Twas the Night Before Christmas - Corvette Style - Description ...

Corvettes Qualify Second and Fourth for Inaugural Baltimore Grand Prix
BALTIMORE, Sept. 2, 2011 – A late start and a scant
75 minutes of practice meant that the learning curve
for the American Le Mans Series Baltimore Grand
Prix was a steep one. Jan Magnussen and Tommy
Milner proved to be fast learners when they qualified
Corvette Racing’s twin Compuware C6.Rs second and
fourth respectively for Saturday’s two-hour street race
through downtown Baltimore.
Magnussen was quickest in the abbreviated final
practice session, and then turned his fastest lap at
1:31.950 (79.869 mph) in the No. 4 Corvette C6.R on
his fifth qualifying lap on the 2.04-mile, 12-turn temporary street circuit. Milner turned a time of
1:32.224 (79.632 mph) on his fourth lap, the fifth quickest in GT. The No. 45 Porsche of Patrick Long,
which was third on the provisional qualifying list, was subsequently excluded for “unjustifiable risk,”
moving the No. 3 Corvette up to fourth on the GT grid. The No. 55 BMW M3 GT of Dirk Werner was the
fastest qualifier in the category at 1:31.362 (80.384 mph).
“We didn’t have a lot of time to make changes or to find a good rhythm, so I’m very pleased with the
work that the Corvette Racing engineers did,” Magnussen said. “All in all, I’m happy with the car. Now
we have to work with the extra bit of data we have, and I think there is more speed to come. The walls get
closer and closer the harder you push – that’s all part of it.
“There are some massive bumps out there, and the cars are taking a beating worse than Sebring,”
Magnussen added. “It’s still good fun to drive this circuit, and you’re really feel that you’re racing in the
heart of the city with the tall buildings all around. It’s cool, and I enjoy it.”
Milner agreed: “I’m really happy with the car here, no complaints. With so little track time, I’m sure we
can make the car a little better here and there, but it’s good just to get some laps in and get comfortable
with the track.
“I had a qualifying lap that would have been quicker, but I got into Turn 10 a little wide in the dirty part
of the track and had a big, big moment. I was basically drifting through the turn!
“The track’s fun to drive and it will race well, too,” Milner predicted. “There are two good passing spots.
It’s going to be tough to pass in GT because everyone is so close, but everything is slow enough that you
can rub some fenders and make things happen. I’m looking forward to the race tomorrow.”
Corvette Racing at ALMS Baltimore
Corvette Finishes Third and Seventh in Baltimore
Street Fight
Gavin and Magnussen Recover from First-Turn Melee to
Score Podium Finish
BALTIMORE, Sept. 3, 2011 – Spins, accidents, penalties
and punctures all figured in Corvette Racing’s results in the
inaugural Baltimore Grand Prix. Played out before an
enthusiastic crowd in the packed grandstands, the two-hour
race had everything expected in a street race – and more.
When it was over, Oliver Gavin and Jan Magnussen stood
on the GT podium in third place. That was a remarkable comeback after an incident in the first corner
that pinned the No. 4 Compuware Corvette C6.R against the wall and allowed the entire field to pass.