DRAYSON RACING NEWS, NOTES AND STORYLINES

2010 58th Annual 12 Hours of Sebring, Sebring International Raceway, Sebring, FL, USA, 17-20 March
No.  8 Drayson Racing Lola with Judd Power
 

Drivers: Paul Drayson (UK), Jonny Cocker (UK), Emanuele Pirro (Italy)
Owner: Elspeth, Lady Drayson and Paul, Lord Drayson (London/Gloucestershire, UK)
Team Manager: Dale White (Bozeman, MT, USA)
Team Engineer: Graham Moore (Oxfordshire, UK)
Chassis: Lola B09/60 Coupé
Engine: JuddGV5 V10
Tires: Michelin Pilot Racing Slicks
Web: draysonracing.com
Twitter: DraysonRacing

12 Hours of Sebring Results:
2 career Sebring start in GT/GT2 class
2008 – Start: 12, Finish: 30 – Paul Drayson, Jonny Cocker, Tim Sugden
2009 – Start:   9, Finish: 10 – Paul Drayson, Jonny Cocker, Rob Bell
 
Current Point Standings: NA, Season-Opening Event
 
Sebring Int’l Raceway LMP Track Records:
Qualifying Lap Record: 1:44.974 (126.889 mph) – 2007, LMP1, Audi
Race Lap Record: 1:43.274 (128.977 mph) – 2009, LMP1, Peugeot
 
NOTES: 
Cabinet Contender
The list of professional athletes turned politician is long. However, how many high level politicians have ever competed at the highest levels of sport while holding a Cabinet-level office? One; Paul, Lord Drayson, the Minister for Science and Innovation, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills as well as the Minister for Strategic Defence Acquisition Reform, Ministry of Defence in the United Kingdom. Drayson, who will pilot the No. 8 Drayson Racing Lola with Judd Power at the 12 Hours of Sebring, has oversight of the national science research budget, innovation policy and space programme. He currently attends the Cabinet, is a member of the National Economic Committee and reports directly to Prime Minister Gordon Brown. No other high-ranking official in government has ever participated in a professional and international sporting event the nature of the Monterey Sportscar Championship while in office. Drayson, who turned 50 earlier this month, was made a working Peer in the UK Parliament’s House of Lords in ’04 and appointed Minister of Defence Procurement and Spokesman for the Defence in the House of Lords Government in ’05. He was appointed Minister of State for Business and Regulatory Reform in ’07 but stepped away from these posts in late ’07 to pursue racing. He was asked back for his present position in October ’08; a call that came while competing at Road Atlanta. Drayson lives in London and Gloucestershire, UK with his wife Elspeth – who runs the day-to-day administration operations of Drayson Racing – and five children.
 
Sebring Successes
Drayson Racing endurance driver Emanuele Pirro (Rome) has won Sebring twice overall, (’00,’07). Team Manager Dale White (Bozeman, MT, USA) earned the 12 Hour’s GT/GT2 crown in ’05 as an owner/manager.
 
Pirro Power
The name Emanuele Pirro (Rome) is found across the record books not only of world class endurance events but in sports car sprint races, touring cars and formula car races. The five-time, overall winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans joins Drayson Racing regulars Paul Drayson (London/Gloucestershire, UK) and Jonny Cocker (Guisborough, Yorks, UK) in the program’s Le Mans Prototype One (LMP1) entry at the 12 Hours of Sebring (Fla.) on 20 March, the six hour race at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca (22 May), the 24 Hours of Le Mans (12-13 June) and the American Le Mans Series’ season-ending Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta (2 October).
 
Pirro has two overall 12 Hours of Sebring victories in 10 starts He has started sixteen 24 hour races including twelve 24 Heures du Mans driving to five overall wins. He has enjoyed three Petit Le Mans P1 titles in 10 races. In total, the popular Italian has earned eight championships from karting to the American Le Mans Series. He has an unprecedented nine consecutive Le Mans podiums and was part of the first driver squad to race to an overall victory at Le Mans with a diesel-powered entry (2006). As a long-time Audi works driver, Pirro was instrumental in the development and competitive domination of the innovative Audi R8 and Audi R10 TDI. His impact on Audi and Audi Motorsports continues today as a brand ambassador and driver in select events.
 
Drayson World Tour
Just as it did in 2009, Drayson Racing will contest a select number of professional sports car racing events on three continents. The single car team will campaign the full American Le Mans Series in North America fighting for the Le Mans Prototype (LMP) Championship. The UK-based operation will travel to France in June to enter its second consecutive 24 Hours of Le Mans – its first in the LM P1 class. The operation will then challenge for theinaugural Automobile Club De l’Ouest (ACO) Intercontinental Cup with events at Petit Le Mans (Road Atlanta), the 1000km of Silverstone (Silverstone Circuit in Great Britain) and a round in Asian Le Mans Series. Made of three races from the ACO’s three international series – the American Le Mans Series, Le Mans Series and Asian Le Mans Series- the Intercontinental Cup is the precursor to a hoped-for Sports Car World Championship in 2011.
 
On Track with DraysonRacing
Drayson Racing offers media and fans additional insight to its programme through the use of the online community, Twitter. Regular updates on the progress of the No. 8 Drayson Racing Lola Coupé with Judd V10 Power will be available live from the track each session throughout the week to “followers” of the Twitter account: DraysonRacing.
 
Drivers Paul Drayson (LordDrayson), Jonny Cocker (jonny_cocker) and Emanuele Pirro (Emanuele_Pirro) also offer extensive insight into their on-track action on Twitter! Come follow us!
To visit the official web site of Drayson Racing, please go to www.draysonracing.com

Courtesy ALMS © RIF