6 Hrs COTA ESM LMP2 preview: Set for FIA WEC debut

Six weeks ago, Extreme Speed Motorsports (ESM) announced its intent to race in the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC). In the last six weeks, the Florida-based team has been unstoppable in preparing the Tequila Patrón-sponsored Honda Performance Development (HPD) ARX-03b for its debut in the FIA WEC.

The transformation is now complete. This week Extreme Speed Motorsports heads to Austin, Texas, and the 6 Hours of Circuit of the Americasas part of the Lone Star Le Mans weekend on September 18-20.

Scott Sharp, Ed Brown and Ryan Dalziel, co-drivers of the No. 30 Tequila Patrón HPD ARX-03b, are slated to compete in the FIA WEC Le Mans Prototype 2 class (LMP2). As the lone American-based LMP2 team, ESM will compete against four other teams in the class. The full entry list shows 29 competitors among four classes.
 
Although ESM was assigned the No. 30 by the FIA WEC, it is a fitting number for the Tequila Patrón-sponsored team. The ultra-premium tequila company launched an advertising campaign detailing the extensive distillation process they use, and that 60 hands touch every bottle of Tequila Patrón before it leaves the distillery. Those 60 hands equal 30 people, the new car number assigned to the ESM team.

Since the August announcement, the ESM crew has logged countless hours ensuring the Honda-powered prototype meets the FIA WEC technical requirements. The team installed a smaller restrictor, modified the aerodynamics, and installed a different electronics package to comply with the regulations set by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO). Last week, Sharp, Brown, and Dalziel participated in a test session at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) where they assessed the engine, aerodynamics, and Dunlop Tires.

This weekend’s 6 Hours of Circuit of the Americas is the only WEC race in the United States. Built in 2012, COTA is a counter-clockwise, 3.427-mile long, 20-turn permanent road course with an elevation change of 133 feet. The FIA WEC race marks the debut of night racing at COTA.

In addition to competing in the 6 Hours of Circuit of the Americas, ESM is entered in the Saturday afternoon TUDOR United SportsCar Championship. Brown and co-driver Johannes van Overbeek will compete in the two-hour and 45-minute endurance race in the No. 2 Tequila Patrón HPD ARX-03b. Brown and van Overbeek finished third at last year’s September COTA race.

With an entry in both the FIA WEC and TUDOR Championship races on Saturday, ESM will be making team history, racing for its first double-podium weekend in two different racing series.
 
On Friday following FIA WEC qualifying, Dalziel is participating in a live Twitter chat at @FIAWEC. From 7:30pm-7:50pm CST, Dalziel will answer questions via the FIA WEC Twitter account. Follow the live chat at #AskDalziel. 

The 6 Hours of Circuit of the Americas on September 19-20 is the fourth of eight races in the FIA World Endurance Championship. Qualifying for LMP2 cars takes place at 6:35 p.m. CST on Friday, September 19^th and the green flag drops at 4:56 p.m. CST on Saturday, September 20^th.

From Extreme Speed Motorsports