Cosmo and Brown Struggle At Northeast Grand Prix

It was not a banner weekend for the #02 Extreme Speed Motorsports Patrón Ferrari F430 GT's performance at the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón Northeast Grand Prix at Lime Rock Park. Mincing no words, Guy Cosmo simply stated; "we did not produce the results we were hoping for."

"We just need to get this one behind us and gear up for Mid-Ohio," added Cosmo.  "With the ever-changing conditions and limited track time it was a tough weekend for everyone. And that was really what this race was all about. We practiced and qualified in the rain and then race day was dry, hot and humid. Everyone was chasing their set-up and we all suffered with the heat."

"I think the most frustrating part of all is we really had a fantastic time at Lime Rock," said Guy. "We were fortunate enough to have lots of friends and family come out to support us. Having everyone there along with all the guests from Patron experiencing the excitement of American Le Mans Series racing first hand, from the chic surroundings of the Patrón VIP Club was just great."

Extreme Speed Motorsports made their inaugural appearance at the 2010 12 Hours of Sebring and has enjoyed solid results given they're a new team and competing in what is arguably the most completive sports car racing series and division in the world. And even though the last two events did not produce the results they had hoped for, the team takes pride in the fact they are taking the checkered flag and completing the races.

The team tested earlier this summer at Mid-Ohio and Cosmo is confident what they were able to learn will work to their advantage. The transporters and crews move in to Lexington on Wednesday, August 4 in preparation for the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge.

"We should roll off the trailer fairly close to race ready," noted Cosmo. "Our summer test there went well, so everyone is very optimistic. We'll be ready."

In 2005 Cosmo drove to victory in the American Le Mans race at Mid Ohio Sports Car Course in a Mazda-powered Courage, scoring Mazda's first P2 win in their second race in the category. Cosmo took the helm during the second half of the race and coping with variable weather conditions to out-distance the field and take the team's and his first American Le Mans Series win. He went on to win Rookie of the Year.

The American Le Mans Series returns to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge. The two-hour, 45-minute race – Round 6 of the 2010 championship – is set for 3 p.m. ET on Saturday, August 7. Live race and qualifying video will be streamed online at americanlemans.com. Live radio coverage will be available on American Le Mans Radio presented by Porsche – a production of Radio Show Limited – as well as Sirius Channel 127 and XM Channel 242. The race will be broadcast at 12:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, August 15 on CBS Sports. Visit the Series’ schedule page  for ticket and accommodation information. Live Timing and Scoring, track schedule, entry list and much, much more will be available on Racehub at americanlemans.com.

Guy Cosmo, 2005 American Le Mans Series Rookie of the Year and also a former ORBIT Racing driver, competed last season in the No. 47 Porsche 911 GT3. He finished the season 3rd in the Challenge class championship qualifying on the pole three times. Cosmo has 19 starts in the American Le Mans Series, finishing in the top-five 17 times and has been on the winner’s podium twice. In addition to being an accomplished driver, Cosmo is also a highly sought-after driving instructor. Find out more about Guy Cosmo at http://www.guycosmo.com and follow Guy through the racing weekend on Twitter @guycosmo.

Extreme Speed Motorsports is sponsored by Tequila Patrón, along with support from Ferrari Corse Clienti and the team’s official tire technical partner Michelin. Patrón, a longtime supporter of motorsports racing, is the presenting sponsor of the full American Le Mans Series.

Cosmo And Company Head North On A Mission

Nothing would make Guy Cosmo happier than seeing the Extreme Speed Motorsports #02 Patrón Ferrari celebrate on the podium at the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón Northeast Grand Prix at Lime Rock Park July 23-24.

After enjoying solid results in the first three races of ESM's inaugural season, the team experienced their fair share of challenges at the Utah Grand Prix earlier this month. While it's not unusual for new teams to experience growing pains, it was uncharted territory for Extreme Speed's topflight crew.

"Utah is behind us," exclaimed a determined Guy Cosmo. "It's been reviewed and put to bed. We go forward from here and I'm confident our guys will make the necessary adjustments both on and off the track. We're all pros… and while we might be a new team, this is not our first rodeo. We're not going to allow being a new team to be a viable excuse. Excuses don't win races. So our focus is directed toward Lime Rock and getting these Ferraris to the front."

While the ALMS has been enjoying large entries and full grids in 2010, the term 'full grid' becomes very significant when the Series gets to Lime Rock Park. Lime Rock is the shortest track on the calendar at just under 1.6 miles long. Last year's overall pole time was 46.97 seconds and the average speed was 122 mph. And with only one left turn on the entire track, teams find themselves thinking in terms of an oval-like setup.

Think high-speed traffic jam. Drivers at Lime Rock will make the least amount of gear changes (16) per lap and run at full throttle 61% of the time. There are seven turns in all. That said, it's a spectacular battle ground for the scrappy GT2 cars.

"I'm really looking forward to climbing in the Ferrari at Lime Rock," said Cosmo, ALMS 2005 Rookie of the Year. "Traffic is going to be an issue, for sure… but if you can break into the clear, it's going to be the ride of a lifetime. You just know when a car is going to suit a track. I think the ESM Patrón Ferrari will be well suited."

Originally hailing from the New York area, Cosmo sees Lime Rock as a homecoming of sorts. Much of Guy's early racing took place in the Northeast and Lime Rock was very much like home.

"It's great being back at Lime Rock," added Guy. "It's just like being home. I spent a lot of time here and have lots of friends and family in the area. The best part will be having my dad hanging out with us. He and I had some of the best times of our lives racing and hanging around at Lime Rock. It's pretty special."

And, if you are within striking distance of Boston, come join Guy, Lime Rock Park and the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón to celebrate the Northeast Grand Prix in style at Alibi Bar and Lounge in Boston on Wednesday, July 21st! The Patrón Spirits Company and Harpoon Brewery are presenting the Grand Prix Boston Party, complete with everything a race or car enthusiast wants! And we mean EVERYTHING.

Along with Guy, the event will feature ALMS drivers Simon Pagenaud and Marino Franchitti! Also present for your viewing pleasure- up close and personal- will be the championship-winning Patrón Highcroft Racing LMP racecar! If you are 21 + and RSVP, complimentary drinks will be provided by the event sponsors. There will be events, games, and charity fundraisers at the party... And on top of all that, Lime Rock Park will be throwing down the gauntlet with discounted Saturday tickets for the ALMS race day on July 24th.

The American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix is the fifth round of the 2010 season. The two-hour, 45-minute race is set for 2:05 p.m. ET on Saturday, July 24 from Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Conn. SPEED will air the race live at 2 p.m. ET. Live radio coverage will be available on American Le Mans Radio presented by Porsche – a production of Radio Show Limited – as well as Sirius Channel 127 and XM Channel 242. Visit the Series’ schedule page for ticket and accommodation information. Live Timing and Scoring, track schedule, entry list and much, much more will be available on Racehub  at americanlemans.com.

Guy Cosmo, 2005 American Le Mans Series Rookie of the Year and also a former ORBIT Racing driver, competed last season in the No. 47 Porsche 911 GT3. He finished the season 3rd in the Challenge class championship qualifying on the pole three times. Cosmo has 19 starts in the American Le Mans Series, finishing in the top-five 17 times and has been on the winner’s podium twice. In addition to being an accomplished driver, Cosmo is also a highly sought-after driving instructor. Find out more about Guy Cosmo at http://www.guycosmo.com and follow Guy through the racing weekend on Twitter @guycosmo.

Extreme Speed Motorsports is sponsored by Tequila Patrón, along with support from Ferrari Corse Clienti and the team’s official tire technical partner Michelin. Patrón, a longtime supporter of motorsports racing, is the presenting sponsor of the full American Le Mans Series.

Cosmo / Brown Win MICHELIN® GREEN X® Challenge

Scoring their first MICHELIN® GREEN X® Challenge GT category victory and the first for Ferrari came as a hard earned victory for the number 02 Extreme Speed Ferrari driven by Guy Cosmo and Ed Brown. The Larry H. Miller Dealerships Utah Grand Prix was the first race that the team ran ran on Cellulosic E85.

“Winning the MICHELIN® GREEN X® Challenge in just the fourth race for our team was a pleasant surprise,” said co-driver Guy Cosmo. “The MICHELIN® GREEN X® Challenge is a great program, and it is a tremendous honor for Ed Brown, me and for the entire Extreme Speed Motorsports team to receive it for this race.”

Designed to accelerate the development path to market for innovative technologies, fuels, and energy sources through motorsports competition, the MICHELIN® GREEN X® Challenge has become the premier environmental award in motorsports competition worldwide by recognizing cars that go farthest, fastest, with the smallest environmental impact. Two awards, one for Prototypes and one for GT are presented at each American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón event.

While winning the MICHELIN® GREEN X® Challenge for the GT category is an honor, Cosmo and Brown really had their hearts set on making it to the podium steps of victory circle. The track and challenging conditions at Miller Motorsports Park had other ideas.

"This was a character building week," laughed Cosmo. "I think every member of the team got a real taste of what this series is all about. Not that we ever thought it would be easy, but we've really been enjoying small successes making progress each and every time we take to the track. We've been fast. We've improved. We've continuously been able to make the march forward. This week, it felt like everything we did was wrong. It was brutal."

Qualifying was the first blow to the #02 teams efforts as they came up six spots back from their Extreme Speed teammates in the #01 Ferrari who had taken the outside pole.

"We were really happy for Johannes (van Overbeek) and the #01 team," said Cosmo. "They did a great job. But by the same token, we were really disappointed in our own efforts. We simply missed getting the right setup."

The team's luck didn't get much better, although the #02 crew was able to improve the cars handling considerably by race time. Given the rough week they had, the solid 8th place finish in class is an indication of the team's fortitude and willingness to fight back.

"The positive part of the week is how we handled adversity," noted Cosmo. "We stuck with it. Everyone stayed focused, didn't get down and we came away from the week with our heads held high. We raced hard and we never quit."

"The reality," continued Guy, "is this is the American Le Mans Series. This is World Class sports car racing and we're up against the best. We're a new team with four races under our belt. We didn't sign on for an easy challenge. We signed on to race against the top GT teams in the World. Our week in Utah served as a reminder of the job at hand and just how tough a job it is. I have a lot of faith in our guys and the entire Extreme Speed team. We'll get there."

Next up is The American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix, the fifth round of the 2010 season. The two-hour, 45-minute race is set for 2:05 p.m. ET on Saturday, July 24 from Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Conn. SPEED will air the race live at 2 p.m. ET. Live radio coverage will be available on American Le Mans Radio presented by Porsche – a production of Radio Show Limited – as well as Sirius Channel 127 and XM Channel 242. Visit the Series’ schedule page for ticket and accommodation information. Live Timing and Scoring, track schedule, entry list and much, much more will be available on Racehub  at americanlemans.com.

Guy Cosmo, 2005 American Le Mans Series Rookie of the Year and also a former ORBIT Racing driver, competed last season in the No. 47 Porsche 911 GT3. He finished the season 3rd in the Challenge class championship qualifying on the pole three times. Cosmo has 19 starts in the American Le Mans Series, finishing in the top-five 17 times and has been on the winner’s podium twice. In addition to being an accomplished driver, Cosmo is also a highly sought-after driving instructor. Find out more about Guy Cosmo at http://www.guycosmo.com and follow Guy through the racing weekend on Twitter @guycosmo.

Extreme Speed Motorsports is sponsored by Tequila Patrón, along with support from Ferrari Corse Clienti and the team’s official tire technical partner Michelin. Patrón, a longtime supporter of motorsports racing, is the presenting sponsor of the full American Le Mans Series.

Guy Cosmo Ready To Turn Up The Heat In Utah

After a six week hiatus, Guy Cosmo is geared up and ready for the fourth stop of the 2010 American Le Mans Series season, the Larry H. Miller Dealerships Utah Grand Prix, July 11, at Miller Motorsports Park.

While Guy and his Extreme Speed Motorsports teammates may have had six weeks off, no one has been sitting around. ESM has used the opportunity to get a couple of test sessions with the F430 Patrón sponsored Ferraris, the most recent taking place in the desert and Miller Motorsports Park.

"The break as been a great opportunity for us to spend time reviewing where we've been and where we're headed," noted Guy. "The team has done a great job thus far. We rolled out of the box being very competitive, speed-wise.  As with any new team it takes time to gel and to nail down all the little details, such as race strategy, pit stops, driver changes, etc., and we haven't had any true 'failures' there at all. But when you're competing against the best in the business, it requires every aspect of the team and performance to be at 100% - and we're almost there."

"The first three events of the season put us in a variety of situations," added Cosmo. "We had the rough and rowdy 12 Hours of Sebring, a quick sprint on the tight streets of Long Beach and the long winding natural terrain of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. That's a fantastic amount and variety of data for us to review. It's a lot of experience and I think it will serve us well as we jump into the thick of the schedule."

With the Series heading into five races over the next eight weeks and on some of the toughest tracks in North America, Cosmo is confident in the team's ability. "I think the team is unanimous in our level of confidence," said Guy. "We're running consistent and we're making our way to the front. I'm looking forward to getting back out there and mixing it up. Utah will be a great place to kick off the summer stretch. "

A physically demanding track, Miller is no walk in the park. The high altitude of the 3.048 mile track coupled with the desert heat can be punishing on both driver and car. Getting the right set-up is critical. The race is run counterclockwise and combines a lot of high g-force corners combined with slower high-grip turns putting a lot of load on the car and on the driver's neck.

Cosmo and co-driver, Ed Brown will be on-track at Salt Lake for testing on Friday, July 9. Official practice takes place on Saturday followed by qualifying at 3.25pm (local time). The round four GT battle will commence at 2.35pm on Sunday, July 11.

The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón kicks off the summer stint with the Larry H. Miller Dealerships Utah Grand Prix at Miller Motorsports Park. The two-hour, 45-minute race will begin at 2:35 p.m. MT on Sunday, July 11, with coverage beginning on SPEED at 4:30 p.m. ET. Live radio coverage will be available on American Le Mans Radio presented by Porsche – a production of Radio Show Limited – as well as Sirius Channel 127 and XM Channel 242. Visit the Series’ schedule page for ticket and accommodation information. Live Timing and Scoring, track schedule, entry list and much, much more will be available on Racehub at americanlemans.com.

Guy Cosmo, 2005 American Le Mans Series Rookie of the Year and also a former ORBIT Racing driver, competed last season in the No. 47 Porsche 911 GT3. He finished the season 3rd in the Challenge class championship qualifying on the pole three times. Cosmo has 19 starts in the American Le Mans Series, finishing in the top-five 17 times and has been on the winner’s podium twice. In addition to being an accomplished driver, Cosmo is also a highly sought-after driving instructor. Find out more about Guy Cosmo at http://www.guycosmo.com and follow Guy through the racing weekend on Twitter @guycosmo.

Extreme Speed Motorsports is sponsored by Tequila Patrón, along with support from Ferrari Corse Clienti and the team’s official tire technical partner Michelin. Patrón, a longtime supporter of motorsports racing, is the presenting sponsor of the full American Le Mans Series.