Muscle Milk Pickett Racing is entering the penultimate race of the American Le Mans Series season at Virginia International Raceway focused on having a trouble free four-hour endurance race, in what will be their first official visit to VIR.
Pickett Racing scored five wins in a row earlier this season, but the last couple of rounds at Road America and Baltimore have not gone in favor of the team led by Greg Pickett.
While they made an incredible run from four laps down to finish a mere, record-setting, 0.083 seconds from the winner at Road America, the Muscle Milk squad ran out of time at Baltimore to make another one of their miraculous comebacks and had to settle for third in class.
At VIR this weekend, the team is looking to turn things around and get back to their winning ways while increasing their lead in the Championship standings, which remains the team's ultimate goal.
Both Pickett Racing drivers, Germans Klaus Graf and Lucas Luhr, are looking forward to taking their Michelin-clad Muscle Milk HPD ARX-03a around the 3.27-mile, 17-turn road course, again.
The team and drivers had a successful test at VIR during the break in the racing schedule earlier this year and Graf and Luhr truly enjoyed all that the VIR track layout has to offer with its long straights, elevation changes, quick corners and technical sections.
Additionally, Graf has some extra experience at VIR having won the Trans-Am race there in 2009 after starting from 20th.
Muscle Milk Pickett Racing will be skipping the promoter test session on Thursday and will be on track starting at 10:15 a.m. ET on Friday ahead of that afternoon's qualifying session that can be seen on ESPN3.com starting at 3:25 p.m. ET.
Round 9 of the 2012 season will go green at 2:30 p.m. ET and will be streamed live on ESPN3.com from 2:25 p.m. ET. The race will be broadcast on tape-delay on ESPN2 Sunday, September 16 from 5 to 7 p.m. ET.
Muscle Milk Quotes
Klaus Graf, #6 Muscle Milk HPD ARX-03a"I'm very much looking forward to the American Le Mans Series' first trip to VIR. We had a very good test there in our Muscle Milk HPD ARX-03a in our summer break and I like the layout a lot. The track has a little bit of everything with elevation changes, quick corners, long straights and technical sections. It's just a great variety."We need to focus and stay mistake free in this four hour endurance race as the Championship battle is still very tight. The Muscle Milk Pickett Racing crew will be fully focused on the task at hand as will Lucas and myself."
Lucas Luhr, #6 Muscle Milk HPD ARX-03a
"I can't wait to get back on track at Virginia International Raceway. It's a really nice track and the layout is just great. It has something for everyone and it is very quick. We had a good test at VIR earlier this year and it always helps to have knowledge of the track before going there to race for the first time."I hope the fans come out in great numbers to enjoy the show that the ALMS puts on. At Muscle Milk Pickett Racing we're hoping for a trouble free weekend and I know that everyone on the team is focused on that. With two races to go we can't afford to lose anymore points towards the P1 Championship."
Race Facts:American Le Mans Series VIR 240Virginia International Raceway, 3.27-mile, 17-turn road course, Alton, VASeptember 14 - 15, 2012
American Le Mans Series: Round #9 of 10Race Duration: 4 hoursALMS TV Broadcast:Race: ESPN2Tape delayed, Sunday, September 16, 2012 from 5:00 - 7:00 pm ETALMS live online coverage:United States: ESPN3.com International: www.americanlemans.comQualifying - Friday, September 14, 2012: 3:25 pm - 4:50 pm ET Race - Saturday, September 15, 2012: 2:15 pm - 6:45 pm ETInternational Broadcast:MotorsTV - Live on Saturday, September 15Fox Sports Middle East - Live on Saturday, September 15Fox Latin American Networks - Live on Saturday, September 15Rogers Sportsnet: Tape delayed - Sunday, September 16, 2012 from 5:00 - 7:00 pm ET
Schedule (All times eastern):
Friday, September 14, 2012:Practice 1: 10:15 am - 11:15 am (All Classes)Practice 2: 2:20 pm - 3:20 pm (All Classes)Qualifying: 3:30 pm - 3:45 pm (GTC)Qualifying: 3:50 pm - 4:05 pm (GT)Qualifying: 4:10 pm - 4:25 pm (PC)Qualifying: 4:30 pm - 4:45 pm (P1/P2)
Saturday, September 15, 2012:Warm up: 9:55 am - 10:15 am (All Classes)Autograph Session: 11:30 am - 12:15 pmALMS Race: 2:30 pm (4 hours)
