Media Release: Marino Franchitti puts Highcroft on LMP2 pole
Having trouble viewing this email? Click here http://campaign.constantcontact.com/render?v=001VZO97oWchjDMCLfBPTxil__h6P91hsyOnpLYJq45QjFJFQtVnRR91FYl7sMn_jWSZJ6QETPHiLDdF8T2pw0zXQf5Wifj2KnnoakynL5rCAo1VSSiUSk6nudRc-rY-qxIeKnpfmZJG74%3D ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PATRÓN HIGHCROFT GRABS SEBRING LMP2 CLASS POSITION ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Marino Franchitti [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103212649893&s=1707&e=0019wW6k7Rw9962vFHi238SDvdYutJUSnRZCyjR3h-SACd0G5-P0wXzNZe5RfkckBEQGgWMx6sH42kXmJ43XlOppl85yV4SRLKGhqHfqvPcCcmebIiQ4F6Sig==]SEBRING, FL, Friday, March 19, 2010: Marino Franchitti kicked off Patrón Highcroft Racing's championship defense in the best possible fashion by scoring pole position in qualifying today for the opening race of 2010, the 58th running of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida. Although Franchitti will only drive the major endurance races with David Brabham and Simon Pagenaud this year, the talented Scotsman was entrusted with the qualifying duties for the opening race of the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón. After again setting the fastest LMP2 class time in the morning practice - Franchitti completed a clean sweep in qualifying - taking the pole with a best time of 1 minute, 47.684 seconds. Patrón Highcroft Racing Press Kit [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103212649893&s=1707&e=0019wW6k7Rw9971vXq_QMMmt_A6Kulw_Z0w7_3r0YinifZd3QLxaf_ZPZnDTOsesld8F1EC-A50UM-kI2E5bDW1LiRtsC_k1wSO0CSLynerVrAVYMHFoNIStae9qrZ4fuyba54UMGKTkhgntUbWO9B4XUoknoRcHS4W]The margin in qualifying was only .056 of a second as the warm afternoon weather caused a deterioration in track conditions. Franchitti actually suffered a small spin while keeping the opposition Porsche and Mazda entries at bay. The performance completed an amazing run for the #1 Honda Performance Development, factory-backed ARX-01c machine which topped the LMP2 timesheet in every on-track session it contested this week. Franchitti's time also put the Highcroft squad fifth on the grid for tomorrow's 12 hour enduro. The pole was Franchitti's fifth in American Le Mans Series competition. The pole position is the second in a row for the ARX-01 chassis design. Last year's LMP2 pole time was only 1:49.686. The result is also the seventh pole for Patrón Highcroft Racing and actually, the first not scored for the team by David Brabham. Tomorrow's opening round of the championship will face the green flag at 10:30am with Simon Pagenaud taking the start for the Danbury, CT-based squad. Click here for qualifying video report: http://www.youtube.com/user/HighcroftTV?feature=mhw4 [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103212649893&s=1707&e=0019wW6k7Rw994vzcYx4xiqNtuNKLCbjdQXeF4iZk_htx7BhmyK8dT8UP1kMmIn-z70fk5IXYPGuf1NI7ByNET0q49SXUHNyDcoGcSuWN0bTO-8C8mGSwr50axQyfgGaJidjTl-wJjOP3EjMvA7xAgH2SyaBReudjij] MARINO FRANCHITTI "The conditions were not as good as this morning and in turn one I was close to flat through there, but not quite. "I am delighted for the Patrón Highcroft team. We're also welcoming our new sponsor GE this weekend and it is a great start but we all have to get the job done tomorrow. "This is one trophy that I know Duncan wants to have in the trophy cabinet in Connecticut. "I was really touched, amazed and happy to be asked to qualify the car. I didn't think I would get the opportunity this year but both my teammates gave me the backing to do that. "When they asked me to do it, I was happy to accept. We still have a little bit of work to do on the car for tomorrow but we have done a really thorough job in testing and our recipe book is full of stuff that we can do to make it sweet for the race." DAVID BRABHAM "Marino did a fantastic job. We knew it would be close and the practice times were not really showing the true situation. "Once qualifying was underway everyone is always really hanging it out. The LMP2 class looks very close which is great for the fans. "Patrón Highcroft Racing did a fantastic job in getting the set-up right. The conditions were changing all the time and it is a great moment for the team to start the year off on a high." SIMON PAGENAUD "I'm very happy. It is great to start on pole and Marino did a very good job. It will be very tight in the race as it seems the competition is up to speed. "It will be interesting tomorrow to see what happens in the race. I'm really looking forward to it and can't wait for the green flag. "We have a very quick car in the corners so I want to be able to take advantage of that and build a gap straight away. "We'd prefer to dictate our own pace. Obviously if we are behind I'm not going to try anything silly, but we need to be up front very soon." SEBRING BY THE NUMBERS Track Distance: 5.95 km / 3.697 miles Pole Time: 105.28 seconds Average Speed: 204 km/h / 127 mph Fastest Corner: Turn 1 Max Corner Speed: 225 km/h / 140 mph Max Lat G's: 3.2 G Max Lat G's: Corner: Turn 1 Slowest Corner: Turn 7 Min Corner Speed: 75 km/h / 47 mph Top Speed (ARX-02a): 265 km/h / 165 mph Top Speed (ARX-01c Est): 255 km/h / 158 mph Full Throttle: 70% Max Braking G's: 3.0 G No. of Braking Zones: 9 Gear Changes: 34 Left Turns: 6 Right Turns: 11 No. of Turns: 17 - Second longest circuit in the ALMS - Fourth highest average speed - Largest number of turns of all ALMS tracks including most turns right - Has the equal slowest corner speed for a road course - Tied with Long Beach and Miller Motorsports Park for the most number of braking zones - With Road America has the most gear changes per lap - Rated fourth for maximum number of G's HIGHCROFT TV Sebring Qualifying Report http://www.youtube.com/user/HighcroftTV?feature=mhw4 [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103212649893&s=1707&e=0019wW6k7Rw994vzcYx4xiqNtuNKLCbjdQXeF4iZk_htx7BhmyK8dT8UP1kMmIn-z70fk5IXYPGuf1NI7ByNET0q49SXUHNyDcoGcSuWN0bTO-8C8mGSwr50axQyfgGaJidjTl-wJjOP3EjMvA7xAgH2SyaBReudjij] Sebring - Florida's Tough Track http://www.youtube.com/highcrofttv#p/u/0/Eza4WXiNZVk [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103212649893&s=1707&e=0019wW6k7Rw997VndGCxOzRQ7tJw-hAS4hk4XhEPjAjwKuqF1okXC6wWziL42OC_Yyy6-xkku1BgyiSoWp8dQ2XCucyGJdVWKVkhchhMf-kB1PFJ9vLdlVPIVJrXbuniUoMDIJgqcL-Ebq1BzbtfJhKjjmUWYfNNUex] Sebring Preview - Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/highcrofttv#p/u/5/2jXZSoKCvuo [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103212649893&s=1707&e=0019wW6k7Rw995TAdoiARMETHbv6VlFTok7Sby00z4tdeKy1GgJEmSdMa0A6xO8wLvbvvQ6YgyeHA3E_mCxHrZlXAvgytBoNGj1BzegV18D_sP3TAC4U91_BhmXVGcO7AhXJ3htuDzWvRB4yOXyWwzmh1XfOz1h45he] Sebring Preview - Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/highcrofttv#p/u/4/b9z6qhTDDRE [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103212649893&s=1707&e=0019wW6k7Rw994R-XlXKIl2Twzd6sp5WcLc-07jEYt0PcaooUXFa6Cp5StdUzICdoOKlEo1von0Ydf_0AOCxzCM4kT_PyDIqnOQlcWfnpBmE6ueAXoYdfqf9fjMHFY7Pz6Gbn5-rDYfnJ5D2mGnpqAHLD4otVDDVohf] Sebring Preview - Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/highcrofttv#p/u/3/9Fwd3y-lpSc [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103212649893&s=1707&e=0019wW6k7Rw994E0j_mHqNMMkKmjG9ZLHeggqL6dYUV_WnVtZ2zXKAQAwT_Pz-1ch0oau_CdxL76nUdHKNOj5PNf5wp--ikovwKLtrvU9468ZnMXI3EEjyI8b4TDmjCJgoKlyPFkaCuK8Lv94VUjrhM7lMCWRxT7LnG] Sebring Winter Test - Day 1 http://www.youtube.com/highcrofttv#p/u/2/n9-IyOTAp58 [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103212649893&s=1707&e=0019wW6k7Rw994kMa57msM4WneXTqZ9T_t5ObkMnf-9yOgwoVocOjGEul8bWZsROJ_3Zf2-S01WjVrg0Iqz2H7Zr80kLkemmBEyumJle6WFTL4ckEFsaprBljGshQ0jVlw2VRcm3UAlT8hB1MJ5-LfR-Iu7cz0G0daA] Sebring Winter Test - Day 2 http://www.youtube.com/highcrofttv#p/u/1/rKtmKYM3Flw [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103212649893&s=1707&e=0019wW6k7Rw994euqYuNwsdzVmzrThItBXauHPS5AmmxJC9ToMLBGqHy7fEyZlRwEM86xyVSW7K9bUT9XcsxogCnx8-YG8QXPvdgFv6-D5xizq1XB8GDfSBqdc3eyn1KQvy7w0bruHkOEodK4-F8t68cM0H9kcFDFf3] SEBRING TIMETABLE (All times local): Saturday, March 20 8:00am - 8:25am: Warm-up 10:30am - 10:30pm: Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring president by Fresh from Florida HIGHCROFT RACING AT SEBRING 2009 Acura ARX-02a Brabham/Sharp/Franchitti Qual: 6th 1:46.504 Race: 15th (5th in P2) DNF - 302 laps (mechanical) 2008 Acura ARX-01b Brabham/Sharp/Johansson Qual: 11th 1:47.819 Race: 5th 349 laps 2007 Acura ARX-01a Brabham/Johansson/Dayton Qual: 4th 1:47.109 Race: 6th 346 laps 2006 Lola EX257/AER Dayton/Knoop/Fisken Qual: 7th 1:51.549 Race: 29th DNF 128 laps (mechanical) SEBRING ON TV SPEED TV [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103212649893&s=1707&e=0019wW6k7Rw994mFg8eZ7amHwJIWToookTSX4fbOo5j_k8vtIDWQCUdxO1VnDsheXhzncGG9EsvEHsVlVI5XKOf0K6NfZjEYMSHw-ldqZvHz9A=]USA SPEED TV Saturday, March 20 (Live) 10:00am - 12:00pm / 2:00pm - 11:00pm (eastern) - Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida Motors TV [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103212649893&s=1707&e=0019wW6k7Rw994IdgmMYgPTM9LApvG71rgM-tBhoRIr5TguilEYJw4-9bpjTRmJyRDXmn48VpWfK55ilHhbmqjrYTwMzxHB2Tr_NJTMWr92vvs=]EUROPE Motors TV Saturday, March 20 (Live) 2:45pm - 3:45am - Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida UNITED KINGDOM Motors TV Saturday, March 20 (Live) 2:00pm - 3:15am - Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida CONTACT DETAILS Patrón Highcroft Racing Paul Ryan - PR Director Phone: 678-644-0404 Email: paul@highcroftracing.com [mailto:paul@highcroftracing.com] Join us at: http://www.milestoendmalaria.org [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103212649893&s=1707&e=0019wW6k7Rw997dZbpknDt01GmNYYFGFAkq-7tWmZFbJ1Hi9kmLNLWZtBnrvAHFGlsQcIzQ6TNOcs4gcM7DqmYUsMtsepI7o3LYc1lsZmxc-9yGU-SKVcPT1t1Lt5bMcQlJ] Visit us at: http://www.highcroftracing.com [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103212649893&s=1707&e=0019wW6k7Rw996a6u15vXbkxzhL2ngxvBuDRtv9bfLjXTewSm-_TtzTEPl6lJP2-IUg3a1mAKBCx2swAW5fgoKOqVLWSPj5nVbwlZ6rrywBONP75Vw3rL6mmQ==] Follow us on Twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/patronhighcroft [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103212649893&s=1707&e=0019wW6k7Rw997kMlr3UAVBR0_xWkGIbAZFxQgNyLsriqjLr5RP83npUHxukODiaRywssBG11lqab3ovoWnFxYIcpLqpWDb3VbD-eSrXQZXOpamlj1y-tK-gwx9pKf6e5ttEtVKQ8pEHdI=] Visit us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/HighcroftRacing [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103212649893&s=1707&e=0019wW6k7Rw996sNc6Pz_4S59qI1eVKohTCsgqxYA2Arq843cUkUgTQPgYHPPSayB9XU-TeCr6Bp4AGWvnQ4MoT2ZnRYu_Q51i3r0dguixCA5TktRmWqIacAqiH-KLwkh095QrW2buSG4Y=] See us on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/HighcroftTV [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103212649893&s=1707&e=0019wW6k7Rw995U7S0gcbGEpPl8Vk770XeOhPgtqUxSue60s7mE1tLuZnU9UDNChBN4eq5xeW1CaFF2hb7Z59Kef2VzKHCDLaNk0Hs-jyypcwLjiocV7Qys1evgpAYoUvx9] Get our podcast via iTunes:http://www.highcroftracing.com/podcast [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103212649893&s=1707&e=0019wW6k7Rw996BAXdF7vtQ7UDwFCNqj8urhJHKipdFpxyhjfVo-c5Zou-fQuZk4DXgGzb--X9itllsP7W8B45ZEVkxlPm6ekPM6hUEVBX2GUXMjoiDGkiEjy6LdwAFigiJ5zQEfvtqZn0=] Media images available from:http://www.phrmedia.com [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103212649893&s=1707&e=0019wW6k7Rw996WhAr2OAVzkgz7nneUHNb16FzDTPoDamIbURxcwP39MJyAuI8jtOhkz-Qq6CTzAwFF7IQcBX9MrKjuOVswvS7VtMvfVGWPHUw=] Username: patron Password: media ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Forward email http://ui.constantcontact.com/sa/fwtf.jsp?m=1101586170935&ea=submit@theautochannel.com&a=1103212649893 This email was sent to submit@theautochannel.com by pr@highcroftracing.com. 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