Le Mans Weekend Notebook

***The ACO/FFSA is serving as the sanctioning body for this weekend’s non-points-paying invitational Mustang Challenge races, with ORECA Events providing event support. In North America, Ford’s single-make championship cars compete under IMSA sanctioning for Mustang Challenge and USAC sanctioning for Mustang Cup.

***IMSA personnel are on-site at the Circuit de la Sarthe to provide a “technical advisory” support according to Ford Performance’s global one-make series manager, Chris Ward. Scrutineering has been led by IMSA personnel, and technical officials have been provided by the ACO/FFSA, and Mustang Challenge race director Chelsey Vickery will be present in race control to support an ACO FFSA-selected race director for this weekend’s event as a “race control advisor.”

***Ford has rented onboard marshaling systems (similar to those used in the FIA World Endurance Championship) to help the 40 drivers competing in the invitational adapt to the usage of Slow Zones, and restart procedures around the 8.467-mile circuit in an effort to run both of the 45-minute sprint races as closely to WEC rules as possible.

***During second practice, Ford Performance applied a “full field calibration” to the 39 competitors on the grid while under red flag conditions. Sportscar365 understands the work done by Ford engineers to develop and apply the necessary technical update has been successful, with cars running in Thursday’s qualifying session without major issues.

***Sportscar365 understands that the full field of 39 cars have run a single strip of helicopter tape along the panel gap seam between the hood and front bumper of their Dark Horse Rs from second practice onwards so as to prevent hood buffeting, given the extremely higher speed conditions the cars experience on the Mulsanne Straight at Le Mans.

***It’s also understood that pre-season technical updates (geared towards improved performance at the Le Mans Invitational) see the production-based Mustangs exceed 150 mph while barreling down Le Man’s iconic Mulsanne Straight.

***Ford Performance has two full spare Dark Horse Rs on-site in their support series paddock, should competitors in the field require them, alongside a host of spare mechanical parts, engines, body panels, etc., which all traveled overseas as part of the largest ever group shipping effort to Le Mans for an American manufacturer.

***One of the spare chassis has been allocated to the No. 72 TechTrak entry of Adam Balon, following a heavy collision at the Porsche Curves in Thursday morning’s qualifying session. With the spare cars being effectively ‘race-ready,’ Balon’s crew changed over the necessary electronics and applied team decals during the afternoon’s scheduled driver autograph session in preparation for Friday’s Race 1.

***The No. 15 TechSport crew of Alfonso Diaz, meanwhile, changed out the front bumper, fenders, and hood after reported contact with the Dark Horse Stars entry of Tanner Foust during qualifying. A team mechanic told Sportscar365 that the damage to Diaz’s car was almost entirely cosmetic, and that the No. 15 Dark Horse R will be ready to race on Friday, when he rolls off the grid third in class.

***Scott Thompson’s crew also performed cosmetic repairs on his No. 30 Mustang after the LAP Motorsports driver brushed the fire barriers at the Ford Chicane while setting his qualifying time Thursday morning. According to a team owner, Luis Perocarpi, Thompson continued his qualifying effort after the incident, with the team only discovering the cosmetic damage to the left side of his Dark Horse R when the car rolled down pit lane during the session’s red flag stoppage.

***Ford Performance Junior Driver Erik Evans revealed he suffered a gearbox failure during Thursday morning’s qualifying session. While he was able to record a valid qualifying time prior to the failure, allowing him to roll off the grid tomorrow, 13th in the top Dark Horse class with a fresh gearbox installed in his Dark Horse R.

***While Evans originally recorded the 14th best time in class, his (and the rest of the field’s) starting positions for both races are elevated by one position following Rober Noaker’s disqualification from Thursday’s qualifying after his splitter was found to be in violation of Mustang Challenge sporting regulation 7.4.5, as previously reported by Sportsca365.

***Dark Horse Legends competitor Bruce Myrehn, the father of acclaimed motorsports broadcaster Ryan Myrehn, was featured in a nationally aired news segment on France Channel 3, which aired on Monday. A broadcast crew followed the Indiana native around prior to the start of track action as Myrehn prepared to tackle his first track outing at the Circuit de la Sarthe.

***Sportscar365 understands that France Channel 3 originally intended to air a piece on international fans attending the 24 Hours of Le Mans, but elected to cover Myrehn’s Mustang Challenge drive after discovering his involvement in the Blue Oval’s invitational support series race while filming at his and wife, Kim’s, rental accommodations.

***Fans were allowed into the Mustang Challenge paddock on Friday for an autograph session with the full field of 40 competitors competing in this year’s race, including the celebrities participating in one-off Dark Horse Stars class appearances this weekend. The session allowed fans the chance to collect autographs on a special edition Le Mans Invitational event poster from Frankie Munoz, Chelsea DeNofa, Chris Harris, Sir Chris Hoy, Tanner Foust, and Ford Motor Company CEO Jim Farley.

***Doug Peterson allowed fans the opportunity to put their signatures and names on the hood of his No. 87 Peterson Racing Mustang during the autograph session. Peterson told Sportscar365 that he wanted to give fans the chance to do something they would not ordinarily get the chance to do, in having their names on a race car at Le Mans.

***Sportscar365 understands Peterson intends to keep the vinyl wrap containing the fan signatures on the car for as long as possible once returning to the U.S. for regular Mustang Challenge competition.

***Reigning Mustang Challenge champion and currently points-leader Robert Noaker told Sportscar365 that the Le Mans Invitational will be his first ever race in Europe, despite a pair of TA2 Trans Am race outings in Australia. The Ford Performance Junior Team Driver is not alone, however, with all six Junior Team members making their race starts at Circuit de la Sarthe this weekend.

***Coverage for both Mustang Challenge Le Mans Invitational Races can be live-streamed on Ford Performance’s YouTube channel, with commentary also available on Radio Le Mans. Race 1 will go green on Friday at 11 a.m. CEST (5 a.m. EST), with Race 2 getting underway at 8:45 a.m. CEST (2:45 a.m. EST) on Sunday before the start of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.