NothingButTailLights as Starworks Rule with Fastest Lap at the Roar

Starworks Motorsport supporter Dr. Russell T. Gould tweeted the hash tag #NothingButTailLights to the team in the run up to the Roar and they were very happy to oblige! The #7 and #8 Starworks Oreca-Chevrolet FML009 chargers ended the final practice session of the three-day test at Daytona in the top two spots of the Prototype Challenge category and with the 8 car setting the fastest PC lap of the Roar, topping the overall lap times by nearly half a second.

In the 7 car testing at the ‘Roar Before the 24’ were drivers Alex Popow (Ven), Martin Fuentes (Mex), Isaac Tutumlu (Spain) Rob Huff (UK) and Bia Figueiredo (Brazil). In the 8 car the team ran Eric Lux (USA), Mirco Schultis (Germany), Renger van der Zande (Neth) and Sam Bird (UK).

The first day at Daytona was cold and littered with issues to iron out for the Fort Lauderdale squad. The 7 car experienced braking problems which sidelined the PC in the afternoon and kept the team working hard overnight. There was also bad luck for the 8 car which was not only hit in the afternoon, but the team had to review the fuel pump system overnight too.

The second day saw much improvement in reliability and pace in both cars allowing Sam Bird to set a PC fastest lap record in the #8 Starworks with a 1:42.010 - a time that would stand for the rest of the test. The 7 car continued to make steady progress and during the final session on Sunday afternoon the two Starworks entries topped the PC category time sheets, with the 8 car setting a 1:42.704 and the 7 car setting a 1:44.285, its fastest time of the weekend.

Peter Baron, Starworks Motorsport Team Owner:

"It’s always good to leave the Roar test with the fastest time of the weekend. We had a fuel pump problem the first day on the 8 car, but once that had been sorted out the car pretty much dominated the last two days of the test. We had a good time running new drivers to PC racing in the 7 car. The first two days were spent getting them up to speed and used to the Daytona track. But by the last day the guys (and Bia!) really started to show speed and to end the final session 1-2 meant that everyone could leave the test on a high.

“Now the prep begins in earnest for the Rolex 24 race in two weeks. We’ll do our final 2014 driver line-up announcement shortly, but in the meantime I think we’ve definitely put a bulls-eye on the 8 car and have what it takes to win the PC class overall, so let the season begin!”


Related Motorsport Articles

84,520 articles