TUSC: Fall-Line Motorsports Audi R8 LMS has strong showing at Sebring 12 Hour

Fall-Line Motorsports Press Release

Buffalo Grove, IL (March 18, 2014) - Following a heartbreaking season-opener at Daytona in late January, #46 Fall-Line Audi R8 LMS crew rebuilt and came close to redemption at Sebring International Raceway for the 2014 Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh From Florida. The trio of Charlie Putman, Charles Espenlaub, and Christopher Mies finished the race on the leap lap, just 17 seconds behind the leader in the GT Daytona (GTD) class in what was a crash-plagued race with 11 full-course cautions.

 Mies qualified the #46 car in 20th after catching traffic on his flying lap. He started the race and drove a double stint to make it all the way to P1 in just over two hours. Espenlaub was second in the car and drove for one hour before pitting and handing over the reigns to Putman who drove three hours straight. Putman got hit by a DP car that sent him spinning but he was able to make an impressive save and kept the car from any major damage.

At the halfway mark the #46 was running P11 under full-course caution and Espenlaub was back in. After more lengthy yellows, there was green flag running and Espenlaub drove a notable run climbing all the way to 3rd. Mies got in to drive the closing laps and was running P4 with two hours to go when he was also the victim of another on-track incident that cut the left front tire and he had to pit under green. Although the pit stop was executed very efficiently the time lost driving with a flat meant the #46 lost a lap. The lap was gained back as the leaders pitted and the #46 was back in the lead pack for the last hour. An emergency stop for fuel under the next yellow as the pits were closed cost the opportunity to run for the win as they went to the back of the line. The green then flew with just 20 minutes to go. Mies drove an impressive final few laps at ten-tenths but just wasn't able to make the podium and settled for 6th.

Charlie Putman:"You have to be pretty spoiled not to be happy with a 6th place finish at the Sebring 12 Hour as the teams and drivers in this race are the "Who's Who" of sports car racing.  We certainly had the potential for the win or a podium finish but it just didn't come to fruition as we had hoped.  A small traffic incident causing Chris (Mies) to brush a concrete wall and flatten a tire, cost valuable track position that we could not recover that late in the race.  Chris did a great job saving the car from what could have been a disastrous crash and bringing it home for a new tire.  Nathan's (McBride, lead engineer) strategy was inspirational and cool-headed and actually kept us in the battle right up to the checkered flag.  It was a hard fought 12 hours as the number of crashes and resulting caution periods demonstrated.  We did manage to run in the top-5 for the largest part of the race and Charles (Espenlaub) actually led the field for the majority of his first stint.  I was proud of the crew as they picked up a position for us on almost every pit stop.  We may not have taken first, but I was extremely proud of the entire team."
  
Christopher Mies: "I am quite happy with the result we achieved. We came all the way from P20 and finished P6. With a little bit more luck we could have finished on the podium and we were for sure one of the teams who could have won this race. But in the end you always need a little bit of luck.A huge thanks to Fall line Motorsports and my teammates Charles (Espenlaub) and Charlie (Putman) for their brilliant job.We worked very well together and improved the car each session. In the end the car was just phenomenal to drive during the race and I enjoyed every single lap.
The team and my teammates did a great job without mistakes and I hope I can come back with them next year. Sebring was one of the toughest races I have ever done, and finishing just 17 seconds behind the class winner is more than awesome! I would love to join them at a later date and I wish them good luck for the rest of the races." 

Michael Harvey, Fall-Line Motorsports Team Manager: "I am so proud of everyone at Fall-Line Motorsports and although a tinge frustrated with 6th place overall very happy. The guys on the both sides of the wall competed flawlessly and with 2 hours remaining we had a strong shot at the win. Unfortunately we got attacked by a DP and although not a killer blow, it was enough to dampen our day. It was great to rebound after the disappointment of Daytona and to run at the front in this historic event. A huge thanks to Audi Sport customer racing for all their support and encouragement, without Brad (Kettler) and his team the post Daytona rebuild would definitely have been much more difficult."

Fall-Line Motorsports is a premiere builder and fabricator of racecars for all levels of competition. Fall-Line specializes in BMW, Porsche, Audi and other high-performance makes. Fall-Line Motorsports unveiled their Grand-Am team in 2006 and won the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge GS Championship title in 2010. In addition to fielding 3 GS BMW M3s in the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge and an Audi R8 LMS in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, Fall-Line also prepares and fabricates cars for other CTSC teams, SCCA and NASA drivers, track day prepared and high performance street vehicles. www.fall-linemotorsports.com @FallLineMotors www.facebook.com/Falllinemotorsports

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.

Photo credit: Wes Duenkel Motorsport Photography / Fall-Line Motorsports

TUSC: Paul Miller Racing Finish 12th in the 12 Hours of Sebring

Paul Miller Racing Press Release 

PAUL MILLER RACING AND TEAM DRIVERS BRYCE MILLER, CHRISTOPHER HAASE AND MATT BELL FINISH 12TH IN THE 12 HOURS OF SEBRING

No. 48 Paul Miller Racing Audi R8 LMS Team Bounces Back from String of Challenges to Finish Endurance Event Inside the Top 12

SEBRING, Fla. (March 16, 2014) - In a long day filled with all of the challenges that can be expected from a 12-hour endurance race, Paul Miller Racing brought its No. 48 Audi R8 LMS home in the 12th position in the 62nd Running of the 12 Hours of Sebring on Saturday, March 15.

The Audi team was having a routine day until contact on the track and the resulting damage forced the No. 48 to the garage shortly after the eight-hour mark. Returning to the track just 12 minutes later, the Paul Miller Racing team found themselves racing inside the top-15, yet removed from contention for a podium finish.

"The 12 Hours of Sebring is a very tough race with very tough conditions," Bryce Miller said. "Our Paul Miller Racing team didn't have an easy week.  We had small mistakes here and there and those types of things add up, especially when a 12-hour race is involved. Chris [Haase], Matt [Bell, co-drivers], and the team did an awesome job, and we were able to make it to the finish.  Like I said, this is a very tough race, so just making it to the finish is an accomplishment."

After overcoming a series of setbacks earlier in the week, the team started the 12 Hours of Sebring focused on a solid finish.  Starting out the day with a routine race, the team made calculated moves as they rotated through co-drivers Miller, Christopher Haase and Matt Bell.  With just standard stops for fuel and tires, the team was competing at their own pace and had moved into the top six with Bell behind the wheel just before the halfway point.

"It was cracy race," Haase said. "I did  the start and already there it felt like a one-hour race. My only target was to stay out of trouble and keep the car in one piece. We had  a lot safety car situations which showed how difficult  the race was. Every restart was just  tough because of all the different classes which where fighting. Our race was not bad, for a long time we could stay consistent at the top eight to stay in touch with the leaders."

With the race entering its eighth hour, competitors in the 12 Hours of Sebring were challenged by the sunset hindering their vision as they navigated the narrow, bumpy course. With Miller behind the wheel, the Paul Miller Racing team was navigating traffic when a competitor in a much-faster Prototype, who was also navigating traffic, made contact with Miller in Turn 17.  Miller brought the car to the attention of his crew, first on pit lane and ultimately in the garage, where the Paul Miller Racing team diagnosed a bent rear toe arm.  The Audi team worked quickly and within just 12 minutes, Miller returned to the track.

"There was an incredible amount of driver error in this race which contributed to the exceptionally high number of caution flags thrown," Bryce Miller said. "Unfortunately we were one of many that fell victim to poor judgement by others. Our incident was an example in how not to drive with one hand while trying to block the sun with the other and execute overtaking maneuvers at the highest speed on the circuit." 

Following the incident, the Paul Miller Racing drivers completed one last round of driver changes without incident and while fighting their way through the field.  At the completion of the 12th hour, the No. 48 Paul Miller Racing Audi R8 LMS was scored in the 12th position.

"It's great to be able to make it to the finish here," Bryce Miller said.  "We had 11 cautions, so to be able to finish the race and score the points is a good thing.  There are a lot of cars that didn't finish and there was a high rate of attrition. We definitely have things to feel good about.  Despite all the challenges, we had a really good car with good pace for the last hour of the race.

"We have a lot of takeaways from the day, but we're focused on the entire season and getting better week after week. I think we'll be able to learn from our experience today and be a better Audi team in Laguna Seca."

The Tudor United SportsCar Championship GTD Class will next compete at the Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix, May 3-4, 2014, at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

About Paul Miller Racing:

Paul Miller Racing is among the top GT teams competing in North American sports car road racing. In 2014, the team will contest the full GT Daytona (GTD) season in the new IMSA TUDOR SportsCar Championship in a new partnership with Audi Sport customer racing. Bryce Miller and Christopher Hasse will co-drive the No. 48 Paul Miller Racing Audi R8 LMS. The racing team is affiliated with the Paul Miller Auto Group, which has operated Paul Miller Audi since 1976, races in support of Full Circle Home, and competes with the support of TOTAL Lubricants, Search Marketing Group and Motegi Racing.

Follow Paul Miller Racing on Twitter @paulmilleracing @bryceracer and become a Facebook fan at Facebook.com/paulmillerracing and Facebook.com/brycemiller.net. Learn more about the team at www.paulmillerracing.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.

Photo credit: Paul Miller Racing

TUSC: Top 10 results for the Audi teams at Sebring

By Johan Laubscher

The 12 Hours of Sebring was held this weekend, round two of the new TUDOR United SportsCar Championship. Five Audi R8 LMS cars took part fielded by four different teams, the same entries which took part in the 24 hours of Daytona.

The Audi Sport customer racing contingent was represented by five Audi R8 LMS cars from four different teams in the GT Daytona (GTD) class. Flying Lizard Motorsports returned with their two-car Audi R8 LMS team. Their #35 R8 LMS was piloted by Seth Neiman, Dion von Moltke and Filipe Albuquerque and their second #45 R8 LMS by Nelson Canache Jr., Spencer Pumpelly, Alessandro Latif and Markus Winkelhock. Tim Pappas unfortunately suffered food poisoning earlier this week and did not compete in the #45 machine, thus Alessandro Latif was moved from the #35 driving crew to aid the #45 entry.

One-car each was entered by GMG Racing, Fall-Line Motorsports and Paul Miller Racing. GMG Racing’s #32 Audi R8 LMS was driven by James Sofronas, Alex Welch and Marc Basseng. Fall-Line Motorsports’ R8 LMS had Christopher Mies, Charlie Putman and Charles Espenlaub behind the wheel and Paul Miller Racing had Bryce Miller, Christopher Haase and Matthew Bell.

The track action got under with three practice sessions on Thursday, followed by a fourth practice session and qualifying on Friday.

Qualifying concluded in a similar fashion for the Audi teams. The Audi R8 LMS cars were again relegated to the mid-field positions. GMG Racing’s Audi R8 LMS proved to be the fastest Audi by taking sixteenth place within the GT Daytona class. The #48 Paul Miller Racing Audi R8 LMS grabbed eighteenth. The remaining trio of Audis qualified together in positions twenty through twenty-two, with Fall-Line Motorsports ahead of the two Flying Lizard Motorsports R8 LMS cars (#45 and #35).

The race itself got underway at 10:15 local time on Saturday morning. The Audi R8 LMS cars were involved in the battles within the top ten during the incident filled race. By the end of the long and gruelling twelve hours, three Audi R8 LMS teams had made it into the top ten, one of them in the top five.

The #35 Flying Lizard Motorsports crew of Seth Neiman, Dion von Moltke and Filipe Albuquerque brought their R8 LMS across the line in fifth place within GTD, less than ten seconds behind the GTD race winning #44 Magnus Racing Porsche. Fall-Line Motorsports finished sixth with the #46 R8 LMS, a further seconds back from the #35 car.

Flying Lizard Motorsports’ #45 R8 LMS rounded out the top ten Audi runners by taking eighth within the GTD class. GMG Racing and Paul Miller Racing finished just outside of the GTD top ten, with eleventh and twelfth places respectively.

The TUDOR United SportsCar Championship will now be heading to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca for round three of the series, 3-4 May.

Photo credit: Audi Communications - Motorsport

TUSC: Mid-field starting positions for the Audi teams at Sebring

By Johan Laubscher

The 12 Hours of Sebring weekend is well underway. Three practice sessions were held on Thursday, followed by a fourth and final practice session and qualifying on Friday.

The Audi Sport customer racing contingent is represented by five Audi R8 LMS cars from four different teams in the GT Daytona (GTD) class. Flying Lizard Motorsports has returned with their two-car Audi R8 LMS team. Their #35 R8 LMS is piloted by Seth Neiman, Dion von Moltke and Filipe Albuquerque and their second #45 R8 LMS by Nelson Canache Jr., Spencer Pumpelly, Alessandro Latif and Markus Winkelhock. Tim Pappas unfortunately suffered food poisoning earlier this week and will not be competing in the #45 machine, thus Alessandro Latif was moved from the #35 driving crew to aid the #45 entry.

One-car each is entered by GMG Racing, Fall-Line Motorsports and Paul Miller Racing. GMG Racing’s #32 Audi R8 LMS is driven by James Sofronas, Alex Welch and Marc Basseng. Fall-Line Motorsports’ R8 LMS has Christopher Mies, Charlie Putman and Charles Espenlaub behind the wheel and Paul Miller Racing has Bryce Miller, Christopher Haase and Matthew Bell.

The fourth and final practice session on Friday saw no Audis within the top ten of the GT Daytona class. The highest Audi runner was the #46 Fall-Line Motorsports R8 LMS in twelfth, ahead of the #48 Paul Miller Racing R8 LMS in thirteenth. The #45 Flying Lizard Motorsports R8 LMS was fifteenth. The remaining two Audis were outside of the top twenty, with the #32 GMG Racing machine in twenty-second and #35 Flying Lizard Motorsports in twenty-third. 

Qualifying was held later on Friday and concluded in a similar fashion for the Audi teams. The Audi R8 LMS cars were again relegated to the mid-field positions. GMG Racing’s Audi R8 LMS proved to be the fastest Audi by taking sixteenth place within the GT Daytona class. The #48 Paul Miller Racing Audi R8 LMS grabbed eighteenth. The remaining trio of Audis qualified together in positions twenty through twenty-two, with Fall-Line Motorsports ahead of the two Flying Lizard Motorsports R8 LMS cars (#45 and #35).

The 2014 12 Hours of Sebring will be getting underway at 10:15 local time on Saturday morning. We wish the best of luck to all the Audi teams and drivers.     

Photo credit: Audi Communications - Motorsport

TUSC: GMG takes top Audi honors in Sebring qualifying

GMG Racing Press Release

SEBRING, FL (March 14, 2014)- While qualifying for Saturday’s 62nd Annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring as the top Audi R8 LMS entrant is generally considered a great feat, Global Motorsports Groups’ (GMG) 16th place on the GTD-class grid still outlined a number of questions heading in to the 12-hour classic.

“Looking at the quality of the Audi teams, it’s a great satisfaction to be top among them today,” stated GMG team owner James Sofronas. “The guys have worked very hard to get here, and they deserved some reward. Unfortunately, 16th on the grid isn’t quite what we’d hoped for, and it definitely demonstrates an uphill battle for Audi teams in the constantly changing balance-of-performance.”

With driver Marc Basseng qualifying the No. 32 Morgan Adams Foundation machine with a time of 2:05.404, just one second off the pole sitting time, the Southern California-based team will head in to tomorrow’s event with a reserved amount of confidence about the event. Featuring a strong lineup of Basseng, Sofronas, and Alex Welch, GMG is one of the few lineups that features a complete set of Sebring veterans, a trait that should go some way in helping the team’s chances. Unfortunately, with all Audi teams being over a second off the pole-sitting pace, the balance-of-performance will present a curious scenario for the highly competitive category.

Additionally, fans can actively participate during the race by taking part in a pledge for The Morgan Adams Foundation. As a charity dedicated to pediatric cancer, the organization will be pushing for per-lap contributions, with the unique addition of driver Alex Welch agreeing to match every contribution up to $5,000. Donation information can be found here.

The race will begin at 10:15AM ET, and last for 12 hours. Live coverage can first be found on Fox Sports 1, followed by continuous coverage on IMSA.com.

About GMG

Founded in 2001 by James Sofronas and Fabryce Kutyba, GMG has quickly established itself as North America’s premier performance tuning and racing facility. What began as a small 1200 sq. ft. shop, maintaining two race cars, has grown into a 30,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art performance tuning, racing and service facility located in (Orange County) Santa Ana, California. The staff's experience, attention to detail, and passion are what make GMG the choice of professionals and enthusiasts world wide. Whether you want to maximize the performance of your street car, or race wheel-to-wheel on both amateur and professional racing series across North America, GMG’s reputation for service and quality is unmatched.
Learn more at www.gmgracing.com

About Spyder

Spyder was founded by avid skier and outdoor athlete David Jacobs. He rose to world-class rankings as a competitive skier, and stayed connected to the sport he loves by coaching, designing related products, and building one of the most powerful brands in the industry. His dedication to the sport of skiing and the Spyder brand is as inspiring as it is intriguing. Spyder's growth exploded over the turn of the century, and the company is now the largest ski-specialty brand in the world. David has recently discovered the adrenaline rush in racing classic Formula One cars, finding success - not surprisingly - in this new pastime. For a man who's thrived on sports, technology, and professional advancement, the world is sure to see David go a few more times around the track.

Learn more at www.spyder.com

About The Thermal Club

The Thermal Club is the premier private motorsports facility in the world. In addition to 4.5 miles of members-only racetrack, the Club facilities include a fully amenitized Clubhouse and Village unrivaled in the motorsports world. All 4.5 miles of our exquisite racetrack are designed to push both amateurs and professionals to their limit, giving members the thrill of driving at peak performance amidst the endless desert skies. Featuring three different private circuit configurations, trackside villas, a motorsport village with a state-of-the-art clubhouse, tuning shop, a fuel island, as well as member storage garages, The Thermal Club will bring the country club lifestyle to Southern California’s diverse car culture. More information can be found at www.thethermalclub.com.

About Lasso

Lasso is a request-based, sharing network predicated on a very simple idea: You have something that I want—and you may not even know it until I ask for it. With so much content cluttering our phones, tablets, PCs and social networks, it can be difficult to seek out and find the specific items of interest to you. Friends or colleagues may not share this content with you directly because they’re drowning in data overload themselves. Often, these friends aren’t sure exactly what you want. Lasso makes it easy for you to round up the digital content you want from friends—simply by asking for it. By putting the onus on the requester, instead of the person holding the content, you’ll be in a much better position to actually receive the digital content you’re interested in.

Learn more at www.lasso.me

About Morgan Adams Foundation

The Morgan Adams Foundation raises money and awareness on behalf of children affected with cancer. Working with leading physicians, MAF directly funds pediatric cancer research and therapies that will drastically improve survival rates and reduce the devastating side-effects cancer treatments have on our children. The foundation is named for the daughter of founders Steven Adams and Joan Slaughter, who lost their 6-year-old daughter, Morgan to brain cancer in 1998. Learn more at www.morganadamsfoundation.org

Photo credit: Audi Media

TUSC: Positive day 1 for Audi teams at Sebring

By Tarek Ramchani

The action has started at Sebring International Raceway. The Florida circuit is hosting the 62nd Annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, round two of the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship. The Audi squad is represented by five Audi R8 LMS cars from four diffrent teams.

The Audi cars performed well in the three free practice sessions of the day. In the first session the best ranked Audi was the #45 from Flying Lizard Motorsports. The car in the hands of Nelson Canache Jr., Spencer Pumpelly, Markus Winkelhock and Alessandro Latif finished fifth within the GT Daytona class with a best time of 2:05.738. All the other Audi R8 LMS cars were outside the top 10. The #32 car from GMG Racing driven by James Sofronas, Alex Welch and Marc Basseng was fifteenth. The #35 Audi from Flying Lizards of Dion von Moltke, Seth Neiman and Filipe Albuquerque was sixteenth. The #46 Audi from Fall-Line Motorsports with drivers Christopher Mies, Charles Putman and Charles Espenlaub was twenty-third. The #48 Audi from Paul Miller Racing did not take part in the session.

First free practice session results can be seen HERE

In the second session, only a single Audi R8 LMS car made it into the top 10 within the GT Daytona class. The #45 entry from Flying Lizard Motorsport again the best ranked Audi car, finishing ninth. Nelson Canache Jr., Spencer Pumpelly, Markus Winkelhock and Alessandro Latif with a fastest lap time of 2:05.979. The #48 Audi R8 LMS from Paul Miller Racing was fourteenth. The #46 car from Fall-Line Motorsports was nineteenth. The #32 R8 LMS from GMG Racing was twentieth and the #35 entry from Fluing Lizard Motorsport was twenty-first.

Second free practice session results can be seen HERE.

The third and final free practice session of the day was a night session. As was the case in the first two sessions, only one Audi car was among the top 10 in GT Daytona. The #46 from Fall-Line Motorsports was ninth. The blue livered Audi R8 LMS driven by Christopher Mies, Charles Putman and Charles Espenlaub with a best time of 2:06.042. The #45 Audi from Flying Lizard Motorsports was eleventh. The #32 car from GMG Racing was sixteenth. The #35 R8 LMS from Flying Lizard Motorsports was eighteenth and the #48 effort from Paul Miller Racing was twenty-third.

Third free practice session results can be seen HERE.

Looking at the lap times and teams' performances in all three practice session, it was a positive day 1 for the Audi Sport customer racing squad at Sebring. GT Daytona is clearly the most demanding class in all four divisions in TUDOR United SportsCar Championship with extremly balanced field with very strong brands and teams.

The Audi teams will be back on track today for a final free practice session followed by qualifying this Friday.

Photo credit: IMSA

TUSC: Paul Miller Racing Audi R8 LMS Primed for 12 Hours of Sebring Success‏

Paul Miller Racing Press Release

Paul Miller Racing and Team Drivers Bryce Miller, Christopher Haase and Matt Bell Looking For First Sebring Win This Weekend

Strong Rolex 24 Run Has No. 48 Paul Miller Racing Audi R8 LMS Team Optimistic for Success in Saturday's 12 Hours of Sebring

SEBRING, Fla. (March 12, 2014) - Coming off a competitive showing in January's season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona, the No. 48 Paul Miller Racing Audi R8 LMS, and team drivers Bryce Miller, Christopher Haase and Matt Bell, head to Sebring International Raceway this weekend primed for another top performance in Saturday's 12 Hours of Sebring.

The team's debut with the proven Audi R8 LMS at Daytona saw Haase win the pole in his very first start with Paul Miller Racing. With Haase's fellow German standout Rene Rast also joining the team alongside Miller and Bell, the No. 48 led the GT Daytona (GTD) field for the majority of the first half of the Rolex 24. Only early morning overheating issues knocked the team from winning contention but the No. 48 is once again expected to be among the pacesetters in this weekend's 12-hour contest. 

Audi has never won in GT at Sebring and Paul Miller Racing is looking for its first victory in the grueling half-day race as well. 

"It would of course be a very big honor to give Audi its first GT win at Sebring but also for our team in our very first year campaigning the R8," Bryce Miller said. "We have not won this race yet and it ranks at the top of the list for endurance sports car racing. Many teams will choose to bring their cars from around the world to compete in this race for a win. It also serves as the ultimate test for any package. The harsh nature in these track conditions is unlike anywhere else and tests the driver and car to its very limit. That would make a victory at Sebring unlike anywhere else in the world."

Haase and Bell will each be making their Sebring race debuts after first testing at the track last month.

"The official test was my first time at Sebring last month and this track has a big tradition," Haase said. "To win here would be something special and would rank high like the 24 hour Daytona or 24 hour of Nürburgring. It would be a pleasure for me set a hook on my winning list!"

Bell is from England and no relation to American sports car driver Matt Bell, but he is the younger brother of Rob Bell who is also racing in the 12 Hours of Sebring this weekend.

"Although the R8 LMS has never raced at Sebring, Audi has a rich and successful history at the 12 hour with several overall victories, so it would be fantastic to add to that," Bell said. "Audi's past success also means there will be some expectation to perform this year, but I like the extra pressure that comes with representing such a successful manufacturer."

While his debuting teammates are more than up to the task, Bryce Miller - son of team owner Paul Miller - is a Sebring veteran. He was part of the team's sixth-place GT finish last year at Sebring.

"Normally a 12-hour race would not be as hard as a 24 hour, but with the challenges presented at Sebring I would say yes for this particular event," Bryce Miller said. "I am very much looking forward to this week. I have two strong co-drivers I am honored to be paired with an Audi R8 and the best team!"

Haase has won the 24 Hours of Nürburgring sports car race back home in Germany.
"Races are here for us to win and our goal is to be at the end of the race in first position," Haase said. "For sure it would be a great honor for Audi as well for our Paul Miller Racing team if we would able to win, but it is a long way to go."

Bell would reach a milestone in his young career with a victory on Saturday.

"Personally, a victory on Saturday would be the highlight of my career to date," Bell said. "This is one of the biggest race events in the world, so I want a trophy from Sebring to sit in the center of my trophy cabinet!"

Viewing

Prior to the start of the 12 Hours of Sebring, www.IMSA.com will feature two pre-race shows.

The first, "Through the Driver's Eyes, Driven by Continental Tire," a 45-minute program narrated by former Indianapolis 500 champion Dario Franchitti, provides a unique, behind-the-scenes look at many top IMSA drivers and teams.

Following "Through the Driver's Eyes, Driven by Continental Tire," www.IMSA.com will feature a live pre-race show from the Sebring grid hosted by popular commentator Justin Bell. The show will include driver interviews and pre-race activities as teams make their final preparations for the grueling 12-hour battle.

Race coverage begins with three hours of live coverage on FOX Sports 1 beginning at 10 a.m. EDT.  At 1 p.m. EDT, coverage continues on www.IMSA.com until after the race finish at 10:30 p.m. EDT.  

FOX Sports 1 also will televise a three-hour TUDOR Championship full race highlight show from Sebring beginning at 8:30 a.m. EDT on Sunday, March 16.  

Noteworthy

- Although Haase and Bell are making their Sebring race debuts, both have already taken enough laps to know the drill on the bumpy circuit. "One thing is sure, the bumps can hurt the car quite hard during the 12-hour race," Haase said. "I think that mechanical wise it is harder, like some other 24-hour races. Anyway, as team you need different strategies in a sprint race, medium distance and long distance races."

- Bell is well aware of the toll Sebring's bumps and grinds can take. "The bumpy nature of the concrete track means it's extremely tough on the car and physically challenging for the drivers," Bell said. "A normal 12 hour race would be less challenging than the top 24 hour races, but Sebring is no ordinary 12 hour race! Add to that the usually summer-like temperatures and a busy grid of 66 cars and you've got the hardest race in the sports car world!" 

About Paul Miller Racing:

Paul Miller Racing is among the top GT teams competing in North American sports car road racing. In 2014, the team will contest the full GT Daytona (GTD) season in the new IMSA TUDOR SportsCar Championship in a new partnership with Audi Sport customer racing. Bryce Miller and Christopher Hasse will co-drive the No. 48 Paul Miller Racing Audi R8 LMS. The racing team is affiliated with the Paul Miller Auto Group, which has operated Paul Miller Audi since 1976, races in support of Full Circle Home, and competes with the support of TOTAL Lubricants, Search Marketing Group and Motegi Racing.

Follow Paul Miller Racing on Twitter @paulmilleracing @bryceracer and become a Facebook fan at Facebook.com/paulmillerracing and Facebook.com/brycemiller.net. Learn more about the team at www.paulmillerracing.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.

Photo credit: Paul Miller Racing

TUSC: Flying Lizard Arrives in Florida for Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring

Flying Lizard Motorsports Press Release

The Flying Lizard Motorsports team began paddock setup this morning at Sebring International Raceway for the 2nd race of the 2014 TUDOR United SportsCar Championship season, the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh From Florida.
The team transporters have remained in Florida for the past two weeks, following a successful test in late February in which both 2014 Audi R8 LMS race cars completed two days of running at the airport circuit. For the race, each car will be driven by the same group of drivers as took the helm for the Rolex 24 at Daytona, with the No. 35 PR Newswire / UBM Tech / eSilicon R8 LMS driven by Seth Neiman (USA), Dion von Moltke (South Africa), Filipe Albuquerque (Portugal), and Alessandro Latif (UK/Italy) and the No. 45 Venezuela / Black River Caviar / eSilicon R8 LMS driven by Nelson Canache Jr. (Venezuela), Spencer Pumpelly (USA), Markus Winkelhock (Germany), and Tim Pappas (USA).

Steve Conover, Chief Engineer, talked about the team's experience at the test and the transition from the Daytona circuit, saying, "The Sebring race track provides its own unique challenges and the Audi has shown to be a great match for them. We made good progress towards a race setup at the last test, starting with what we learned at Daytona and taking some pretty wide ranging swings at setups before settling on what turned out to be the middle ground in most respects. We should be ready for the race though, which is a good thing given the limited practice time and fixed tire allotment, as well as the task of getting four drivers through each car, one of which, Filipe, has not driven the R8 LMS around Sebring before. So productive development work needs to be complete entering the week and we should be able to utilize all of the available practice time for the myriad tasks we have left."

By virtue of their finishing positions at the season's first race in Daytona, the drivers of the No. 35 enter the Sebring race in 5th place in the points for both the season-long TUDOR championship and the four-race North American Endurance Championship for the Daytona 24 Hours, 12 Hours of Sebring, 6 Hours of the Glen, and Petit Le Mans races, with the drivers of the No. 45 in 2nd place in the points in both championships.

The team's Audi R8 LMS race cars will take to the track on Thursday morning for three separate practices, followed by another practice and qualifying for the 27-car GT Daytona class on Friday, March 14th. The race itself begins at 10:15am ET on Saturday, March 15th and live timing and scoring for the race and all practice sessions and qualifying can be found at www.imsa.com and on the IMSA mobile app.

In the United States, the first three hours of the race will be televised on Fox Sports 1, followed by live streaming for the remainder of the race at www.imsa.com. The full race will also be available in the United States on Fox Sports Go mobile app. In the remainder of North America and in South America and Australia, the final nine hours of the race will be available on www.imsa.com. The full race will be available in Europe, Asia, and Africa on www.imsa.com.

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.

Photo credit: Flying Lizard Motorsports [Bob Chapman]

TUSC: Paul Miller Racing works through full testing agenda at Sebring

Paul Miller Racing Press Release

Paul Miller Racing Team and Drivers Bryce Miller, Christopher Haase and Matt Bell Have Productive Two Days at Sebring Winter Test

No. 48 Paul Miller Racing Audi R8 LMS Team to Build on Rolex 24 Pole-Winning and Race-Leading Run in Next Month's 12 Hours of Sebring

SEBRING, Fla. (February 22, 2014) - Paul Miller Racing and No. 48 Audi R8 LMS drivers Bryce Miller, Christopher Haase and Matt Bell successfully worked through a full agenda of scheduled testing and development Thursday and Friday in the IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Racing annual Sebring Winter Test at Sebring International Raceway.

Paul Miller Racing returned to Sebring on the heels of a breakout performance in the team's debut race with Audi Sport customer racing in January at the Rolex 24 At Daytona. In that race, new team driver Haase won the pole and, with Rene Rast also part of the 24-hour lineup, the No. 48 quickly emerged as the GT Daytona (GTD) class pacesetter in the first half of the race.  An overheating issue that emerged twice in the early Sunday morning hours ultimately knocked the No. 48 from winning contention but the Paul Miller Racing team served notice they will among those to beat in 2014.

At the Sebring test, typically thorough and meticulous preparation by the Paul Miller Racing crew maximized the No. 48's on-track time and - without a single mechanical glitch - allowed the team and drivers to run through a wide and thorough range of setup changes on the Audi R8 LMS. This also gave new team drivers Haase and Bell each the chance to log a substantial amount of laps in their first visit to Sebring International Raceway.

The strong endurance race showing at Daytona, and a comparably productive and competitive test this week at Sebring, both have Bryce Miller very optimistic about the team's chances in the perhaps even more grueling 12-hour race.

"The team has good momentum from Daytona and Christopher and Matt and I are all understanding one another better and working better together as we get to know each other," Bryce Miller said. "It is all moving in the right direction and I think we learned a lot these last two days.  It was good to have a drop in track temperature on Friday just to feel a different track condition and to try some different changes. We had some different driver feedback across the changes but overall I think the result showed."

While Miller, son of team owner Paul Miller, is a Sebring veteran, both Haase and Bell were indeed making their career debuts on the legendary and notoriously tough Sebring road course.  Haase has conquered the 24 Hours of Nurburgring sports car race in his native Germany - another legendary track known for its unique and unforgiving attributes - but Sebring was still an eye opener for the Audi driver.

"For me, it was the first time at Sebring here and on my first track walk I was a little bit scared," Haase said. "I have never seen a track like this in my life, it is really bumpy, quite difficult and you just have to get used to it as a driver.  The first session I just used it to get myself into the track, to feel the car, get the traffic and after that you just have to build up yourself as a driver.  So far we have done everything very well, we improved the car step-by-step in the right direction and I am very optimistic for the race."

Bell, a Brit who is no relation to American sports car driver Matt Bell but the younger brother of fellow sports car racing standout Rob Bell, also quickly realized Sebring is a track like no other.

"This compares to nothing at all," Bell said. "Sebring is pretty unique to me.  There may be somewhere else in the world like it but I have never been to it.  I actually liked it instantly as soon as I got out on track, I have really enjoyed these two test days.  Thursday was all about building confidence in the track and getting to learn the little nuances of the place but by the end of the test we made some good steps forward."

As the most experienced driver on the team - he ran in the lead pack throughout his race-opening stint last year at Sebring when the team finished sixth - Bryce Miller was there for his new teammates when they took their first laps on the Sebring circuit.

"I made sure to be wearing the team radio headset for Chris and Matt when they had their first outings," Bryce Miller said. "The initial comments you get from first timers is just hilarious.  All the bumps, and the chattering and the jumping, it is completely foreign when you first come here.  They ended up getting really good lap times here and good experience we can bring back for race week because Sebring is all about experience."

 

Next up for Paul Miller Racing and the IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Championship is the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, March 12 - 15.

About Paul Miller Racing:

Paul Miller Racing is among the top GT teams competing in North American sports car road racing. In 2014, the team will contest the full GT Daytona (GTD) season in the new IMSA TUDOR SportsCar Championship in a new partnership with Audi Sport customer racing. Bryce Miller and Christopher Hasse will co-drive the No. 48 Paul Miller Racing Audi R8 LMS. The racing team is affiliated with the Paul Miller Auto Group, which has operated Paul Miller Audi since 1976, races in support of Full Circle Home, and competes with the support of TOTAL Lubricants, Search Marketing Group and Motegi Racing.

Follow Paul Miller Racing on Twitter @paulmilleracing @bryceracer and become a Facebook fan at Facebook.com/paulmillerracing and Facebook.com/brycemiller.net. Learn more about the team at www.paulmillerracing.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.

Photo credit: Paul Miller Racing

TUSC: Audi teams completed testing at the 2014 Sebring Test

By Johan Laubscher

Round two of the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship will be the Twelve Hours of Sebring in March. The official Sebring Test was held this week, Thursday to Friday, 20-21 February.

Five Audi R8 LMS cars took part in the test, all within the GT Daytona (GTD) class. All five of the cars, from four different teams, were seen at the season opening 24 Hours of Daytona.

Flying Lizard Motorsports again entered their two cars (#35 and #45). The #35 was driven by Filipe Albuquerque, Seth Neimann, Alessandro Latif and Dion von Moltke. The #45 had Nelson Canache Jr, Tim Pappas, Spencer Pumpelly and Markus Winkelhock behind the wheel.

A single car each were entered by Fall-Line Motorsports, GMG Racing and Paul Miller Racing. The #46 Fall-Line Motorsports R8 LMS was driven by Christopher Mies, Charlie Putman and Charles Espenlaub. The #32 GMG Racing R8 LMS had James Sofronas, Alex Welch and Marc Basseng behind the wheel. Paul Miller Racing’s #48 R8 LMS was driven by Matthew Bell, Christopher Haase and Bryce Miller.

The Sebring Test consisted of four sessions, two each on Thursday and Friday.

The first session on Thursday concluded with one Audi within the GTD top ten, the #45 Flying Lizard Motorsports R8 LMS was second fastest. The sister #35 Lizards Audi was eleventh, followed by the remaining three Audis placing in positions fourteen through sixteen, #48 Paul Miller Racing, #32 GMG Racing and the #46 Fall-Line Motorsports.

The second session on Thursday ended with no Audis making it into the top ten. Four of the Audis finished together in positions twelve through fifteen, with the duo of Flying Lizard Motorsports cars (#45 and #35) ahead of the #48 Paul Miller Racing and #46 Fall-Line Motorsports cars. GMG Racing was eighteenth fastest with the #32 R8 LMS.

The third practice session was held on Friday. This first session of the day concluded with the #46 Fall-Line Motorsports R8 LMS in tenth, ahead of the Flying Lizard Motorsports #45 in eleventh. The #48 Paul Miller Racing, #35 Flying Lizard Motorsports and #32 GMG Racing cars placed together in positions sixteen through eighteen.

The fourth and final session took place on Friday afternoon. Three Audis made it into the top ten, with the #32 GMG Racing and #46 Fall-Line Motorsports cars placing seventh and eighth respectively, followed by the #45 Flying Lizard Motorsports R8 LMS in tenth. The remaining two Audis finished twelfth and thirteenth, the #35 Flying Lizard Motorsports car ahead of the #48 Paul Miller Racing R8 LMS.

The combined results from the four sessions revealed that the Audis were in the lower half of the field. The Flying Lizard Motorsports #45 R8 LMS was the fastest Audi in twelve. They were followed by the #46 Fall-Line Motorsports and #32 GMG Racing cars in thirteenth and fourteenth. The remaining two cars, the #48 Paul Miller Racing and #35 Flying Lizard Motorsports cars, placed seventeenth and eighteenth respectively.

The teams will now be returning to Sebring in a few weeks, for the twelve hour race from 13-15 March.

Photo credit: Motorsport.com

TUSC: Five Audi R8 LMS cars heading to the Sebring Test

By Johan Laubscher

Round two of the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship will be the Twelve Hours of Sebring in March. The official Sebring Test will be held this week, Thursday to Friday, 20-21 February.

Five Audi R8 LMS cars will be taking part in the test, all within the GT Daytona (GTD) class. All five of the cars, from four different teams, were seen at the season opening 24 Hours of Daytona.

Flying Lizard Motorsports will again be entering their two cars (#35 and #45), both of which are currently listed with TBA as their driver line-ups.

A single car each will again be entered by Fall-Line Motorsports, GMG Racing and Paul Miller Racing. The #46 Fall-Line Motorsports R8 LMS will be driven by Christopher Mies, Charlie Putman and Charles Espenlaub. The #32 GMG Racing R8 LMS will have James Sofronas, Alex Welch and Marc Basseng behind the wheel. Paul Miller Racing’s #48 R8 LMS will be driven by Matthew Bell, Christopher Haase and Bryce Miller.

The Sebring Test will have four sessions, two each on Thursday and Friday.

The entry list for the Sebring Test can be seen HERE. 

Photo credit: Audi Communications - Motorsport

Special Dindo Capello tribute display at Auto e Moto D'epoca in Italy

By Johan Laubscher

Audi Sport Club Italia has a display at the Auto e Moto D'epoca show in Italy this weekend. Their display includes a very special tribute to one of Audi’s legendary race drivers.

This is the fifth year that Audi Sport Club Italia has attended the show with a display of Audi cars. They normally attend the show with a theme. Last year it was a rally theme and this year their display is a tribute to a legendary Italian Audi race driver, none other than, Rinaldo Capello.

Four race cars are on display, all of which were driven by Capello. Audi Sport Italia provided three of the cars. The first two cars include the 1994 Audi 80 Competition and the 1998 Audi A4 STW, which were driven by Rinaldo Capello in the Italian Super Touring Championship. The third car is the Audi R8 LMS ultra which Capello drove during the 2013 Italian GT season, the car is displayed next to an Audi R8 V10 plus road car. Capello’s 2012 Sebring 12 Hours winning Audi R18 TDI is the fourth car on display, the car that now resides at one of Capello’s Audi dealerships in Italy.

The Auto e Moto D'epoca show will be taking place this weekend, from 24-27 October.

We have included a set of photos from the show below, including photos of Audi Sport Italia loading the cars and heading to the show earlier this week.

Photo credit: Audi Sport Club Italia