| For the Acura teams making their debut in the | | | | competitive," Clarke said. "We are not really in the |
| American Le Mans Series, 2007 has been a | | | | championship battle this year. Learning the series |
| challenging year. And the team is looking forward | | | | and sports car racing in general was the goal in |
| to etch a better name in ALMS endurance and | | | | 2007 for Acura." |
| sprint races. | | | | In previous races, Herta's Andretti Green Racing |
| Robert Clarke, the president of Santa | | | | team was not that competitive. Matter of fact, it |
| Clarita-based Honda Performance Development, | | | | is struggling. It may be tough for the |
| said that the on-track performances thus far | | | | manufacturer of Acura ball joints. In the most |
| have been superb despite only one win in seven | | | | recent race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Herta |
| races. Honda Performance Development produces | | | | and teammate Marino Franchitti finished seventh, |
| and maintains the engines for the three Acura | | | | the Daily News reported. |
| teams in the ALMS. | | | | "The XM Satellite Radio Acura team has not |
| The Andretti Green Racing team, with Valencia's | | | | finished the last few races and with five races |
| Bryan Herta as one of its drivers, won the LMP2 | | | | left, we have to finish them all," said Herta. "Both |
| portion of the season-opening 12 Hours of | | | | the team and I have the chance to finish third in |
| Sebring. The Acura teams have yet to win a race | | | | the championship and I think that would be an |
| since, with the Porsches of Team Penske | | | | exceptional first year in the series, so that's the |
| dominating the LMP2 division. But the Acura teams | | | | goal. In order to do that, we have to finish races |
| have been competitive, posting a number of | | | | with no mistakes or reliability problems from here |
| podium finishes and beating the cars in the LMP1 | | | | on out." |
| division on a regular basis. | | | | Fernandez has 11 career starts at Road America |
| "Winning the first race at Sebring and that was | | | | in Champ Cars. He has three podium finishes in his |
| quite an accomplishment for the new Acura | | | | career there, his best showing coming in 2000 |
| program," Robert Clarke said. "We would like to | | | | when he was second, the report continued. "This |
| win another race this year. When you win the | | | | is my favorite track. I love driving here," |
| season opener, you feel that you can win some | | | | Fernandez said. "The last time I competed at |
| races. But we were realistic about the 2007 | | | | Elkhart was in 2003 in Champ Cars and I had a |
| season. We weren't looking for on-track results. | | | | pretty good record going with three podiums. We |
| This was a learning year for us with the Acura | | | | had a great test here before the start of this |
| program and the three Acura teams. The | | | | season, and I have a lot of confidence for a |
| Porsches are very fast. So it is tough." | | | | strong finish in the race.” |
| Herta and Adrian Fernandez, two of the | | | | At mid-Ohio, the Lowe's Fernandez team had the |
| team’s drivers, have tried racing at Road | | | | highest-finishing Acura. It finished third. "We had a |
| America. The ALMS race at Road America in | | | | good car at Mid-Ohio and we were in position to |
| Elkhart Lake, Wis., will mark the eighth race of the | | | | run with the Porsches overall," Fernandez said. "I |
| 12-race season. | | | | have finished second and third there before, but I |
| "At Road America, overall speed is important and | | | | would love to win at that great track. I feel good |
| I think we have the power to be very | | | | about the Lowe's Acura Lola. |