K&N Supported Pratt and Miller Engineering/Corvette Racing Takes Second and Fifth at Long Beach
- Jun 13, 2011
With 29 starters on the concrete-lined circuit, close calls and contact became the rule instead of the exception. Gavin started the No. 4 Corvette second on the GT grid and held that position through the opening segment, which was interrupted by a lengthy full-course caution. When racing resumed Gavin grabbed the lead with an opportunistic move. "I had a very eventful stint with lots of bumping and banging and cars spinning in strange places," Gavin said. "The start was pretty standard, everyone got a bit strung out, and then the LMPC cars were getting in the way. It all started when the BMW behind me disappeared. On the next lap he was turned around at the fountain turn! The race leader went the wrong way, I went the right way, and I got myself into the lead."
When the green-flag pit stops began shortly after the one-hour mark, Gavin handed off the No. 4 K&N backed Corvette to Magnussen. "I was pushing absolutely as hard as I could, and I was cutting the margin," said Magnussen, who ran the fastest lap of the race in GT and trimmed the BMW's lead to six seconds before the race-ending caution period. "There was a lot of traffic, and in a race like this you have to take so many chances. After the race I had a walk around the car and looked at all the places where I'd tapped the walls. It's a shame we weren't closer at the finish, we could have had a good fight." Corvette Racing's No. 3 car, driven by Tommy Milner and Oliver Beretta, worked their way from the back of the field to finish in the fifth spot. "I got lucky with the first yellow flag because we'd just cleared all of the Challenge cars and LMPC cars," Milner said. "The car was great, and although it was a little banged up, it was still quick. That's just street racing - everyone gets bunched up." "I'm happy for the team – we got our second podium in two races which is really important," Beretta said. "Tommy did a good stint, he was very clever, and the car was quite fast. Then it was just using my brain to keep the position and put the points in the pocket." Beretta brought the No. 3 home in fifth after a relatively uneventful run. Gavin and Magnussen are now second in the unofficial GT class points standings with 36 markers, and Beretta and Milner are third with 31. "When you can leave Long Beach with two cars intact, you've accomplished something," said Corvette Racing program manager Doug Fehan. "The fact that we were able to finish second and fifth make this a very satisfying day. Now it's on to Le Mans!" Corvette Racing's next event is the 24 Hours of Le Mans in Le Mans, France, on June 11-12, 2011. Find K&N products for your vehicle using the K&N application search then use the K&N dealer search to find a K&N dealer in your part of the world. |
