Although he’s conquered the high banks of the 2.5 mile Daytona International Speedway; team owner/driver, Michael Waltrip, is a rookie at LeMans’ famed eight-mile Circuit de la Sarthe.
This past week Waltrip (along with his business partner Rob Kauffman) got his first taste of the 24-Hour race circuit on a bicycle before getting down to the business of driving the track in the AF Corse F430 Ferrari.
Waltrip turned three laps before the lunch break. His fastest lap was 4m.30s.563. After lunch he found his bearings around the circuit and at the end of his mandatory ten-lap stint, his best time was 4m.17s.770. Rookies are required to run a 10-lap stint before being permitted to race in June.
“Before lunch, when I got in the car, I realized I did not know the track as well as I thought,” said Waltrip.
“After lunch I ran more confidently and knew which direction the track was going in. I drove very conservatively and basically got to know the track and got more confident,” said the two-time Daytona 500 winner.
The trio consisting of Waltrip, Kauffmann and along with Portugal’s Rui Águas, are scheduled to race the June 10-11 classic sports car race.
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| Photo: MWR |
This past week Waltrip (along with his business partner Rob Kauffman) got his first taste of the 24-Hour race circuit on a bicycle before getting down to the business of driving the track in the AF Corse F430 Ferrari.
Waltrip turned three laps before the lunch break. His fastest lap was 4m.30s.563. After lunch he found his bearings around the circuit and at the end of his mandatory ten-lap stint, his best time was 4m.17s.770. Rookies are required to run a 10-lap stint before being permitted to race in June.
“Before lunch, when I got in the car, I realized I did not know the track as well as I thought,” said Waltrip.
“After lunch I ran more confidently and knew which direction the track was going in. I drove very conservatively and basically got to know the track and got more confident,” said the two-time Daytona 500 winner.
The trio consisting of Waltrip, Kauffmann and along with Portugal’s Rui Águas, are scheduled to race the June 10-11 classic sports car race.
 |
| Photo: MWR |
 |
| Photo: MWR |