Audi R8 GRAND-AM Gets Performance Break

Photo: John Dagys

After a season of struggles, particularly on the high-downforce circuits, the Audi R8 GRAND-AM has been given a crucial Balance of Performance adjustment ahead of this weekend’s Continental Tire Sports Car Festival at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

The GT3-based car, adopted to the Rolex Series GT class rulebook last year, can now run its FIA-homologated diffuser. The change, approved by GRAND-AM following the last round at Kansas Speedway, comes, however, with a 25lb minimum weight increase.

Fall-Line Motorsports, which entered the Rolex Series GT ranks mid-season, recently tested its Audi with various GT3 aerodynamic components and found a considerable improvement in aero balance and stability with the original diffuser.

The Chicago area-based team is fresh off its first top-five finish at Kansas with drivers Bryan Sellers and Mark Boden. Al Carter will join Sellers behind the wheel of the mid-engined sports car this weekend.

“At Kansas, we learned a lot about the race-ability of the car and where we need to improve that,” Sellers said. “We have also been afforded a BoP from GRAND-AM that should improve the race car. I am looking forward to getting back into the B+ Foundation/Fall-Line Audi and seeing the differences.”

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John