eventually dropped back two spots late in the race to finish 7th in the GT Daytona class. With this result Dion now sits in 6th place in the driver championship.
Spencer’s co-driver in the No. 45 Yoddle / Venezuela / eSilicon Audi R8 LMS, Nelson Canache Jr., started the car but was forced to manage high tire pressures due to the increased late afternoon track temps but was able to maintain position and bring the car in after one hour and ten minutes to turn it over to his teammate. Spencer showed excellent pace during his stint but suffered a tire failure at the highest speed part of the track at the end of the backstraight, sending the car flying off track and destroying the left rear bodywork. The team quickly repaired the car and Spencer soldiered on but the car eventually succumbed to the damage caused by the tire blowout and finished 16th position in class.
Flying Lizard has two races remaining in the 2014 season, the Lone Star Le Mans race at Circuit of the Americas on September 20th, and Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta on October 4th.
About Flying Lizard Motorsports
Flying Lizard is based on Sonoma, California, and has competed in the American Le Mans Series for ten consecutive seasons, from 2004 to 2012 in the GT class and in 2013 in GTC. The Lizards have won two ALMS GT team championships (2008 and 2009), one ALMS GTC team championship (2013), and have secured three ALMS GT Drivers’ championships (2008, 2009, and 2010).
Flying Lizard has also competed in the 24 Heures du Mans from 2005 through 2012, finishing third in 2005, fourth in 2006, sixth in 2008, sixth in 2011, and fourth in 2012.
Please visit the team website at www.lizardms.com and the team store at www.flyinglizardstore.com.
About Audi of America and the Audi R8 LMS
Audi began a new chapter in 2009 with the introduction of the Audi Sport customer racing program. For the first time it was possible for motorsport customers to acquire a race car designed for customer racing events. Since its inception, the success of the R8 LMS has been significant throughout the GT3 racing format worldwide, including victory in the GT class in the 2013 edition of the Rolex 24 at Daytona. The Audi R8 LMS shares more than 50% of its parts with the Audi R8 street car including the naturally aspirated V10 5.2 Liter engine, the Audi Space Frame and a variety of other components.
Audi of America, Inc. and its U.S. dealers offer a full line of German-engineered luxury vehicles. AUDI AG is among the most successful luxury automotive brands globally. Audi was a top-performing luxury brand in Europe during 2012, and broke all-time company sales records in the U.S. Through 2016, AUDI AG will invest about $17 billion on new products and technologies.
Visit www.audiusa.com or www.audiusanews.com for more information regarding Audi vehicle and business issues.
