Orbit Racing, in partnership with BAM! (British American Motorsport), hopes to exploit every second of track time during the April 25 test for the 24 Heures du Mans in Le Mans, France. The test will be the first outing for the new No. 87 YES Network Porsche 911 GT3 RSR driven by Leo Hindery, Jr. of New York, Marc Lieb of Liepzig, Germany and Mike Rockenfeller of Neuwied, Germany. Business director Peter Baron noted the team will be chasing a balance between car preparation and familiarization with the 13.65-km course:
"With only eight hours of track time, we have the unique challenge of balancing setup of the car, reacquainting Leo and Marc with the track and introducing Mike to the circuit. We are committed to dominating each session, so we're trying to find the right mix. Even though it's an eight-hour test day, the clock doesn't stop while we're adjusting the car, so it's really only about three or four hours of running time. There is no time for reconnaissance or mistakes."
Lieb knows the pressure of maximizing results in a single test, but he has faith in the team's technical director, Tim Munday. "Testing is probably tougher than racing because you have so many things to think about," Lieb said. "You have to work really well with your engineer. Tim is awesome; he always has a good solution for any kind of problem."
Mike Rockenfeller had a fast tune-up for Le Mans. Marc Lieb, the 2002 German Carrera Cup champion, told Rockenfeller he had to win the Carrera Cup season-opener on April 18 to be his co-driver at Le Mans. Rockenfeller responded with the fastest time in every practice session, the pole position and the race victory. He acknowledged the win will be a plus when he drives at Le Mans for the first time. "My performance at Le Mans will be the same whether I win a race or not," he said. "But I'm more confident, more relaxed now."
The YES Network Porsche will carry the colors of The Four Seasons restaurant at Le Mans. The restaurant is a classic meeting point in New York, offering award-winning cuisine in a setting graced by a remarkable collection of modern art. Owner Julian Niccolini and his wife Lisa attended the 2003 24 Heures du Mans - their first race - and joined the celebration of Orbit's second-place GT finish. This year, they want to be even closer to the action.
Leo Hindery, a Four Seasons regular, is looking forward to the new partnership. "I hope there are a lot of mocha sundaes in my future," he said.
TEAM NOTES
Orbit owner Rodger HawleyBAM! owners Peter Baron, Tim Mundaytechnical director Tim Mundaybusiness director Peter Baroncrew chief Matt Bishopcrew Jim Balkanloo, Robin Hayes, Steve Johnston, Rob Joy, Rick MacQueen, Bob Skene, Jim Thompsondata Jim Malickimedia officer Sylvia Proudfoot
car and helmet colors
race car No. 43 YES Network Porsche 911 GT3 RSR New York Yankees blue and silver
Leo Hindery, Jr. Yankees blue with grey pinstripesMarc Lieb light blue with dark blue middle bandMike Rockenfeller blue hexagons, yellow front, lower blue band, German flags on back
Highlights
Orbit Racing returns to Le Mans for the third consecutive year, in partnership with the new BAM! team. In 2003, Marc Lieb qualified the No. 87 YES Network Porsche third on the GT grid. He, Leo Hindery and Peter Baron drove to an impressive second-place GT finish.
The drivers and crew vow to be the most fan-friendly team in the paddock. They will again distribute thousands of t-shirts during the 24 Heures du Mans driver parade and prior to the start of the race, using a giant slingshot to catapult the t-shirts to fans in the grandstands.
The team's crew members all wear helmets in pit lane, a safety measure initiated by crew chief Matt Bishop.
Leo Hindery, Jr.
born Oct. 31, 1947 in Springfield, Il.residence New York, N.Y.
race highlights
1994 - 1997 NASCAR Sportsman Series, NASCAR Winston West Series
1998 Ferrari Challenge Series
1999 American Le Mans Series, Grand American Road Racing Association, Ferrari Challenge Series
2000 American Le Mans Series GT - seventh, Petit Le Mans; Grand American Road Racing Association
2001 Rolex Sports Car Series GT - fourth, Rolex 24 at Daytona; four top-five finishes; American Le Mans Series GT - 12 Hours of Sebring, Petit Le Mans
2002 Porsche Cup - fifth; 24 Heures du Mans GT - seventh; American Le Mans Series GT - third in team championship, seventh in driver championship, one podium, six top-five finishes; Rolex 24 at Daytona GT - seventh
2003 24 Heures du Mans GT - second; American Le Mans Series GT - three top-10 finishes; Rolex 24 at Daytona GT - fourth
marked his 2003 second-place GT finish at Le Mans with a tattoo on his left shoulder; his staff produced a music video of the experience, which was later nationally televised - has enjoyed a long-term relationship with NASCAR's Petty family; with the exception of the 24 Heures du Mans, has always raced with car number 43, carried by Richard Petty - chairman and founder of the Yankees Entertainment and Sports (YES) Network, has ownership interest in Petty Enterprises and is co-author of THE BIGGEST GAME OF ALL: THE INSIDE STRATEGIES, TACTICS, AND TEMPERAMENTS THAT MAKE GREAT DEALMAKERS GREAT- a leading force in developing cable sports television; involved in the launch of Speed Channel; helped guide the negotiation of NASCAR's national broadcast agreement - co-chairs major Russia-U.S. AIDS project - "I believe this disease will alter foreign affairs and policies throughout the globe. We've never encountered anything that decimates populations like this. You have to be overwhelmed by its humanitarian impact."
Marc Lieb
born July 4, 1980 in Bad Cannstatt, Germanyresidence Leipzig, Germanyfamily single
race highlights
1985 - 1995 kart racing; second in 1994 German ADAC Popkart Junior Championship
1996 - 1997 Formula Renault 1800; second in 1997 with one win, two pole positions
1998 Formula Renault 2000 German Championship
1999 Formula Renault Cup - third, one win, two pole positions; Nürburgring European Championship race - third
2000 - 2001 German Carrera Cup - five podiums; Porsche Pirelli Supercup - one podium
2002 German Carrera Cup champion - four wins, three poles; FIA GT Championship - two N-GT wins; American Le Mans Series; all Porsche
2003 Porsche Cup champion; FIA GT Championship - N-GT co-champion, three poles, three wins, six podiums including overall win 24 Hours of Spa, five fast laps, Porsche 996 GT3 RS; 24 Heures du Mans GT - qualified third, finished second; American Le Mans Series GT - one podium, two top-10 finishes; Rolex 24 at Daytona GT - pole, fourth; all Porsche 911 GT3 RS
2004 Rolex 24 at Daytona SGS - winner, Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
watched Le Mans as a child and wanted to race a Porsche, now is a Porsche factory driver, competing at Le Mans and in the American Le Mans Series - family sport is soccer - father, uncle and grandfather were all goalkeepers; Marc also started as a goalkeeper at age 11 and still plays in hobby tournaments; chose racing over soccer - "You can play soccer when you go out the door, but with racing you have to take the race car or go-kart, put it on the trailer and drive a few hundred kilometers to the race track. It was all a bit more exciting than soccer." - planned to stop racing at the end of 1999 due to lack of funding, then was invited to a Porsche junior competition, which he won - "The three years on the junior team were really, really hard, but I enjoyed it so much. It was the first time I could just concentrate on racing and improve myself."
Mike Rockenfeller
born Oct. 31, 1983 in Neuwied, Germanyresidence Neuwied, Germanyfamily single
race highlights
1995 champion, Bambini Country Masters North; second, Bambini North Rhine Westfalia; third, Bambini State Masters karting
1997 champion, DMV Junior Cup; third, Stefan Bellof Cup
1998 third, Stefan Bellof Cup and Monaco Cup; fifth, North Rhine Westfalia Cup; IcA German Junior Championship; Inoff. Worldchampionship Parma karting
1999 third, North Rhine Westfalia Cup; fifth, IcA German Junior Championship
2000 champion, Jörg van Ommen Kart Cup Super Series
2001 fourth, Formula König Mastership - one win, three podiums, five top-five
2002 10th, German Carrera Cup
2003 second, German Carrera Cup - one pole, one win, three podiums; Porsche Supercup - one win, two podiums; Petit Le Mans GT - qualified third
2004 Rolex 24 at Daytona - second GT, third overall; German Carrera Cup - pole and win in season-opener; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
the youngest driver to win a Porsche Supercup race and the youngest driver to lead the Porsche Carrera Cup standings, both accomplished at age 19 - Petit Le Mans was many firsts, including first race in North America, first professional endurance race, first race in a Porsche 911 GT3 RS, first race pit stops and driver changes, first time on intermediate tires, first helmet radio and first time to drive a golf cart - recently completed a three-year mechanic's programme including classroom and workshop sessions, giving him a technical edge over his competitors - stays fit with daily cardio workouts; enjoys cycling, running and alpine skiing - "Porsche checks our fitness every six weeks, so I have to be in shape."
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR
bodywork weight-optimized, widened 911 GT3 RS chassis carbon kevlar components - rear section and lid, spoiler, doors, windows, frames and mudguardsadjustable rear wing - engine water-cooled six-cylinder boxer, four valves per cylinder, 3598 cc, stroke 76.4 mm, bore 99.99 mm - horsepower ~445 hp @ 8250 rpm - torque 405 Nm @ 7200 rpm, maximum revs 8500 rpm - air intake plastic intake manifold with two 29.2 mm air restrictors - management Bosch sequential fuel injection and MS 3.1 electronic engine management system with knock control- transmission straight-toothed dog-type constant mesh countershaft sequential six-speed manual gearbox, racing clutch
differential limited slip 40/60 per cent - steering electric power steering
suspension McPherson front, multi-link rear, adjustable anti-roll bars
springs double coil four-position adjustable
shock absorbers Sachs gas-pressure adjustable
wheels BBS one-piece, central locking front 10J x18 ET 1.5, rear 11H x18 ET 16
tires Michelin, front 24/64 -18, rear 27/68 -18
brakes AP front 380 mm, 32 mm thick, 4 fixed aluminum calipers Brembo rear 355 mm, 32 mm thick, 4 fixed aluminum calipers
safety racing bucket seat with six-point harness adapted for HANS, welded roll cage, fire extinguishing system, air jack
fuel tank 100-liter safety tank, quick refuelling system
weight 1100 kg
partners - victoryjunction.org
BAM!, Scalextric USA and Michelin are partners in Victory Laps, a program to support the Victory Junction Gang Camp, a summer camp for children with chronic or life-threatening illnesses, founded by Kyle and Pattie Petty. The camp receives all profits from Scalextric slot-car sales on bamotorsport.com. BAM!, Scalextric and Michelin also raise funds for Victory Junction through slot-car competitions at selected tracks.
yesnetwork.com
The Yankees Entertainment and Sports (YES) Network is a premier television network that features the New York Yankees major league baseball team and the New Jersey Nets basketball team. YES telecasts Yankees and Nets games, professional and collegiate sports and classic sports footage, plus original biography, interview and magazine programs.
fourseasonsrestaurant.com
The Four Seasons is a classic symbol of New York. Designed by legendary architects Mies van der Rohe and Philip Johnson, the award-winning restaurant offers exquisite cuisine in a setting graced by a remarkable collection of modern art.
michelin.com
Michelin teams have won the 24 Heures du Mans for the past six consecutive years and all but two American Le Mans Series races in the five-year history of the series. Michelin teams have led more than 96 per cent of the laps in ALMS competition.
porsche.com
Porsche is the most successful manufacturer in international racing, with about 23,000 victories in the past 53 years. Porsches have been driven to 24 wins at Le Mans, including 16 overall and eight GT class wins.
results highlights
John Andretti, Peter Baron, Tommy Byrne, Mike Fitzgerald, Leo Hindery, Jr., Tony Kester, John Lewis, Robin Liddell, Marc Lieb, Richard Millman, Johnny Mowlem, Kyle Petty, Jay Policastro, Joe Policastro, Mike Rockenfeller, Gary Schultheis, Sylvain Tremblay, Grady Wellingham, Selby Wellman
Race - Date - Drivers - Finish - Start
Le Mans GT (Orbit)
24 Heures du Mans 2003 Baron, Hindery, Lieb 2 3
24 Heures du Mans 2002 Baron, Hindery, Kester 7 5
American Le Mans Series GT (BAM!)
12 Hours of Sebring 2004 Baron, Hindery, Rockenfeller 5 18*
*record pole position disallowed by technical measurement
American Le Mans Series GT (Orbit)
Mosport Int'l Raceway 2003 Baron, Lieb 3 3
Mosport Int'l Raceway 2002 Baron, Hindery 2 5
Rolex Sports Car Series GT (Orbit)
Rolex 24 at Daytona 2004 Fitzgerald, Liddell, Mowlem, Policastro, Policastro 1 12
Rolex 24 at Daytona 2003 Baron, Hindery, Lieb, Petty 4 1
Barber Motorsports Park 2003 Policastro, Policastro 3 4 Lewis, Wellingham 2 5
Rolex 24 at Daytona 2002 Kester, Schultheis, Tremblay, Wellman 2 19
Watkins Glen Int'l 2001 Byrne, Millman 3 2 Andretti, Petty 1 10
