Photo by: CORE Autosport
ROCK HILL, SC, Tuesday, February 2, 2012: 2011 multiple championship-winning American Le Mans Series (ALMS) team CORE autosport has unveiled its new 2012 livery that will hit the track for the first time next week at the annual ALMS Winter Test on February 8 and 9.
The new livery is just one of several new additions to the team for 2012 including new drivers and a new team headquarters.
The #05 Composite Resources ORECA FLM09 will feature Colin Braun and team owner Jon Bennett, along with newcomer David Martinez. Martinez is a seasoned racer in the sports car and open-wheel ranks, with solid performances in the Atlantic and Champ Car series. Additionally, Martinez and Morgan Brady, CORE autosport Team Manager, have successfully worked together in the past.
The line-up for the sister #06 Butterfield Farms / Lamex Foods / Hormel Bacon Bits machine for the Winter Test will feature the Downs brothers – Antonio, Lucas and Matt. The trio most recently drove separate entries for Eurosport Racing in the IMSA Cooper Tires Prototype Lites series, winning the L1-class team championship for Eurosport and collectively scoring four wins and 11 podium finishes in 14 rounds of racing.
Also new for the team is the addition of Gary Davies, who will act as the Lead Race Engineer for CORE autosport. Davies has years of experience in European open-wheel racing, ranging from A1GP to F3000 to Formula 1. Davies also has a history with Brady, working with the CORE autosport team manager on an F3 team in Europe.
The ALMS Winter Test at Sebring International Raceway will take place on February 8 and 9, 2012. The first event for the CORE autosport team in 2012 will be at the 60th Annual Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring powered by Fresh from Florida.
Colin Braun
"I’m really excited to get the season started off with CORE autosport.
"Jon and I have gone karting a few times, but I’m really excited to be hitting the track in the LMPC car. Since I joined the team, there have been a lot of meetings with Gary Davies (Lead Race Engineer), Morgan and Jon, and I think we’ve done everything possible to be as prepared as we can for the test.
“The ability of having this test at Sebring is very important for my first test in this car, as well as to experience how the team and Gary work. The fact that we’ll be back at the track a month later for the big event, it couldn’t be more valuable."
David Martinez
“I'm very excited about this opportunity, the LMPC category has gotten very popular in Mexico after all the success that Mexican drivers have had there. And what better way to try it out for the first time than with CORE autosport, the championship-winning team.
“I'm also very happy to be working with Team Manager Morgan Brady again - we had a lot of success together a few years ago in the Atlantic Series and we have great communication. I have no doubt we'll pick up right where we left off.
“Even though this will be my first time in an LMPC car, I've done hundreds of laps around Sebring in both sports cars and open-wheel cars, so I'm confident that I can be up to speed very quickly.”
Jon Bennett
"This has been a long off-season and I am ready to get back behind the wheel of the #05 machine.
"I have been doing everything I can to keep myself in shape, physically and mentally, over the past few months, but nothing compares to getting back behind the wheel of the #05 car.
“Sebring holds a special place in my heart as our team’s first podium finish (2011), and I really love the track. It will be great to get back out there, especially with my new co-driver Colin.”
Morgan Brady, Team Manager
“The ALMS Winter Test is perfectly timed to get our team ready for the biggest race of the year, the 12 Hours. Last year CORE autosport was a new team and Sebring seemed like a Goliath to our David, but we were able to score a double-podium finish.
“With two 2011 championships under our belt and new driver lineups in both cars, the CORE autosport team will have a bit of a learning curve, but that’s why this test is so crucial.
“We will have a month to continue to refine our procedures, processes and work on the cars to make sure that we’re as prepared as possible to take the top spot on the podium.”
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