Acura ARX-02a
{{Short description|Le Mans Prototype car by Acura}}
{{Racing car
| Car_name = Acura ARX-02a
| Image = ARX-GPofLB09.JPG
| caption = The No. 9 ARX-02a at 2009 GP of Long Beach
| Image_size = 275px
| Category = Le Mans Prototype (LMP1)
| Predecessor = Acura ARX-01
| Successor = HPD ARX-03
| Designer = Nick Wirth
| Team = {{flagicon|USA}} de Ferran Motorsports
{{flagicon|USA}} Highcroft Racing
| Drivers = {{flagicon|AUS}} David Brabham
{{flagicon|USA}} Scott Sharp
{{flagicon|BRA}} Gil de Ferran
{{flagicon|France}} Simon Pagenaud
| Chassis = Carbon fibre and aluminium monocoque
| Front suspension = Double wishbone, torsion springs and damper, anti-roll bar
| Rear suspension = Double wishbone, torsion springs and damper, anti-roll bar
| Wheelbase = {{convert|2900|mm|1|abbr=on}}
| Track = {{convert|2000|mm|1|abbr=on}}
| Engine name = Acura LM-AR7
| Capacity = 4.0 litre
| Configuration = V8
| Turbo/NA = naturally aspirated,
| Engine position = mid-engined, longitudinally mounted
| Gearbox name =
| Gears = 6-speed
| Type = sequential manual
| Differential =
| Weight = appr. {{convert|900|kg|1|abbr=on}}
| Fuel =
| Tyres = Michelin
| Debut = 2009 12 Hours of Sebring
|First_win=2009 American Le Mans Series at Long Beach
|Last_win=2009 Monterey Sports Car Championships
|Last_event=2009 Monterey Sports Car Championships
| Races = 10
| Wins = 8
| Cons_champ =1 (2009 ALMS)
| Drivers_champ =1 (2009 ALMS)
| Poles = 8
| Fastest_laps = 7
|}}
The Acura ARX-02a was a Le Mans Prototype constructed by Acura for competition in the LMP1 category of the American Le Mans Series.{{cite web | url = http://www.planetlemans.com/2009/01/26/acura-unveils-new-arx-02a-lmp1-contender/ | title = Acura unveils new ARX-02a LMP1 contender | publisher = Planetlemans.com | date = 2009-01-26 | access-date = 2009-02-21| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090303144647/http://www.planetlemans.com/2009/01/26/acura-unveils-new-arx-02a-lmp1-contender/| archive-date= 3 March 2009 | url-status=live}} It was Acura's second Le Mans Prototype, following their ARX-01 which competed in the LMP2 category.
Development
Unlike the ARX-01, the ARX-02 is a bespoke LMP designed entirely for Acura by Wirth Research. The original 3.4L V8 was expanded to 4 liters for more durability and drivability with the larger power developed with P1 rules.
Wirth Research developed a chassis to generate as much mechanical grip to overcome the power deficit to Diesel centric rules created by the ACO by exploiting the engine's low mass (low compared to larger Diesel engines). Rear tires are now fitted onto the front of the car, increasing the contact patch by 7%, indicating that the vehicle center of mass was more forward placed than its contemporaries.
Racing history
The ARX-02a were campaigned by two teams, de Ferran Motorsport (Gil de Ferran, Simon Pagenaud and Scott Dixon) and Highcroft Racing (David Brabham, Scott Sharp and Dario Franchitti), and made its competition debut at the 2009 12 Hours of Sebring. Scott Dixon put the de Ferran entry on pole position at Sebring ahead of all the diesels of Audi and Peugeot due to slippery but dry track conditions. However, within the first corner of the race Acura were overcome by Allan McNish in the Audi. Neither Acura finished the race due to mechanical issues and never featured as a threat to win the race, lapping at 2.5 seconds off the winning pace.
Throughout the ALMS, the Acura gained overall wins until the Petit Le Mans. In all of the races, the bigger tires took longer to warm up than most competitors resulting in position loss to the turbo charged P1 Lola's at race starts and restarts. Scott Sharp crashed heavily at Petit Le Mans and spend the next 24 hours rebuilding the car with assistance from de Ferran. At the final race at Laguna Seca, Gil de Ferran won a hard-fought battle with the Fernandez ARX-01.
In 2010, de Ferran closed shop and Highcroft was forced to abandon the car, ending the career of the ARX-02. Highcroft returned to campaigning an updated version of the existing ARX-01 for the combined LMP class in 2010.
= Complete American Le Mans Series results =
(key) Races in bold indicates pole position. Races in italics indicates fastest lap.
| class="wikitable"
|+Complete American Le Mans Series results ! rowspan="2" |Year ! rowspan="2" |Entrant ! rowspan="2" |Class ! rowspan="2" |Drivers ! rowspan="2" |{{abbr|No.|Car number}} ! rowspan="2" |{{Abbr|Rds.|Rounds Driven}} ! colspan="10" |Rounds ! rowspan="2" |{{Abbr|Pts.|Total points collected by team entries during the season}} ! rowspan="2" |{{Abbr|Pos.|Final position of the team in the championship standings}} |
| 1
!2 !3 !4 !5 !6 !7 !8 !9 !10 |
|---|
| rowspan="2" |2009
|{{flagicon|USA}} Patrón Highcroft Racing | rowspan="2" |{{nowrap|LMP1}} |{{flagicon|AUS}} David Brabham |9 |All |style="background:#DFFFDF;"|SEB |style="background:#FFFFBF;”| STP |style="background:#DFDFDF;”| LBH |style="background:#DFDFDF;”|UTA |style="background:#DFDFDF;”|LIM |style="background:#DFDFDF;”|MOH |style="background:#FFFFBF;”|ELK |style="background:#FFFFBF;”|MOS |style="background:#DFFFDF;"|ATL |style="background:#DFDFDF;”|LGA ! style="background:#FFFFBF;”" |179 ! style="background:#FFFFBF;”" |1st |
| {{flagicon|USA}} de Ferran Motorsports
|{{flagicon|BRA}} Gil de Ferran |66 |All |style="background:#EFCFFF;"|SEB |style="background:#FFDF9F;”| STP |style="background:#FFFFBF;”|LBH |style="background:#FFFFBF;”|UTA |style="background:#FFFFBF;”|LIM |style="background:#FFFFBF;”|MOH |style="background:#DFDFDF;”|ELK |style="background:#DFDFDF;”|MOS |style="background:#DFFFDF;"|ATL |style="background:#FFFFBF;”|LGA ! style="background:#DFDFDF;”" |162 ! style="background:#DFDFDF;”" |2nd |
| colspan="18" |Sources:{{cite web |title=2009 American Le Mans Series Final Point Standings P1 |url=http://www.americanlemans.com/results/2009/2009_P1.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101206050530/http://www.americanlemans.com/results/2009/2009_P1.pdf |archive-date=December 6, 2010 |access-date=31 July 2024 |publisher=IMSA}}{{Cite web |title=Complete Archive of Acura ARX-02 |url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/type/archive/Acura/ARX-02.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230211164725/https://www.racingsportscars.com/type/archive/Acura/ARX-02.html |archive-date=11 February 2023 |access-date=31 July 2024 |publisher=Racing Sports Cars |pages=[https://www.racingsportscars.com/type/archive/Acura/ARX-02.html]}} |
† Did not finish the race but was classified as they completed more than 70% of the race distance.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.mulsannescorner.com/AcuraARX-02.html Mulsanne's Corner - 2009 Acura ARX-02a]
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