American Le Mans Series

Miracle Motorsports Looking for P2 Championship

Petit Le Mans is increasing a race full of big news. Traditionally the American Le Mans Series announces next year’s event schedule at this event. The winner in each class gets an automatic invite to next year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans. And often driver, team and tire championships get decided in the 10-hour enduro that carries with it a bonus of six points for each finishing position.

This year all those story lines will be in play, including the chase for the championships in the P2 class. Miracle Motorsports currently leads the team championship by two points over Intersport Racing. Jeff Bucknum and Chris McMurry lead the drivers championship by the same margin over Intersport driver Clint Field, while Miracle partner Kumho is second in points behind Goodyear.

“I think we have an excellent shot at the team and drivers titles, and it would be quite a feat to pull that off for the second consecutive season,” said team owner John Macaluso. “In a 10-hour race, it will likely come down to the reliability of the car, and smart choices by the drivers, and we’ve had good luck in both areas this year.”

Team officials are highly complimentary of the Courage chassis and AER engine that have been campaigned this year. Both have performed dutifully all season. Only two mechanical issues of significance have occured during races: at Sebring there was an extended pit stop to repair an alternator, and the engine failure retirement at Portland resulted from an engine that was running outside of its window for longevity.

Although it seems likely the championship will come down to the final race of the season, a 4-hour dusk-to-darkness event at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, it is possible the championship could be wrapped up this weekend.

The scenarios that would produce a championship include Miracle finishing first or second combined with an Intersport DNF, or Intersport winning and Miracle scoring a DNF. Eight teams have entries in the P2 class at Petit. The expanded car count motivated by the opportunity to get the 24 Hours of Le Mans invite factors into the probability that the 2005 championship will all come down to Laguna on October 14.

James Gue will join drivers Bucknum and McMurry for Petit. A familiar name at Miracle and in racing circles, Gue drove all but one race for Macaluso’s team in 2004, and finished second in the drivers championship to Ian James who raced the entire 2004 season with Miracle.

“I’m very excited to be back in the car and the series. The Courage is an awesome car, and Miracle has proven it is a great team,” said Gue. “We have a solid chance at winning this race if you consider all the pieces to our package, and compare that with what it takes to win a race like this one.”

Bucknum and McMurry teamed with (Ian) James to win the only other endurance race completed in the ALMS this season: the 12 Hours of Sebring. That win, and the bonus points it paid, have supplied the marginal championship points lead that the drivers and team have enjoyed throughout most of the season.

In 2005 Gue has run a full schedule of Grand American Cup races with the factory Ford Mustang program, and has also raced three Grand American Rolex Series events including the 24 Hours of Daytona. During the summer he also participated in Rousch Racing’s driver search program and was one of 25 participants selected out of 1,800 to make the final cut. You can find out in October who won Rousch’s search as the Discovery Channel will air 13 episodes covering the search process.