Detroit: Kumho tires preview

Kumho and B-K Mazda ready for Detroit after season-best 4th place finish at Mosport

Kumho, Mazda and B-K Motorsports enjoyed their best finish of the season on Sunday, finishing fourth in the tough LMP2 class at the American Le Mans Series Mosport Grand Prix.

With a new Lola chassis and a new Mazda engine this season, the B-K car has sometimes been fast and sometimes been reliable, but usually not both. But on Sunday, the team found speed and reliability, resulting in a fine fourth place finish among nine cars in the LMP2 class.

B-K drivers Jamie Bach and Ben Devlin were able to run with the LMP2 Porsches and Acuras all day, turning lap times within six-tenths of a second of the race-winning Penske Porsche. Late in the race, Devlin put the car in the LMP2 class lead for the first time this season. After making a late pit stop, Devlin held off Dyson Racing's Guy Smith in a Porsche Spyder to finish ahead of two Porsches and a pair of Acuras.

"This was a great day for our team and everyone who's been supporting us," said John Doonan, manager of motorsports team development for Mazda North America. "This car and team have shown great potential all season, and it's nice to have everything come together for a good result."

"I just wanted to get through the early laps and keep the car clean," said Bach after the race. "We knew the car, tires, and engine would be strong here after our testing earlier. Ben drove great in the later stages of the race, and we are just happy for everyone who has worked so hard."

"Mazda, Lola, AER, and Kumho have come together to give Jamie and I a great machine to drive, and it was flawless today," said Devlin. "The car performed so well and the boys in the pits were awesome. We really needed a race like this and everyone is so happy. I cannot wait to get back in the car at Detroit."

Rudy Consolacion, motorsports manager for Kumho Tire USA, said the company will have a some new tires for the B-K team at Detroit. "The B-K Motorsports Mazda is starting to show speed and reliability. Mosport was a great result, and we've got high hopes for a podium finish this year."

NOTES... van der Steur Racing driver Adam Pecorari had an up and down weekend at Mosport. He won his first SCCA Speed World Challenge Touring Car race on Sunday, winning by two-tenths of a second in his Audi A4. Later that day in the ALMS race, Pecorari was driving the Kumho-shod van der Steur racing Radical SR9 when a suspension component broke on the left rear corner of the car, sending the car into a spin and into a tire wall. The team had to retire just six laps into the race.

-credit: kumho