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Championship Hopes on the Horizon for Lowe's Fernandez Racing

The American Le Mans Series heads across the border to Canada this week for the Mobil 1 Presents the Grand Prix of Mosport. Located 48 miles northeast of Toronto, the historic Mosport circuit has hosted a wide variety of racing series since opening in 1961 including Formula One, USAC Stock Cars, Indy cars, Can Am, Trans-Am and IMSA. It is a track that demands a driver’s full attention with consistent high speeds in all but two turns on the 2.459-mile, 10-turn permanent road course.

Lowe’s Fernandez Racing drivers Adrian Fernandez and Luis Diaz enter the race weekend with an opportunity to close the books on the LMP2 championship. Six class wins aboard the #15 Lowe’s Acura on Michelin tires have given the pair a 55-point lead in the standings. If Fernandez and Diaz finish ahead of their closest competitor – the #20 Dyson Mazda – at Mosport, their points lead would clinch the championship as a total of only 55 points would be up for grabs in the final two races.

Fernandez and Diaz have enjoyed past success at Mosport, finishing second in class and fourth overall last year in an exciting race that came down to fuel strategy in the end.

Race Notes:
•Circuit – 2.459-mile, 10-turn road course
•Race length – 2 hours 45 minutes
•Driver changes – a driver may not drive more than two hours total in the race

Of Note:
•This will be the third career start for Fernandez and Diaz at Mosport
•They recorded their best result last year finishing second in class and fourth overall
•With six class wins to date this season (Sebring, St. Petersburg, Long Beach, Salt Lake City, Mid-Ohio and Road America) and a second-place result at Lime Rock, Fernandez and Diaz currently lead the LMP2 standings by 55 points
•Lowe’s Fernandez Racing has won two Michelin® GREEN X® Challenge awards to date this season at St. Petersburg and Road America; the award acknowledges competitors that demonstrate the best overall performance and fuel efficiency with the least environmental impact
•In 30 ALMS starts to date, Fernandez and Diaz have claimed six class pole positions, six class wins and 12 podium finishes

Fernandez on the championship: “We have had a fantastic season so far but it is not over yet. I guess we are cautiously optimistic heading to Mosport. We know this is a track that will really suit the Mazdas and it is not going to be an easy weekend for us. We just  have to keep doing what we have been doing and make sure we keep finishing races. It would be nice to take the win and the championship at Mosport because I know we will all breathe a little easier, but we have to be realistic at the same time because the Mazdas will be very strong here. We have a lot of support from Lowe’s Canada so obviously this would be a nice one to win.”

Diaz on the challenges this weekend:  “Mosport is a very challenging circuit. It is very fast and any mistake can cost you big time. You have to respect this track. We have a good baseline for the Acura on this track and, like last year, I think we will have a very good car for the race. The race last year came down to strategy at the end and we played our cards right. Strategy was an important part of our last two wins and this team is just so strong in that area. I have a lot of confidence for a good result this weekend.”

Engineer John Ward on setup at Mosport:  “Mosport requires fairly low drag and a stable aerodynamic platform. In reality, many of the turns are flat out with the amount of grip we have, effectively turning them into straights. The track also has some substantial elevation changes and rough or uneven areas which causes the ride height to be higher than we would want. Once again, finding the correct downforce/drag compromise is critical.”

 

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