ProSpeed Competition shows off iBird livery for 24 Hours of Le Mans

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 07:35 AM PDT

Oneighturbo Prospeed Competition iBird LeMans 060611

By entering iBird in the upcoming 24 Hours of Le Mans, ProSpeed Competition is demonstration the importance of creativity which stimulates the Belgian team, double European FIA GT2-FIA GT3 champions. iBird will become ProSpeed Competition’s fourth artistic livery in the motorsport world. iBird, a work produced by Loic Poncelet, is a masterly and colorful interpretation of the cohesion between nature and modern technology, cohesion which is essential when it comes performing brilliantly in a motorsport environment.

iBird will be in the capable hands of three highly homogenous drivers: Belgian Marc Goossens; Marco Holzer the official Porsche Motorsport driver and the fast Dutchman Jaap van Lagen. iBird will be unveiled on Monday 6th June at 16.10hrs, on the Place des Jacobins, during the scrutineering… as also on the internet, to be discovered at www.iBird.info.

iBird is ProSpeed competition’s fourth artistic livery in motorsport. All aficionados of great cars will recall the “Lightning McQueen #95″, glorified on the track by the talented rally driver François Duval during the 24 Hours of Spa 2006, the “Pink Pig” (24 Hours of Zolder 2006) or the “Diamond’s Car Is Forever” (24 Hours of Spa 2008). iBird is the creation of Loic Poncelet, young graphic artist at the Graffiti Research organization, one of the first Belgian lettering companies to have adopted information technology tools.

The artistic viewpoint: Loic Poncelet (Graffiti Research – Artist)

“iBird is a bodywork which has turned into a bird. A bird with colourful plumage, and with its highly sophisticated technology on board, becomes one of the prerequisites in the field of achieving a top performance. Being and matter, harmony and discipline, aesthetic and function, warm colours, the contrasts are an inexhaustible source of inspiration. A halo of light, to come into being on the front bumpers, will give an additional interpretation to iBird’s design during the night. I really value this. After all Le Mans is also night-time magic!”

The expert’s viewpoint: Charles van Decraen (CPL Trans)

“The bird’s symbolism is powerful. In the first instance it knows no frontiers. Secondly, as shown by its migratory powers, it enjoys an amazing autonomy. iBird is a perfect icon in an endurance event which is renowned beyond the frontiers. Just as the eagle is a perfect icon for our international transport company.”

The… third eye: Rudi Penders (Team Principal)

“The graphic line of the ProSpeed cars, always recognizable regardless of our sports’ programs, remains a constant in which we continue to invest. However continuity does not prevent us from asserting our creativity. An athlete is an aesthete of performance, proof that competition provides a short cut towards the universe of beauty and the beautiful. iBird is a project supported by the entire ProSpeed Competition team. Together with our technical partner Grafityp, we would be proud and delighted to offer spectators, TV viewers and internet users the most beautiful car of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.”

- Prospeed Competition

Belcar: ProSpeed Competition keeping a cool head for Zolder

Magnus Racing powers through rainstorm to finish fifth at Watkins Glen

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 07:04 AM PDT

Magnus Racing's Potter, Sellers and Stanton

Looking to put their championship hopes back on track, the Magnus Racing duo of John Potter and Craig Stanton – joined on this weekend by veteran Bryan Sellers – enjoyed a strong race at Saturday’s Sahlen’s Six Hours at the Glen to bring the no. 44 Magnus Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup to finish fifth in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sportscar Series’ GT class.

From tenth place, Stanton started the race in rainy conditions and was immediately marching forward. Picking up spots steadily as the rain continued to fall, Stanton led the race twice as differing pitstop strategies played out over the first hour and thirty minutes. As the rain let up, Sellers took over the Magnus Racing Porsche, enjoying a solid stint before handing over to Potter. Potter ran a solid stint in the top five before handing the car back to Stanton.

Sellers then jumped in the car for the anchor leg, stopping for fuel and changing left-side tires for the final 45-minute stretch to the finish. A caution period with only ten minutes remaining caused Sellers to lose one spot with a lap remaining, and finished in fifth.

“Things went really well for us today,” said Potter, who scored his team’s fourth top-five result of the season. “We were in a position to get on the podium at the end of the race but things didn’t fall with the yellows and the wave-bys. The guys did a great job all day and it’s a good result for us to get back on track. We’ve had a couple of rough races but today’s run was closer to what this team is capable of and keeps us within shot of the championship.”

Stanton was also thrilled to score decent points and lead the race after he led the opening portion of last year’s Six Hour contest.

“Today was definitely challenging with the weather conditions that we had,” said Stanton. “I wish it had rained more because the car was so good in the rain. I really enjoyed the car today. Last year the boys gave us a great car here and the car today was every bit as good. We were able to race to the front and stay there all day, and we just didn’t have the luck with our strategy lining up with the yellow flags and wave-byes. But we are still in a good championship spot and Road America will be a great circuit for us.”

Sellers, who recorded his best result at the Sahlen’s Six Hours at the Glen with Magnus Racing, was equally upbeat about the team’s performance.

“”It was a pretty good day for us,” said Sellers. “There’s nothing better than being at the finish of a long race fighting for position. That whole last stint I put everything I had out there. It was qualifying laps, lap-after-lap to keep ahead of the Camaro. Unfortunately, we caught the last yellow and the restart changed the scenario. Oliver was just too fast at the end and he was able to go deeper under braking than we were and he got us. The battle was a lot of fun and it was an honor to be asked to take the checkered flag for the Magnus Racing.”

The championship battle with half of the season completed remains tight as ever, with Potter and Stanton now 17 points behind the leaders but sitting in a tie for 13th position. The next Rolex Series race is June 25 at the legendary Road America circuit in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, which will be the first time the Magnus Racing team will visit the track.