Just days after sweeping the Ferrari World Finals in Valencia, Spain, and learning of his new record as the winningest driver in Ferrari Challenge racing history, Scott Tucker was joined by Christophe Bouchut at the famed Circuit Paul Ricard in Castellet, France for the Le Mans winter racing season.
Tucker raced a Formula Le Mans Prototype for
Vision Pole Racing sponsored by Swiss company, Hope Financial. Bouchut, in his home country, assisted the team with car setup duties.
Many have been impressed by Tucker's endurance in the Rolex Grand-Am
series, where he recently ran double stints in the Supercar Life
Racing Daytona Prototype. This weekend's action was no less
challenging. Tucker raced three events in one day: two sprint races
and a 60 minute endurance race back to back. The endurance race
effort was notable, Tucker was the only driver in the field to double
stint. The other teams choosing to change drivers during the mandatory
pit stop. Though this was his first time at the circuit and only
second time behind the wheel of the Le Mans prototype, the champion
was in his element.
As the team readied for the first practice session, skies opened up
and a light rain covered the track. Not quite dry enough for slicks,
the team started on grooved, wet condition tires which heated up
quickly as a dry line emerged around the track. Later in the session,
the team went to slicks and Tucker and Bouchut were comfortably and
consistently in the top 5 throughout the two hour session. In the
closing minutes, the team vaulted to P1 after making several
adjustments to the rear wing.
After a short break, an hour long qualifying session would sort the
contenders. The session stayed dry and Tucker, the lone U.S. racer,
qualified the car P5 in the 19 car field with a fast lap of 1:22.25.
Race 1 started under fair conditions with an overcast sky, rain threatening, and temps in the mid-60s. Tucker had a great start and quickly dispatched #6 Sam Allpass from Great Britian who spun in dramatic fashion under immense pressure from the American. Tucker
finished the race P5 with a happy team cheering him on.
Warmed up nicely, Tucker stormed to P2 in Race 2 securing his first Le
Mans series podium. Conditions called for a new set of wet tires, but
the team had used their only set, regulations limiting the team to
just a single set. Tucker opted to race on dry tires in mixed
conditions. The decision proved a good one and Scott showcased his
speed. The race was very clean except for a few exciting moments where
Tucker diced with Germany's Prince Albert Von Thurn und Taxis.
The feature event was a 60 minute endurance race including a mandatory
pit stop. Tucker started P5 and quickly moved up one position at the
start. The number 2 settled into
a fast paced rythm and by lap 7 had secured a podium position. Tucker
was charging hard, but protecting his slick, dry condition tires. The
window opened for mandatory pit stops twenty-five minutes into the
hour long race. On lap 20, while the rest of the field pitted to
change drivers, Scott Tucker responded to the "box, box" command from
the race engineer by pulling into pit lane, killing the engine and
quietly sitting for the minimum 80 seconds. Tucker was the only driver
in the field to pull a double stint. This, after running two back to
back sprint races just 30 minutes before the start. Tucker fired the
engine and left pit lane to rejoin the race.
Just three laps later, Tucker would overtake to secure P2 with
approximately 16 minutes remaining. Charging hard, he would close the
gap to P1 by twenty seconds. On lap 25, the P1 car piloted by Hope
Financial Vision Pole teammate Christophe Pillin spun giving the
American a look at the win. Pillin was able to get back underway
quickly and the race came to a close with Tucker crossing the line
safely in P2, the gap to P3 extending to more than a minute.
Scott Tucker:"The car was excellent all weekend. The team did a great job. Circuit Paul Ricard is one of the finest tracks we've raced. This field is very competitive and I'm looking forward to the rest of the season." Christophe Bouchut:
"Scott raced very well today. I never expected this result. Scott had not driven here before and this was also his first race in a Le Mans prototype. Two podium finishes is fantastic."
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