The American Le Mans Series, presented by Tequila Patron, returns to the Lime Rock Park track after a 10 week break, with 31 cars, including 10 GT class entries, lining up to do battle on the short 1.474-mile Connecticut circuit, which is one of the quickest and busiest on the calendar. It commands the utmost concentration of the drivers, with the 7-turn track providing a challenge for all the drivers to keep racing fast, whilst staying out of trouble, but provides non-stop action.
The No.17 Team Falken Tire Porsche 911 GT3 RSR line up of Bryan Sellers and Wolf Henzler look to better their fifth place finish last year, and are chomping at the bit, but Sellers has not been idle in any sense, since the beginning of “The Break” itself. Sellers was clearly showing the fact that he was ecstatic that it was time to turn the wheels again in anger at Lime Rock, and showed his love of the track itself, but stated the challenges ahead for the team: “It’s great to get going again in the ALMS! Everyone at Team Falken Tire has put in a lot of work during our break and I think we will be well prepared for the event. Lime Rock Park provides some of the best racing in the world and I am glad the break is over and we can get back to racing the Falken Tire Porsche.”
“Lime Rock is a great racetrack and a great event. It is always a difficult event. It’s constant chaos all around the track, every lap of the whole weekend. I enjoy racing there because it is so challenging. You always have to be a step ahead or you’re way behind. I love the fans at Lime Rock. The crowd at the event makes it one of the best races on our schedule. They line the hillsides and really make it something special to race there.”
Since the last race, Sellers has carried out four days of testing since last time out in Monterey, California, with two days at Road Atlanta in May, and Mid-Ohio in June. He has also competed in four races in other series, had several engagements for coaching sessions, as well as testing for Fall-Line Motorsports.
The former open-wheel racing champion managed to get some rest and relaxation in the most unusual way possible, by spending it watching the live TV broadcast of the 24 Heures du Mans, an event the Braselton native competed in himself in 2005. But with racing soon to be underway, the Falken Tire driver couldn't be further from the truth on just how this event can change the complexity of the series: “Momentum is everything. It will be very important to start off right with this event. Lime Rock sets up the second part of the season and really seems to set the tone for the remainder of the year. With all the time off everything should be prepared well and ready to race.”
So with the field looking to race hard, fast and fair, with contact being a given in this round of the ALMS series, there will be a fight for the win, plus those looking to keep themselves in the fight to win the ALMS title, when the North Eastern Grand Prix gets underway this coming Sunday.
