Club Arnage

Just pre-empting the flood of emotion from the returning throng about how Aston Martin were, once again, robbed of victory by cruel luck. Just mull this one over.....
The common denominator is Darren Turner.
As in '05 when he recklessly crashed over enough kerbs to rip the splitter off the DBR9, he did it again this time (only he tore-up the oil pump feed this time)
Prodrive's biggest asset (Thomas Enge) was hamstrung by their biggest liability (Turner).
I have to say that I genuinely felt bad for the 009 crew when their clutch went bad with 3 hours to go (that was bad luck). That said, replacing the clutch took 50 minutes - the 63 Corvette did a clutch replacement on Sunday morning in less than 20.
Damn good effort by Prodrive nonetheless - and great to see they are full strength for the remainder of the ALMS season. Looking forward to seeing them again at The Petit in September.

Unfortunately for Aston Le Mans may have been their best chance for victory against the Vette's the rest of the season.  At places like Road America, Laguna Seca, Mosport and Road Atlanta the Vette's will absolutely maul them.
Which one of the Dutch guys was scolding me for saying Alex Yoong was a complete waste?
Who crashed their car out of the race Saturday night?
Fax

Yet again luck proved to have run out but their must be also some amount of intensive testing needed as corvette didnt seem to have many problems at all...

after reading an article on crash.net they will be beginning their programme for next years entry in the next few days!

2008 the year for Astons - hope so.

I'll be flying the flag again!

I regret to say I have to agree with Matt. Terrible as it is, when Turner got stuffed into the wall in the BTCC SEAT at Thruxton a couple of weeks ago, I remember hoping he wouldn't be able to race at LM. Wasn't that an awful thing to think?

Anyway, the air turned blue with our lot when we heard that the idiot had torn the sump off it. Turner commented via Aston's press officer that he didn't realise how high the kirbs were. How come? He's been here before? And what about qualifying? He might be quick but the man appears to lack a brain.

Finally, I disagree with Fax and his comment on the Vette's "mauling" the Astons. Whilst the Vettes have picked up the vast majority of the silverware, the racing has generally been very close. Where in the hell are they suddenly going to find the extra speed to "maul" Aston and stay within the current regs?

And wasn't it DT who got the car into the sin bin for running cones over in '05?  A couple of times if memory serves.

Andy,
Because they pretty well mauled them at those two locations last year (they weren't at Road America & Mosport of course) The Vette's are carrying a passenger this year and the Aston's still haven't beaten them. Very close racing doesn't mean sh*t, until they start winning some races they're still the Vette's bitches.
Fax

Hell Yeah! You tell 'em Fax!
John is right to point out what a lot of people conveniently gloss over.
The C6R carries nearly 200lbs of 'success ballast'. I do understand why it's important to have close racing in order to maintain spectator interest - but punishing the innovators and investors (in this case, Pratt & Miller and GM) is a little unfair and should not be forgotten by anyone claiming that the Prodrive equippe is a better team with a better car. I rate Prodrive highly, think the DBR9 is a gorgeous race car and am thankful that at least they can provide some competition (however skewed) to the Yellow Monster. Undoubtedly however, without the 14 stone of lead on board, the C6R would piss all over the Aston - anyway you care to slice it. 

I remember very vividly standing on the hillside above the pits at Road Atlanta with Matt and Dave watching the Vette's pull away from the Aston's like they were tied to a tree.  I also think that the North America circuits which tend to be bumpier and more rollercoaster-ish favor the Vette's as well.  I agree with Matt, the Aston's look & sound lovely, but quick in practice and for a few laps in the race doesn''t really count for much.  The Vette guys can consistantly hammer out lap after lap of punishing times and eventually the Aston's crack, in the pits or on the track.
Fax

That reminds me of watching at Tetre Rouge in 04 i think, the Corvette had early puncture problems and was a few laps down then the leading Ferrari ground to a halt just past Tetre Rouge and the Corvette just pounded round and round and made up the laps, I was a fan from then on. It may even have been the Prodrive Ferrari!

D.A.

The subject of Turner brings up another strength of the Corvette squad, they employ drivers who don't f**k up!
Oliver Gavin has to be the steal of the century for the Pratt & Miller guys.  How in the hell F1 missed him is beyond me, the guy's been a winner in everything he's driven, but at the same time stiff's like Alex Yoong have made it into F1.
Fax

Dickie
www.badboyvettes.com logo - cool, eh?

Cool video too!

Whoosa daddy?  ;) The Astons were faster all weekend.

Yes indeed Andy, well done to the Prodrive lads.  Good to see then get that long overdue win.  I hope this keeps them hungry for more.  They are obviously a very popular (judging by the number of folks wearing Aston kit at the races) and welcome addtion to the ALMS ranks and hope they stick around for a while.  Now, if they'll just take that extra passenger out of the C6-R ;D
Fax

now thats what i call close!! ;D

Totally agree - well done Prodrive - a win is only good for the sport and bodes really well for the remaining rounds of '06 ALMS. As stated already, it's only a shame that the rule makers think it better to slow the C6-R down, rather than speed the DBR9 up - never really figured that one out.
The Pepsi 400 didn't disappoint either. I'm aware that many in the forum conider Cup racing to be a bit banal, but, once again, Tony Stewart showed that he's a world class driver (he won the IROC race on the road-course at Daytona on Friday night too). Hero of the night was Boris Said - starting on the pole, with a qually set-up and had said at the beginning that he expected to lose positions 'as fast as an anvil sinks in Lake Lloyd'. Well he toughed it out - and with 5 to go, was back at the front! Steward had reeled him in by the time the last yellow was waved (the race finished under caution, which was a shame). Run fast and clean, 80 degrees under the lights, corp hospitality, as good as ever. 

Hey Matt, glad you had a good time at Daytona, I figured you were there. Watched the race Sat. plopped in front of the TV with a few cold brews.  Big Boris had to be thinking OH sh*t! I'M COOKED! When Tony held back on that final restart to bunch the field up behind him.  Stewart radioed in that Said looked really nervous during the final caution laps.  You saw a helluva lot better show Sat. night than I did Sunday afternoon.
Fax