Whether Filming From Helicopters or Racing Porsches, the Aussie Can Fly !
David Calvert-Jones knows how to fly off and on the race track. The native Australianknown in racing and professional circles as CJgets to do the latter for the first time in his current backyard when the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrn returns to racing next week in Long Beach.
A featured participant in yesterdays Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race media day, CJ took his first laps ever around the legendary Long Beach street circuit, giving media and VIP rides at the wheel of a Porsche 911 GT3.
Next weeks Tequila Patrn American Le Mans Series at Long Beach will be the third career ALMS race for CJ, who is starting his rookie season in the GT Challenge (GTC) class. As at the season-opening Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh from Florida, he will race in the No. 99 Competition Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 in the two-hour race on Saturday, April 20.
Its a home race, Calvert-Jones said. At least Long Beach is the closest we get to Australia! But Im really thrilled to race at Long Beach for the first time. Its a challenging circuitabsolutely no margin for error. Not even a millimeter.
His story is an intriguing one. The 42-year-old moved from Australia to Los Angeles in 2004 to start Helifilmsa company that films aerial footage for motion pictures, TV commercials and sporting events, among others. Overhead scenes in Transformers, Secretariat or Dj vu (some of his many Hollywood credits), showcase his aerial work. The same can be said of the chase footage in the Baja 1000 and Baja 500 off-road races.
How did he get out of the cockpit of his helicopter and into a race car? One of his Hollywood directors invited him to Auto Club Speedway, in nearby Fontana, California, for a vintage weekend and put CJ in a historic BMW. It went so well that he raced full-time last season in the IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge by Yokohama with one class victory and a runner-up championship finish.
But CJ acknowledges moving up to ALMSwith its five classes of sports carsis a much different challenge especially on a street circuit like Long Beach.
The biggest thing is to be consistent and manage the traffic thats around you, he said. You cant let yourself get pushed around, but at the same time youre not wanting to block other cars.
Support for No. 99 Competition Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 comes from Blundstone Boots, Footwear & Accessories, Gibson Freight, doddle, OMP and JRZ Suspension Engineering.
The Tequila Patrn American Le Mans Series at Long Beach is the second round of the 10-race ALMS championship. ABCs coverage begins at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, April 21 with live coverage is available on ESPN3 starting at 7:15 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 20. ESPN3 also will show live qualifying starting at 8 p.m. ET on Friday, April 19.
Viewers outside the U.S. can watch races live on ALMS.com. The series website offers additional content such as live in-car cameras, timing and scoring, and car-to-pit radio for all users around the world.
