Audi R8 GRAND-AM makes race debut at 50th Rolex 24

Despite being plagued by mechanical problems throughout the race, both Audi R8 GRAND-AM teams would persevere to see the checkered flag Sunday at the 50th running of the Rolex 24 at Daytona. Finishing in 31st place was Team APR Motorsport and drivers Ian Baas, Nelson Canache, Dion von Moltke, Dr. Jim Norman and Emanuele Pirro. In 32nd place was the Oryx Racing team and drivers Humaid Al Masaood, Saeed Al Mehairi and Steven Kane. Press release and photo gallery after the jump.

Ingolstadt, January 29, 2012 – Further boost for an attractive scene: the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series has a new member – the Audi R8 GRAND-AM. Two examples of the powerful 480 hp GT sportscar celebrated their premiere in tough conditions at Daytona. The customer teams APR Motorsport and Oryx Racing were classified at the finish.

Audi Sport customer racing’s attractive program is a valuable element richer: the Audi R8 GRAND-AM vitalizes the hard fought North American market in GT racing since January. No less than 44 GT race cars contested the season opener in Florida. The 50th running and anniversary event of the ‘Rolex 24 at Daytona’ provided a worthy venue for the debut of the Audi R8 GRAND-AM car. Team APR Motorsport finished in 31st place with its drivers Ian Baas (USA)/Nelson Canache (YV)/Dion von Moltke (ZA)/Dr. Jim Norman (USA)/Emanuele Pirro (I). Oryx Racing came home in 32nd place with Humaid Al Masaood (UAE)/Saeed Al Mehairi (UAE)/Steven Kane (GB).

At all other GRAND-AM races up to the end of September the race car, newly developed by quattro GmbH, will compete in the United States and Canada in the hands of private customer teams. The customer racing car is distributed through Audi of America. Brad Kettler, who has been integrated for many years as engineer in Audi’s Le Mans program, has built up a service and logistic structure. As a result, the Audi customers are provided with expert support during race preparation and also during the events.

In addition to the bases in Japan, Australia and China a fourth base is now also created in the USA in order to provide optimum support for the private teams with their cars. Under these conditions the Audi R8 GRAND-Am has the opportunity of continuing the blossoming success story in the hands of customer teams. The US version was developed using the Audi R8 LMS as basis. This GT3 sportscar has won no less than 118 races and 13 championship titles worldwide since 2009. Its successor – the Audi R8 LMS ultra available from March – will make its debut in a few weeks.










Source: Audi Motorsport

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Video: Emanuele Pirro tests the APR Motorsport Audi R8 GRAND-AM at Daytona

Just two days ago, we posted the first look at the APR Motorsport Audi R8 GRAND-AM in its full race livery; along with news of Emanuele Pirro's addition to the APR squad for 2012 Rolex 24 at Daytona. While pictures and press releases are all well and good, we've been dying to see (and hear) what this car is like on the track. And what better way to experience that thrill than with this awesome on-board video from APR of Mr. Pirro doing what he does best. Video after the jump.



Source: APR Motorsport (YouTube)

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APR Motorsport reveals Audi R8 GRAND-AM in full race livery; Emanuele Pirro joins squad for Rolex 24

Following a few early sketches and many a tease on their Facebook page, APR Motorsport has officially revealed their brand-new Audi R8 GRAND-AM; in full race livery and ready for Daytona. In addition to showing off the completed race car for the first time, APR has also announced that Audi Sport veteran and five-time Le Mans winner Emanuele Pirro will join Ian Baas, Dion von Moltke, Dr. Jim Norman and Nelson Canache to round out the APR R8 squad for the 2012 Rolex 24 At Daytona. Full report and more photos after the jump.

OPELIKA, Ala. January 4, 2012 – Bolstering its first effort on the Rolex 24 at Daytona, APR Motorsport is proud to announce Emanuele Pirro – a man synonymous with Audi and success in endurance racing – will be behind the wheel of the no. 51 APR Motorsport Audi R8 Grand-Am for this year’s 24-hour classic.

“I would like to thank APR for giving me this opportunity to drive in one of the classic 24-hour races,” said Pirro. “I have a lot to learn, and I hope to be able, together with the rest of the APR Motorsport team, to finish the race in a good position to make the best possible introduction of the Audi R8 Grand-Am in the American market. I know the race will be super competitive. I am ready for it; I am well trained; I am in very good shape and very motivated. I will have a very open-minded approach, as I have very limited experience in the GT class, although I have overtaken tons of them in 10 years of prototype racing!”

Pirro’s success with Audi dates back to 1994 when he took the Italian Touring Car Championship at the wheel of an Audi 80 sedan. Sports car fans in America will undoubtedly link him to Audi’s legendary R8 and R10 LMP racers, which Pirro drove to five wins in the 24 Hours of Le Mans as well as two championships in the American Le Mans Series. After retiring from active competition with Audi, Pirro drove in select ALMS races in the Drayson Lola – earning himself a spot on SpeedHunters.com’s Greatest 20 Overtakes with a daring move to take the lead at the 12 Hours of Sebring in 2010.

However, despite his many successes with Audi at LeMans, Daytona holds a special place in Pirro’s heart as he scored a class win in the 1981 race at the tender age of 19.

“The Rolex 24 at Daytona has a very special meaning for me,” said Pirro. “It was my very first car race outside of Italy, driving the Lancia Montecarlo Turbo in the World Endurance Championship opening round. My racing experience was very limited, and the longest race I had done was 25 minutes. I remember the first time I saw the track. I was almost shocked! After this fantastic experience, when I came back to Italy I was celebrated as a hero. I never went back and now, after 31 years, I am really excited about it.”

Rounding out the driver lineup for APR Motorsport will be Venezuelan Nelson Canache. A two-time champion in the Venezuelan Super Touring GT class, Canache spent his 2011 season competing in the Seat Leon Super Cup in Mexico as well as the NASCAR Whelen All American Series Championship. This will be the first Rolex 24 at Daytona for the Caracas native.

“I am extremely excited for my first attempt at the Rolex 24 at Daytona,” said Canache. “Daytona is one of the most famous racetracks in the world, and the 24 Hours is well-known in Venezuela. APR Motorsport is a great team, and I think we are going to have a great run in the 24 Hours later this month.”

With the driving lineup of the no. 51 APR Motorsport Audi R8 Grand-Am solidified, Stephen Hooks, president and CEO of APR, is anxiously awaiting the green flag at the Rolex 24 at Daytona at the end of the month.

“To have the chance to bring Emanuele on board for the Rolex 24 at Daytona is a dream come true,” said Hooks. “He’s one of the most successful endurance racers of our time and a hero to Audi fans all over the world. For us, he will be a tremendous wealth of knowledge and experience that we, as a team, can draw from. We aren’t underestimating the challenge of finishing the Rolex 24 at Daytona, but having Emanuele join APR gives everyone a big boost of confidence.

“Nelson tested with us recently, and he showed outstanding pace and gave great feedback in an unfamiliar car, setting a track record in his second on-track session. He will be a great addition to the team of Dion, Dr. Jim, Ian and of course, Emanuele.”

The APR drivers will get behind the wheel of the no. 51 APR Motorsport Audi R8 Grand-Am for the first time at this weekend’s Roar Before the 24, Friday January 6 through Sunday January 8, at Daytona International Speedway.

Click here to view the full photo gallery at GOAPR.com

Source: APR Motorsports

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Audi R8 GRAND-AM completes successful test at Daytona

Complete with Captain America-esque stars-n'-stripes livery, the all-new Audi R8 GRAND-AM successfully completed its final testing last week at Daytona International Speedway. As part of the two-day event, Frank Stippler racked up over 600 miles at the track (following numerous tests in Europe), earning the R8 GRAND-AM an official green light for the 2012 season. Look for the new R8 GRAND-AM to make its race debut - fielded by APR Motorsport - at the 50th Rolex 24 at Daytona on January 28-29, 2012. Full report and photo gallery after the jump.











Ingolstadt, December 11, 2011 – The Audi R8 GRAND-AM successfully passed its baptism by fire. The new model was fine-tuned at the Daytona race track (U.S. state of Florida) during its final test on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Ready for the North American market: The development of the next customer sport race car from Audi Sport customer racing has been completed. The car will be delivered to the first customers by January. The new Audi R8 GRAND-AM is based on the extremely successful Audi R8 LMS that has scored more than 110 victories and 13 titles. From this GT3 race car quattro GmbH developed a vehicle for the Grand Touring class of the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series in the USA and subjected it to final testing at Daytona.

After track tests in Europe the R8 GRAND-AM that features significant modifications compared to the GT3 race car underwent its final test in the heart of the region where it will be fielded in the future. On the two test days, Frank Stippler completed about 1000 kilometers (600 miles) in the visually conspicuous test car from quattro GmbH that sports a stars-and-stripes design. The famous Daytona International Speedway in the U.S. state of Florida with its banked turns served to prepare for the Daytona 24 Hours at which private racing customers will compete with the R8 GRAND AM on January 28th and 29th.

The Audi R8 GRAND-AM clearly differs from the GT3 "sister model” and required a fundamentally new set-up. Downforce, for instance, is drastically lower. About 70 to 80 percent of aerodynamic grip is lost because the GRAND-AM regulations prescribe modified body components. The new front splitter may only protrude from the front contours by 38 millimeters, for example. The front underbody must have a flat design. The rear diffusor corresponds to the production car component, while the standardized rear wing is only 152 centimeters wide and thus 260 millimeters slimmer than the rear wing of the R8 LMS. "The lower aerodynamic forces also require modified damper characteristics and softer spring rates,” explains Armin Plietsch, Head of Engineering Customer Sport at quattro GmbH. In addition, the regulations prescribe a ride height of 65 millimeters – which is about 10 millimeters more than the minimum in the FIA series.

At Daytona, Audi also familiarized itself with the tires from the series’ exclusive tire supplier, Continental. The GTR (for road courses) and GTO (for oval tracks) tire models influence suspension set-ups as well. ABS and traction control, which are standard equipment on the Audi R8 LMS, had to be deactivated for the R8 GRAND-AM. The optimized radiator package that Audi developed for the R8 LMS ultra is also used in the R8 GRAND-AM.

"We successfully tested all the modifications at Daytona,” says Romolo Liebchen, Head of Customer Sport at quattro GmbH. "With Frank Stippler we developed a sound and solid set-up for our customers and also gathered valuable findings in the endurance tests. The durability of wearing parts and runs at high outside temperatures meet challenging demands. We can now provide our racing customers with concrete advice and reference values for fielding the car.”

The rating of the Audi R8 GRAND AM is still an open issue. By January, a balance of performance is to be achieved between the various vehicles in the GT class. Audi has made one of the 5.2-liter V10 FSI engines used in the Audi R8 GRAND-AM available to the series’ engineers for a precise performance analysis. The engine’s power output and homologation weight will only be defined once this rating is available.

One of the customer teams for the 2012 season has already been determined. APR Motorsport from Opelika in the U.S. state of Alabama will be the first team to field the Audi R8 GRAND-AM. The squad is planning to contest the Daytona 24 Hours and the remainder of the races with its own driver combinations. Negotiations with three other teams are currently in the closing stage. A maximum of four Audi R8 GRAND-AM cars will be delivered for the 2012 season to ensure individual support and coordinated logistics. Audi of America is responsible for sales and support to customers in North America.

Source: Audi Motorsport

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APR Motorsport to field Audi R8 LMS in 2012 GRAND-AM Rolex Series

APR Motorsport has announced today that the Opelika, Alabama-based race team will contest the first Audi R8 LMS in North America in next year's GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series. APR Motorsport’s Audi R8 LMS will make its race debut at the 50th Rolex 24 at Daytona on January 28-29, 2012. Full press release after the jump.

November 23, 2011 (Opelika, AL) – APR Motorsport is proud to announce that it will become the first team to compete in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series with the Audi R8 LMS, when the team takes the green flag for January’s 50th Rolex 24 at Daytona on January 28, 2012 – and, hopefully, is first to the checkered flag on January 29.

Passion for the Audi brand runs deep at APR. Stephen Hooks, President and CEO of APR, was an aspiring driver and Audi enthusiast who raced Audis in the Motorola Cup – the predecessor to GRAND-AM. After leaving his driving ambitions to build APR into the largest aftermarket and motorsport company for Audis worldwide, Hooks returned to competition as a principal in APR Motorsport. The team was the first to race Audi’s newest and hottest sedan, the B8 model generation Audi S4, in the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge. Being the first team to field the R8 LMS in North America is a natural progression for APR Motorsport.

The winning pedigree of APR Motorsport’s brand-new Audi R8 LMS, the first example built for the Rolex Series, is undoubtedly strong as well. Examples of the Audi R8 LMS have taken victory more than one hundred times in races in Europe, Asia, Australia, and South America. Now, APR’s customers – as well as Audi fans from Ingolstadt to Alabama – will cheer on the APR Audi R8 LMS as it seeks to add to the win tally.

Building upon experience gained in the CTSCC, APR Motorsport will now have the Rolex Series’ Grand Touring class looking over its shoulders with the series’ newest major contender, the Audi R8 LMS. Using the same team and infrastructure that has made the team a force to be reckoned with in the CTSCC, the team will now look to shake up the status quo of the Rolex Series – which has seen the series dominated by the same three manufacturers over the past several seasons.

The Audi R8 LMS, which is already a proven platform for success in GT racing the world over, will have the rest of the GT field looking over its shoulders. APR Motorsport also remains committed to discovering and developing the best driving talent found today in GRAND-AM.

Teams hoping that this will spell and end to APR Motorsport’s efforts in the CTSCC will be disappointed, as the team will continue its CTSCC program in 2012, with an exciting announcement about that program coming soon. APR Motorsport will make further announcements about drivers for the APR Audi R8 LMS, as well as marketing partners, in the coming weeks.

APR Motorsport’s Audi R8 LMS will make its on-track debut – dressed in the distinctive APR Motorsport livery – at the Roar Before the Rolex 24 test at Daytona International Raceway on January 6-8, 2012.

Source: APR Motorsport

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