Baja Designs Superlite LMP at 13-hour Charge of the Headlight Brigade
This year's 13-hour classic started off with a bang as Pro drivers Ryan Ellis, Matt Bell and Cameron Lawrence pedaled the Superlite LMP to a pole time of 1:57, which was about 4-5 seconds faster than the next fastest car, and three seconds under the lap record which the Superlite SLC set last year in the race.
Ryan Ellis, who actually set the fast time in a limited qualifying session of only two laps in the car, said there was at least 5 seconds left in the car, but that traffic in the 55-car field had conspired to hold him back.
Ryan started the Superlite Cars LMP on the class and overall pole, and at the end of the first lap Ryan had pulled a Vettel-- opening up a multiple-second advantage on the rest of the field, with ease. As each lap passed, the lead became greater, and the team was looking forward to a great battle over the next 13 hours.
Unfortunately, the battle was short-lived as the engine began to overheat after a few laps and went into limp-home mode. The crew tried valiantly to fix it, but to no avail, and the car had to be retired.
This year we had a very fast car, with advanced LED lighting from new sponsor Baja Designs that brilliantly lit the road ahead during night practice and qualifying, and had the speed to easily win overall. But the racing gods were against us this year, and despite the very quick times for the car (on DOT tires and with a very mild LS3 engine for economy), we just didn't have the reliability in the drivetrain we needed.
But there's always next year! The LMP has shown itself to be formidable at the track, and as it is developed, promises to be even faster, and more reliable.
