Auto News 5

Jonathan Bomarito lapped his SRT Viper GTS-R faster than everybody else in the GT category for a second consecutive time, as the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) stopped at Elkhart Lake's Road America.

Bomarito's previous pole was last month, at the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP), where Corvette Racing pipped Viper for the win. That means the team is still looking for its first win since bringing the brand back to ALMS racing last year.

Antonio Garcia qualified the No. 4 Corvette he co-drove to the CTMP win with Jan Magnussen on the outside pole. Leh Keen completed the GT top three aboard his Ferrari F458 Italia.

Marino Franchitti (Level 5 Motorsports) paced the LMP2 field, as he beat both Guy Cosmo (Tequila Patron) and IndyCar regular Simon Pagenaud, who stepped in the sister Level 5 car to replace an injured Ryan Briscoe.

Lucas Luhr (Muscle Milk) topped the field overall by besting a distant Chris McMurry (Dyson Racing) and an outpaced Katherine Legge (DeltaWing).

Colin Braun (CORE) and Spencer Pumpelly (Alex Job Racing) had the last laugh in PC and GTC respectively.

In recent weeks, MINI has shown how its small cars can become great camping companions.

• The MINI Clubvan Camper is the world's smallest luxury camper van, packed with practical solutions that make it ideal accommodation for an individual on a weekend away.

• The MINI Cowley is a compact yet comfortable caravan for two people, equipped with a twin-ring gas stove, fridge and sink.

• The MINI Countryman ALL4 Camp with its innovative roof-top tent is the getaway car for an adventurous couple, evoking images of African safari and expedition vehicles.

All three remain concept vehicles that showcase the depth of the MINI range. There are no plans to offer them as production models at this stage.

Photo: MINI

Team Sahlen's Dane Cameron (BMW/Riley) ended Jordan Taylor's (Corvette) streak of three consecutive poles in the Daytona Prototype category of the Grand-Am Rolex championship, by snatching his team's first pole since moving up to DP, this weekend as the series visits Road America.

Taylor, who now looks ahead to the race for his revenge, will still get to start off the front row, albeit on the outside of it.

Memo Rojas (BMW/Riley) snatched third spot, ahead of former Champ Car champion Sébastien Bourdais (Corvette).

Leh Keen (Ferrari 458) broke by over three seconds a two-year-old track record set by Wayne Nonnamaker on his way to the GT pole. Canadian Paul Dalla Lana (BMW M3) beat Patrick Lindsey (Porsche GT3) to the off-pole.

Tom Long (Mazda 6) beat everyone in the GX category.

Dane Cameron, No. 42 BMW/Riley (Photo: Grand-Am.com)

Qualifying results - Road America, Elkarth Lake (Grand-Am)
1.Cameron-Nonnamaker (Riley-BMW) - Sahlen - 2'00"028
2.Angelelli-Taylor (Corvette DP/Dallara) - Taylor - 2'00"575
3.Pruett-Rojas (Riley-BMW) - Ganassi - 2'00"710
4.Di Guida-Bourdais (Corvette DP/Coyote) - 8Star - 2'00"914
5.Barbosa-Fittipaldi (Corvette DP/Coyote) - ActionEx - 2'01"096
6.Fogarty-Gurney (Corvette DP/Riley) - Stallings - 2'01"245
7.Dalziel-Popow (Riley-Ford) - Starworks - 2'01"293
8.Allmendinger-Yacaman (Riley-Ford) - Shank - 2'01"658
9.Taylor-Westbrook (Corvette DP) - SpiritOfDaytona - 2'01"671
10.Frisselle-Frisselle (Corvette DP/Coyote) - ActionEx - 2'01"934
(...)

From GMM

Lotus has played down reports the Enstone based team is struggling to survive financially amid crippling debts.

It was already known that the team's highest-paid member, lead driver Kimi Raikkonen, is waiting on his latest pay instalment.

And reports in the German press said other unpaid staff at Enstone are threatening to lay down their tools, while spare parts are running low because suppliers are also waiting for invoices to be paid.

35 per cent of the Genii-owned team was sold recently to a consortium called Infinity Racing, but it subsequently emerged that the deal is still not actually done.

"There may be some delays," team boss Eric Boullier admitted this week, "but it will be repaired within a few days.

"The package that ensures the future of the company is completed slowly, but we'll get there," he told the Finnish broadcaster MTV3.

Meanwhile, the Spanish sports newspaper Marca said Lotus has officially denied that team members have not been paid and are therefore threatening to strike.

From GMM

More wins in 2013, or the 2014 title?  Nico Rosberg is in two minds about how Mercedes should tackle the second half of this season.

The German has won two races in the ever-improving Mercedes so far this year, while his teammate Lewis Hamilton won the most recent grand prix, in Hungary.

But with the sweeping rules changes for 2014 looming, and some teams already turning their full focus to the new cars, Rosberg is unsure how Mercedes should proceed.

Speaking to Germany's Auto Motor und Sport, he seemed to acknowledge that, notwithstanding Mercedes' absolutely front-running car, the chance of winning the 2013 title is slim.

"We have been able to celebrate some huge successes," he said.

"Unfortunately, especially due to the tyres, we were not consistent enough.

"The progress we have made, however, is huge," Rosberg explained.  "But our goal is to be where Sebastian (Vettel) is."

Lewis Hamilton leads Nico Rosberg in Hungary (Photo: WRi2)

Indeed, with half the season gone, Red Bull's Vettel has a 38 point lead over Lotus' Kimi Raikkonen, while the closest Mercedes challenger is Hamilton, who is 48 points adrift.

Rosberg's gap to the lead, meanwhile, is 88 points.

The 28-year-old acknowledged, therefore, that the 2014 rules revolution is a "huge opportunity" for a works outfit like Mercedes.

So should the Brackley based team throw its full weight behind 2014, or keep developing the current car for more poles and wins?

"That's a difficult question," Rosberg said.

"I'm in two minds.  On the one hand, I find it so cool to come to a race weekend with the best car, thinking 'I can put it on pole and win'.  It's a great feeling.

"On the other hand, half of me thinks next year is such a huge opportunity, because of all the changes.  If we just keep driving what we have now, we can still get some good successes out of this car," he added.

What Rosberg is implying is that Mercedes might now consider simply switching the full weight of the team's resources to the 2014 project.

Team boss Ross Brawn admitted that is a possibility.

"For Spa and Monza we have some great update packages in the works," he revealed.

"Depending on how well things go, we will then decide what to do for the rest of the season."

Paul Dalla Lana is amongst the drivers that are multitasking this weekend at Elkart Lake's Road America. The Canadian is racing in both the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge (CTSCC) and Rolex series, Grand-Am two top championships.

The fact that he had to drive both his rides back to back made for a great story in qualifying.

Looking for a fast lap near the end of the CSCC session, Dalla Lana crashed his No. 96 BMW M3 heavily.

"It was big hit - about 90 mph straight in," recalls the driver.

As quickly as he could, the Vancouver native convinced the doctor at the medical centre he was well enough to go back out to qualify for the Rolex series.

"The doctor wanted to keep me for a little while, but I was able to calm down in about five minutes and convince everyone that I had my wits about me."

At it again, Dalla Lana clocked a personal best around the 6.5-kilometre track to put the No. 94 M3 on the front row.

"I couldn't believe it," team owner Will Turner said. "One minute, he's into the wall, and then he goes right back out and runs the fastest lap he's ever done here. Unbelievable."

Paul Dalla Lana, No. 94 BMW M3 (Photo: Turner Motorsports)

In recent weeks, MINI has shown how its small cars can become great camping companions.

• The MINI Clubvan Camper is the world's smallest luxury camper van, packed with practical solutions that make it ideal accommodation for an individual on a weekend away.

• The MINI Cowley is a compact yet comfortable caravan for two people, equipped with a twin-ring gas stove, fridge and sink.

• The MINI Countryman ALL4 Camp with its innovative roof-top tent is the getaway car for an adventurous couple, evoking images of African safari and expedition vehicles.

All three remain concept vehicles that showcase the depth of the MINI range. There are no plans to offer them as production models at this stage.

Photo: MINI

Elon Musk, the billionaire co-founder of Tesla Motors, received more than $4 million in stock-based pay in the second quarter for work on the company's Model X SUV that Tesla directors determined will be completed later.

Elon Musk, the billionaire co-founder of Tesla Motors, received $4.3 million in stock-based pay in the second quarter for work on the company's Model X SUV that Tesla directors determined will be completed later.

This week in 1992 finds Ernie Irvan winning the NASCAR DieHard 500 in Talladega, Ala.

This week in 1992 finds Ernie Irvan winning the NASCAR DieHard 500 in Talladega, Ala.

This week in 1992 finds Ernie Irvan winning the NASCAR DieHard 500 in Talladega, Ala.

This week in 1992 finds Ernie Irvan winning the NASCAR DieHard 500 in Talladega, Ala.

This week in 1992 finds Ernie Irvan winning the NASCAR DieHard 500 in Talladega, Ala.

This week in 1992 finds Ernie Irvan winning the NASCAR DieHard 500 in Talladega, Ala.

An all-new event is joining the overwhelming roster of activities during Monterey week, the

An all-new event is joining the overwhelming roster of activities during Monterey week, the

An all-new event is joining the overwhelming roster of activities during Monterey week, the

An all-new event is joining the overwhelming roster of activities during Monterey week, the

An all-new event is joining the overwhelming roster of activities during Monterey week, the