Tucker Sets New Lap Record, Earns Podium Finish At Watkins Glen
Scott Tucker and the Boardwalk Ferrari Level 5 Motorsports team continued their run of fast laps at Watkins Glen International, setting a new race lap record en route to a second-place finish in the final North America race of the 2010 Ferrari Challenge.
Tucker's lap of 106.624 mph, set on lap 19 of the 21-lap event, came as he was embroiled in a furious battle with Enzo Potolicchio over the historic 3.48-mile road course in New York's Finger Lakes region. The two dominated the field, duplicating their one-two finish from yesterday.
"It was a great weekend for the Boardwalk Ferrari team," Tucker said. "We were fast, and came away with a pair of strong finishes. It's great to get into the record books at this historic facility."
The weekend has been a continuation of the season-long battle between Tucker and Potolicchio. The drivers have battled head-to-head on the track and now face a showdown in the final event of the season -- the Ferrari Challenge International Finals in Spain.
"This is what you hope for as a driver: great cars and great racing," Tucker said. "I'm really looking forward to Valencia. It's a great circuit and I know the racing will be fantastic."
So far in 2010, Tucker has won four races and sits in second place in the season point standings. Following their remarkable 2009 showing, the team had high hopes for this season and has been continuing their record-setting ways.
Tucker set the fastest lap during the morning warm up with a lap speed of 107.251 mph. Then, he picked up speed in qualifying with a lap of 107.385 mph, and earned the second qualifying position behind Potolicchio. The team continued to improve as the weekend progressed. Between Friday and Saturday, Tucker recorded the top speed in three of the four practice sessions. His best lap came in practice session No. 3 on Saturday, 106.370 mph. Those efforts culminated in today's impressive performance.
"I know when we arrive at the track that we will have a fast car," Tucker said. "We started out strong and just kept improving all weekend. It's hard to be disappointed with a podium finish."
The Ferrari Challenge International Finals will take place November 25-28, 2010, in Valencia, Spain, at the Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo.
ABOUT BOARDWALK FERRARI
Boardwalk Ferrari, Located in Plano, Tex., is one of the nation's leading Ferrari and Maserati dealerships. The company has extensive involvement in motorsports including relationships in the American Le Mans Series and their extremely successful sponsorship of Level Five Motorsports Ferrari Challenge entry.
Tucker Turns Fastest Race Lap, Finishes Second at Watkins Glen
Scott Tucker and the Boardwalk Ferrari Level 5 Motorsports team continued their quest for a North American Ferrari Challenge Series championship Saturday afternoon with a solid second-place finish in Race No. 1 at Watkins Glen International.
Tucker finished a mere .185 seconds behind series points leader Enzo Potolicchio. He turned the fastest lap of the race at 106.408 mph on lap 22.
Potolicchio led the race's first 16 laps on the 3.48-mile road course in Western New York before Tucker took his turn at the front on lap 17. Potolicchio regained the point on lap 18 and edged a persistent Tucker, whose No. 55 F430 was right on his bumper, to the checkered flag.
"It was a hard-fought race. It is very difficult to pass out there," Tucker said. "We simply ran out of laps. The Boardwalk Ferrari Level 5 Motorsports team prepared a great car for me. We'll come back out on Sunday and take another shot at a victory."
Tucker and the No. 55 Boardwalk Ferrari Level 5 Motorsports team have posted a victory in every Ferrari Challenge Series weekend in which they have participated in 2010. Tucker has won races at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Miller Motorsports Park, Infineon Raceway and New Jersey Motorsports Park in 2010.
Tucker looks to continue his victory string Sunday as he points toward a North American Ferrari Challenge Series championship. The title will be determined in November at the Ferrari Challenge World Finals in Spain.
"I am very happy to earn another podium finish," Tucker said, "We're focused on a championship and the points are key. But I love this track and its history so a win tomorrow would be really special."
Qualifying for Saturday's race was cancelled due to inclement weather. The field was set by points, with Tucker starting from the second position behind Potolicchio. The two drivers have been embroiled in a battle for the season championship with a showdown in the Finals looming.
Between Friday and Saturday, Tucker recorded the top speed in three of the four practice sessions. His best lap came in practice session No. 3 on Saturday, 106.370 mph. Qualifying for Race No. 2 is set for 11:10 a.m. Sunday, with the green flag scheduled for 1 p.m.
ABOUT BOARDWALK FERRARI
Boardwalk Ferrari, Located in Plano, Tex., is one of the nation's leading Ferrari and Maserati dealerships. The company has extensive involvement in motorsports including relationships in the American Le Mans Series and their extremely successful sponsorship of Level Five Motorsports Ferrari Challenge entry.
Tucker, Boardwalk Ferrari Level 5 Motorsports Focused On Two Checkered Flags at Watkins Glen
After several weeks of intense points racing in the American Le Mans Series, Scott Tucker is looking forward to this weekend's Ferrari Challenge Series event at Watkins Glen International with only one thing in mind -- winning.
Tucker and the No. 55 Boardwalk Ferrari Level 5 Motorsports team have posted a victory in every Ferrari Challenge Series race weekend in which they have participated in 2010. They will look to continue that trend this weekend in western New York at a track where Tucker has found success. In the 2009 GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series, Tucker and teammate Christophe Bouchut raced to Level 5 Motorsports' first podium finish there.
"Watkins Glen is a great place to race with a lot of history to it," Tucker said. "We're looking forward to going back there and adding our name to a prestigious list of winners at the track with a couple of strong runs."
Tucker and the Boardwalk Ferrari Level 5 Motorsports team tested at Watkins Glen in July between races in an already hectic racing schedule. The team was happy with the results of the test and expect to transfer those learnings to the race this weekend.
"We're pleased with the results of the test and we'll be well prepared when we get to The Glen," said Boardwalk Ferrari Level 5 Motorsports Team Manager David Stone. "Scott knows his way around the place, so we know he will be ready. The short course at Watkins Glen is very car dependent, so it's up to us to give him the car he needs to get to victory lane."
Tucker has won Ferrari Challenge Series races at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Miller Motorsports Park, Infineon Raceway and New Jersey Motorsports Park in 2010 and currently sits in a tie for second-place in the series point standings despite missing the Series' events in Montreal.
Qualifying for Race No. 1 at Watkins Glen is set for Saturday at 11:10 a.m. The green flag is scheduled to wave at 1 p.m. Qualifying for Race No. 2 is set for 11:10 a.m. Sunday, with the green flag scheduled for 1 p.m.
ABOUT BOARDWALK
Boardwalk Ferrari, Located in Plano, Tex., is one of the nation's leading Ferrari and Maserati dealerships. The company has extensive involvement in motorsports including relationships in the American Le Mans Series and their extremely successful sponsorship of Level Five Motorsports Ferrari Challenge entry.
Tucker, Level 5 Team Shine at Mosport; Set up Championship Showdown in Season Finale
Posted At : August 29, 2010 9:59 PM
| Posted By : Team PR
Related Categories:
ALMS,
News
A challenging beginning to the weekend turned into a solid finish for Scott Tucker, Christophe Bouchut and the Level 5 Motorsports team Sunday at Mosport International Raceway. Tucker and Bouchut drove the No. 55 Microsoft-sponsored ORECA FLM09 to second place in the LMPC class in the Mobil 1 Grand Prix of Mosport, setting up a championship showdown in the season finale in October.
The No. 55 car started from the sixth position after making only two qualifying laps on Saturday. After a last-minute, pre-race engine change, Tucker and Bouchut made their way through the field and finished just 18 seconds behind Gunnar Jeannette.
Tucker and Jeannette are tied atop LMPC point standings heading into the season's final event, the 13th annual Petit Le Mans, set for October 2 at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia. Another strong performance from the team will be required for Tucker and Level 5 to claim the inaugural LMPC title.
"It was a tough weekend for the Level 5 Motorsports team. Getting on the podium really speaks to the determination of everyone in this organization," said Tucker, who started the race in the No. 55 and finished it in the No. 95 ORECA FLM09. "We battled a lot of adversity. We were able to hang in there and made up a lot of ground during the race. Now, it's on to Road Atlanta and a chance to win the championship."
A red flag after a crash between two GTC cars with 29 minutes left delayed the event. The accident took out approximately 60 feet of guardrail, prompting officials to wave the yellow flag and then the checkered flag once the race got back under way.
Andy Wallace began the race in the No. 95 Microsoft Office-sponsored entry. Tucker took over the seat of that car with approximately an hour left, and brought it home to a fourth-place finish in the LMPC class.
Level 5 Motorsports' ALMS team will take a four-week break to prepare for the season finale at Road Atlanta.
"We have put ourselves in a position to win a championship. That is what we have been working for all season long," said Level 5 Motorsports Team Manager David Stone. "The team has responded to a great deal of adversity with a lot of poise and confidence. Scott has done an unbelievable job behind the wheel, and Christophe and Andy have been phenomenal, too."
Next weekend, Boardwalk Ferrari Level 5 Motorsports is set to participate in the regular season finale for the Ferrari Challenge Series at Watkins Glen International as Tucker has his eyes set on a championship in that series as well.
About Microsoft Office 2010
The Microsoft® Office system provides tools to help people quickly and easily create great-looking documents, spreadsheets and presentations, organize and search for information in one place, and keep everything in one place, all with enhanced security. www.office.microsoft.com
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential. www.microsoft.com
About Level 5 Motorsports
Level 5 Motorsports has fielded successful entries in the American Le Mans Series, NASCAR Grand Am Series, Ferrari Challenge Series and the Sports Car Club of America since 2005. Owner and driver Scott Tucker has earned national championships and numerous podium finishes in his illustrious driving career.
The pace will be a bit slower during the race, and we're confident that our talented and experienced drivers we'll be able to make up some ground during a 2 hour, 45-minute event."
That means we've got some work to do Sunday. We know the Level 5 Motorsports team will be up the challenge."
The green flag for the Mobil 1 Grand Prix of Mosport is scheduled to wave Sunday at 3:05 p.m. ET. The race will be broadcast by the SPEED Channel on a tape-delayed basis, beginning at 4 p.m. ET. 