1 Annual ALM Positioners Autobahn 12 Hour Enduro in the books

November 1, 2014 1st Annual ALM Positioners Autobahn 12 Hour Enduro in the books Race morning saw bright sunshine and calm, a far cry from the 50mph winds the teams endured during the Fridays practice sessions. As pit lane filled with equipment it was clear that all the teams were prepared for this grueling test. During the morning qualifying session it was the H&H Racing Fall‐Line prepared BMW that took pole position, a situation they have become accustomed to in the Autobahn Endurance Series. While the rest of the field took their grid positions behind them you could feel the tension in the air escalating as the pre‐race ceremonies got underway. The cars rolled off behind the pace car and after a wave off on the initial start attempt the green flag flew at precisely 10:02.14 setting the mark for the 12 hours of racing. As expected H&H Racing took the initial lead closely followed by the beautiful blue BOSS Mustang fielded by Hawk Ford. The virtue of patience seemed nonexistent in the middle of the pack though as they made it four wide into the first turn, an early indication that teams sensed this was going to be a fight for supremacy. Everyone made it through the first few corners and teams settled into a pace they felt was needed to survive this grueling test. The pace was slowed on only a few occasions with full course yellows giving all the teams only briefs breaks from the action. After one such caution period things got interesting at the front when the H&H team spun on cold tires at the restart. For a moment the Hawk Ford team felt this was just the break they needed to make a run to the front, however a quick recovery by the BMW allowed them to remain in control of the event. Team Frey Racing, contesting the GT1 class, continued to run a flawless race, with minor pit stop infractions being the only complications they would encounter. Several teams experienced some mechanical issues along the way and made remarkable recoveries to reenter the race. These included a differential swap by Team Stradale, a bearing replacement then an A arm swap by Comprep, and a very nice full brake change by RCN Motors, one of the smaller teams. As night fell, only one team that was contesting the 12 hours had dropped out. A testament to the preparation and commitment to all the teams involved. The battle in Spec Miata raged on as the lead had swapped among several teams, including Big Dog, and Closline Motorsports. When the checkers finally waved past 10pm it was H&H Racing, who had run nearly flawlessly, claiming the overall victory and securing the championship. Team Frey Racing took the GT1 honors and it was Closline Motorsports edging out Big Dog and Danica’s Dentist in Spec Miata. Remarkably, only 3 cars failed to finish the 12 hours. Those who did finish felt a great sense of accomplishment, regardless of position. The comradery amongst all teams was felt as the awards ceremonies took place with many eyeing up next year already to take that next step up. The "ALM Enduro Series" consists of three annual races culminating with the "ALM 12 Hour Enduro at the Autobahn" ...the longest in the Midwest. This year's series started with a 3.5 hour race on the Autobahn's South track June 7th. The second race was a 5 hour full track event on August 1st. The premier event, the 12 hour, full course competition, took place on the first of November. The Autobahn Country Club, Joilet, Ill., considered to be the nation's premier Motorsports Country Club is hosting these events, sanctioned by Autobahn Member Racing League and sponsored by ALM. Awards are given to the winner in each class, classes will be determined by Horsepower to weight ratios except for the Spec Miata Class. Winning drivers will be awarded a personal trophy for their race. The team, and drivers, accruing the highest total number of points during the annual series, regardless of class, will have their names added to the ALM‐Positioners Endurance Series Cup. The cup will be on display at the Autobahn racecourse. The Competitors DO NOT NEED to be Autobahn members to compete. Most major competition licenses are accepted. Full details on the" ALM Enduro Series" and the 12 hour Enduro specifically, can be found at ‐
www.autobahnenduro.com or www.almmh.com This race series is sponsored by ALM Materials Handling a leading manufacturer of Welding and Assembly Positioners based in Streator, Illinois. ALM will also be sponsoring a race team in each of the upcoming events. Additional information on ALM Materials Handling, their products, services and support of competitive automotive events is available on the internet atalmmh.com. For more information contact: Mike Gritter Track Operations Manager Autobahn Country Club of Joliet 3795 CenterPoint Way Joliet, IL 60436 815‐823‐8587 [email protected] or Sharon Johnson Hedlund & Associates 10709 Barkley Overland Park, KS 66211 913‐236‐9030 [email protected]

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