Le Mans, France --- With a bevy of manufacturers in the greatest sports car race in the world, Autocon set its sights on simply finishing the 24 Hours of Le Mans, a grueling test of man and machine that historically claims about 50% of the starting grid to accidents and mechanical failures. In the 19th hour that goal went unfulfilled, after an otherwise excellent run for the team’s rookie performance at the race classic.

“We were close enough to taste it,” said team owner Michael Lewis, who adds that Autocon has been bitten by the bug, and would like to make Le Mans an annual ritual for the team. “Once the race begins on 3 p.m. on Saturday, you honestly don’t even think about finishing, because the end is so far away, and so many things can go wrong with even the simplest of errors or oversights.” 

Qualifying at Le Mans works differently than in the U.S. where there is a single qualifying session that determines the starting grid based on fastest lap times. At Le Mans, the best times from the four two-hour practice sessions on the Wednesday and Thursday preceding the race set the lineup. The #23 of Autocon clocked in at a 3:46 lap time around the 8-plus mile circuit, and knew it would run better come race day.

“It was our first time there, and none of our drivers were very familiar with the track. That combined with on and off showers made it quite challenging for a bunch of guys visiting for the first time. We really didn’t get the opportunity to test the limits,” added Lewis. “All three drivers felt there was plenty left on the table, and that proved to be true with all three drivers running their best times during the race.”

Driver Chris McMurry started the race from the 32nd position in the 55-car field. In his first stint he managed to pass six cars, moving the team to 26th overall, and then temporarily to 19th as others cars pitted before Autocon’s first stop. “It took about 2 laps for me to get comfortable and for the tire temperatures to come in. After that it was great fun doing exactly what we thought we’d do.”

A long pit stop in the first three hours dropped Autocon back to 48th overall, and after that it was time to settle in for the long haul ahead. “We learned a lot about the process and preparation for the race, and we’ll put that to good use next time around,” explained Lewis. “You hate to lose spots like that, but if you can go the distance, even with some mistakes, you can obtain a good result.”

The driver lineup that included Lewis and Bryan Willman, cycled in and out, along with McMurry, for hours on end, as the team mounted an ascent back up the timing and scoring charts through a series of double and triple stints. By nightfall, Autocon was up to 42nd, and by dawn to 34th. Just before sun up the skies opened up with heavy rains, and on occasion rain on one side of the track and not the other, making tire selection very challenging. Lewis valiantly tackled the most difficult of conditions, wet and dark conditions. 
 
“The race is mentally broken into three parts: the afternoon on the first day, the nighttime or darkness, and then sunrise the next morning. In the first part you just hope you make it to nightfall, then in the second part your just hope you make it to daybreak, and then once the sun comes up, you actually start to see the light at the end of the tunnel,” said McMurry.

In hour 16, the team encountered its first glitch, with a punctured tire on the 200 mph Mulsanne. McMurry was at the wheel and managed to limp the car around for a pit stop. “I’d rather not have another tire go down in the wet at that speed. I could feel the car’s rear starting to shake, and immediately let up.” A flopping tire tread didn’t do any notable body work damage, but did damage some suspension pieces that required a 15-minute stop after a painfully slow 60-mph trip around 7-miles of the circuit.

“We all worked really hard to prepare for many months, and I'm really happy with how well we ran given out inexperience, and being a small privateer. I was beginning to think we'd finish, but of course soon after that happy thought the car broke,” added Willman. “I really look forward to getting to do it again, hopefully soon, so we can apply everything we've learned.”

“All race long the drivers were reporting downshifting problems, and that turned out to be our Achilles heel,” said Lewis about the 19th hour that ended the race for Autocon. “After the flat tire, we were on the track again, and banging away. Bryan spun in one of the Mulsanne chicanes after not being able to get any downshifts. After a lot of effort, and all sorts of maneuvers, the car just wouldn’t accept any gears, and we were literally dead in the water. It’s a problem we could have fixed if we could have gotten back to the pits, but with no gears, you’re going nowhere fast.”

In the final analysis, it was a faulty actuator that led to the demise of the gearbox. “We figure had we kept running we probably would have finished around 25th. While that would have been a nice finish, the team has nothing to be ashamed of as we did great in our first try at the most difficult sports car race,” said Willman. As it where, Autocon’s finish was recorded as a DNF, since a car must do 70% of the lead cars laps in order to be officially ranked. Unofficially the team finished 38th.

 “From a personal perspective the event was everything I thought it would be and more. Incredible atmosphere, great fans, and of course the line-up of talent and technology along the grid was unbelievable, and we were really proud to finish ahead of better-funded, more experienced teams,” recounted Lewis. “We didn’t make any major mistakes, and we were probably the only team that ran faster during the race than during qualifying. We found it quite easy to run in the 3:43s with dry conditions, and feel that times in the 3:38-range are within reach for our effort, should be get to return.”

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Video

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More Quotes

“I've developed a new term to describe Le Mans: 'trailer track' meaning the only way to go fast is to throw caution to the wind and it helps if you've got a spare car in the trailer to do that! It was my first time there and I think I have a good feel for the place. I want to go back and ring its neck!” – Michael Lewis

“People always ask if I have a favorite track. In the past I’ve always said, ‘No, their all unique and fun in their own way.’ Now, however, I can say I do have a have track, and it’s Le Mans. It was the best time I have ever had in a race car, and I can’t wait to try it again.” – Chris McMurry
 
“As a team owner it was my first try at moving my entire operation overseas for a month and I certainly learned a lot for next time. To be fair though I think we did a good job on the whole. Obviously we would have liked to be quicker but test day car problems, weather and unfamiliarity hamstrung us. Still, as we passed the 3/4 completion mark I dared to think we might finish this thing in our first try as we had our first Sebring a few years ago.” – Michael Lewis

“Well, there's the traditional box score. Driving through the country side looking for a house: Check. 202 mph while getting a very close tow from an Audi: Check. Use up lots of expensive parts: Yes. Exhaust the crew: Somewhat. Driving 190 mph in the dark in the rain: Yup. Getting out of that to let Mike (Lewis) drive: Best move I've made in years!” – Bryan Willman