2006 Road America - IMSA Lites

In 2006, the International Motor Sport Association (IMSA) introduced IMSA Lites. The series was created to provide an opportunity for drivers competing at the amateur level to advance to a professional series or to prepare for a category such as the American Le Mans (ALMS). The mission is to develop future drivers and teams for the ALMS.

IMSA Lites features three classes of purpose-built sports racing prototypes – Lites 1, Lites 2 and Lites 3. The primary factor in determining the categorization of a car is engine displacement.

Lites 1 (L1) – This is the fastest category. The most common vehicle in this group is the Elan DP-02 manufactured by Elan Van Diemen. The DP-02 features a carbon fiber monocoque fitted with an aerodynamic package that includes a front splitter, diffuser and rear wing. The car is powered by a 2.3-liter four-cylinder Ford Duratec motor mounted to a six-speed sequential transmission. The division also includes the Radical SR3 1500 and West WR1300 Kawasaki.
Lites 2 (L2) – This group also includes several different chassis and engine combinations. The West WR1000 is a popular choice powered by a smaller engine than those models classified in the L1 division.
Lites 3 (L3) – Only one car competes in this category. The Van Diemen DP-06, introduced by the Sports Car Club of America in 2002, is powered by a Mazda MZR engine.

There are five race weekends, with doubleheaders at each event.

May 12-13 – Road Atlanta
May 19-21 - Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
June 30 – July 1 - Lime Rock Park
August 18-20 - Road America
September 28-30 - Road Atlanta

In addition to a driver’s championship, there are also titles for Teams and Constructors.

The penultimate weekend of the 2006 IMSA Lites Championship presented by Hankook was held at Road America. Drivers would complete in two twelve-lap races around the fourteen-turn 4.048-mile road course.

Another weekend of the 2006 IMSA Lites Championship and more victories for Adam Pecorari. After six rounds, Pecorari had five L1 wins. A retirement at Road Atlanta prevented him from having a perfect record. At Road America, Pecorari dominated both contests in the No. 2 Elan DP-02. He won the L1 category on Saturday by a margin of 1:05.471 and in the finale, he finished 45.270-seconds ahead of the competition.

Duncan Ende had an equally impressive weekend at Road America in the L2 category. In round two of the opening weekend of the series, Ende claimed the overall victory when Adam Pecorari retired. He was not entered at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course of Lime Rock Park events. Driving the No. 14 West Racecars West WR1000, Ende convincingly captured two more class wins at Road America.

Like Adam Pecorari and Duncan Ende, Wisconsin's Robert Mumm swept the L3 category with two wins at his home track. Mumm had two podium results, but no victories before the series arrived at Road America. He qualified third fastest for Saturday's contest but moved to the front to claim the class honours. The next day, the No. 10 Mumm Brothers Racing Van Diemen DP-06 started on the pole and led flag-to-flag.

Finishing a distant second in the L1 division both days was Kerry Jacobson. Jacobson drove the No. 38 Inspire Motorsports Elan DP-02. After the first six rounds of the 2006 IMSA Lites Championship, he had a record that included a victory obtained at Road Atlanta. Jacobson finished seventh overall in race one at Road America, six spots behind the winner, Adam Pecorari, and fifth overall on Sunday.

L2 competitor Mark White was only running a partial schedule. His record in four races included two podium results and an equal number of DNFs. At the conclusion of the races, he entered; White was either at the top or bottom of the results sheet. Road America would be one of White's better events. The driver of the No. 02 Accumoto Motorsports West WR1000 earned pair of second-place finishes.

Before entering the IMSA Lites Championship, Richard Spicer had won National titles at the Sports Car Club of America's Runoffs in 2001 and 2002 while competing in the Spec Racer Ford category. Driving the No. 65 Hagerman RacEngineering Van Diemen DP-06, Spicer had four L3 victories in as many starts. At Road America, he finished on the podium with second and third-place results.

POS.	CLASS	DRIVERS	CAR / ENTRANT	LAPS	RETIREMENTS
1	L1	Adam Pecorari	Elan DP-02 / Cape Motorsports	12	-
2	L2	Duncan Ende	West WR1000 / West Race Cars	12	-
3	L2	Mark White	West WR1000 / Accumoto Motorsports	12	-
4	L2	Robby Card	West WR1000 / PVM Motorsports	12	-
5	L2	Dan McBreen	West WR1000 / PVM Motorsports	12	-
6	L2	Eric Vassian	West WR1000 / PVM Motorsports	12	-
7	L1	Kerry Jacobson	Elan DP-02 / Inspire Motorsports	12	-
8	L1	Lawrence Loshak	West WR1300 / Engine & Transmission Exchange	12	-
9	L2	Randy Alexander	West WR1000 / Tech 7	12	-
10	L1	Jim Ferro	Elan DP-02 / Pabst Racing Services	12	-
11	L1	Richard Berry	Elan DP-02 / VeryBerryExotics	12	-
12	L2	Alex Gonzalez	West WR1000 / ActiveServe Racing	12	-
13	L2	Sean Price	Radical Pro 6 / Radical Sportscars	12	-
14	L3	Robert Mumm	Van Diemen DP-06 / Mumm Brothers Racing	12	-
15	L2	Brian Johnson	Radical SR3 / B1 Racing	12	-
16	L3	Chris Funk	Van Diemen DP-06 / KC Racing	12	-
17	L3	Richard Spicer	Van Diemen DP-06 / Hagerman RacEngineering	12	-
18	L1	Joel Feinberg	Radical SR3 1500 / 790 The Ticket	11	-
19	L3	Johnny Meriggi	Van Diemen DP-06 / Great Expectations	11	-
20	L2	Virgil DiaBiase	Radical SR3 / Just Racing Motorsports	11	-
21	L2	Jean-Luc Liverato	Radical Pro Sport / Expanded Technology	7	Did Not Finish
22	L1	Tom Sedivy	Elan DP-02 / Comprent Motor Sports	5	Did Not Finish
23	L2	Tom McGlynn	West WR1000 / West Racecars	1	Did Not Finish
24	L2	Paul Parker	West WR1000 / PVM Motorsports	1	Did Not Finish

POS.	CLASS	DRIVERS	CAR / ENTRANT	LAPS	RETIREMENTS
1	L1	Adam Pecorari	Elan DP-02 / Cape Motorsports	12	-
2	L2	Duncan Ende	West WR1000 / West Race Cars	12	-
3	L2	Mark White	West WR1000 / Accumoto Motorsports	12	-
4	L2	Dan McBreen	West WR1000 / PVM Motorsports	12	-
5	L2	Eric Vassian	West WR1000 / PVM Motorsports	12	-
6	L1	Kerry Jacobson	Elan DP-02 / Inspire Motorsports	12	-
7	L2	Alex Gonzalez	West WR1000 / ActiveServe Racing	12	-
8	L1	Richard Berry	Elan DP-02 / VeryBerryExotics	12	-
9	L2	Tom McGlynn	West WR1000 / West Racecars	12	-
10	L2	Sean Price	Radical Pro 6 / Radical Sportscars	12	-
11	L2	Randy Alexander	West WR1000 / Tech 7	12	-
12	L2	Brian Johnson	Radical SR3 / B1 Racing	12	-
13	L3	Robert Mumm	Van Diemen DP-06 / Mumm Brothers Racing	12	-
14	L3	Richard Spicer	Van Diemen DP-06 / Hagerman RacEngineering	12	-
15	L3	Johnny Meriggi	Van Diemen DP-06 / Great Expectations	12	-
16	L1	Jim Ferro	Elan DP-02 / Pabst Racing Services	9	Did Not Finish
17	L1	Lawrence Loshak	West WR1300 / Engine & Transmission Exchange	8	Did Not Finish
18	L2	Robby Card	West WR1000 / PVM Motorsports	7	Did Not Finish
19	L3	Chris Funk	Van Diemen DP-06 / KC Racing	7	Did Not Finish
20	L2	Virgil DiaBiase	Radical SR3 / Just Racing Motorsports	4	Did Not Finish
21	L1	Joel Feinberg	Radical SR3 1500 / 790 The Ticket	0	Did Not Finish
-	L2	Jean-Luc Liverato	Radical Pro Sport / Expanded Technology	-	Did Not Start
-	L1	Tom Sedivy	Elan DP-02 / Comprent Motor Sports	-	Did Not Start
-	L2	Paul Parker	West WR1000 / PVM Motorsports	-	Did Not Start

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