Scott Tucker and Level 5 Motorsports will be going for history in this weekend’s SCCA National Championship Runoffs
at Road America, as Tucker aims to become one of the very few drivers with
three consecutive National Championship titles in one of the country’s most prestigious racing
events.
Tucker, who recently clinched back-to-back American Le Mans
Series championships following his fourth LMP2 victory of the season last
weekend at Laguna Seca, shifts his focus to Friday’s championship race, which
will see the accomplished road racer take the wheel of a specially prepared,
Microsoft Office 2010-sponsored Porsche 996 Twin-Turbo.
“For me, personally, winning my third consecutive National
Championship would be an incredible achievement that I have worked very hard
for,” said Tucker, who notched his 59th career victory last weekend. “Winning
any championship is extremely difficult. All you can do is prepare the best you
know how and do you best on track and see where the chips fall at the checkered
flag.”
The ambitious project began early this year when Level 5
purchased the 500-plus horsepower, four-wheel drive Porsche. Led by Kelly Moss
Motorsports' Jeff Stone, both KMM and Level 5 teamed up to transform the unique
Porsche into a SCCA STO class-winning contender. The car underwent an extensive
development program, led by Stone, which included a series of test runs with
Porsche factory driver Patrick Long.
Tucker, who won his two previous National Championships with
a Ferrari 430 Challenge car in the T1 category, competed in four early-season
SCCA events at Sebring International Raceway and Homestead-Miami Speedway with
a modified 430 Challenge car for the STO class before the decision was made to
go with with the radical 996 Twin-Turbo.
Led by project manager Ed Zabinski and engineered by veteran
Jeff Braun, there’s high expectations for the Porsche 996 Twin-Turbo heading
into Friday morning’s 13-lap or 40-minute race on the famed Road America
circuit, one of the premier road racing venues in North America.
“We really tried to bring all of the best guys in the
program,” said Zabinski, who is also the car’s entrant. “I’m pretty happy at the
way it turned out. The Porsche has developed into a reliable car. I think we’re
looking pretty good."
Prospects for the win are high, especially following
Tucker's impressive performance in qualifying on Wednesday. He recorded a best
lap of 2:16.462, which stands as the overall quickest time among the STO
field earning the pole position heading
into Friday' race at 8 30 am.
“We’ve been running in the top-three in all of the
qualifying sessions this week. Scott loves the car," Zabinski added.
"I don’t know what the stats are, but there are only a few guys who have
won three consecutive National Championships. We’ll certainly be going for
that.”
The SCCA National Championship Runoffs, The Pinnacle of
American Motorsports, will crown Sports Car Club of America's Club Racing
National Champions for the 48th-consecutive year in 2011. The best drivers from
across North America convene on Road America's historic four-mile road course
in what is considered the “Olympics” of motorsports. This year's event begins
with four days of qualifying, Sept. 19-22, and concludes with three days of
racing, Sept. 23-25.
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