Very nice to have more competitors in LMP1 in ALMSOriginally Posted by The-Paddock.net
After weeks of speculation, Intersport Racing has finally announced that it will move up to the LMP1 class for 2007 – with a Creation CA06 Judd. The Dublin, Ohio-based team will field the British Hybrid chassis in all 12 rounds of the American Le Mans Series, starting at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.
Winners of the 2005 LMP2 championship, the team holds 20 class victories in the ALMS, fourth among entrants in the series. Originally planning on competing in the ultra-competitive LMP2 class with its Lola B05/40, the team has opted to step up to the premier class for 2007.
"We've thought long and hard about the team direction and have said for the past few years that we'd like to be in LMP1," said Field. "Granted, the numbers in LMP1 are down right now, but long-term we felt the class will see renewed growth. This is as good a time as any for us to develop our program. We know we can make the car fast; that's never been a problem for us. The focus is going to be on making sure were durable and reliable. I think our guys are very much up to the challenge."
The Creation chassis is a mid-engine, rear-wheel drive machine utilizing a carbon fiber and aluminum honeycomb monocoque chassis. The Judd GV5 is a 5-liter normally aspirated V10 and generates approximately 600+ bhp at 9,000 RPM.
"We chose the Creation after a lot of soul searching and study of last year's performance and lap times," Field added. "All in all, the car was very fast under most conditions. I think what really tipped the scales in favor of the Creation was the car has excellent mechanical grip. Looking at the schedule and the types of tracks we encounter in the American Le Mans Series, we feel that will be an advantage for us."
The team will take delivery of the car in the coming days and begin preparations for the season. Clint will be joined by father Jon and Richard Berry in the Twelve Hours of Sebring.
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