Seven Questions With ALMS Extreme Speed Motorsports P2's Guy Cosmo

Scott Sharp is moving his Extreme Speed Motorsports Tequila Patron team up to P2 Honda Performance Development from GT Class with Ferrari F458 Italia for 2013 with co-drivers Guy Cosmo, Johannes van overbeek and Ed Brown. Image Credit: ESM

Seven Questions With ALMS Extreme Speed Motorsports P2's Guy Cosmo

Guy Cosmo, co-driver of the Tequila Patrón-sponsored Extreme Speed Motorsports (ESM) P2 racing machine, took to the track for the first time during a private test at Sebring International Raceway last week.  Cosmo eagerly approaches the season already a P2 race winner with a 2005 victory in a Mazda-powered prototype.  Cosmo talks about the pre-season test session, the difference in racing P2 and his goals for the season.

In mid-February, ESM announced it would compete in American Le Mans Series (ALMS) presented by Tequila Patrón P2 class in 2013.  ESM will campaign two purpose-built Honda Performance Development ARX-03b prototypes beginning with the 61st Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh from Florida March 13-16, 2013.

Extreme Speed Motorsports HPD ARX-03b P2 prototype. Image Credit: ESM

LAST WEEK’S ESM P2 TEST SESSION AT SEBRING INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY WAS YOUR FIRST TIME ON TRACK THIS SEASON.  HOW DID IT GO?
“It went really well.  I was so happy to get back behind the wheel and do what I do best.  It’s been really strange to have not driven for a couple of months, so now I’m feeling back to normal.”

AS A DRIVER THAT HAS BEEN IN ALL TYPES OF RACE CARS, HOW EASY IS IT TO TRANSITION INTO THE P2 CAR?
“Hopping back into a P2 car is just great.  They are incredible machines.  The transition to the P2 from the ALMS GT car is actually quite a bit easier than expected, which I believe is a testament to just how extraordinary the ALMS-GT-spec cars are.  On the other hand, however, the P2 car definitely has a different set of capabilities and strengths, so adapting to them and learning how to capitalize on them is always a fun challenge.  I love it.”

AS THE FINAL ALMS SEASON BEFORE THE NORTH AMERICAN SPORTS CAR MERGER, WHAT GOALS/EXPECTATIONS HAVE YOU SET FOR YOURSELF AND FOR THE TEAM?
“My goals for this final season of the ALMS as we know it, is to put myself in the record books somehow.  Pole positions, class track records and fastest race laps - along with some race wins and possibly a championship.  You know, I’d like to just be in front of everyone all the time and win everything too!”

IS AN OVERALL WIN POSSIBLE FOR ESM NOW THAT THE TEAM IS IN THE P2 CLASS?
“It is a possibility.  But the P1 cars are definitely a good amount faster than the P2s still, unlike a few years ago.  It would likely take for the P1s to have some setbacks during the race for us to have a shot at it, but you keep pressing.  No matter what, we’ll do our best to put ESM near the top as we can.”

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT DRIVING THE P2 CAR SO FAR?
“Being able to pass all my previous GT competitors real easily, which was formerly a very difficult task.”

MOVING FROM GT TO P2 IS A BIG JUMP IN CAR CLASSES AND PLACEMENT ON THE TRACK.  IS THERE AN ADJUSTMENT IN DRIVING STYLE?
“There will be an adjustment for sure. In GT, you’re really in the lower part of the performance chart. You’re faster than the GTCs, but have PC, P2 and P1 all faster than you and passing, while you’re racing your own fierce battle. In GT, you’re nearly looking in your mirrors more than you’re looking in front of you.  In P2, we’ll have the luxury of being one of the fastest cars on track, but working your way through all the slower traffic will be very tricky for sure.  You’ll have to be aggressive but very careful.”

IN ADDITION TO TESTING THE NEW P2 CAR LAST WEEK, ESM TESTED SOME OTHER RACE CARS INCLUDING THE GRAND-AM, FERRARI CHALLENGE CARS. HOW DID THAT GO?
“The testing went well for both teams.  ESM remains committed to running the GRAND-AM GT Ferrari and the Ferrari Challenge team in addition to the full-time ALMS P2 program, so the shop and crew stay extremely busy.  Improvements were definitely made in both cars and we're ready to race in all series!”

ENDS

The American Le Mans Series gets 2013 underway with the first race of the season starting in about 17 days with the 61st Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida.

For ESM, moving into the purpose-built Honda Performance Development ARX-03b prototypes, Extreme Speed Motorsports and Tequila Patrón will run for the P2 championship after posting a team best performance last year. Scott Sharp and Johannes van Overbeek in the No. 01 Ferrari F458 Italia finished second in the GT championship for 2012, which included victories at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and Petit Le Mans.

The ESM driver lineup remains the same with Scott Sharp and Johannes van Overbeek co-driving the No. 01 Tequila Patrón racing machine, and Ed Brown and Guy Cosmo in the sister No. 02 Tequila Patrón prototype.

... notes from The EDJE

Extreme Speed Motorsports Qualifies at Petit Le Mans P1 And P2 - UPDATED

During the Petit Le Mans race week, ESM, The Patrón Spirits Company and Ultimat Vodka launched the 2012 campaign “Race to Erace” hunger throughout the world. As part of the special livery at Petit Le Mans, fans can contribute to Action Against Hunger. Image Credit: ESM

Extreme Speed Motorsports Qualifies at Petit Le Mans P1 And P2 - UPDATED

The Extreme Speed Motorsports Ferraris dominated Friday’s qualifying session at Petit Le Mans – qualifying 1-2 and locking in the front row for tomorrow’s season finale at Road Atlanta.

Setting new records for the team and race circuit, Guy Cosmo, co-driver of the No. 02 Ultimat Vodka Ferrari 458 Italia, earned his first career pole position, the second consecutive pole for ESM, and set a new qualifying track record for Road Atlanta for the season finale of the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) presented by Tequila Patrón.

In the brief 15-minute session, the chrome and blue Ultimat Vodka-livered Ferraris were fixtures atop the charts. At the conclusion of the session, Cosmo and Toni Vilander, co-driver of the No. 01 Ultimat Vodka Ferrari 458 Italia, were listed as the front row starters for the 15^th Annual Petit Le Mans powered by Mazda on Saturday.

The 1-2 qualifying effort is the first time team history that the Ferraris will start side-by-side from the start of the highly competitive GT class.

Cosmo earned his first career ALMS pole on Friday afternoon by lapping the No. 02 Ferrari around then 2.54-mile, 12-turn circuit in 1:18.677 (116.222 mph).  Cosmo will pilot the No. 02 with season-long teammate Ed Brown, and Atlanta native Anthony Lazzaro.

Vilander qualified the No. 01 car less than a tenth of a second behind Cosmo with a best lap of 1:18.729 (116.145 mph). Vilander, a factory Ferrari driver, joins season-long regulars Scott Sharp and Johannes van Overbeek.

The final race of the 2012 American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is Petit Le Mans powered by Mazda. The 1,000-mile/10-hour race from Road Atlanta is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. ET on Saturday, Oct 20. Full, live coverage starts at 11:15 a.m. ET on ESPN3.ABC’s broadcast begins at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 21.

UPDATED:

The ESM #01 that qualified P2 comes home after 10 hours of racing in P1 of the GT Class 30.68s ahead of Antonio Garcia driving the #3 Chevrolet Corvette C6 ZR1. On the last leg, Toni Vilander piloted home the Ferrari F458 Italia he had shared driving duties with team owner Scott Sharp and season co-driving teammate Johannes van Overbeek. It is a bit fitting that the factory driver from Ferrari, who flew in from the mother country of Italy, was able to be the cherry on top of the American campaigned Ferrari team's cake of a win in the Petit Le Mans which serves as the final race of the 2012 season. The #55 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing BMW E92 M3 driven by Bill Auberlen came in third.


The #01 Ultimat Vodka/Action Against Hunger Ferrari 458 Italia started from the GT Class pole and was the dominant race car to beat during the endurance event. In his closing stint, Vilander had a 42 second lead with eight laps remaining in the race, but as the race came to a close, fuel strategy became an issue.
Vilander responded to the challenge and claimed his decisive win with only two liters of fuel remaining in the Ferrari’s tank.

The overall finishing position for the #01 Ferrari was 12th overall, out of 42 total entrants.
This win marks the second win for the #01 this season, with the other in July for Sharp and van Overbeek at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park.

The ESM #01 Ultimat Vodka/Action Against Hunger Ferrari 458 Italia co-driven by Scott Sharp, Johannes van Overbeek and Toni Vilander won the 15th Annual Petit Le Mans. Image Credit: ESM

This season, the #01 team has earned five third place finishes (Long Beach, Lime Rock, Road America, Baltimore, VIR) and two wins (Canadian Tire Motorsports Park and Road Atlanta). Based on this strong showing, Sharp and van Overbeek are ranked second in the very challenging ALMS GT driver’s championship.

The accolades continued at Road Atlanta with the #01 receiving the Michelin Green X Challenge Award for being the cleanest, fastest and most efficient race car in the GT class. ESM received the award during at Long Beach in April and at Virginia International Raceway in September.

On the other side of the ESM paddock, Ed Brown, Guy Cosmo and Anthony Lazzaro co-drivers of the #02 Ultimat Vodka/Action Against Hunger Ferrari 458 Italia. Cosmo initially qualified the #02 machine on the pole, but was forced to the back of the field at the start of the race after ALMS officials deemed to the #02 too low in ride height (by millimeters), thus failing post qualifying technical inspection. The low ride height was a result of a broken splitter that occurred during Friday’s qualifying session.

Cosmo wheeled the Ferrari and charged through and was running fourth before handing the Ferrari over to Brown. Unfortunately, time was lost in a driver change due to a problem with seatbelt adjustment, as well as an on-track penalty for Cosmo for “avoidable contact” with another competitor. Due to the time lost, the #02 finished the race in ninth place in the GT class.

A two hour recap of the 15th Annual Petit Le Mans, the final race of the 2012 American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón season, will air today, Sunday, October 21, at 1 p.m., on ABC.

… notes from The EDJE