The Patrón Highcroft Racing team determined that the wrecked No. 9 Patrón Highcroft Acura ARX-2a chassis was not repairable to compete in this weekend’s Petit Le Mans event, the ninth round on the 2009 American Le Mans Series.
Therefore, the HPD officials and Patrón Highcroft Racing team owner Duncan Dayton have agreed to hire a private air carrier to transport the spare Acura prototype tub that was stored at the HPD headquarters in Santa Clarita, California.
The new Acura tub will arrive at Hartfield Jackson Airport in Atlanta at 7 a.m. Friday. The Patrón Highcroft Racing team will transport the tub to their Road Atlanta paddock area for construction of a new car beginning at 9 a.m. The team will begin building the new chassis in hopes of being ready for Saturday’s start of the 1,000-mile Petit Le Mans.
The spare Acura tub was constructed at Wirth Research in England earlier this year.
The Patrón Highcroft Acura Racing team currently holds a 17-point lead in the LMP1 point standings over the de Ferran Motorsports Acura squad on the ten-race ALMS sports car campaign.
Patrón Highcroft Racing is scheduled to work around the clock Thursday night to prepare a variety of parts for assembly on the new tub when it arrives Friday morning. Sharp, David Brabham and Dario Franchitti are scheduled to drive the No. 9 Patrón Highcroft Acura ARX-02a sports car when the green flag falls at 11:20 a.m. Saturday.
