News archive - May 2010
AMERICAN BRYCE MILLER COMPLETES JMW MOTORSPORT’S LE MANS LINE-UP
JMW Motorsport are delighted to announce American driver, Bryce Miller will complete the team’s driver line-up for the Le Mans, driving alongside Rob Bell (GB) and Tim Sugden (GB).
This will mark Bryce’s debut in the prestigious Le Mans race, and will be his second major European appearance. Given his first outing on this side of the Atlantic saw him take a GT2 podium finish in the 2009 24 Hours of Spa, he’s more than keen to repeat the feat!
Seeing the JMW Motorsport Aston Martin Vantage GT2 as a great opportunity for Le Mans, the Marquis Jet and IPC Information Systems backed driver couldn’t choose a more exciting event to show the European audience the pace which has seen him garner success in America. Currently competing in the ALMS, and with additional appearances in the Grand-Am series, 27 year old Bryce has been a podium visitor over 22 times in his last four years of sportscar racing.
Team Principal, Jim McWhirter looks forward to welcoming the American hotshoe to the team for Le Mans. “I am delighted Bryce will join us for Le Mans where I am sure he will be a great asset to the team. He has shown great ability so far in his career and his enthusiasm was clear when he came to test for us; he is very much in the JMW Motorsport mould!”.
“Bryce is a very determined and talented young driver” said Tim Sugden, on JMW’s newest recruit. “I know the ambition he will bring with him marries perfectly to that of JMW Motorsport. Bryce will be a great addition to this chapter of JMW’s season. The team are very focused on the challenge of Le Mans and to show the world just what the Aston Martin is capable of”.
Bryce Miller was equally pleased to join the JMW Aston Martin for the most prestigious sportscar race in the world, adding “I am thrilled at the opportunity to compete at Le Mans with JMW Motorsport and Aston Martin. The team has championship winning experience and a tremendous appetite to win, something clearly evidenced in the short time I spent meeting and working with crew members and Dunlop during my test”.
The 24 Hours of Le Mans takes place on 12-13 June 2010
Round 2 - Race Review
Sunday 9 May 2010
Race (11.30 CET)
Starting the race in the JMW Motorsport Aston Martin Vantage GT2, Darren ably overcame the dangers of a slippery circuit as Spa presented the drivers with its infamous unpredictable weather which saw cars goin off left, right and centre.
Darren soon had the Dunlop shod car up into 6th place and was making inroads into the leading GT2 pack when a sticking throttle caused problems. Add in to this an over eager prototype which almost saw the JMW off the circuit!
In their first stints, both Darren and team-mate Rob Bell were to be taken on off-road trips due to the throttle issues, which sadly dropped the team out of contention as repair work was undertaken. However, with the throttle issue rectified the team headed back to the track for some vital running and posted the 2nd fastest time of the GT2 class.
Whilst the Spa result was a frustration for the team, the pace and development of the car continues to augur well. With the Le Mans 24 Hours race just a month away, the team remain as focused and determined as ever.
The next race is the Le Mans 24 Hours taking place 12-13 June 2010.
Round 2 - Practice & Qualifying Review
Free Practice (3 sessions)
Once again, Spa welcomed the teams with changable weather and it was bitterly cold. Free practice saw JMW Motorsport perform well, heading the timing sheets in session two. The pace of the Aston Martin was impressive.
Qualifying (13.40 CET)
Bouyant from the free practice sessions, Darren headed out for qualifying only to have his lap brought to a sudden halt by a red flag situation. Having lost the optimum lap, the dash for a lap was thwarted by traffic for Darren. Taking 10th on the grid was not a true reflection of JMW's pace, but as always the GT2 class was tight on time.