Super Trofeo Teams Complete Huracán Rollout at Spring Mountain

Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo North America competitors descended on Spring Mountain Motor Resort & Country Club in Pahrump, Nev. this week to receive their long-awaited Lamborghini Huracán LP 620-2 Super Trofeo cars.

The Italian-crafted machines were delivered April 20 to Spring Mountain, a 50-minute drive from Las Vegas, where teams and drivers had their first chance to view and collect their cars for the season.

Lamborghini Squadra Corse and Super Trofeo officials provided technical training sessions on the nuances of the new supercar and gave drivers track time before the season opener May 1-3 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

“Being able to shake down the cars at Spring Mountain should be a big help heading into the season opener at Laguna Seca next week,” said Kevin Conway, reigning Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo North America driver champion and World Final Pro-Am champion.

“The Huracán has more technical features than the Gallardo, with many adjustments available to the driver from the cockpit, including ABS, traction control and brake bias.

“All of these systems provide an unrivaled driving experience but also provide a deeper level of technicality for the engineers and teams.”

The Huracán LP 620-2 Super Trofeo adopts the V10 direct-injection engine mounted on the road car, managed by a MoTeC control unit, that delivers a maximum output of 620 horsepower.

The frame is a hybrid carbon/aluminum construction with modified geometries to house an improved radiator up front and better accommodate the racing gearbox at the rear, which also provides better aerodynamics.

One of the biggest changes from the four-wheel-drive Gallardo LP 570-4 Super Trofeo is the adoption of rear-wheel drive on the Huracán LP 620-2.

This season will see the largest grids in Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo North America history, with a mix of returning and new drivers ready to compete for a championship.

“The series has really matured in only its third year of the North American championship,” Conway said. “There are several new teams and returning teams alike that have very strong driver lineups.

“It is going to be a great championship. The Huracán is absolutely incredible, and the Gallardo is a great race car, too. The overall level of competition from both the team and driver side is among the very best in sports car racing.”

This week provided quite a transformation for the cars, drivers and series. The cars arrived from Italy factory white, ready for each individual team livery.

“Over the past two days, it’s been a wild experience to just be able to finally see the cars in person,” 2014 Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo North America race winner Corey Lewis said.

“It’s such a surreal feeling. Seeing the process of the cars transforming from storm troopers to the graphics of the sponsors has been awesome to watch.”

Some drivers tested the Huracán at various times throughout the off-season, but this was the first opportunity for quality time to put down laps and get a good feel for the exciting new car.

“It’s been a lot of hard work in a short amount of time,” series rookie Angel Benitez Jr. said. “We’ve put in a lot of hours getting the car ready for next week.

“Everyone from Lamborghini has been great, helping us with all of the upgrades and installations. The car is running fine, not any problems. And not just our team. No one has had any issues so far.

“It’s definitely one of the best cars I’ve ever driven, a true race car. It fits really well with my driving style. It’s been a positive week working with our engineer and my co-driver Nick (Dickson). We expect to be very competitive right out of the gate next week.”

Competition in the series is divided into two classes this season – one featuring the new Huracán supercar and the other featuring the 2013 Gallardo LP 570-4 Super Trofeo.

Lamborghini Gallardo drivers also tested at Spring Mountain this week to prepare for the season.

The 570-horsepower, V10 Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Super Trofeo features impressive technology such as paddle-shift, E-gear transmission, Öhlins race shocks, Brembo brakes, a carbon fiber aerodynamic package that includes a rear wing with 10 adjustable positions, MTA data acquisition, air jacks, center wheel locks and more.

The entire field will come together for the season opener next week, the first time North America will see the Huracán and Gallardo racing together on the same track.