DeltaWing Racing Cars, in its first full season in the American Le Mans Series, will make its inaugural appearance at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in the American Le Mans Monterey race weekend May 9-11.
The revolutionary open-top DeltaWing premiered in 2012 at two races – the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta in October, where it finished in fifth place overall.
This year, the DeltaWing has made some improvements that may see it as a leading contender in the series top class, P1. The car now features an Élan 1.9L, 4-cylinder turbo engine, new tire partner, Bridgestone and is piloted by drivers Andy Meyrick (Cheshire, England) and Olivier Pla (Toulouse, France).
“When you consider the performance of this car, it is the performance of a hybrid, but it doesn’t need batteries and an electric motor,” said Don Panoz, managing partner, DeltaWing Racing Cars and the founder of the ALMS. “It’s all based on aerodynamics. It’s certainly very green; it’s half the weight, half the fuel, half the tire wear, half the horsepower yet the same performance.”
The main race of the weekend, in which the DeltaWing will compete, is scheduled for Saturday, May 11 at 3:30 p.m., and features four hours of thrilling sports car racing that takes drivers from daylight into dusk by pushing their mental and physical abilities to the limit in non-stop action.
“It will be a real treat for fans to see this radically-designed vehicle attack such a technical track,” said Gill Campbell, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca CEO/general manager. “I think The Corkscrew turn will prove to be a very interesting test for the DeltaWing.”
American Le Mans Monterey general admission starts at $30, with a three day general admission pass only $70 with advance purchase and children 12 and under are free with a paying adult. There is free onsite parking and VIP parking available for $30. Hospitality options start at $250 per person.
About Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca was established in 1957. The World-renowned raceway has been operated since its inception by the Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula (SCRAMP), a not-for-profit 501(c)4 corporation. Each race season, SCRAMP donates its net proceeds to the volunteer groups that help organize the races.
