Road America Friday Notebook

Photo: John Dagys

***Extreme Speed Motorsports team owner Scott Sharp said they plan to use Dunlop tires for next month’s FIA World Endurance Championship round at Circuit of The America, a development revealed in a Sportscar365 exclusive. A number of other minor electrical and aero changes will need to be made to the HPD ARX-03b. While the No. 1 car will not take part in the TUDOR Championship race as a result of the necessary modifications, Sharp confirmed the car will return to IMSA specification for Petit Le Mans.

***James Hinchcliffe makes his first start in a Daytona Prototype chassis since 2006, when he shared AIM Autosport’s Lexus Riley with Mark Wilkins at the Brumos Porsche 250 at Daytona in late June. The Canadian pair of co-drivers finished 21st in a then-27 car DP field.

***Mark Klenin and Christian Szymczak round out the Muehlner Motorsports America lineup in the team’s No. 19 Porsche 911 GT America. This marks both drivers’ TUDOR Championship debut and the first time Muehlner will race its second car since Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in May, when Mark Kvamme and Dillon Machavern shared the seat.

***The No. 91 SRT Motorsports Dodge Viper SRT GTS-R of Dominik Farnbacher and Marc Goossens returns to its red-and-white livery this weekend after its car was decked out in the colors of TI Automotive at Indianapolis. Farnbacher and Goossens are defending class winners of this race, while teammates Jonathan Bomarito and Kuno Wittmer head to Road America on the heels of victory at the Brickyard.

***All TUDOR Championship teams in Prototype, Prototype Challenge and GT Daytona are utilizing Continental Tire’s “Blacks” compound this weekend. Continental has brought approximately 3,000 tires to Road America to accommodate cars in both the TUDOR Championship and Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge. It includes 800 wet weather tires, although they are unlikely to be used based on current forecasts.

***ViperExchange.com will be launching a new live video series on Saturday, with the premiere of “Behind the Coil: Live!” The paddock-side webcast, which begins at 8 p.m. ET, will feature live fan interaction with Riley Motorsports drivers Ben Keating and Jeroen Bleekemolen, with a chance to win prizes ranging from t-shirts to hats and other items from the GTD team. Fans can tune in at ViperExchange.com or by downloading the Ustream app for your smartphone or tablet and searching for “ViperExchange.”

***Norbert Siedler is set to make his return to the TUDOR Championship in the No. 73 Park Place Motorsports Porsche 911 GT America with Patrick Lindsey next month at Circuit of The Americas. Siedler, who drove for Dempsey Racing at Sebring, fills in for McLaren factory driver Kevin Estre, who will be on Blancpain Endurance Series duty at the Nurburgring that weekend.

***Fans at Road America will have an extra thrill this weekend, with the addition of a zip line located on the outside of Turn 5. Each ride costs $45, or two for $55.

Tony DiZinno contributed to this report

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