Scott Tucker Racing - Nascar Races - MotorSports Performance Car Race Scott Tucker was determined to race Level 5 Motorsports’ new HPD ARX-01g car once he could.
BigNews.Biz - Jan 11,2012 - Scott Tucker was determined to race Level 5 Motorsports’ new HPD ARX-01g car once he could. That determination was evident when he and the team decided to hold back until the very last possible minute to produce a sound decision on the 6 hours of Silverstone race: It was all or nothing. Unfortunately, cost-capped wheels for the car weren't accessible in time for Level 5 to maintain its entry in Silverstone; Tucker withdrew. “I knew there was a risk in waiting for the parts, with them not being guaranteed,” Tucker states. “But the car is undoubtedly the best vehicle performance-wise that we can get, so I was determined to give it a shot. The HPD engine and chassis combination has proved to be the best over the years.We feel very comfortable and confident in making this unprecedented and decisive move.” Determination, risk, and refusing to settle for anything but the best-sounds a bit like racing.
Calculated decisions and ultimate control are a part of what makes drivers successful, and Level 5 has had its share of success. The team made podium finishes in some of the most popular races of the past year, such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 6 hours of Imola.
Last month, the crew competed in the four-mile Road America circuit for the sixth round of the ALMS season and won its class, which continued Level 5’s undefeated record in American Le Mans Series competition this season. In that one weekend, Tucker, the reigning ALMS LMPC champion, tackled six races in four different series. He earned podium finishes in the IMSA Prototype Lites, IMSA GT3 Challenge by Yokohama and SCCA Pro Racing Trans-Am races, and he won the Trans-Am T2 class, his 55th career victory in international competition. Co-driver Luis Diaz earned his 10th career ALMS victory. “As far as I know, the championship is now locked up,” team manager David Stone had said.
Nonetheless, as Tucker and co-drivers Christophe Bouchut and Luis Diaz hit the street with all the new HPD ARX-01g at the LMS enduro today, they’ll have plenty of catching up to do after taking Silverstone off. “As a team, you never want to miss a race, a practice or a chance to prepare,” Tucker says. “But we’re really looking to perform well and get acquainted with the HPD ARX-01g at Mazda Laguna Seca so we can look ahead to Petit.”
While considering options for the Silverstone race, Level 5 was given the option to compete with the HPD ARX-01g using grandfathered-in specifications, but the team ultimately decided that racing with modified specifications on the car would defeat its purpose. In order to prepare the car for the six-hour LMS enduro today, additional mechanics flew to the Wirth workshop in England last week. When it was finished, the car got a one-way ticket to San Francisco.
Preliminary tests with the HPD ARX-01g were promising, with all three drivers optimistic about the weekend’s race. Especially important was calibrating the drivers’ balances
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