OAK Racing is determined to end its USA campaign with a victory in the Petit Le Mans
Alex Brundle, Ho-Pin Tung and Gustavo Yacaman in the driver's seat of the Ligier JS P2-Honda will be out to score the French team’s second victory this season.
Photo by: James Holland
On 2-3-4 October the Petit Le Mans, the 11th and last round of the 2014 Tudor United SportsCar Championship, will take place on the Road Atlanta circuit. 56 cars including sports prototypes and GTs will do battle in the 10-hour race on the 2.54 mile layout. After having given the Ligier JS P2-Honda a brilliant debut on American soil at Austin clinching pole position and finishing second, OAK Racing with Alex Brundle, Ho-Pin Tung and Gustavo Yacaman in the driver's seat will be out to score the French team’s second victory this season.
The first round of the Tudor USCC, the Daytona 24 Hours, began at the end of January, and it will end with the 10-hour Petit Le Mans, which also counts towards the Tequila Patron North American Endurance Cup that comprises the season’s four long-distance events - a total of 52-hours racing!
First entry impact
On what is OAK Racing’s first entry in a North American series, the team has made a big impact being a regular front-runner in the 10 rounds held so far. The no. 42 Morgan-Nissan LM P2 has already scored a pole position and three top-3 finishes including victory, and with its Ligier JS P2-Honda the team clinched pole and second place at Austin.
Alex Brundle and Gustavo Yacaman, who put on a stunning performance in the Circuit of the Americas, will be joined by Ho-Pin Tung for the final round. The Chinese driver has already raced in the Watkins Glen and Indianapolis events, and he is familiar with the Ligier JS P2-Honda as he drove it in the Le Mans 24 Hours.
The Le Mans-based team already knows the legendary Petit Le Mans. It has already taken part in three races finishing second in 2012 in the European Le Mans Series round on the American circuit, and also winning the LM P2 category in 2010 on its first outing in the USA. The team’s aim in the last race of the season is to score the Ligier JS P2’s maiden victory, and to finish the season in the top 3 in the Tudor United SportsCar Championship.
Alex Brundle: “After a great run at COTA I'm looking forward to returning to Atlanta for the final race of the Tequila Patron endurance cup. The circuit is one that I really enjoy so I can't wait to get out there. It's going to be a tough and physical race for us, but we have shown we have the speed with the Ligier JS P2-Honda and it's no secret that OAK Racing can run an endurance race! All three guys are used to working together so now we just have to arrive and deliver a faultless performance.”
Ho-Pin Tung: “Can't wait to get back behind the wheel of the Ligier JS P2 – Honda. I have good memories of the car spending a total of 12 hours behind the wheel at this years' Le Mans 24H race. Meanwhile OAK Racing - together with Honda - has continued the development of the car and it has made a very promising TUSC debut at COTA. Our objective is clear; winning Petit Le Mans.”
Gustavo Yacaman: “After a solid day’s work in the new Ligier JS P2 at Austin we learned a lot and I adapted myself to the new car. I believe our pace will be good at Road Atlanta, but none of that will matter in a 1min20secs track with almost 60 cars running at the same time. The key for this race will be patience, patience, some patience and a little bit more patience. Honestly, I think this will be the toughest race of the year but I am confident that Alex, Ho-Pin and myself will stay calm and push on throughout the 10 hour race.”
Philippe Dumas, Team Principal: “I share the same feelings as our drivers. This race is one of the most difficult and also one of the greatest in the world. The Ligier JS P2-Honda-Continental package proved to be a formidable contender at the CoTA (Austin), and we’re going to continue in the same vein at Road Atlanta.
“I’d like to say a big thank you to our drivers this season, Gustavo, Alex, Ho-Pin and Olivier who’ve all been brilliant and have shown irreproachable team spirit. I’d also like to include the whole Onroak Automotive squad, OAK Racing, our partners and Jacques Nicolet without whom none of this would have been possible. This American adventure is a fantastic experience for OAK Racing, as intense as the on-track battles!
“This championship is as great as it’s varied. I’d like to thank IMSA for its welcome, in particular Scott Elkins for his professional approach to the BoP (balance of performances), which was quite tough at the start of the year. I can safely say that at this very moment a DP or a P2 can fight for victory. Our little commando is determined to give its all to win one of the most prestigious endurance races on the planet.”
OAK Racing
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