Time Warner Cable Road Race Classic for Scott Tucker and his Dream Team

With their names comfortably resting on the entire points leaders’ chart, the motorists of Level 5 Motorsports brought their most current ultra-fast LMP2 vehicle out of the box in Elkhart Lake, Wisc., exceptionally near to their Madison, Wisc., home base after a streak of accomplishment in Intercontinental Le Mans Cup races in Europe. Scott Tucker and co-drivers Christophe Bouchut and Luis Diaz obtained podium finishes in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France and 6 hours of Imola in Italy.

If there’s a word to describe the Level 5 Motorsports 2011 season, it’s momentum-but not the type that builds, steadily gaining speed. The Level 5 momentum has been outstanding, from the start. Which, incidentally, was exactly the same kind of momentum the team’s new LMP2 car had at the four-hour Road America enduro. At the race, the 6th round of the ALMS season, Tucker, Bouchut and Diaz spent no time setting the cost-capped prototype up with a fifth-place overall position after practice and qualifying. Tucker later moved the automobile into fourth place after commanding the wheel for his beginning double shift.

Tucker then passed the wheel to Bouchut, who presented a stunning performance regardless of a late stop-and-go penalty from a pit lane speed limiter problem. Bouchut, who is perhaps the best endurance drivers in the world, recovered from the penalty and handed the car to Diaz in good standing. Diaz set a late record for the team’s fastest lap time and ultimately crossed the finish line in fifth place overall with maximum points in the LMP2 category. The team had entered the raceway eyeing first place, the championship points were valuable, and the new car had a superior overall performance.

“It was really important for us to do well being based so close to Elkhart,” Bouchut said. “We lost an overall podium position with the pit speed limiter, but in racing, you never know what will happen. The car didn’t have any problems the entire weekend.”

Winning the LMP2 class meant Tucker, Bouchut and Diaz’s undefeated streak in the ALMS season remained in tact. As well as the Road America enduro that weekend, Tucker competed in the IMSA Prototype Lites, IMSA GT3 Challenge by Yokohama and SCCA Pro Racing Trans-Am races on Saturday, winning in the Trans-Am T2 class and making the podium in all four races. The juggling act has become commonplace for the reigning ALMS LMPC champion, with every race meaning another an opportunity to win.

The Road America podium finish in the LMP2 class was Tucker’s 56th win. With the championship all but official, they prepared to keep going on their awesome streak for the last quarter of the season, with the ModSpace American Le Mans Monterey presented by Patron at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, in which the team would finally release the new HPD ARX-01g car by Wirth Research and Honda Performance Development.

To get more information about Scott Tucker, check out Planet Le Scott Tucker.