ABT-Audi TT-R has a new face in Jamaica

By Johan Laubscher

The ATL Automotive TT-R was re-launched in Jamaica yesterday. The team held a press conference at ATL where they revealed the car’s new look and the new livery. During the early 2000s the ABT-Audi TT-R race cars were a formidable force in the German DTM championship. The cars were finally replaced at the end of 2003 when the Audi A4 DTM R11 was introduced, however one TT-R made one final DTM start at the 2004 Shanghai DTM event. Along with the TT-R’s DTM career the cars also competed at the 2003 and 2004 Nürburgring 24 Hours, these cars being built to a more robust endurance specification. 

ATL team launch 2011

After the cars were officially retired a number of the TT-Rs were sold to private teams, all in the endurance specification. They have been seen racing all over the world from Brazil to Europe and even Hillclimb racing. During 2011 one of these ABT-Audi TT-R cars was sold to the ATL Automotive group in Jamaica. They acquired the car to compete in both Jamaica and the Caribbean. Doug Gore was, and still is the driver for the ATL TT-R. The team achieved much success during 2011 and were allowed special dispensation to run in the 2012 Caribbean Motor Racing Championship (CMRC). The car was not allowed to compete in the CMRC during 2011 due to being lighter than the minimum weight of the championship. 

The scene was set for a tremendous 2012 season with Doug Gore and the Audi competing in the CMRC. However tragedy struck at the first corner of the very first race. Doug was involved in an accident which sent the car hurtling off the track, causing damage to the chassis. The damage resulted in the car being out for the season as it headed back to Germany to be repaired at the ABT Sportsline workshops.

2012 SVC ABT-Audi TT-R 

At the beginning of 2013 it was confirmed that the car would be back and that the repairs had been finished. Read more about that HERE. Many photos of the repair appeared online which revealed new bodywork for the TT-R. The new bodywork resembles the appearance of a Mk2 Audi TT. The new design was developed by the SVC Vitver Racing team from the Czech republic. During 2012 the Czech team developed the new bodywork and competed in the FIA Hillclimb Cup with their TT-R driven by Vitver Vláďa, more can be read HERE. The ATL team purchased the new front end and rear wing from SVC and had them fitted by ABT in Germany.

As was the case with ATL the SVC also experience a large crash during 2012. The crash occurred whilst the team was testing for the final 2012 Hillclimb event, and also caused a lot of damage to their car, more can be read HERE. However the SVC team have worked very hard and the car will be ready for the 2013 Hillclimb season.

The ATL Automotive car was revealed yesterday ahead of its first 2013 race meeting this weekend. The team will be competing at the Jamwest Speedway Circuit Attack. We have included more photos from the launch below, showing the new car’s new look. It is great news to hear that both the ATL and SVC TT-Rs will be back in 2013 following their accidents in 2012.

More information:
ATL Automotive on Facebook

SVC Vitver Racing on Facebook

Photo credit: ATL Automotive and race-action.com

Two Audi R8 LMS in Australian GT round 2 at Adelaide

By Tarek Ramchani

After a thrilling first round at the Bathurst 12 Hour, the Australian GT is now at another iconic track, the famous Adelaide street course. Two Audi Sport customer racing teams are entering the event.

At Bathurst four Australian Audi cars competed in the Mount Panorama enduro event, with two of them being entered for the first Australian GT round. For Adelaide only two Audi cars will been entered. Minda Motorsport debuted with the Audi R8 LMS last time out and finished in an excellent fourth place. The #71 white and red car will be driven by Dean Koutsoumidis and Andrew McInnes. The other Audi car will be the #6 R8 LMS ultra of Rod Salmon. At Bathurst the "Orange" R16 was classified sixth in the Australian GT segment of the 12 hour race. Both cars will be supported by Melbourne Performance Centre.

Two free practice sessions have already taken place on Thursday. The #6 Audi R8 LMS ultra of Rod Salmon was 11th in the first session and sixth in the second. The #71 Audi R8 LMS of Dean Koutsoumidis and Andrew McInnes was tenth in the first session and eighth in the second. During qualifying the #71 placed ninth and the #6 in eleventh.

Two races are planned this weekend. A one hour race on Saturday and a second race with a 30-minute sprint format on Sunday. The competition is becoming fierce in Australian GT. The Audi entries will be up against all-pro line-ups at the front, however we hope that both teams will be able to fight for top spots and big points for the overall standings.

Photo credit: Bathurst 12 Hour

Doug Gore Audi TT-R back in Jamaica and ready for Jamwest

By Johan Laubscher 

 

The ABT-Audi TT-R of Doug Gore is back in Jamaica. The ATL Automotive sponsored machine has undergone a thorough rebuild at the ABT Sportsline workshops in Germany. The rebuild was necessitated after a crash at the Dover Circuit in Jamaica last year. The crash occurred during the first Carribean Motor Racing Championship (CMRC) round of 2012. The car suffered a lot of damage, especially to the chassis. The damage meant that the car was out for the rest of the 2012 season as it needed to go home to Germany for repairs. More can be read about the repair HERE.

The absence of Doug Gore and the Audi was a disappointment for the 2012 season, as the ever present clash of the titans between Doug Gore and David Summerbell could not take place. The Carribean fans are delighted to know that Doug and the Audi are back in 2013. The car arrived in Jamaica this week and will soon be on display. The car will be on show on Thursday 28 February ahead of its first 2013 race meeting. The 2013 Circuit Attack at Jamwest Speedway is taking place this weekend, and the ATL Automotive TT-R will be there.

The car will be featuring new bodywork, similar to that used by SVC Vitver Racing from the Czech Republic, which resembles the appearance of a Mk2 Audi TT. More can be read about the SVC TT-R HERE:

 

The scene is set for the highly anticipated return of Doug Gore and the Audi. We wish the best of luck to Doug Gore and the ATL Automotive team for the Jamwest race meeting.

 

More information: 
Rory Daley TT-R 2011 arrival article

Doug Gore on Facebook

ATL Automotive on Facebook

Jamwest Speedway on Facebook

 

   

Thanks to Mr Rory Daley for the photos from Jamaica.

Bell, Baas, and Audi South Austin Join Forces in Texas in the no. 52 APR Audi R8 Grand-Am

APR Motorsport Press Release

February 27, 2013 (Opelika, Ala.) – One month after celebrating its runner-up finish in the Rolex 24 at Daytona, APR Motorsport is heading to GRAND-AM’s first visit to the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas with the driving duo of Matt Bell and Ian Baas in the no. 52 APR Audi R8. Joining both of them is APR Motorsport’s newest partner, Audi South Austin.

Bell joined APR for the first time at the Rolex 24 at Daytona, finishing 12 in the no. 51 APR Audi R8. As an instructor at the Audi Sportscar Experience at Sonoma Raceway, Bell is certainly familiar with Audi R8’s and is happy to become more familiar with the APR Audi R8.

“We definitely had some challenges at Daytona, but what I took away from that weekend was how strong the APR Motorsport program is,” said Bell. “Top to bottom it is full of great people with a great family atmosphere. I’m excited to see how Ian and I do in Austin. The Audi R8 is a great car to drive and we all got a glimpse of how far it has come, and I’m excited to see what we can do in Austin.”

Baas has driven APR’s Audi R8 in the endurance races, and this will be the first ‘regular’ race in which he pilots the car. Baas will do double-duty again this weekend as he will drive an APR VW Jetta in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge.

“Going to the Circuit of the Americas in the Audi is almost as exciting as going to Daytona for the 24 Hour,” said Baas. “We know how good the car is and after Daytona I can’t wait to get back into an Audi R8 after we just missed out on the win. Matt did a great job in Daytona and fit right in with the rest of the guys. I think we’re going to get along well and contend for another podium.”

The GRAND-AM of The Americas presented by GAINSCO and TOTAL Rolex Sports Car Series race will be shown live on SPEED Channel on Saturday, March 2 at 5:30 PM ET on SPEED Channel. The CTSCC race will be shown live on SPEED2.com on Saturday, March 2 at 10:05 AM ET, with a television broadcast on Sunday, March 9 at 4:00 PM ET.

NOTEWORTHY
Audi South Austin will host an APR Motorsport meet-and-greet at its dealership on Friday, March 1 at 5:00 – 9:00 PM local time. The team’s Rolex 24 at Daytona runner-up Audi R8 will be on display at the dealership throughout the weekend, while fans will have the chance to meet the APR Motorsport drivers. Audi South Austin is located at 4738 IH-35 South, Austin, Tex.

About Audi South Austin
Audi South Austin in Austin, Tex. treats the needs of each individual customer with paramount concern. We know that you have high expectations, and as a car dealer we enjoy the challenge of meeting and exceeding those standards each and every time. Allow us to demonstrate our commitment to excellence! Learn more at audisouthaustin.com, or by calling (512) 660-6700.

About RageTank
Show your speed. RageTank is the Mobile App, Social Network, and Lap-Sharing service for track-day and motorsports enthusiasts. RageTank was founded in Silicon Valley to revolutionize the racetrack experience by connecting and engaging the community with innovative mobile technology. Learn more at www.ragetank.com.

About APR Motorsport
APR LLC is an automotive engineering firm operating a 36,000 sq. ft. performance campus in Opelika, Ala. APR was founded in 1997 with a corporate philosophy of Integrity, Excellence and Innovation. APR’s sole mission is to provide the highest quality and most highly-engineered aftermarket performance parts available for Audi, Volkswagen, SEAT and Skoda vehicles. Learn more at www.goapr.com, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/APRMotorsport, and on twitter (@GoAPR).

Photo credit: APR Motorsport

Audi Sport Italia and Gianni Morbidelli back to Superstars Series

By Tarek Ramchani

The Audi RS 5 quattro had a winning debut in the Superstars Series last year. Three cars were entered by three different teams. It was a great season with the championship title in the end for Johan Kristoffersson.


The first team to confirm their return in 2013 is Audi Sport Italia. A single RS 5 quattro so far for Gianni Morbidelli, an Audi regular who is returning with the team, and this time he wants to win the overall title. Gianni Morbidelli is of course a four-time Superstars Series champion, two of them with Audi Sport Italia and the Audi RS 4 quattro. Last season he won four races with double victories at both Donignton Park and Spa-Francorchamps, he finished fourth in the final points standings.

Morbidelli is very confident about the upcoming 2013 season: "Being back for a new season in SUPERSTARS is always exciting - told Morbidelli - I'm more motivated than ever in fighting back to the top. Sure it's going to be a tough season, with many fierce - and quick - competitors. My team already displayed their class. Unfortunately, several unlucky breaks prevented us from fighting for the title in the late part of 2012 but, in the end, that's racing. You win, you lose, you try to put the puzzle together. And this season, I hope to put the winning piece…". Quote from superstarsworld.com

The Superstars Series field is continuing to grow each season. Last year Audi KMS won the title in a very dramatic way, on the very last lap of the last race against Mercedes AMG. We hope that Gianni Morbidelli and Audi Sport Italia will be among the teams fighting for the title. The RS 5 quattro clearly proved to be one of the best cars in the field.

Photo credit: Superstars Series

Audi has already produced five million systems quattro

Audi announced today the production of five million units of its all-wheel drive quattro technology launched in 1980. The system marks this milestone was mounted on A6 allroad 3.0 TDI manufactured in Neckarsulm.

"This number demonstrates the pioneering role in Audi AWD systems. No other builder  in the world can claim such high sales volume in models with AWD or show a range with more than 140 versions, "says  Audi in a statement.

Audi debuted this technology in 1980 with the legendary Audi quattro car.

Audi Quattro pictures and wallpapers

Gallery: Audi cars at Race Retro 2013

By Tarek Ramchani

Coventry in Britain hosted the 2013 International Historic Motorsport Show, or simply "Race Retro," this weekend.

Very iconic and legendary race cars were on display at Stoneleigh Park, from single seater Grand Prix cars, to sportcars, rally and touring cars. Among the stars there were some Audi quattro racers. Our friend Phil Laughton was on site and took some beautiful photos. You can see his full photo gallery from the event right here.

More information:
Race Retro official website
Phil Laughton Photography official Facebook

Istook Motorsports with two Audi TT RS in Pirelli World Challenge

By Tarek Ramchani

During 2012 Don Istook and the Arc Audi Racing Program debuted the Audi TT RS in the Pirelli World Challenge. The car has been entered in the GTS class with some ups and downs all season long.

Don Istook is a long time Audi drivers and a regular in North American sportscar racing. The TT RS appeared at Long Beach for first time, round two of the 2012 SCCA sanctioned series. For 2013 the team is set to come back with an extended two car effort.

The first of the two cars will be in the hands of Don Istook himself, he will drive the #01 Audi. His team mate will be Colin Cohen with the sister #03 TT RS. The two cars will again compete in the GTS class. The competition, as ever, will be fierce with strong rivals representing Ford, Chevrolet, KIA, Acura and Porsche.

Don Istook and his crew are working hard preparing the cars ahead of the season opener on the streets of St. Petersburg. A lot of improvements are expected for the TT RS twins. We wish the best of luck to Istook Motorsports with their fully privateer Audi effort.

Photo credit and more information:
Don Istook Audi TT RS official Facebook

Audi S4 quattros shine at first round of season

Audi South Africa Press Release

THE Audi S4 quattro racers showed their race pedigree at Kyalami on Saturday. A hot performance at an equally hot race meeting at Kyalami saw defending champion Michael Stephen (A1 – Engen Xtreme) grab the opportunity to post the fastest time during the Super Pole session and claim the first pole position of the season.

“I got some good points at this first event,” says Stephen. “Points from the racing and the Super Pole qualifying mean a brilliant start to the season. Our work during the off-season is clearly paying off.”

Stephen led race one with Melvill Priest (A7 – Mueller Sports Medicine) in second spot. When the safety car was deployed due to an incident on track, it was Stephen who made the most of the re-start while Priest fell victim to Hennie Groenewald, sliding down to third and then fourth spot as Johan Fourie also pushed his way past. Race two saw Stephen start from sixth under the reverse grid, finding his way through to claim third by the end of the six lap race. Race three was a second place finish for the defending champion, ensuring he was never off the podium the entire race day – claiming first overall for the day in the process.

For Priest the event might not have gone his way with a fourth in race one, 14th in race two and third in the final race, but it was still a fifth overall for the day with valuable points at the start of the championship.

“We made a wrong decision on the setup,” says Priest. “We couldn't hold pace with the other competitors. A tyre delaminating in the second race spoiled what would otherwise have been a strong performance. Overall, the car is strong, I'm happy with it but we have to work on the handling a bit.”

For Tschops Sipuka (A2 – Engen Xtreme) the first race was the opportunity to advance to fifth from a sixth place start to put him second in the field for race two. This starting position in the second race gave him the sought-after inside line through the first two corners. Sipuka capitalised on this position to claim his first victory of the season. Race three saw him again cross the finish line for first place, but a penalty for a jumpstart in this final race saw him relegated to a ninth place result. The first race meeting ended with Sipuka in third place overall.

“It was a great opportunity, being able to show my strength from pole,” says Sipuka. “We have been strong here at Kyalami, the Audi S4 quattro is good and everything is working properly. It has been a great race day, and a great start to the season.”

The race day proved a trial for Gennaro Bonafede (A32 – Ferodo Racing). Race one was a 14th place finish, race two saw him seventh across the line and in the final race he was 13th, claiming sixth overall on the day.

“We simply had a bad day,” says Bonafede. “We rebuilt the car during the off-season and did hours of very successful testing. Then to come here for the first round and have all these problems is quite disappointing. On Friday we were the fastest and then lots of problems on Saturday. We're looking forward to the next race meeting now, a chance to show what we can do.”

The Bridgestone Production Car field will head to Killarney in Cape Town on Saturday, 16 March when they tackle their national championship at round two of the Super Series.

Audi South Africa

Photos by MotorPics

More information:

Audi South Africa

Audi Motorsport in South Africa FB page

Unofficial Audi Sport FB page

Bridgestone Production Cars Website

Bridgestone Production Cars on Facebook
Bridgestone Production Cars on twitter

Michael Stephen A1 - Audi S4 - Terry Moss Racing

Tschops Sipuka A2 - Audi S4 - Terry Moss Racing

Melvill Priest A7 - Audi S4 - VMP Motorsport

Gennaro Bonafede A32 - Audi S4 - Ferodo Racing Team / VMP Motorsport 

BR-Racing with an Audi R8 LMS ultra in French GT Tour

By Tarek Ramchani

JWS Racing returns to the French GT Tour with Audi and some major changes. The Audi Sport customer racing team has recently changed its name and now becomes BR-Racing.

The team will field a single Audi R8 LMS ultra in the main "Championnat de France GT". The car will be a 2013 spec R16. The BR-Racing machine will be in the hands of drivers Mathieu Jaminet and Jean-Marc Quintois. As in 2012, the GT Tour effort will have technical support from Sainteloc Racing, who are now the leading Audi squad in French GT.

In addition to the GT Tour program, the BR-Racing team is also set to compete at the Spa 24 Hours this July. This will mark their first attempt at the Belgian endurance classic and stellar event of the Blancpain Endurance Series. The French R8 is expected to be in the Pro-Am Cup class.

Photo credit:
GT Tour
BR-Racing official Facebook