B-K Motorsports test Road Atlanta new surface

B-K LOLA, NEW ROAD ATLANTA SURFACE A GOOD FIT FOR PETIT?

B-K Motorsports got a bit of a head-start on Petit Le Mans preparations last week at Road Atlanta. The team brought its Lola-Mazda MZR-R to the circuit Thursday for a day of testing for the American Le Mans Series' cornerstone event.

"I think that'll be it before the race," said driver Jamie Bach, who will partner with Ben Devlin and Raphael Matos in the No. 8 entry in LMP2. "Things went pretty good. We got the car dialed in decently and it was handling pretty well. We were getting a baseline setup to get the gears straight and work on the shocks and springs packages."

Both Bach and Devlin took turns in the Lola following a sixth-place showing in class at Detroit and fourth-place finish at Mosport. The team and the car both found favor with the repaved surface at Road Atlanta that was completed in the spring. The new asphalt has produced improved grip, Bach said, which was amplified by the Lola.

"There's still a pretty big bump on the straight but can you carry a lot more speed throughout the circuit," Bach said. The track was pretty green but it did have slightly more grip this year. It felt pretty grippy for a track that hasn't had that many cars on it.

"The Lola has a lot more front downforce, especially on high-speed corners," he added. "It's a good combination to have and it's a substantial difference. We were fighting a big push with the Courage. We have a pretty good balance now."

The next round of the American Le Mans Series is the 10th running of Petit Le Mans, the annual 1,000-mile/10-hour endurance classic at Road Atlanta. The start is scheduled for 11:15 a.m. ET on Saturday, October 6. SPEED will provide live coverage from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and again from 6:30 to 10 p.m. American Le Mans Radio and IMSA's Live Timing and Scoring will be available at www.americanlemans.com.

-credit: alms