PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports preparing for Long Beach and interview with Johnny Mowlen

Johnny Mowlem has been hired by PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports to drive its ORECA-Chevrolet LMP Challenge car at the Long Beach and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca rounds of the 2010 American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón.

It will be the first Series race for the former Atlantic and single-seater team. Mowlem on the other hand is a veteran of 11 Series seasons during which time he has competed in GT2, GT1 and LMP1, but never before in the new LMPC class.

“I’ve been very impressed by Bobby Oergel and his team, and I get a really good feel that their lack of ALMS background will not matter at all, as they bring a real single-seater professionalism to the way they approach a race weekend,” said Mowlem. “Having watched the new class first race at Sebring and the quality of drivers that it attracted both professional and amateur, I saw that LMPC had almost immediately established itself as a very competitive and worthwhile prototype class. I am very much looking forward to racing and getting back to being prototype sharp at one of my all-time favorite circuits, and driving alongside Tom Papadopoulos, who I know will be an excellent teammate.”

After the two LMPC races, Mowlem will return to his 2008/2009 team Corsa Motorsports, driving the LMP1 Ginetta-Zytek hybrid prototype.

Late afternoon on March 31, 2010, PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports took possession of the #52 Corsa Car Care/ Autosport Design Oreca FLM09. After a few snapshots of the brand-new Le Mans Prototype Challenge machine, the technicians and engineers began preparing for the 2010 Tequila Patrón American Le Mans Series at Long Beach event. With only a few weeks until the car takes its first laps around the glamorous, but grueling, 11 turn 1.968 mile street circuit, the late afternoon continued into a late night. The first of many to come as the team readies the car for competition.

The 100 minute race will not only be the first event for the #52 entry, it will also be the first American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón event for PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports.

For Team Principal Bobby Oergel, entering into an all new series with a currently unfamiliar car is an exciting challenge.

“Throughout the team’s history, we’ve competed in several different classes at all levels of the sport,” Oergel said. “The LMPC chassis is a lot different than the open wheel and GT cars we’ve worked with in the past, but we’re all looking forward to learning the nuances of this new car. I have every confidence that our crew can get it ready to run up front at Long Beach. We’re also happy to have support from Corsa Car Care. They make great products and it’s an honor to be associated with them.”

Ray Mathiasen, Oergel’s business partner and co-owner of PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports, is pleased with the team’s driver lineup for their inaugural LMPC race.

“PR1 Motorsports and Mathiasen Motorsports have competed against each other at Long Beach in the Cooper Tires Atlantic Championship,” Mathiasen said. “But now we’re on the same team, competing in an all new series for us. By consolidating efforts, I have already seen an immediate gain leading up to our first event together, and it will give me a tremendous source of pride to see Johnny Mowlem and Tom Papadopoulos going flat out down Shoreline Drive. Both Tom and Johnny are world class racers, so we’ll make sure we give them something to fight with at Long Beach.”

Sports car veterans, and long time teammates, Tom Papadopoulos, of Long Island , New York, and Johnny Mowlem, of Berkshire, England, will have to acclimate themselves to the LMPC car’s characteristics quickly as the drivers will have less than three hours in the car before the green flag flies on Saturday’s main event.

The unique challenges of the LMPC class and the Long Beach circuit are an enticing combination for Papadopoulos.

“I absolutely love the idea of the LMPC class and the use of professional/fast gentleman driver combinations,” Papadopoulos explained. “I think this will bring wonderful and competitive racing to ALMS. I also love street circuits. You must always have an excellent set up and be confident in your abilities. The walls are unforgiving and the race can be over immediately, so we have to stay clean as finishing is the first part of winning. I am very much looking forward to working with PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports, they have an excellent reputation and I am confident in Johnny’s ability as well as my own. Together, I believe Long Beach will be favorable for us.”

Once Mowlem takes to the track in the LMPC car, he will have the distinct honor of possessing experience in nearly every ALMS category.

“Having watched the first LMPC race at Sebring and the quality of drivers that it attracted, both professional and amateur, I saw that LMPC has immediately established itself as a very competitive and worthwhile prototype class,” Mowlem said. “I am very much looking forward to racing in this new class as I have already raced in GT2, GT1 and LMP1. This will be a great addition to my ALMS experience.”

“I love Long Beach and I’ve been constantly training for the event as well as the London Marathon on the 25th of April,” Mowlem continued. “I have been doing a few more neck exercises and I’m looking forward to the prototype, as nothing gets you prototype sharp better than actually driving one. It’s great that we are the Saturday evening race, we should attract a great crowd. I will thoroughly enjoy driving for PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports and hopefully we’ll have some great results at the same time!”

LMPC class qualifying for the 2010 Tequila Patrón American Le Mans Series at Long Beach begins at 6:10PM PT on Friday April 16, 2010.

Drivers and potential partners interested in the PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón LMPC program can contact the team directly at pr1motorsports@aol.com or at (559) 277-1300.

Corsa Car Care manufactures professional grade automotive detailing products including cleaners, polishes and protective sealants for exterior finishes, interior leathers & textiles, glass, vinyl and rubber applications. As a division of Miracle Sealants Company, Corsa Car Care draws on over 25 years of knowledge and experience in advanced polymer chemistry. For more details, visit corsacarcare.com.

Autosport Designs’ 30,000 sq. ft. facility performs all mechanical services from basic maintenance and repairs to performance upgrades, modern improvements, mechanical rebuilds and restorations. The in house body shop performs panel, sheet metal fabrication, chassis, collision and dent repairs plus partial and complete repaints and insurance repairs. Autosport Designs also performs all interior and trim work including leather and wood repairs, interior upgrades to complete interior re-upholstery. From start to finish, all work is performed under one roof. As a Registered Importer, Autosport Designs can import and conform (whether for Full Importation or Show and Display) unusual cars for USA compliance. Autosport Designs’ storage facility offers secure & maintained storage for your vehicle. For more information, search out www.autosportdesigns.com or call (631) 425-1555.

In paddocks packed with excellent teams and quality drivers, PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports has established itself as one of the top driver development programs. Based in Fresno, CA, PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports occupies an expansive facility housing a stable of F2000 Zetec and professional sports cars. Team drivers enjoy the benefits of a completely professional program including engineering support, state-of-the art data acquisition, and a race winning experienced crew. PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports drivers, and partners, also enjoy first-class trackside hospitality and comprehensive marketing support.

IN HIS OWN WORDS: JOHNNY MOWLEM

Ahead of Series return with PR1/Mathiasen LMPC program at Long Beach

Sports car ace Johnny Mowlem has established himself as quite the prototype pilot in the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón. After race-winning stints in GT competition, the charismatic Brit is back behind the wheel of an LMP car for the Series’ next round at Long Beach – specifically an ORECA FLM09 for newcomer PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports in the LMP Challenge class. Mowlem, who will drive with Tom Papadopolous, spoke on his involvement with the new program.

Question: What are your thoughts on this new LMPC class and the ORECA prototype?

Answer: Having watched the first race of the new class at Sebring and the quality of competitors that it attracted – both professional and gentleman drivers – I saw that LMPC had almost immediately established itself as a very competitive and worthwhile prototype class, providing close and competitive racing. I am very much looking forward to racing in a new class for me in the American Le Mans Series. As I have already raced in GT2, GT1 and LMP1, this will be a great addition to my Series experiences.

Q: What about working with PR1/ Mathiasen Motorsports?

A: I have never worked with PR1 and Bobby Oergel before, but from having spoken with him on the phone I get a very positive vibe from him and a sense of professionalism and fun that makes me believe that I will thoroughly enjoy driving for his team and hopefully have some great results at the same time!

Q: Let’s talk about Long Beach. Are you looking forward to it?

 

A: I love Long Beach although I’ve only raced there once before in 2008 as last year we missed the race with our hybrid LMP1 not being quite race-ready. It certainly rewards an accurate and measured driving style.

Q: Do you favor the shortened race format of 100 minutes?

A: I wish the race was longer but fully understand that there is a lot to fit into the weekend given that the American Le Mans Series is sharing billing with the IRL. On that score, I love the fact that we are the Saturday evening race and know we’ll attract a great crowd…just as the Series has done in the past.

Q: What have you done to prepare yourself for the event?

A: Nothing specifically as I constantly train anyway, especially at the moment as I’m additionally training for the London Marathon on April 25. I have also been doing a few more neck exercises and I’m looking forward to driving the prototype, as nothing gets you prototype sharp better than actually driving. Believe it or not, I haven’t driven an LMP car since Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca last October.

The Tequila Patrón American Le Mans Series at Long Beach is the second round of the 2010 American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón. The race, set at the historic Long Beach street circuit, is scheduled for 4:40 p.m. PT on Saturday, April 17 with coverage on SPEED set for 8 to 10 p.m. ET. Live radio coverage will be available on American Le Mans Radio presented by Porsche – a production of Radio Show Limited – as well as Sirius Channel 127 and XM Channel 245. Visit the Series’ schedule page for ticket and accommodation information. Live Timing and Scoring, track schedule, entry list and much, much more will be available on Racehub at americanlemans.com.

You can follow the Series on Twitter (almsnotes) and on our Facebook page and the official YouTube channel.

Courtesy ALMS © RIF