Paul Miller Racing Porsche to race on Motegi Racing Wheels

Paul Miller Racing Porsche to race on Motegi Racing Wheels
Presenting the 2012 12 Hours of Sebring Spotter Guide
Quotes from Audi Sport Team Joest before the 12 Hours of Sebring

Posted: 13 Mar 2012 09:58 AM PDT

Paul Miller Racing Porsche 911 GT3 RSR lapping at Sebring Photo: Bob Chapman/Autosport Image

Paul Miller Racing will debut a new set of wheels in every sense of the word at this week’s 60th Anniversary Twelve Hours of Sebring as the team announced today that its brand-new, Dunlop-shod No. 48 Chopard Porsche 911 GT3 RSR co-driven by Bryce Miller, Sascha Maassen and Rob Bell will utilize brand-new wheels from Motegi Racing.

Paul Miller Racing approached Motegi Racing last month with the challenge of building 20 new wheels in time for the 2012 American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patron at Sebring. Just three weeks later, the race team now has five sets of Technomesh GT wheels in its arsenal.

“Joining forces with Motegi Racing is yet another exciting new relationship we are entering into for the 2012 season,” said team owner Paul Miller. “I am impressed with how quickly Motegi Racing was able to turn around our order and with the quality of the Technomesh GT wheels. They look fantastic on our new Porsche RSR, especially with Dunlop rubber around them, and we are all looking forward to seeing them perform throughout the 2012 ALMS season.”

“Paul Miller Racing has a long history of success with Porsche sports car programs and is the perfect technical partner for Motegi Racing to develop the best wheels for Porsche GT racing,” added Jody Groce, President of Wheel Pros, the company that owns the Motegi Racing brand. “We are excited to work with Paul Miller Racing on a wheel for the team’s new 2012 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR.”

Paul Miller Racing Porsche to race on Motegi Racing Wheels

Motegi Racing worked closely with the race team on critical dimensions for the new application, including brake clearance and load ratings. The Motegi Racing engineering team conducted thorough finite element method (FEM) analysis and produced detailed technical specifications on a new wheel to fit the car and the competition rules. Once Paul Miller Racing verified those specifications, the new Technomesh GT wheels were produced at the Motegi Racing facility in Italy and shipped to the team. It would have been nearly impossible for any other company to create wheels for a new application in such a short time frame, but Motegi Racing pulled it off.

“We have the right people and the right resources to make something like this happen,” said Jose Matiauda, Global Motorsport Director for Motegi Racing. “We have everything we need to react to the needs of the racing industry and make product at this speed, and we know how to do it without making mistakes.”

“I am very thankful for the cooperation from Motegi Racing and our team on this project,” contributed Bryce Miller. “With Motegi as our wheel partner we now have the resources necessary to react to the fast paced demands of the motorsport environment. I’m very much looking forward to driving on their wheel this year.”

Motegi Racing undertook a similar challenge to support a factory-backed Ferrari 458 GT3 that won the 2011 FIA GT3 championship and made its North American debut at the Daytona 24 Hours in January. The wheels performed flawlessly. The partnership between Paul Miller Racing and Motegi Racing could expand in the future to include a line of racing-inspired wheels for production vehicles sold through the Paul Miller Auto Group.

The new No. 48 Chopard Porsche 911 GT3 RSR will makes its competition debut at the Twelve Hours of Sebring. The season-opening round of the 10-race 2012 American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patron takes the green flag at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 17.

- Photo: Bob Chapman/Autosport Image

Paul Miller Racing adds Dunlop tires to its arsenal

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Presenting the 2012 12 Hours of Sebring Spotter Guide

Posted: 13 Mar 2012 06:23 AM PDT

ONEIGHTURBO

Let the racing begin! In just two days the 60th running of the 12 Hours of Sebring will kick off with official practices and the smell of racing fuel (or diesel in Audi’s case) will be in the air. We’re pumped and heading down tomorrow morning.

Besides Google maps to get us where were going, even though we’ve been a bazillion times, the next most important thing to grab is the 2012 12 Hours of Sebring Spotter Guide! Andy Blackmore has dropped another great one to kick off an awesome weekend.

Featuring all 64 Entries over two pages with eagle eye details indicating which series each car is racing in, along with team, car, engine, drivers, tire brand and fuel type.

Once again oneighturbo.com has partnered up with Andy Blackmore to bring you this incredible guide / art! Along with Radio Le Mans, Daily Sports Car, Fourtitude, Ten-Tenths, SPEED, l’endurance and the American Le Mans Series, we hope you enjoy it.

Ways to use the guide. Print the Spotter Guide as large as possible (take to Kinkos) the mount it to the wall next to the TV, drape it over your dog, tape it to your buds back or all over your tent if camping out.

You can also be “green” and drop it on your iPad or tablet, iPhone or mobile device, laptop or even TV via USB drive.

DOWNLOAD HERE

If you intend linking to the guides then please respect the efforts of Andy and Spotter Guides and link to this page not directly to the guides (as these can be updated). Please do not modify the guide in any way.

Download the 2012 Rolex 24 at Daytona Spotter Guide

You're reading Presenting the 2012 12 Hours of Sebring Spotter Guide originally posted on oneighturbo.com. If you've enjoyed this article, be sure and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and YouTube.

Quotes from Audi Sport Team Joest before the 12 Hours of Sebring

Posted: 13 Mar 2012 05:53 AM PDT

ONEIGHTURBO

Audi R18 TDI no1, Audi Sport Team Joest, 12 Hours of Sebring

Marcel Fassler, Audi R18 TDI #1 (Audi Sport Team Joest)

“We're in for a thrilling race because the situation will be a bit tight for everyone with more than 60 cars on the track. Of course I'm expecting for us to be able to set the pace at the front of the field. I'm personally pleased to be able to battle for overall victory in an LMP car for the first time at Sebring. I'm also hoping for us to have the necessary bit of racing luck to do so."

Andre Lotterer, Audi R18 TDI #1 (Audi Sport Team Joest)

“I'm really excited because the new world championship will no doubt be very interesting. Expectations are high. Naturally, we're driving to win. I've never contested this 12-hour race before. I've reeled off a large number of test kilometers at Sebring though. The track really suits me well. It is great fun and I enjoy driving there. That's why I'm really looking forward to the event."

Benoit Treluyer, Audi R18 TDI #1 (Audi Sport Team Joest)

“I'm very much looking forward to my run. For the first time I'll be racing on this track that I've only known from tests so far. This probably won't be an easy task but the atmosphere is excellent with a large crowd. I've heard a lot about this race – and now I'm finally part of it."

Audi R18 TDI no2, Audi Sport Team Joest, 12 Hours of Sebring

Dindo Capello, Audi R18 TDI #2 (Audi Sport Team Joest)

“At Sebring, the Audi brand and we drivers have seen many nice successes. I've personally won four times there. Naturally, another victory with Audi Sport Team Joest would be a great thing that I would truly enjoy. We last achieved that in 2009. That seems like a pretty long time ago. Our adrenaline level is rising again. A success at the 60th anniversary of this endurance race that is really significant in the United States would be particularly nice and important."

Tom Kristensen, Audi R18 TDI #2 (Audi Sport Team Joest)

“The 2012 season is starting with a nice big race – the Sebring 12 Hours. In all these years the circuit has remained almost unchanged. The track's character, the bumps, the tarmac – almost everything is the way it used to be in the past. A legendary circuit plus more than 60 entrants on the anniversary event: The season could hardly be off to a better – or tougher – start."

Allan McNish, Audi R18 TDI #2 (Audi Sport Team Joest)

“This year, Sebring stands for something really special. The new world championship is attracting a lot of attention. And, as always, Sebring is a tough race. For the many fans it is a nice season opener. The atmosphere and passion there are unique. For Audi, this race is linked to a large number of nice successes. Hopefully, we'll be able to continue this list with the R18 TDI. This is an unusual feeling. We fielded the car for almost a whole season, but not at Sebring. Normally, our race cars are making their debut there but this time it'll be the last run of the previous version of the car. After our test in December, I'm sure that the R18 TDI will be strong."

Audi R18 TDI no3, Audi Sport Team Joest, 12 Hours of Sebring

Timo Bernhard, Audi R18 TDI #3 (Audi Sport Team Joest)

“I'm very much looking forward to Sebring. I drove there for the first time in 2001. That was also my first endurance race and I've got many fond memories of this track. With Romain Dumas I managed to clinch overall victory there in 2008. Last year, our pace was good but we had two punctures which cost us any chance of victory. This year, I'm traveling there with high expectations. Sebring is always a great opener, a challenging race track and a superb event. I'm happy to be part of it again."

Romain Dumas, Audi R18 TDI #3 (Audi Sport Team Joest)

“Sebring is one of the nicest races of the year. It's also a very difficult one – in 2012 more than 60 cars will be in the field. You've got to stay on track and avoid problems. I think the outcome will really only be decided in the final hour of the race. Timo (Bernhard) and I won in 2008, Loic (Duval) last year. The three of us have a good chance for victory."

Loic Duval, Audi R18 TDI #3 (Audi Sport Team Joest)

“This is a special season opener for me. I'm running for Audi for the first time, which has been a dream of mine for quite some time. The inaugural race of the World Endurance Championship at Sebring marks the beginning of a new era. And for me personally the return to Florida is very special too as I won the race last year together with two team-mates. At Audi, I'm competing together with Timo Bernhard and Romain Dumas and am eager to see how well we'll gel. One thing is certain: In my first few weeks I noticed that the team spirit at Audi is outstanding."

Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich (Head of Audi Motorsport)

“Sebring is just around the corner; we've completed our preparations. It'll be a grand and no doubt thrilling inaugural event of the new WEC. The entire fields of the WEC and the American Le Mans Series will be competing together. So, the field of entrants will be made up of more than 60 cars. For the fans and for motorsport, this is a tremendous beginning of a world championship. For those who are driving there and wanting to take their cars across the finish line unharmed, this is a pretty complex and strenuous mission. We're running with three cars, which also serves to get the team to gel again at an early stage of the year. It'll be difficult to get through such a race without any collisions. You need to stay clear of all trouble while maintaining a good pace, which is always important at Sebring. Only then will you have a chance of being at the very top in the end. Last year we had a quick car but, unfortunately, weren't successful. Obviously, we want to make up for that this year and clinch Audi's tenth victory on this historically important race track."

Ralf Juttner (Technical Director Audi Sport Team Joest)

“This is the first world championship round for all of us. For the first time, we're running with three cars at Sebring, which will be a great challenge. Naturally, we're happy that the season will open there and we'll be competing with the modified 2011-spec model. Things are continuing the way we experienced them last year at Atlanta – with an incredibly full field of more than 60 cars. You've got to get through without any problems and mistakes. If you do, then you'll have good chances of taking places at the front. Our tasks are clear. We need to get into a rhythm for the full season and score as many championship points as possible."

- Audi Motorsport