Grand-Am | Notícias
Grand-Am/Miller: Barbosa e Action Express querem ‘quebrar o enguiço’
por Vitor Ribeiro, 9 de Setembro de 2010 Um Comentário
IMAGEM: Grand-Am
IMAGEM: Grand-Am
À partida para a prova inaugural da temporada poucos acreditavam que o Riley Porsche V8 #9, o inédito conjunto chassis/motor com que a recém formada Action Express debutava no Grand-Am, aguentasse até ao final as 24 Horas de Daytona, quanto mais vencer a clássica prova. No entanto, não tardou muito para que, a pesar do seu estatuto de 'iniciada', a equipa começasse a ser levada a sério. Agora, que se aproxima o encerramento da temporada, a Action Express está a postos para voltar a deixar a sua marca na competição.
O Miller Motorsports Park era ainda um circuito recém inaugurado quando recebeu pela primeira vez o GRAND-AM Rolex Series, em 2006. Muita coisa aconteceu desde então, com destaque para a redução da duração da prova, que da inaugural corrida de endurance de 9 Horas passou ao actual formato, adoptado o ano passado, de 2:45 h. E depois de ter sido substituída por Homestead, o ano passado, como palco da season finale do campeonato, Miller reassume este ano o estatuto que foi seu desde aquela data. Outra alteração significativa é a versão do circuito que vai ser este ano utilizada, mais curta que a de 4,486 milhas (cerca de 7,219 Km) anteriormente utilizada. Tanto João Barbosa como Terry Borcheller já conhecem o circuito, com o piloto americano a terminado sempre entre os 10 primeiros as três corridas que já disputou na pista do Estado do Utah.
Barbosa sabe bem, por experiência própria, o que é 'quebrar o enguiço', pois o ano passado, ao volante do carro #59 da Brumos, salvou a época com uma vitória inesperada, na companhia do veterano da Brumos Hurley Haywood, na memorável prova de encerramento da temporada, em Homestead. A prova acabaria conhecida como a vitória 'suporta livros' da Brumos, já que encerrou a temporada da mesma maneira que havia começado, com a vitória nas 24 Horas de Daytona.
Apesar das dificuldades com que se debateu ao longo desta sua temporada inaugural, a Action Express percorreu já um longo caminho até à prova do Miller Park, que bem pode ser o local certo para um novo sucesso que encerre a temporada com o seu próprio 'suporta livros'...
Procurando ultrapassar os desafios com que tem sido confrontada, a Action Express introduziu, para a prova anterior, disputada em Montréal, algumas modificações substanciais no acerto do carro, tendo como resultado a melhor corrida do Riley Porsche #9 desde há muito tempo. Ambos os pilotos se sentiram encorajados com a melhoria que foram sentindo no comportamento do carro durante os treinos livres e na qualificação. Na corrida, o carro - que Terry Borcheller descreveu como tendo "voltado a ser divertido de guiar" - andou consistentemente no top 5, até que a quebra do motor, já perto do final, deitaria por terra os esforços da equipa.
Agora, a caminho da última ronda da temporada, a equipa tem mais uma oportunidade para chegar ao pódio, algo que, depois do desempenho em Montréal, quer os pilotos quer a equipa acreditam estar perfeitamente ao seu alcance. E se há alguma coisa que toda a equipa Action Express já demonstrou é que é capaz de 'quebrar o enguiço' - precisamente aquilo que todos esperam voltar a repetir de forma a acabar a temporada no lugar mais alto do pódio.
Já com as atenções concentradas nas lições aprendidas em 2010, a Action Express irá continuar a trabalhar no duro durante o defeso, de maneira a voltar em grande forma em 2011.
Depois de um primeiro teste, em Julho, na oval de New Smirna, agora vai ser a sério... IMAGEM: João Barbosa
Após a corrida do Grand-Am, que se disputa no sábado, João Barbosa irá permanecer no Miller Park a fim de disputar, no dia seguinte, a sua primeiro corrida na NASCAR K&N Pro Series, ao volante do Chevy Impala #96 da iRacing.com, seguindo depois para Las Vegas onde se juntará à Action Express para o tradicional banquete de encerramento do Grand-Am.
A Utah 250, última ronda da temporada 2010 do Grand-Am, disputa-se no próximo sábado, dia 11 de Setembro, no Miller Motorsports Park, em Tooele, Utah. A prova, com a duração de 2:45 h, tem início marcado para as 14:00 locais (19 horas em Portugal).
Fonte: comunicado de imprensa da Action Express Racing.
their inaugural race a definite long shot to win. Working against the odds, they debuted an
untried chassis and engine combination, but soon proved they were to be taken seriously despite
their newcomer status. Few had predicted the #9 Porsche V8 Riley would complete the grueling
24-hour Daytona classic, much less take the victory. Now, as this season winds down to a close,
Action Express is ready to make their mark in the competition once again.
Miller Motorsports Park was newly-opened back in 2006 when it hosted its first GRAND-AM
Rolex Series competition. The event has gone through many changes since then, evolving from
its original nine-hour endurance race to the 2.45 hour sprint race format adopted last season.
While last year the Rolex Series finale moved to Homestead, this year Miller resumes its role as
host for the season’s last race. One notable change for 2010 will see the race held on a shorter
track than the 4.486 mile course used by the series in the past. Both Barbosa and Borcheller have
competed previously at Miller since 2006, with Borcheller scoring a top ten finish in each of the
three years he competed there.
Joao Barbosa has a history of his own in beating the odds and enjoys the added challenge. Last
season, driving in the Brumos #59 car, he wrapped up the year with an upset win alongside
Brumos veteran Hurley Haywood in a memorable finale at Homestead. That race became widely
known as Brumos’ ‘bookend’ win, following their season-opener Rolex 24 victory that year.
Despite mid-season struggles in this inaugural year, the Action Express team has come a long
way and Miller could well be the site of their next big success as they seek to close out the year
with a ‘book-end’ win of their own.
Working to overcome the challenges they have encountered, Action Express made some major
setup changes in their most recent race. As a result, they saw the strongest run by the #9 Porsche
Riley in several months. The drivers were quite encouraged as the improvements became
apparent in practice and qualifying. Before a blown engine derailed the team’s effort late in the
race, Action Express was running consistently in the top five, the car described by Terry
Borcheller as “fun to drive again.” Now, heading into the final round, the team has one more shot
at the podium, and given the success of their last outing, drivers and crew definitely see it in
reach. If there is one thing that the entire Action Express team has proven, it is that they can beat
the odds – they will be hoping to do just that again and to end the season back in Victory Lane.
The team is focusing on the lessons learned in 2010 and will continue to work hard in the offseason,
with plans to make 2011 even better and more memorable for Action Express.
Following the Rolex Series race, Joao Barbosa will stay on at Miller to try his hand in the
NASCAR K&N Pro Series, racing in the #96 iRacing.com Chevy Impala on Sunday. He will
then rejoin the rest of the Action Express team in Las Vegas to celebrate the successes of their
debut season at the 2010 Rolex Series Banquet.
The 2010 Rolex Series season finale will take place at Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, UT, on
Saturday, September 11th. The 2.75 hour race is scheduled for a 2:00 PM ET start time and will
be broadcast live on SPEED TV.When the 2010 season was getting underway, the newly-formed Action Express team went to
their inaugural race a definite long shot to win. Working against the odds, they debuted an
untried chassis and engine combination, but soon proved they were to be taken seriously despite
their newcomer status. Few had predicted the #9 Porsche V8 Riley would complete the grueling
24-hour Daytona classic, much less take the victory. Now, as this season winds down to a close,
Action Express is ready to make their mark in the competition once again.
Miller Motorsports Park was newly-opened back in 2006 when it hosted its first GRAND-AM
Rolex Series competition. The event has gone through many changes since then, evolving from
its original nine-hour endurance race to the 2.45 hour sprint race format adopted last season.
While last year the Rolex Series finale moved to Homestead, this year Miller resumes its role as
host for the season’s last race. One notable change for 2010 will see the race held on a shorter
track than the 4.486 mile course used by the series in the past. Both Barbosa and Borcheller have
competed previously at Miller since 2006, with Borcheller scoring a top ten finish in each of the
three years he competed there.
Joao Barbosa has a history of his own in beating the odds and enjoys the added challenge. Last
season, driving in the Brumos #59 car, he wrapped up the year with an upset win alongside
Brumos veteran Hurley Haywood in a memorable finale at Homestead. That race became widely
known as Brumos’ ‘bookend’ win, following their season-opener Rolex 24 victory that year.
Despite mid-season struggles in this inaugural year, the Action Express team has come a long
way and Miller could well be the site of their next big success as they seek to close out the year
with a ‘book-end’ win of their own.
Working to overcome the challenges they have encountered, Action Express made some major
setup changes in their most recent race. As a result, they saw the strongest run by the #9 Porsche
Riley in several months. The drivers were quite encouraged as the improvements became
apparent in practice and qualifying. Before a blown engine derailed the team’s effort late in the
race, Action Express was running consistently in the top five, the car described by Terry
Borcheller as “fun to drive again.” Now, heading into the final round, the team has one more shot
at the podium, and given the success of their last outing, drivers and crew definitely see it in
reach. If there is one thing that the entire Action Express team has proven, it is that they can beat
the odds – they will be hoping to do just that again and to end the season back in Victory Lane.
The team is focusing on the lessons learned in 2010 and will continue to work hard in the offseason,
with plans to make 2011 even better and more memorable for Action Express.
Following the Rolex Series race, Joao Barbosa will stay on at Miller to try his hand in the
NASCAR K&N Pro Series, racing in the #96 iRacing.com Chevy Impala on Sunday. He will
then rejoin the rest of the Action Express team in Las Vegas to celebrate the successes of their
debut season at the 2010 Rolex Series Banquet.
The 2010 Rolex Series season finale will take place at Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, UT, on
Saturday, September 11th. The 2.75 hour race is scheduled for a 2:00 PM ET start time and will
be broadcast live on SPEED TV.
When the 2010 season was getting underway, the newly-formed Action Express team went to
their inaugural race a definite long shot to win. Working against the odds, they debuted an
untried chassis and engine combination, but soon proved they were to be taken seriously despite
their newcomer status. Few had predicted the #9 Porsche V8 Riley would complete the grueling
24-hour Daytona classic, much less take the victory. Now, as this season winds down to a close,
Action Express is ready to make their mark in the competition once again.
Miller Motorsports Park was newly-opened back in 2006 when it hosted its first GRAND-AM
Rolex Series competition. The event has gone through many changes since then, evolving from
its original nine-hour endurance race to the 2.45 hour sprint race format adopted last season.
While last year the Rolex Series finale moved to Homestead, this year Miller resumes its role as
host for the season’s last race. One notable change for 2010 will see the race held on a shorter
track than the 4.486 mile course used by the series in the past. Both Barbosa and Borcheller have
competed previously at Miller since 2006, with Borcheller scoring a top ten finish in each of the
three years he competed there.
Joao Barbosa has a history of his own in beating the odds and enjoys the added challenge. Last
season, driving in the Brumos #59 car, he wrapped up the year with an upset win alongside
Brumos veteran Hurley Haywood in a memorable finale at Homestead. That race became widely
known as Brumos’ ‘bookend’ win, following their season-opener Rolex 24 victory that year.
Despite mid-season struggles in this inaugural year, the Action Express team has come a long
way and Miller could well be the site of their next big success as they seek to close out the year
with a ‘book-end’ win of their own.
Working to overcome the challenges they have encountered, Action Express made some major
setup changes in their most recent race. As a result, they saw the strongest run by the #9 Porsche
Riley in several months. The drivers were quite encouraged as the improvements became
apparent in practice and qualifying. Before a blown engine derailed the team’s effort late in the
race, Action Express was running consistently in the top five, the car described by Terry
Borcheller as “fun to drive again.” Now, heading into the final round, the team has one more shot
at the podium, and given the success of their last outing, drivers and crew definitely see it in
reach. If there is one thing that the entire Action Express team has proven, it is that they can beat
the odds – they will be hoping to do just that again and to end the season back in Victory Lane.
The team is focusing on the lessons learned in 2010 and will continue to work hard in the offseason,
with plans to make 2011 even better and more memorable for Action Express.
Following the Rolex Series race, Joao Barbosa will stay on at Miller to try his hand in the
NASCAR K&N Pro Series, racing in the #96 iRacing.com Chevy Impala on Sunday. He will
then rejoin the rest of the Action Express team in Las Vegas to celebrate the successes of their
debut season at the 2010 Rolex Series Banquet.
The 2010 Rolex Series season finale will take place at Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, UT, on
Saturday, September 11th. The 2.75 hour race is scheduled for a 2:00 PM ET start time and will
be broadcast live on SPEED TV.
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João Barbosa irá permanecer no Miller Park a fim de disputar, no dia seguinte, a sua primeiro corrida na NASCAR K&N Pro Series, ao volante do Chevy Impala #96 da iRacing.com
Interessante o João Barbosa guiar o carro patrocinado pela iRacing (para muitos, o mais avançado simulador de automóveis actualmente existe, criado pelo “pai” do Grand Prix Legends).
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