Muscle Milk Team CytoSport shines bright at Winter Test

Muscle Milk Team CytoSport enjoyed a successful and productive final pre-season test at Sebring International Raceway this past Monday and Tuesday at the annual “Wheels Down” American Le Mans Series winter test – its final run prior to commencing the team’s first full season of ALMS competition..
 
The duo of Greg Pickett and Klaus Graf, accompanied at the Winter Test by Porsche ace Sascha Maassen, familiarized themselves with the changing track conditions to cover more than 650 miles aboard their Porsche RS Spyder.
 
With rain holding off, despite menacing clouds on Monday, Team CytoSport was able to run through its testing program, collecting important data ahead of next month’s race, all while ending the afternoon session sitting in second place overall and first in class.
 
All three drivers ran competitive lap times, but it was Graf who registered the team’s fastest lap of the day. On only his third lap out in the afternoon session, he put in a time of one minute 49.187 seconds (121.993 mph), which placed him fourth overall for the day and second in class.
 
With a first satisfying day in the books, the team was hoping for more of the same on day two of the ALMS sanctioned test, which featured 28 entries.
 
Tuesday started out yet again under menacing skies but the sun quickly appeared changing up the track conditions, once more. The Muscle Milk Team CytoSport squad reacted positively to the changing conditions and continued to run constant and competitive laps, but this time with Maassen recording the LMP2 team’s quickest lap.
 
The German, who will be driving for Muscle Milk Team CytoSport at the three major endurance races this season, covered the 3.7-mile track in one minute 49.318 seconds (121.846 mph) keeping the team fourth overall and third in class at the end of the morning session, and fifth overall when the final checkered flag flew.
 
With its final pre-season test now behind them, Muscle Milk Team CytoSport is anxiously awaiting the start of its first full season of competition in the newly renamed American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón, and its first 12-hour race.
 
The Benicia, California-based team will return to Sebring International Raceway from March 17 thru 20 for the 58th running of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida.
 
What they had to say:
Klaus Graf, driver #6 Muscle Milk Porsche RS Spyder
“I think it was a very successful and productive two days. We achieved a lot of things and were competitive with our lap times. This track changes a lot so even though you only get two days you can be chasing the race track a little bit sometimes so you have to be a little bit careful. You want to run through your program and that’s what we did. All three of us got good laps in and did some good running aboard the Muscle Milk Porsche RS Spyder. It was good that we had a lot of cars at the test to help us get use to dealing with the new traffic created by the new classes. For the 12-hour race I expect quite a big field so traffic is going to be the key issue. It’s good that the official ALMS test was accepted so well with all the teams and it certainly was good for us to come here.”
 
Sascha Maassen, driver #6 Muscle Milk Porsche RS Spyder
“Testing in Sebring is always a challenge because the track changes so much with the weather. On the second day, the weather was a little bit warmer and we immediately felt that, but still, the Muscle Milk car felt good. We know that the race is probably going to be even warmer because in the past years it’s always been this way. The team successfully faced the challenges that the Sebring track presented us with and like always with the Porsche RS Spyder, the car was fantastic and ran constantly over the two days.”
 
Greg Pickett, driver #6 Muscle Milk Porsche RS Spyder
“It’s been a very good two days of testing at Sebring. I think we achieved what we came here to achieve and we were competitive in the process. Once again Klaus and Sascha did a fantastic job as did the whole team. Everything ran smoothly and according to plan. You can’t ask for more than that. It was a very encouraging test for us and we can’t wait to be back here in three weeks to take part in Muscle Milk Team CytoSport’s first 12-hours of Sebring.”

Source ALMS © RIF