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Moville man in pole position at
top US race
21.01.14
DONEGAL racing ace
Damien Faulkner is in pole position to take top
honours this weekend at the inaugural race in
America’s all-new IMSA TUDOR United Sportscar
Championship.
Champion Porsche driver Damien Faulkner from Moville
will compete for GB Autosports along with team-mates
Patrick Huisman and Bob Faieta.
The new US championship was formed from the
amalgamation of the American Le Mans Series and the
Rolex Sports Car Series. The first race – the Rolex
24 Hours – will be held this Saturday at Daytona
Beach, Florida. |
Faulkner will be the
only Irish driver to compete this year in all eleven
races of the new series – the leading motor sports
championship for the US and Canada.
He will be behind the wheel of the Porsche 911 GT
America, a new racecar built by Porsche Motorsport
exclusively for this year’s new series.
“The competition is unbelievable with the number of
cars and the level of strong teams,” says Faulkner,
whose family run a car dealership in his hometown.
“It’s going to be a monster challenge for everyone
but we are all really looking forward to it."
The race circuit is just over 3˝ miles long and
competing cars will make about 23 pit-stops over the
24-hour duration, using an estimated 96 tyres each.
“24-hour races are the hardest to predict. It’s not
just the role of the drivers which is crucial but
the whole team - every re-fuelling and tyre change
is crucial," added the Donegal man. |
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Champion Porsche driver Damien
Faulkner from Co Donegal, who will compete this
weekend in the Rolex 24-Hour - the inaugural race in
America’s all-new IMSA TUDOR United Sportscar
Championship. |
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Faulkner is a two-time
Porsche Carrera GB Champion (2005-2006), two-time
Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Vice-Champion (2007-2008)
and the winner of his first American Le Mans race at
the 2011 Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. |
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Damien Faulkner in action in his
Porsche No 81. |
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The race can be seen on
Motors TV UK (Channel 447 on Sky Ireland) from 7pm
on January 25 overnight, and on to midday on Sunday. |
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