Orbit Racing - Petit Le Mans test day

smooth start

Orbit Racing had a smooth start to the Petit Le Mans, using the first test 
session to build on the team's experience at Road Atlanta.  Peter Baron recorded 
the fifth-fastest GT time, lapping the 2.54-mile road course in one minute 
25.367 seconds.  He will share driving duty in the No. 43 YES Network Porsche 
911 GT3 RS with Leo Hindery and Mike Rockenfeller.  Joe and Jay Policastro were 
13th in class (1:27.413) in the No. 42 Classic Industries Porsche.  Randy 
Pobst will join them for the Thursday night practice and race day.

Joe Policastro said the cumulative experience at Road Atlanta allows him to 
use mental imagery to improve his performance.  "When you've been here before, 
each lap you get a little bit better because you can visualize going through 
there," he explained.  "Each time you drive it in your mind, by the time you 
get in the car, you've already done 10 or 12 laps and you just fine-tune it when 
you get into the corners.

"It felt good today; it's a continuation of the times I've been here before.  
I just build on it and hopefully keep bringing the [lap] times down."

first look

The 1000-mile Petit Le Mans represents a lot of firsts for Mike Rockenfeller 
- first race in North America, first endurance race in a car, first race in a 
Porsche 911 GT3 RS and first race with a helmet radio, pit stops and driver 
changes.  The young German (age 19) finished second in the Porsche Carrera Cup 
this season, driving the No. 1 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car.

"It's great!" he said of his first laps in the Orbit Porsche.  "I can't 
really say much about the car yet because I was not on the limit of the car.  First 
I have to find my limit, then I have to drive the car on the limit.  It was 
difficult at the beginning because of all the traffic, and the track is not 
easy because there are some blind corners.  At the end, I did two or three laps 
that weren't too bad [1:26.050].  I got a feeling for the car and I think when 
I get in the car for the second time, it will be a lot better."

Porsche points

Randy Pobst has more than one goal this weekend.  He wants a strong finish, 
but he also wants to earn as many points as possible toward the international 
Porsche Cup.

"I'm really happy to have an opportunity to earn some Porsche Cup points," he 
said.  "It's a program that Porsche does for its customers.  I'm driving for 
various customers and it's a really nice benefit.  I've been in the top 10 the 
last three years."

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Sylvia Proudfoot
spur07@cs.com
403 287 3945