Dempsey Racing and team drivers Patrick Dempsey, Joe Foster and Jonny Cocker all put in solid stints at the wheel of the team’s new # 27 Judd-powered Lola B12-80 Coupe that is making its ALMS P2 debut this weekend in the American Le Mans Monterey at Laguna Seca.

The team clocked in third fastest in the P2 class with that ranked fifth overall among the 35-car entry. Saturday’s six-hour race, Round 3 of the 2012 American Le Mans Series, is the debut ALMS race for Dempsey and Dempsey Racing and Foster’s first start in the series in a P2 machine. “I am trying to keep everything in perspective on what I need to achieve,” Dempsey said. “Joe drove very well and Jonny is very quick and has been very supportive. I am really struggling to get used to the braking and patience with the cornering. It’s good, but once again it gets back to having more seat time, getting comfortable, trusting the aerodynamics on the car and the downforce. It’s just going to take time.”

Dempsey Racing’s move into P2 follows its entry this year in the ALMS PC category in a partnership with Henri Richard, Duncan Ende and Silicon Tech Racing (STR). The #25 Oreca FLM09 is also racing at Laguna Seca with Ryan Lewis joining the driver lineup for Saturday’s six-hour. “Today went very well,” Foster said. “Henri Richard, Duncan Ende and the STR PC car ran good and Ryan Lewis had it up the time charts. The shakedown continues with the new Lola, the car ran good, Patrick and I are learning the car and Jonny ran very well. We were P3 in the test session. We didn’t have much time, there were a few red flags, but the data looks good and the car is running good.”

Cocker has two seasons of experience racing Lola prototype coupes and has been just as valuable out of the car as he is behind the wheel. “Today was a good step,” Cocker said. “We all got time in the car and basically made no major changes during the session, and we are pretty confident about how we are going to make a reasonable size step for tomorrow. Patrick and Joe had some good runs in the car too.”

(Based upon Dempsey Racing press information)

Photo : SEBRING INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY (FLORIDA, USA), SEBRING 12 HOURS, 16TH MARCH 2012. Dempsey Racing team owners Patrick Dempsey (right) and Joe Foster (left) with ALMS President Scott Atherton.